As clean energy technology and terminology continues to grow, people looking to decarbonize their homes need more consumer-friendly resources than ever. To help people navigate electrification upgrades, Heatmap’s new special report, Decarbonize Your Life, turned to Senior Emerging Opportunities Manager and ACEEE Champion of Energy Efficiency award winner Jake Marin for expert advice on how to buy a heat pump.

Marin walks consumers through the basics of how heat pumps work, finding knowledgeable contractors, best practices for staying comfortable and energy efficient, and other real-world advice for navigating home heating and cooling upgrades. The guide includes Marin’s perspective on the importance of weatherization, making a budget that fits your goals, and what steps people can take to ensure they are maximizing incentives from local and state rebate programs, as well as federal tax credits created through the Inflation Reduction Act.  

Check out “Everything You Need to Know About Heat Pumps” to read all of Marin’s tips for planning your home energy upgrades.

The series also features VEIC’s partner program, TECH Clean California, in its guide to water heater replacements. It highlights learnings from TECH’s Quick Start Grant (QSG) program that tests innovative approaches to overcoming common market barriers faced by energy providers and decarbonization program managers. An expert from QSG participant, Barnett Plumbing & Water Heaters, shares their experience leading a heat pump water heater loaner program in the state that successfully installed nearly 150 HPWHs during the pilot and continues to offer gas loaners to customers interested in electrification.

Learn more about the statewide initiative to scale heat pump adoption in the full guide here.