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Inside PG&E's Search for the Next Big Building Electrification Breakthrough

Date: July 24, 2026 Author: Paul Doherty
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What do heat pump water heaters, student innovators from UC Berkeley and UCLA, and entrepreneurs with the next big energy-saving idea have in common? 

 

They're all part of PG&E's effort to accelerate building electrification and help customers access cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. Through research, partnerships and the newly launched Building Electrification & Energy Efficiency Pitchfest, PG&E is helping turn promising ideas into real-world impact.

 

Building the future of electrification — one hot shower at a time 

 

What happens when dozens of families in an apartment building need hot water at the same time? How can building owners electrify water heating without sacrificing performance, reliability or efficiency?

 

To help answer those questions, PG&E's Building Electrification & Energy Efficiency Program and Applied Technology Services teams developed a full-scale multifamily hot water testing facility that recreates the conditions found in real apartment buildings. The facility allows researchers to evaluate different heat pump water heating system designs under realistic operating conditions and generate independent data that can help inform future building codes and electrification efforts across California.

 

In a recent study, PG&E engineers evaluated multiple central heat pump water heater configurations used in multifamily buildings, examining how different approaches to storing and circulating hot water can affect energy efficiency, system performance and available hot water capacity. The research is helping improve understanding of how these systems perform under different operating conditions and can provide valuable guidance for builders, designers, building owners and policymakers as more multifamily buildings transition to electric technologies.

 

The work is helping generate independent, laboratory-tested data that may support future updates to California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24) and help advance building electrification across the state.

 

The research is scheduled to be presented at the 2026 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings this August. Additional information and findings will be shared following the conference.

 

Building electrification awareness from student innovation

 

Earlier this year, PG&E partnered with Net Impact to host the 2026 Home Electrification Challenge, a statewide competition that invited college students to develop innovative customer engagement strategies to help accelerate home electrification across California. Eight finalist teams representing more than 20 students presented their ideas at PG&E's Oakland headquarters and connected with PG&E sustainability and electrification leaders. 

 

The competition's winning teams came from UC Berkeley and UCLA, demonstrating the creativity and problem-solving skills of California's next generation of clean energy leaders. Their work focused on helping customers better understand the benefits of electrification and encouraging electrified homeowners to become advocates within their communities. Winning teams were awarded a grand prize of $1,000 each.

 

“Helping our customers electrify their homes at the pace and scale we need is a big sustainability challenge — and big challenges require innovative thinking and collaborative approaches. This competition was an exciting way to tap into the creative ideas of bright-minded students to help shape our strategy. Special thanks to our partners at Net Impact for helping to bring this impactful initiative to life,” reflected Chris Benjamin, senior director of Corporate Sustainability at PG&E.

 

Introducing the Building Electrification & Energy Efficiency Pitchfest

 

Building on that spirit of innovation, PG&E is now accepting submissions for its inaugural Building Electrification & Energy Efficiency Pitchfest.

 

Through Aug. 15, innovators, researchers, manufacturers, startups, contractors and other industry leaders are invited to submit market-ready solutions that can help accelerate building electrification, improve energy efficiency, reduce energy use and deliver benefits for customers and the electric grid.

 

Following the submission period, selected participants will be invited to participate in a Pitchfest event this October, where they will have the opportunity to present their solutions to PG&E project managers and subject matter experts. The goal is to identify practical, scalable solutions that can help advance California's clean energy future and explore pathways to broader deployment.

 

 

 

Looking to electrify your home?

 

By combining research, innovation and customer programs, PG&E is helping build a cleaner, more energy-efficient future for California. 

 

PG&E offers tools, rebates and resources to help customers switch to clean electric technologies, including heat pump water heaters, induction cooking and other energy-saving upgrades.