Residential Construction Is at a Turning Point – Keep Current
September 28, 2026
This blog contains sponsored content by ABB Residential Solutions
The U.S. residential construction market is at a turning point. While builders are contending with slower demand and cost challenges, the electrical needs inside new homes are accelerating.
Challenges: Loads and Codes are Evolving
Loads – The presence of electrical loads in homes is expanding. Heat pumps are replacing gas furnaces, high-efficiency electric water heaters are becoming standard, and battery storage and backup power are moving into the mainstream. Even before this wave, household electricity consumption rose 40% over the last 40+ years. With widespread electrification adoption, demand is expected to grow another 10–15% in the next 5-10 years.
Codes - The NEC 2023 cycle is now effective in 20 states, and future codes (like the 2024 IECC) are designing around electrification, requiring homes to be “electric-ready” —often mandating EV pre-wiring—even if gas is installed. Codes continue to increase requirements for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI), Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI), and dual-function protection. Breakers now need to safeguard more circuits simultaneously and respond with greater precision—minimizing unnecessary interruptions safely while handling larger, fluctuating loads from smart devices.
Intelligence, circuit protection, and efficiency is how ABB transforms these challenges into solutions.
Energy Management Technology
Electrification pushes peak loads past 200A limits. Upgrading to 400A is often cost-prohibitive (exceeding $20,000) or blocked by utility constraints. ABB’s load management solutions are engineered to intelligently manage and optimize the home’s load consumption, avoiding costly service upgrades.
ABB’s ReliaHome® Smart Panel integrates active energy management directly into the load center. It monitors and sheds loads (like EV chargers) during peak usage, creating the ideal capacity optimization tool for new construction. ABB’s ReliaHome Flex offers a modular, retrofit-ready alternative. It adds circuit-level intelligence and control to any existing panel, providing homeowners with a path for adding high-demand loads without creating additional headaches for builders.
Circuit Breaker Innovation
Modern homes now support more high-demand appliances and sensitive electronics than ever, which can increase the likelihood of interruptions and homeowner dissatisfaction. As future codes push for even greater precision in identifying true electrical hazards without misreading normal operation, builders are now tasked with delivering this elevated level of protection while maintaining the everyday reliability homeowners count on.
ABB’s ReliaHome ELITE Circuit Breaker represents a leap forward in residential circuit protection. Engineered to maintain the highest levels of safety while delivering dependable performance in today’s power-dense homes, these breakers give builders a new differentiator: high-performance protection aligned with modern residential electrical demands.
Wired for Tomorrow: How the ReliaHome Smart Panel Transforms Texas Vacation Home
Learn more about how a HomeSphere builder installed Smart Panel technology to differentiate their homes.
The same engineering rigor that powers high-profile commercial and industrial projects now underpins ABB’s residential offerings. Smart energy management, advanced protection algorithms, modular architectures, and data-driven insight systems—all of these innovations have been adapted for homes, making residential electrical systems more intelligent, safer, and more flexible than ever.
Interested in using ABB Residential Solutions?
Rebates are available for both single-family and multifamily builders who join HomeSphere. Earn rebates through the HomeSphere Rebate Program, and check our full list of partners to see what other rebates you could be earning through our program.
