Building Efficiency
Updates From This Business
We Take The Confusion Out of the Rebate Process
As part of every project, we take the hassle out of navigating the many rebates available to each customer and apply for the… read more
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Locally owned & operated
Certified professionals
Offers customized solutions
Eco-friendly
Free consultations
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Review Highlights
“David Hamburger did the site review/estimating; and office manager, Mae Adams, handled the admin and rebates.” in 46 reviews
“Shortly after Dave and his crew began work, I wanted to make a significant change to the project.” in 6 reviews
“They were also able to get me a significant rebate from PG&E because my home was a lot more energy efficient.” in 20 reviews
About the Business
Business owner information
David H.
Expert installers for your heat pump heating & cooling, insulation and heat pump water heaters. Family-owned and operated with a proven track record.
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- Will C.San Francisco, CA024Sep 28, 2016
Buliding Efficiency did an A+ job. I just bought a 100 year old house and needed a new furnace as well as new ducting. They also installed a flue for my water heater. It was a big job. They were incredibly professional and very responsive. I was well informed throughout the entire process. They were also able to get me a significant rebate from PG&E because my home was a lot more energy efficient.
I did a ton of research on different companies and found them to be the most affordable as well. (You'll find that a lot of HVAC companies are also pretty non-responsive and don't follow up)
After a week, the fuse on my furnace blew and wasn't working. It was a foggy and cold night and I didn't know how to replace the fuse. I called David up and he came over at 9pm to fix just so that my family would have heat. He went above and beyond.
In short, super happy with them.Helpful 2Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Lauren H.San Francisco, CA4123910Mar 14, 2023
We wanted to do energy efficiency upgrades, but didn't know where to start or what we needed. David helped us put together a long-term plan and figured out what we needed. They put in wall insulation, redid the attic insulation, removed our gas furnace and air conditioner in the garage and installed a heat pump in the attic, and installed a heat pump water heater. At some point we'll have them get our crawl space in order too. We are finally on the verge of being 100% electric and removing our gas line! He teams handles all the permits and rebates, and has been patient through all of out delays with PG&E. I don't know anything about this stuff, but the building inspectors have been impressed with both the equipment and the installation work, so I take that as a good sign!
Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 1 - Sheila S.San Mateo, CA292Jan 3, 2022
The HVAC upgrades Building Efficiency did on my home last February -- high-efficiency furnace, all-new ductwork, and R44 attic insulation -- have made a huge difference! For starters, I was considerably cooler inside the house on hot summer days; I didn't even realize the weather was hot until I stepped outside. As for the cooler seasons, PG&E sent me an email in early December to say that I used 49% less energy during the last billing period than I did during the same period last year. Of course, it all depends upon how cold it was this year vs. last year, so I'm continuing to keep an eye on the difference ... but it appears the savings are substantial. I am a very happy -- and far more comfortable -- camper!
I highly recommend Building Efficiency for your HVAC needs.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Alan P.San Francisco, CA2161Feb 2, 2017
I had David and his team come in to replace my old gravity furnace with a high efficient, two-stage hanging furnace. They handled everything from coordinating the asbestos abatement to installing all new ductwork and hanging the new furnace.
Everything was on time and the final work was clean and very professionally done. They also helped do the PG&E energy rebate, which included doing the energy audit and helping file all the paperwork needed for me.
Overall, excellent work and I would highly recommend them again.Helpful 1Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Bridget E.San Francisco, CA04Jul 14, 2021
The people at Building Efficiency were EXCELLENT. We live in the outer sunset and my husband and I are doing our best to make our house the most energy efficient we can. They walked us through the process. Everyone was very nice and very knowledgeable. They gave us great tips on how to improve our house including putting a balloon in our chimney, blowing in insulation and other things we had not thought of. David spent time with us first on zoom and then he came to our house. We got insulation installed and it is an unbelievably amazing difference!! Our house feels warm and cozy now. When we turn on the heat, it heats up really fast and stays warm. Also, the guys who put in the insulation were so great and did an amazing job. It is hard work and they did it so well. We are so thankful. We are already saving money on our PG&E bill and also helping the environment. I was so impressed by these guys and will continue to call them to help us convert our heat to electric... which is our next step. THANK YOU Building Efficiency. You all make a huge difference.
Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Jeffrey Y.San Francisco, CA20252Jul 1, 2017
David and his team did an amazing job replacing the furnace for my home. Throughout the entire process, everyone at Building Efficiency was highly organized, responsive, and professional. They took great care to customize the work scope to fit my financial requirements.
I took a week vacation while the the team upgraded everything and when I came my home was warm, comfortable, and free of asbestos! I received a significant rebate from PG&E as well. Super clean work!Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Spark G.San Francisco, CA1224Apr 16, 2015
Last year I attended a informational meeting about the rebate program offered by PG&E and the city of San Francisco to make our home more energy efficient. We have the typical 90 year old home with zero insulation. We chose Building Efficiency as they are one of the license contractors who work with the rebate process and know how to get he most bang for your buck with the process. The process itself is not much fun. They poke holes all over your home and blow in insulation, the dust and mess that ensued was simply overwhelming to me. This process lasted about a week, they tried as best they could to clean daily but it's an impossible task. At the end of it all, they bring in a professional cleaning crew to take care of the rest.
These guys did an amazing job. They were super communicative during and after the entire process and even did some things they didn't have to do to make my home both safe and more energy efficient. My first gas bill after the installation was already $100 less and that was just for 1/2 of the month.
While there's no way to get around how messy and disruptive this process is (unless you stay in a hotel for a week!), I'm glad we chose to have it done and do not hesitate in recommending this company to be the ones to do it.Helpful 4Thanks 0Love this 1Oh no 0 - Christina F.San Francisco, CA11326Oct 7, 2013
I was referred to Building Efficiency through the CA Energy website and could not be happier with their service. Ben, David, Sarah and all whole crew were very patient, courteous and informative on my project - helping understand my various options, benefits and what to expect along the way. I had my old gravity furnace and asbestos duct replaced, walls and attic insulated and doors and chimney sealed. My house is nice and cozy. David also helped me install an air purification system. I appreciate all their efforts to follow-up, the thorough cleaning crew after the job and most especially their quick follow through to submit the paperwork to get my rebate from PG&E.
Great people to work with (including all the crew) and welcome to my home - respectful, courteous and hardworking professionals.
Thank you Building Efficiency!Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - Randy H.Menlo Park, CA029Apr 12, 2012
David H and his team are top-notch. Even Sarah H is great at managing the office.
My wife has been complaining about the hot and cold areas in our house for years and I've been frustrated with our $300 to $500 PG&E bills.
We had another firm give us an energy assessment a couple years ago but we couldn't afford to act back then. Once we had cobbled some money together and once there were more rebates to apply, we decided to try again. Building Efficiency's assessment was more comprehensive than their competitors but even more important, was David's insight on which fixes would give us the biggest bang-for-the-buck; i.e. which improvements (that the other firm recommended) were not worth doing.
In the end, they upgraded our furnace, put in a tankless water heater, new insulation in the attic and sealed all the drafty pipes and vents in the house. it was costly, but the rebates made it worthwhile and cut 33% of the cost. It also took a long time to get everything right, but I know from experience that working with a bunch of different contractors on different projects takes twice as long as expected. So expect that.
The one complaint that I voiced was that their plumbing contractor's employee didn't know all the codes in my county (San Mateo vs San Fran) and made 2 fairly big mistakes when installing the hot water heater. Both were fixed, and there was never a night we didn't have hot water, but it was a good lesson I think for the B.E. team to be sure they're sure what rules are different depending on which county they are working in that day.
Overall though, this is still a 5-star company that provides an important service in a very professional way. I'd highly recommend them and hope everyone improves the energy efficiency in their homes. It's worth it now that i see my cheaper PG&E bills.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0 - marco g.San Francisco, CA07May 1, 2013
David and his crew did a great job upgrading energy systems in my house. They performed an audit, discussed deficiencies, we made a plan, and they came in and took care of business. The workers were clean, efficient, and good guys! They replaced my noisy 30 year old furnace and the asbestos laden ducts with a new furnace and insulated duct-work. Insulation was installed in the basement. The floors seem a lot warmer. They drilled holes throughout in interior and blew in insulation. I could barely tell where the patched holes were! Their cleaning crew was great. Did not see a bit of dust after!
Bottom line: Professional, personable, quick, efficient company. The results of their labors were felt immediately. The house seems more comfortable now. In addition, I received a nice rebate check from PG&E soon after Sarah submitted the required paperwork!!
Well done Building Efficiency! Thanks.Helpful 0Thanks 0Love this 0Oh no 0