New Energy Architecture: Security, Independence, and Trust
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Consumers are rewriting demand. Builders are rethinking value. And the energy transition has quietly become a market correction.
2025 marked a turning point—subtle at first, then impossible to ignore. Energy didn’t simply “advance.” It transformed. Mutated. Electrification matured from a climate talking point into a core expectation. Battery storage moved from niche hardware into cultural shorthand for stability.
And resilience, once an abstract idea, crystallized into a visceral and deeply personal priority for millions of homeowners suddenly facing power outages, heatwaves, insurance turmoil, and a growing sense that the grid was no longer the dependable backdrop it once was.
Federal headwinds and sunsetting incentives delivered a haymaker to energy efficiency and renewables in 2025, forcing the sector to recalibrate. Solutions like solar, storage, demand-side energy management systems, Distributed Power Plants (DPPs) and smart panels had to quickly evolve from innovation to inevitability.
Changing Minds for Changing Times
According to COGNITION Smart Data, Americans no longer perceive energy as a commodity, a dependable resource that gets delivered to their homes by utilities in a one-way transaction. Instead, they now look at energy as something they need to protect and preserve, a precious source of security, independence, and resiliency.
According to a survey conducted by solar company Sunrun, 68% of homeowners doubt their utility can keep up with rising demand; 81% experienced at least one power outage in the past year; and only 11% felt “very prepared” for their last outage.
Consumer confidence in utilities is eroding, and the desire for autonomy and control is rising. The emotional dimension of energy, once dismissed as anecdotal, is now measurable, and it’s shaping the market more than incentives ever could.
Electrification Comes of Age
Electrification made a pronounced leap in 2025, not because technologies changed overnight, but because expectations did. COGNITION data shows that 67% of homeowners now say they want their next home to be electric-ready or fully electric, and younger buyers in particular regard fossil fuel-based systems as relics of another era.
For many builders, the conversation about electrification has shifted from “Will my buyers accept and pay for an all-electric home?” to “How can we make electrification our standard to drive profits, differentiation, and value, and how can we effectively communicate the benefits?”
Yet friction remains—not technological, but perceptual. Many consumers still equate “electric” with “expensive,” even as total cost of ownership increasingly favors heat pumps, induction cooktops, and smart load management. The paradox is clear: the economics are ready, but the narrative still lags behind.
It’s up to the industry to articulate the story simply and boldly: electrification is not sacrifice; it is stability and long-term cost savings.
Energy Resilience Emerges as the New Affordability
Homeowners have begun to view resilience not as a premium, but as the foundation of affordability. A home that bleeds money through inefficient systems, fragile infrastructure that doesn’t function when the grid goes down, and escalating insurance premiums is not affordable. It is a liability disguised as shelter.
Builders are increasingly recognizing this as well. According to COGNITION, more than 50% of builders reported that resilience measures, specifically those that increased energy security, carried the strongest value proposition for buyers in 2025, even surpassing design and aesthetics.
In 2026, resilience will shift from a differentiator to an expectation. Insurance volatility will force the issue. Climate risk will make the conversation unavoidable, and the demand for performance transparency will begin its rise as consumers, regulators, and insurers push for clearer, simpler ways to understand a home’s true risk profile.
Solar + Storage Moves From Upgrade to Default
Perhaps the most culturally significant change in 2025 was the reframing of solar + storage. Solar is no longer a sustainability badge. It is a statement about independence.
In a recent COGNITION survey, 82% of consumers said that “owning my energy” contributes to their sense of financial security, and 69% said storage is now “as important as solar.” Backup power is now one of the most desirable home features across all generations.
This emotional resonance will have real market consequences in 2026. Builders large and small are already making solar + storage a standard offering, and the competitive pressure—and ratcheting requirements—to provide energy independence will continue to be profound.
The Invisible Story of Home Performance
Despite rapid growth in energy-related technologies, the fundamentals of building science, such as envelope integrity, ventilation, and HVAC right-sizing, remain poorly understood by consumers.
COGNITION data shows that homeowners undervalue envelope performance by more than 40% relative to its actual contribution to comfort, indoor air quality, and operating cost. Yet, builders consistently name envelope and HVAC optimization as the single most important aspect of home performance.
This disconnect has real consequences: misallocated budgets, underappreciated investments, and persistent gaps in valuation.
2026 will need to be the year the industry makes the invisible visible. That can be achieved with the deployment of intuitive labeling systems, real-time IAQ and energy dashboards, and tools that translate performance into cost savings and simple, actionable homeowner value.
The Convergence Ahead
Taken together, the lessons of 2025 point toward a deeper structural shift—one where energy, resilience, affordability, wellbeing, and climate alignment are no longer separate categories but interdependent drivers of value.
Consumers already see the connection. Builders increasingly acknowledge it. The remaining laggards, including lenders, insurers, appraisers, policymakers, will feel mounting pressure to align with this new reality.
Ready to Get Smarter?
As the market changes, one thing won’t: our commitment to giving you impactful tools to stay relevant and resilient. COGNITION Smart Data is your roadmap for navigating change — and winning in a market that rewards companies who adapt.
As the building industry evolves, COGNITION Smart Data will help you stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re diving into the basics of green building or seeking advanced strategies to achieve net zero carbon goals, we’re here to empower you every step of the way.
As cofounder and CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara is a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. A former venture capitalist, she has participated in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies, with an emphasis on combining sustainability and profitability. She lives in Lake City, Colo., with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer. She is also on the Board of Directors at Dvele, runs the Rural Segment for Energize Colorado, and is a former County Commissioner.
New Energy Architecture: Security, Independence, and Trust
Consumers are rewriting demand. Builders are rethinking value. And the energy transition has quietly become a market correction.
