Success Story: Electrification in North Lawndale
Ms. Tekuila McGee has lived in North Lawndale for two decades, along with her son who’s in the U.S. Navy, and her father who recently passed away. When Ms. McGee learned about Elevate’s electrification program, she jumped at the opportunity because she cares deeply about protecting the environment.
“Even before I learned about electrifying my home, I’ve tried my best to recycle and limit the amount of time I spend driving in my car,” Ms. McGee said. “I’m so glad these upgrades will allow me to make my carbon footprint even smaller.”
Through Elevate’s electrification program, contractors installed electric, energy efficient appliances at Ms. McGee’s house in Lawndale. The upgrades included an electric stove, washer and dryer, as well as a heat pump that powers a central heating and cooling system.
These retrofits will eliminate Ms. McGee’s gas bill and lower her overall energy costs, as well as reduce her carbon footprint. After electrification, homeowners typically save about $1,040 annually on utility costs and see a 105-ton reduction in their house’s carbon emissions during the appliances’ 30-year-lifetime.
Electrification can also increase the value of Ms. McGee’s home. But this summer, she is most excited about her new cooling system because her home didn’t have air conditioning prior to the renovations.
“My house used to be sweltering in the summertime, but now it’s going to be a lot more comfortable,” Ms. McGee said. “That’s huge, especially now that it keeps getting hotter outside every summer.”
Now, Ms. McGee can control the temperature of each individual room in her house.
“The fact I can control the temperature in each room is huge. My son and I always used to argue because he likes it warmer at night, but I can’t sleep unless it’s cool. Now, we can both choose what feels comfortable in our room and won’t have to fight about it.”
Heat pumps work by transferring warm air outside in the summer and moving hot air inside in the winter. Since the machine is transferring air, it uses less energy than other methods of heating and cooling a house. It’s also quieter than a traditional central AC unit. Ms. McGee said she’s still able to enjoy peaceful afternoons in her backyard, even though her outdoor seating area is right next to the heat pump.
“It’s very quiet, which is great for a backyard in the city,” said Ms. McGee. “And all the indoor units mounted and out of the way, so they fit seamlessly into my home.”
Ms. McGee had been interested in electrifying her home for years, but didn’t know how to begin the process. After she enrolled in the program, Elevate representatives visited her home to do an assessment and explain the process. And just within a few weeks, construction on her home was completed.
“I’ve been trying to do my part, even before this program started,” Ms. McGee said. “I’m honored to be one of the homes chosen for this project and I’m so grateful for the opportunity.”
Elevate plans to electrify 30 homes in North Lawndale, at no cost to homeowners. Typically, these kinds of renovations cost around $60,000. Elevate is working with local diverse contractors from the neighborhood to install these upgrades, bringing employment opportunities to the community.
Retrofitting older homes can lead to significant energy savings in the communities that need them the most. Buildings accounts for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., and even up to 50%-75% in areas where there’s older building stock, according to Institute for Market Transformation.
Implementing electrification projects across homes in the North Lawndale community would lead to 34,000 metric tons of annual carbon savings and $3.5 million in annual utility bill savings.
“The immediate benefit is the cost savings and central cooling, I’m already so much more comfortable in my home,” Ms. McGee said. “But the long-term benefits are all about protecting the environment and my community, by reducing carbon emissions.”
