I'm happy to report in July the federal government renewed the EcoENERGY Retrofit program -- a great program that ended earlier this year. For the next eight months -- until March 31, 2012 -- homeowners can get grants of up to $5,000 to make their homes more energy efficient.
This program was a great success when it ran last time, and it's good to see government programs that make sense renewed. The ecoENERGY Retrofit program motivates homeowners to make smarter choices about putting in better windows or higher quality insulation -- and rewards them for making the right choice. It's win-win; the homeowners win by reducing the energy costs and we all win through the economic activity generated and by reducing GHGs (greenhouse gas emissions).
I'm all about making home improvements that increase energy efficiency and lower energy costs and make your home more durable and sustainable. That's where you need to spend your money -- not on the lipstick and mascara that makes it pretty.
The grant money can be used for anything in your home -- from improved insulation to energy efficient appliances to toilets that use less water -- as long as the expense will reduce energy consumption. The grant can't be used for cosmetic improvements like hardwood floors or new cabinets, or for non-energy related work, like fixing your roof or your leaky basement. It's about spending your renovation dollars on energy efficiency, in a way that saves you money in the long term, and helps save the environment by reducing GHGs.
There is a process you need to go through to receive the grant, but it is open to any homeowners in the country -- even to those who've received the grant before. The program is operating now, you can apply today, but don't get started on making purchases before you register. The government has only allocated $400 million to the program, and once that limit is reached it will close without notice.
Once you've registered with the program, you book a "pre-retrofit evaluation"-- an energy audit for your home, before you do any renovations. This means a qualified energy auditor will come to your home and do a series of tests to evaluate its energy efficiency.
The auditor will walk through your home and note the methods of construction and pay particular attention to the building envelope. He'll look for leakage or areas of heat loss and assess windows and doors and appliances. A blower door test will be done as part of the audit, and this will give your home an energy rating -- from 0 to 50 for an old home that has no energy upgrades; 80 to 100 for a highly efficient home that may even generate its own energy.
This audit will give you a guide as to the types of improvements you can make for a more energy efficient home. The rest is then up to you to decide what you'd like to do, based on what you can afford. Once you've done the work, you book a "post-retrofit evaluation" where the auditor will assess the improved energy efficiency of your home. You'll have to present all the receipts for work done and products and materials purchased and installed.
Any of these improvements will save you money on energy in the long term. Some will even pay back in the short term. Participants in the program have seen their energy consumption go down more than 20 per cent. The program ends at the end of March, so get started on finding the right contractor.
Catch Mike in his new series, Holmes Inspection, airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on HGTV. For more information, visit www.hgtv.ca.For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.
