ecoENERGY Retrofit - Save Energy,
Save Money

Launched in April 2007, the ecoENERGY Retrofit program was designed and implemented by Natural Resources Canada to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes, while also saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The program is based on experience gained from previous NRCan projects, with a number of changes and improvements.

“The ecoENERGY Retrofit program includes a broader range of products and technologies, and people know before they start work on their home exactly how much they will get if they follow through,” explains Barbara Mullally-Pauly, Chief of the Office of Energy Efficiency’s Housing Programs.

The average grant that homeowners will receive through the program is $1,000, with a maximum amount of $5,000.

To participate in the program, property owners must have an on-site home energy assessment performed by an NRCan-licensed energy advisor. The advisor will then issue a personalized report detailing the recommended retrofits and the corresponding grant amounts for each upgrade. From the time of the evaluation, the homeowner has 18 months to get the work done in order to receive a grant cheque. The upgrades must initially be financed by the homeowner, but these costs can be subsidized by some provincial governments.

The home energy evaluation is a key component to the program and one that is valued by participants.

“We’ve learned that people really appreciate the energy assessment. They learn things they didn’t know about their homes and learn about renovations they didn’t think of. It gives them a good handle on planning, so they can invest their money in the best place possible and allow them to generate the most savings,” says Mullally-Pauly.

While the grant is certainly an incentive for potential participants, the program offers a number of significant advantages for homeowners, including improved comfort through fewer drafts, even temperatures and improved air quality. The biggest benefit for participants is not necessarily the grant, but the annual energy savings. “The ongoing savings from the improved energy efficiency in their homes makes most people very happy. If you implement all of the suggested retrofits, you could save about $700 a year,” says Mullally-Pauly.

The program also serves a number of broader purposes such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, producing cleaner air and water, and reducing the dependence on fossil fuels. The program has the added potential to improve the economy through ongoing energy savings and to stimulate employment through the licensing of energy advisors for the home energy assessments.

The ecoENERGY Retrofit program will expire on March 31, 2011, and will have a total value of $160 million over four years.