Written By: Amanda Bogner, Catalyst Partners

As the U.S. electric grid undergoes rapid transformation, design professionals are facing new responsibilities—and new opportunities. The grid is no longer passive background infrastructure. With the rise of all-electric buildings, distributed energy resources, and smarter controls, the grid has become a design input, a construction consideration, and an operational partner. 

This white paper explores how design teams can align with evolving grid needs to reduce carbon emissions, enhance building resilience, and create lasting value. 

 

Why the Grid Matters to Building Design 

The U.S. electric grid is an engineering marvel: it delivers power to over 330 million people through a vast network of power plants, transmission lines, substations, and distribution systems. Yet, as demand grows and renewable energy replaces fossil fuels, the grid’s operating paradigm is shifting. 

Architects, engineers, and building operators must now ask new questions: 

• Will the grid be available and reliable when my building needs it? 

• How can my building reduce its strain on the grid—or even support it? 

The answers are embedded in concepts of reliability (can the grid meet demand consistently?) and resilience (can the grid bounce back from disruption?). As climate change drives more extreme weather and electrification shifts energy use to the grid, these questions are increasingly urgent—and deeply tied to building performance. 

 

All-Electric Buildings: Opportunity and Obligation 

Electrification is one of the most powerful tools available to decarbonize the built environment. All-electric buildings enable the transition away from fossil fuels and improve indoor air quality. But they also introduce new challenges: 

Advantages: 

• Reduced on-site emissions 

• Simplified systems 

• Future-ready for grid decarbonization 

Disadvantages: 

• Increased reliance on a potentially stressed grid 

• Greater exposure to time-of-use energy pricing 

• New resilience considerations during outages 

To maximize the benefits and minimize the risks, all-electric buildings must be grid-aligned by design.

 

Strategies for Grid-Responsive Design 

Catalyst Partners recommends five core strategies to align building design with electric grid needs: 

1. Demand Flexibility & Load Shaping
   Design systems that can shift loads to lower-carbon or lower-cost hours. This includes thermal storage, battery storage, and load-shedding controls.
2. On-Site Storage & Integration
   Incorporate batteries or thermal energy storage to manage demand peaks and reduce reliance on the grid at critical times. 
3. On-Site Generation with Grid Awareness
   Solar PV and other renewables should be designed not just for net-zero performance, but also to reduce peak grid demand and align with grid carbon intensity. 
4. Smart Controls & Grid Integration
   Enable real-time coordination between buildings and utilities through advanced controls, automation, and OpenADR-capable systems. 
5. Utility Program Participation
   Engage in demand response, virtual power plants, and other grid-interactive programs to earn incentives and demonstrate leadership. 

 

Connecting to Performance Standards: LEED v5 

LEED v5 reinforces the importance of grid-aware, carbon-conscious design. Relevant credits and prerequisites span multiple categories: 

• Decarbonization: 

• Operational Carbon Projection & Decarbonization Plan 

• Building Electrification 

• Peak Load Reduction 

• Enhanced Energy Efficiency 

• Grid Interactive Systems 

• Resilience: 

• Climate Resilience Assessment 

• Resilient Space Design 

• Passive Survivability 

These new requirements are not just compliance checkboxes—they are blueprints for a high-performing, future-ready building. 

 

Conclusion

The U.S. grid is changing, and the building sector must change with it. All-electric design, load flexibility, and utility engagement are no longer optional—they are essential tools for resilience, carbon reduction, and operational excellence. 

Catalyst Partners is at the forefront of this transition. We help design teams, developers, and building owners turn grid-aware strategies into high-impact projects. Let us help you design with the grid in mind.