Page 144 - Designing for Zero Carbon-Volume 2_Case Studies of All-Electric Multifamily Residential Buildings
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DESIGNING FOR ZERO CARBON, VOL. 2 OBSERVATIONS
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Case Studies of All-Electric Multifamily Residential Buildings
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Batteries
Although none of the case study projects in this book use batteries for energy storage due to the first cost investment required at the time, for many of the projects, space was designated and infrastructure supplied for future installation. Just as for the rapidly- developing electric car industry, battery technology is likely to go down in cost for the building industry application. Combined with the increased incentives for reducing elec- trical demand during peak hours, namely with significantly-increased rates for energy use during those peak hours, buildings are likely to include battery installation in the near future as it becomes more cost effective.
There is also the incentive to provide resiliency, ensuring power supply during major shutdowns by the public utility for emergency reasons such as wildfires and flooding. Risk avoidance is likely to be a motivator for building owners and developers to invest in battery systems for their projects.
For a variety of reasons, installation of batteries for energy storage will likely be a stan- dard feature of all multifamily building projects in the near future. In fact, as of January 2023, battery storage is required by California Title 24, Part 6, for multifamily projects of four stories or more.
