Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
As more homeowners look to electrify with EV chargers, heat pumps, electric water heaters, and other high-demand appliances, electrical capacity is often perceived as a major barrier especially in older and retrofit homes. This course demystifies the residential electric panel and introduces load management as a practical, cost-effective strategy for maximizing existing electrical capacity.
Participants will learn how to assess a home’s electric panel, understand current and future electrical loads, and identify opportunities where load management can avoid or delay a full service upgrade. The course will explore why service upgrades are challenging for homeowners, electricians, and utilities alike, and how load management solutions can offer an alternative path to electrification.
The content is especially relevant for single-family and small multifamily homes (4 units or fewer), with a focus on existing buildings. The course will conclude with a live, interactive panel assessment demonstration featuring up to three participant homes, providing real-world examples and applied learning. No technical background is needed, although some high level familiarity with the electric panel is helpful.
Continuing Education Units (CEUS) submitted 1 hour in*
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
• Building Performance Institute (BPI) WholeHouse
• Submitted for American Institute of Architects - AIA (HSW)**
• Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
• GHI Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP) Pillar(s): Energy, Materials
• American Institute of Building Designers (AIBD)
• Building Science Institute (BSI) Verifier
• Passive House Consultant US (CPHC)
• Society of American Registered Architects (SARA)
**State Architect / Builder License may be applicable
Need CEUS?
Take the Quiz here:
Speaker:
Jane Chen is the CEO and Cofounder of Stepwise, and has 10 years of experience in business, electrification, and startups, where she worked across Asia and North America. She fell in love with electrification technology through working on international expansions for an EV charger manufacturer, where she saw the opportunity to do well and do good. She later ran a home EV installation platform, where she saw the deeper inefficiencies surrounding the electric panel, causing her to take action to start Stepwise. Jane studied chemistry and business operations at UPenn/ Wharton, has an MBA from MIT Sloan, and is an avid adventurer of the outdoors.
Brian LaMorte is a master electrician and certified HVAC installer based in Ithaca, New York, with over 20 years of hands-on experience in residential electrical and mechanical systems. As the owner of LaMorte Electric & HVAC, Brian specializes in whole-home electrification projects, helping homeowners transition to clean, efficient technologies like heat pumps, EV chargers, and modern electrical infrastructure. Beyond his work in the field, he serves as an advisor to Rewiring America and is actively involved with the City of Ithaca, contributing his expertise to local and national efforts to accelerate building decarbonization and practical climate solutions.
Lessons Learned:
1. Understand that effective load management is crucial for maintaining the health of electrical systems in homes, allowing for the safe integration of high-demand appliances without risking damage or inefficiency.
2. Analyze the role of proper electric panel assessments in enhancing safety by identifying potential hazards and avoiding the need for costly service upgrades that could compromise reliability.
3. Introduce load management strategies as a means to support community welfare by lowering electricity costs and contributing to a more reliable energy grid.
4. Articulate the importance of understanding electrical loads to safeguard the safety of residential wiring, ultimately preventing overloads and potential fire hazards.
As more homeowners look to electrify with EV chargers, heat pumps, electric water heaters, and other high-demand appliances, electrical capacity is often perceived as a major barrier especially in older and retrofit homes. This course demystifies the residential electric panel and introduces load management as a practical, cost-effective strategy for maximizing existing electrical capacity.
Participants will learn how to assess a home’s electric panel, understand current and future electrical loads, and identify opportunities where load management can avoid or delay a full service upgrade. The course will explore why service upgrades are challenging for homeowners, electricians, and utilities alike, and how load management solutions can offer an alternative path to electrification.
The content is especially relevant for single-family and small multifamily homes (4 units or fewer), with a focus on existing buildings. The course will conclude with a live, interactive panel assessment demonstration featuring up to three participant homes, providing real-world examples and applied learning. No technical background is needed, although some high level familiarity with the electric panel is helpful.
Continuing Education Units (CEUS) submitted 1 hour in*
• Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
• Building Performance Institute (BPI) WholeHouse
• Submitted for American Institute of Architects - AIA (HSW)**
• Certified Green Professional (NARI & CGP)
• GHI Certified GreenHome Professional (CGHP) Pillar(s): Energy, Materials
• American Institute of Building Designers (AIBD)
• Building Science Institute (BSI) Verifier
• Passive House Consultant US (CPHC)
• Society of American Registered Architects (SARA)
**State Architect / Builder License may be applicable
Need CEUS?
Take the Quiz here:
Speaker:
Jane Chen is the CEO and Cofounder of Stepwise, and has 10 years of experience in business, electrification, and startups, where she worked across Asia and North America. She fell in love with electrification technology through working on international expansions for an EV charger manufacturer, where she saw the opportunity to do well and do good. She later ran a home EV installation platform, where she saw the deeper inefficiencies surrounding the electric panel, causing her to take action to start Stepwise. Jane studied chemistry and business operations at UPenn/ Wharton, has an MBA from MIT Sloan, and is an avid adventurer of the outdoors.
Brian LaMorte is a master electrician and certified HVAC installer based in Ithaca, New York, with over 20 years of hands-on experience in residential electrical and mechanical systems. As the owner of LaMorte Electric & HVAC, Brian specializes in whole-home electrification projects, helping homeowners transition to clean, efficient technologies like heat pumps, EV chargers, and modern electrical infrastructure. Beyond his work in the field, he serves as an advisor to Rewiring America and is actively involved with the City of Ithaca, contributing his expertise to local and national efforts to accelerate building decarbonization and practical climate solutions.
Lessons Learned:
1. Understand that effective load management is crucial for maintaining the health of electrical systems in homes, allowing for the safe integration of high-demand appliances without risking damage or inefficiency.
2. Analyze the role of proper electric panel assessments in enhancing safety by identifying potential hazards and avoiding the need for costly service upgrades that could compromise reliability.
3. Introduce load management strategies as a means to support community welfare by lowering electricity costs and contributing to a more reliable energy grid.
4. Articulate the importance of understanding electrical loads to safeguard the safety of residential wiring, ultimately preventing overloads and potential fire hazards.
