⚡ The Era of All-Electric Buildings Is Here

Evan DeMarco
May 6, 2025

⚡ The Era of All-Electric Buildings Is Here

Across the U.S. and much of the world, the shift away from gas is gaining momentum.

Cities and states are banning new gas hookups. National and international building codes are requiring decarbonization. And developers are racing to meet ESG and net-zero goals—not just to comply, but to compete.

The result? A new standard: all-electric buildings.

But designing these buildings comes with new challenges—especially when it comes to heating and hot water.

🧯 The Hidden Problem in Electric Design: Heat

While heat pumps and electric appliances cover a lot of ground, the biggest pain point remains:

🔥 Thermal energy.

Specifically:

  • Domestic hot water
  • Radiant floor systems
  • Space heating in cold climates
  • Backup/emergency heat

Most electric designs still rely on:

  • Oversized heat pumps that spike energy usage
  • Grid-tied resistive electric water heaters with huge loads
  • Expensive backup boilers for “just in case” scenarios

This creates inefficiencies, overcomplicates mechanical design, and increases grid dependency.

🔋 The Missing Piece: Thermal Battery Storage

A thermal battery like Solthera stores heat, not electricity.

It absorbs thermal energy from solar, the grid, or heat pumps and releases it on demand, without combustion, emissions, or moving parts.

For all-electric buildings, that means:

  • Lower peak electrical demand
  • Faster response times for hot water
  • Seamless integration with renewable inputs
  • Increased resiliency during outages or load shifting

💡 Why Solthera Is Built for All-Electric Design

Why Solthera is Built for All-Electric Design

🏗️ Smart Mechanical Design Made Simple

Solthera is being specified by MEP engineers and architects who are building:

  • Electrified multifamily housing
  • Net-zero schools and campuses
  • Mixed-use commercial centers
  • Passive House residential projects
  • Off-grid or microgrid developments

It simplifies mechanical coordination by acting as a thermal buffer, allowing systems to:

  • Run smaller compressors
  • Downsize backup equipment
  • Reduce simultaneous loads
  • Improve LEED & Title 24 performance

🌎 Code-Driven and Future-Ready

Solthera supports compliance with:

  • Title 24 (CA)
  • NYC Local Law 97
  • ASHRAE 90.1
  • LEED v4.1 and Net-Zero targets
  • Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives

As the built environment races toward full electrification, thermal energy storage will become as essential as electrical storage.

🔧 How It Works in Practice

Let’s say you’re designing a 30-unit apartment building with rooftop solar and centralized mechanical.

Without Solthera:

  • You need large water tanks
  • Heat pump sizing is overbuilt
  • Load management becomes difficult
  • Peak hour rates kill operational costs

With Solthera:

  • Each unit gets a compact thermal battery
  • Hot water is demand-ready 24/7
  • Peak demand is flattened
  • Renewable inputs are time-shifted for optimal use

✅ All-Electric Design Demands Smarter Heat Storage

Solthera doesn’t just work with electric buildings.
It was designed for them.

By bringing heat into the energy storage equation, it unlocks new flexibility, efficiency, and resilience—while helping your project meet codes, save space, and support a decarbonized future.