Access to Whole Home Retrofits
6/12/25 @ 10:30AM
Bienville Room
The Basics
What does This mean?
The housing stock in the United States was not built equally nor upgraded equally, and this has enormous repercussions for its occupants. Solutions to address energy efficiency, weatherization, and indoor air pollution that are siloed as one-time upgrades or improvements are inadequate and leave needs unmet and residents at risk. Homes in environmental justice communities, low income communities, and communities of color often need a whole home overhaul to meet the baseline standards of today.
However, whole home retrofits are limited in opportunities and funding support and can cause displacement.
Why Does This Matter?
Without addressing the full range of issues a home is facing, the energy industry is merely putting a bandaid on, or worse, adding a burden.
Whole home retrofits can free up money in future investment by addressing the issues today. For example, lead poisoning costs $43B annually, asthma costs $81B annually, and energy inefficiencies costs $20B annually.
Without the proper protections, upgrades can cause displacement through relocation during construction or capital cost passthrough.
How can this advance equitable building decarbonization?
Whole home retrofits provide an avenue to decarbonization for homes by replacing HVAC systems, replacing gas appliances, upgrading electrical wiring, improving building envelope and insulation, reducing leaks/mold/mildew, and more!
Opportunity to decarbonize and protect current and future occupants, repair underinvestment, and bolstering health and safety for all its residents present and future.