Sacramento Municipality Utility District (SMUD) and national homebuilder D.R. Horton are teaming up to build 104 all-electric homes in two new neighborhoods. "Juniper” plans to include 66 homes, and “Independence" is anticipated to include 38 homes; both are located in North Natomas near Sacramento.
Groundbreaking for the subdivisions began earlier this summer and the model homes are now complete. If built as planned, SMUD will provide $466,000 in incentives to D.R. Horton for including appliances and equipment to make the homes all-electric. These include heat pump heating and cooling, heat pump water heating, and induction stoves—appliances that are typically more energy efficient, and can deliver lower overall energy bills.
Heat pump water heaters can reduce electricity use by up to 60% compared to electric resistance water heaters. Instead of using electricity to create heat, heat pump water heaters use a refrigerant cycle to transfer heat from surrounding ambient air into the hot water tank. Induction stoves may cook 50% faster than electric resistance stoves, and often as fast as gas. They also use less energy than traditional electric stoves and offer digital control of the temperature, and they have no open flame. The absence of combustion in all-electric homes may result in greater occupant safety.
These homes will help SMUD meet its aggressive commitment to reach 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and surpass the state’s greenhouse gas reduction goals of 80% by 2050.
The SMUD Smart Home program offers incentives to builders and developers of up to $5,000 for new single-family homes, and up to $1,750 for new multifamily units, built to be all-electric. The homes must have all-electric appliances and mechanical systems—no gas line in the home, and no gas service at the property—in order to meet the minimum program participation requirements.
Customers who own existing homes in the SMUD service territory can also qualify for up to $13,750 for existing homes that convert from gas to electricity. For example, owners of existing homes may receive up to a $4,500 incentive to replace an existing gas furnace by installing an electric heat pump space heater. A homeowner may receive up to a $3,000 rebate to switch out an existing gas water heater for an electric heat pump water heater. Rebates are also available for traditional efficiency measures such as duct sealing, insulation, and windows.
Click here for more information about SMUD’s Smart Home program.
