Energy use in buildings has a major impact on both household budgets and community greenhouse gas emissions. Heating, cooling, and powering homes and businesses account for a large share of California's climate footprint, and most of this energy is still used in inefficient buildings that waste heat, leak air, or rely on older gas appliances. Improving energy efficiency and transitioning to efficient electric systems reduces emissions while improving indoor air quality, comfort, and resilience.
Wayfinding Cards
Energy Efficient Homes
Multifamily Buildings
Commercial Programs
Local Government Assistance
Why Energy Efficiency and Electrification Matter
Heating water and air and cooling spaces are the largest sources of energy use in buildings. Inefficient systems contribute the most to greenhouse gas emissions and high utility bills. Older buildings often lose heat through unsealed gaps, under-insulated attics, and leaky ductwork. At the same time, gas appliances contribute to air pollution indoors and out.
Energy efficiency reduces waste by improving the building envelope through insulation and air sealing, maximizing equipment performance, repairing ducts, or making sure your appliances are the right size for your building.
Electrification replaces gas-powered appliances with high-efficiency electric systems that can run on renewable energy. This may include heat pump space or water heaters or induction stoves.
Together, these strategies:
- Improve comfort and indoor air quality
- Lower or stabilize utility bills for households and businesses
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Support local climate-action plans
- Strengthen grid resilience and long-term reliability
This integrated approach is the foundation of StopWaste's energy work.
Why StopWaste Works on Energy
StopWaste works on energy because building energy use is deeply connected to community well-being, environmental health, and long-term sustainability. Improving the efficiency of buildings reduces operating costs, prevents waste, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions—aligning with our mission to support resilient, resource-efficient communities.
StopWaste has supported energy programs for more than 20 years and played a key role in creating the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN). BayREN is a collaboration of the nine Bay Area county governments and the Association of Bay Area Governments. BayREN uses ratepayer funds collected by the California Public Utilities Commission to implement energy efficiency programs across the residential, commercial, and municipal sectors. This work enables cities and counties to offer coordinated programs that no single jurisdiction could operate alone.
Our Regional Approach
Cities across the Bay Area face similar challenges: aging buildings, rising utility costs, and ambitious climate goals. A regional approach makes it possible to:
- Pool funding and resources
- Provide consistent programs across jurisdictions, which is helpful for reducing customer and contractor confusion
- Offer training and tools for local building departments
- Coordinate market transformation efforts (e.g., electrification, heat pumps, refrigerant impact reduction)
- Support equitable access to energy upgrades across communities
BayREN allows counties and cities to work together by improving program reach, efficiency, and impact. StopWaste is the Alameda County contact for BayREN, meaning it represents the county in decision making on key outcomes, such as what programs BayREN should run, and provides local outreach and marketing to make sure that residents, businesses, and municipalities know about and can participate in what BayREN has to offer.
StopWaste plays another unique role in BayREN by managing several of their programs at the regional scale—the Bay Area Multifamily Building Enhancements (BAMBE) program and the Green Labeling program. StopWaste is also the BayREN lead for the new statewide Home Energy Score California program, which builds upon years of successfully running a Home Energy Score program in the Bay Area.
Together, We Can Reduce Energy Use and Improve Community Well-Being
Whether through improving a single home, upgrading a multifamily building, supporting a small business, or helping local governments meet climate goals, StopWaste's energy programs make it easier and more affordable for Alameda County residents and organizations to save energy and reduce emissions.
Looking for Solar, Batteries, or Electricity Provider Information? For information about solar installations, battery storage incentives, or to learn about your electricity provider, visit Ava Community Energy, Alameda County's community choice energy provider: avaenergy.org