Community Commitment
August 28, 2024
Electrification upgrades help make sustainable, affordable housing a reality
Innovative partnership delivers Denver Housing Authority’s first-ever full electrification project
For the residents of Denver’s Dispersed West Public Housing, summer just got a lot cooler.
Through a pilot partnership between Xcel Energy, the Denver Housing Authority (DHA), Energy Outreach Colorado (EOC) and others, residents in the multifamily housing’s 17 units now have central air conditioning, replacing AC window units and fans for cooling. The building’s natural gas furnaces and water heaters also have been replaced with energy efficient, all-electric heating and water heaters powered by heat pump technologies.
"This collaborative project showcases our commitment to innovative, equitable solutions in sustainable housing," said Jennifer Gremmert, CEO of Energy Outreach Colorado. "By introducing all-electric systems that offer heating and the addition of cooling, we're not just improving energy efficiency—we're transforming the daily lives of residents. We're excited to build on this pilot's success and explore opportunities to bring similar benefits to communities throughout Colorado."
The $661K project, primarily funded by Xcel Energy and the City and County of Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency (CASR), represents a significant step forward in sustainable, affordable housing. Additional support came from the Denver Office of Nonprofit Engagement (D-ONE) under Denver Human Rights and Community Partnerships, demonstrating a broad city-wide commitment to the initiative.
Each two-story unit with a basement has been equipped with a new air source heat pump, replacing traditional furnaces, and fully electric heat pump water heaters. The electrification upgrades are expected to deliver increased comfort year-round for residents. Xcel Energy, a major funder of the project through their 2023 Demand-Side Management Plan and Beneficial Electrification Pilot, sees this as a model for future developments.
“We are focused on helping all customers reduce their emissions with new all-electric and energy-efficient technologies like heat pumps,” said Robert Kenney, President of Xcel Energy-CO. “This project serves as a pilot to understand how customers can collectively reduce emissions at a scale required to meet our own ambitious clean energy goals by reducing greenhouse gases by 25% by 2030, from 2020 levels.”
To learn more about Xcel Energy’s Demand-Side Management Plan, visit our website.