Wendy McLellan
Province
Ryan Coleman of Homeworks, which installs Energy Star-rated windows. Photograph by : Jason Payne, The Province
Save money, lighten your footprint on the planet and be rewarded for doing it.
The federal government will launch a new program this month to encourage homeowners to make energy-efficient upgrades to their homes, including suites in low-rise multi-unit buildings.
The new initiative, called ecoENERGY Retrofit, to be effective April 1, replaces the federal EnerGuide for Houses program cancelled last fall.
\”The new program makes it easier for people to understand the benefits of upgrades — it\’s more consumer friendly,\” said Ryan Coleman, marketing manager for Homeworks Services, a Vancouver-based company that sells products and services to make homes more energy efficient.
To take advantage of the program, homeowners first have to pay for an assessment by a qualified ecoENERGY adviser to determine the home\’s current energy rating. The report, which includes a post-upgrade evaluation, will likely cost about $400.
Using the report\’s recommendations, homeowners have 18 months to complete upgrades that will improve their home\’s energy-efficiency rating, from plugging drafty attics to installing high-efficiency heating or cooling systems. The grant amount is based on the upgrades installed.
For example, every ENERGY STAR window installed qualifies for a $30 grant. A high-efficiency gas furnace qualifies for a grant of $500, while a ground- or water-source heat pump will return $3,500 to the homeowner. Improving attic insulation can return as much as $600.
The maximum grant is $5,000 and homeowners have to spend at least $300 on upgrades to apply.
\”The grant is not going to pay for the upgrades, but it does provide a little added incentive for people who want to make energy-saving changes in their homes and lifestyle,\” Coleman said.
By replacing windows, adding insulation and installing a high-efficiency furnace, homeowners not only reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by about 4.6 tonnes, but they also reduce their energy bills by 10 to 20 per cent, he said.
For more information call the ecoENERGY office at 1-800-622-6232 or check the website for details at www.ecoaction.gc.ca
Phone: 604-605-2061
Fax: 604-605-2099
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ECOENERGY RULES
Here is what you need to be eligible for an ecoENERGY Retrofit grant:
– You must own the property to be upgraded, but you don\’t have to be living there. The home can be detached, semi-detached, a town home or a multi-unit residential building no higher than three storeys. Mobile homes on permanent foundations also qualify.
– Work must be completed within 18 months of the home\’s first energy assessment.
– Homes have to be assessed before and after the upgrades by an adviser licensed by Natural Resources Canada. To find an adviser, go to www.ecoaction.gc.ca and follow the links to ecoENERGY Retrofit, or call 1-800-622-6232
– Grants are based on specific upgrades recommended by the adviser to improve the home\’s efficiency. Homeowners can decide which upgrades to complete, then hire contractors to have the work done.
© The Vancouver Province 2007