2025 marked a turning point—subtle at first, then impossible to ignore. Energy didn’t simply “advance.” It transformed. Mutated. Electrification matured from a climate talking point into a core expectation. Battery storage moved from niche hardware into cultural shorthand for stability.
And resilience, once an abstract idea, crystallized into a visceral and deeply personal priority for millions of homeowners suddenly facing power outages, heatwaves, insurance turmoil, and a growing sense that the grid was no longer the dependable backdrop it once was.
Federal headwinds and sunsetting incentives delivered a haymaker to energy efficiency and renewables in 2025, forcing the sector to recalibrate. Solutions like solar, storage, demand-side energy management systems, Distributed Power Plants (DPPs) and smart panels had to quickly evolve from innovation to inevitability.
Changing Minds for Changing Times
According to COGNITION Smart Data, Americans no longer perceive energy as a commodity, a dependable resource that gets delivered to their homes by utilities in a one-way transaction. Instead, they now look at energy as something they need to protect and preserve, a precious source of security, independence, and resiliency.
According to a survey conducted by solar company Sunrun, 68% of homeowners doubt their utility can keep up with rising demand; 81% experienced at least one power outage in the past year; and only 11% felt “very prepared” for their last outage.
Consumer confidence in utilities is eroding, and the desire for autonomy and control is rising. The emotional dimension of energy, once dismissed as anecdotal, is now measurable, and it’s shaping the market more than incentives ever could.
Electrification Comes of Age
Electrification made a pronounced leap in 2025, not because technologies changed overnight, but because expectations did. COGNITION data shows that 67% of homeowners now say they want their next home to be electric-ready or fully electric, and younger buyers in particular regard fossil fuel-based systems as relics of another era.
For many builders, the conversation about electrification has shifted from “Will my buyers accept and pay for an all-electric home?” to “How can we make electrification our standard to drive profits, differentiation, and value, and how can we effectively communicate the benefits?”
Yet friction remains—not technological, but perceptual. Many consumers still equate “electric” with “expensive,” even as total cost of ownership increasingly favors heat pumps, induction cooktops, and smart load management. The paradox is clear: the economics are ready, but the narrative still lags behind.
It’s up to the industry to articulate the story simply and boldly: electrification is not sacrifice; it is stability and long-term cost savings.
Energy Resilience Emerges as the New Affordability
Homeowners have begun to view resilience not as a premium, but as the foundation of affordability. A home that bleeds money through inefficient systems, fragile infrastructure that doesn’t function when the grid goes down, and escalating insurance premiums is not affordable. It is a liability disguised as shelter.
Builders are increasingly recognizing this as well. According to COGNITION, more than 50% of builders reported that resilience measures, specifically those that increased energy security, carried the strongest value proposition for buyers in 2025, even surpassing design and aesthetics.
In 2026, resilience will shift from a differentiator to an expectation. Insurance volatility will force the issue. Climate risk will make the conversation unavoidable, and the demand for performance transparency will begin its rise as consumers, regulators, and insurers push for clearer, simpler ways to understand a home’s true risk profile.
Solar + Storage Moves From Upgrade to Default
Perhaps the most culturally significant change in 2025 was the reframing of solar + storage. Solar is no longer a sustainability badge. It is a statement about independence.
In a recent COGNITION survey, 82% of consumers said that “owning my energy” contributes to their sense of financial security, and 69% said storage is now “as important as solar.” Backup power is now one of the most desirable home features across all generations.
This emotional resonance will have real market consequences in 2026. Builders large and small are already making solar + storage a standard offering, and the competitive pressure—and ratcheting requirements—to provide energy independence will continue to be profound.
The Invisible Story of Home Performance
Despite rapid growth in energy-related technologies, the fundamentals of building science, such as envelope integrity, ventilation, and HVAC right-sizing, remain poorly understood by consumers.
COGNITION data shows that homeowners undervalue envelope performance by more than 40% relative to its actual contribution to comfort, indoor air quality, and operating cost. Yet, builders consistently name envelope and HVAC optimization as the single most important aspect of home performance.
This disconnect has real consequences: misallocated budgets, underappreciated investments, and persistent gaps in valuation.
2026 will need to be the year the industry makes the invisible visible. That can be achieved with the deployment of intuitive labeling systems, real-time IAQ and energy dashboards, and tools that translate performance into cost savings and simple, actionable homeowner value.
The Convergence Ahead
Taken together, the lessons of 2025 point toward a deeper structural shift—one where energy, resilience, affordability, wellbeing, and climate alignment are no longer separate categories but interdependent drivers of value.
Consumers already see the connection. Builders increasingly acknowledge it. The remaining laggards, including lenders, insurers, appraisers, policymakers, will feel mounting pressure to align with this new reality.
Ready to Get Smarter?
As the market changes, one thing won’t: our commitment to giving you impactful tools to stay relevant and resilient. COGNITION Smart Data is your roadmap for navigating change — and winning in a market that rewards companies who adapt.
As the building industry evolves, COGNITION Smart Data will help you stay ahead of the curve. Whether you’re diving into the basics of green building or seeking advanced strategies to achieve net zero carbon goals, we’re here to empower you every step of the way.
Subscribe to COGNITION Smart Data today!
By Sara Gutterman
As cofounder and CEO of Green Builder Media, Sara is a visionary thought leader and passionate advocate for sustainability. A former venture capitalist, she has participated in the life cycle (from funding to exit) of over 20 companies, with an emphasis on combining sustainability and profitability. She lives in Lake City, Colo., with her husband, where she is an avid long-distance runner, snowboarder, and Crossfit trainer. She is also on the Board of Directors at Dvele, runs the Rural Segment for Energize Colorado, and is a former County Commissioner.Also Read