Are there incentives to green a home?

There are several government, utility and other incentives to encourage homeowners to green their homes. These include, but aren’t limited to, the following information. Check with your local municipality, regional district and utilities for additional incentives.

Residential Retrofits and Renovations

ecoENERGY Retrofit Grants and Incentives - Homes
This federal program is available to owners of single-family homes, including detached, semi-detached and low–rise, multi-unit residential buildings. Property owners can qualify for federal grants by improving the energy efficiency of their homes and reducing their home’s impact on the environment. The maximum grant one can receive per home or multi-unit residential building is $5,000. Retrofit was launched April 1, 2007 and is scheduled to end March 31, 2011.

Vancity Cashback - The Vancity credit union provides $170 for energy-efficient home renovations recommended by an EnerGuide for Houses evaluation. The renovations must achieve at least a five-point improvement in the EnerGuide for Houses rating. The $170 value is intended to cover the cost of the EnerGuide for Houses evaluation; your renovation must cost $3,500 or more.

Northern Savings Credit Union Smart Home Loan - Clients in northern BC who access the ecoENERGY Retofit - Homes Grant Program may be eligible for $300 cash back and low-interest Smart Home Loans if you finance your renovations through Northern Savings Credit Union.

LiveSmartBC - This new, BC-wide three-year, $60 million efficiency incentive program will help British Columbians reduce their carbon footprints and their energy costs. The LiveSmartBC: Efficiency Incentive Program will give homeowners access to rebates for audits and energy efficiency incentives.
Funding for this program runs until March 31, 2011.

FortisBC clients renovating electrically heated homes and completing the ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes Grant Program may be eligible for a $50 rebate toward the cost of an energy assessment, plus bill reductions of up to $1,500 for installations of ENERGY STAR windows, heat pumps or insulation. Non-electrically heated homes also qualify for some incentives. Other rebates and incentives are also available.

BC Hydro Power Smart Windows Rebate
ENERGY STAR® labelled windows are Provincial Sales Tax exempt and can help you increase comfort and reduce your heating bill, which can account for more than half of your home's energy bill. Up to one-third of the heat from your home can escape through windows.

BC Hydro Fridge Buy-Back Program
BC Hydro will pickup and recycle your old, inefficient second fridge and give you $30 for it.

BC Hydro Power Smart Appliance Rebate Program
Mail-in rebates on the purchase of new ENERGY STAR clothes washers, refrigerators and freezers between January 15 and December 31, 2008.

Capital Regional District of Victoria SmartWash Rebate - The Capital Regional District offers a $125 rebate for replacing your old inefficient clothes washing machine. And, you could save between 35 and 50% on your water use and 50% on your energy use.

Capital Regional District of Victoria WaterWise Fixture Replacement Rebate
Offers a $75 rebate when you replace your old toilet and showerheads.

Water Meter Program - Richmond
Encourages voluntary installation of water meters to promote water conservation. The program pays for meter installation.

Water Meter Program – Surrey
Encourages voluntary installation of water meters to promote water conservation. The program pays for meter installation.

Water Conservation - Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) - Per capita water consumption for customers on the SCRD systems was approximately 644 litres per day in 2004 (includes residential, institutional, commercial and industrial use). The SCRD board of directors has resolved to reduce per capita water consumption within the SCRD to the 1999 Canadian average of 575 litres per day. Incentives include a toilet rebate program and conservation tips.

City of Vancouver Water Saver Kits
Water saving kits at a reduced price ($12 each) for Vancouver residents, plus tips to use water more efficiently in the home and garden.

Saanich Green Building Rebate Program - When applying for a building permit to build an addition to your home in the District of Saanich, homeowners may qualify for a free one-hour consultation with an energy specialist. Applicants may also access a $150 rebate from the District toward the assessment fee related to the federal ecoENERGY Retrofit - Homes Grant Program.

New Residential Construction

Power Smart New Home Program
The most cost-effective way to save energy in the home is to build with an energy-efficient design. BC Hydro may provide builders who build to EnerGuide for New Houses standards: financial incentives when available and where appropriate; promotional opportunities and funding; and Power Smart branding for the home.

BC Hydro Power Smart Windows Rebate

Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC): Energy Efficient Mortgage Loan Insurance Refund

Saanich Green Building Rebate Program
Build in the District of Saanich and receive up to 30% off the cost of your building permit when you build your home to meet Built Green™, R-2000, BC Hydro Power Smart or EnerGuide 80 standards. Also available is a free one-hour consultation with City Green Solutions energy efficiency specialists.

City of Vancouver Water Saver Kits

Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

Affordable Warmth BC
To support the upgrades to multi-unit residential buildings that house low-income tenants, City Green is providing complimentary energy assessments, along with energy efficiency toolkits and workshops, to a select number of buildings.

For other Canadian incentives, visit Natural Resource’s Office of Energy Efficiency site here.

Visit Metro Vancouver’s BUILDSMART site for incentives related to these categories:

• commercial, institutional and industrial new construction
• municipal or federal new construction
• commercial, institutional and industrial retrofits and renovations
• municipal or federal retrofits and renovations
• non-profits and charitable organizations new and retrofits

In the US visit the Environmental Protection Agency site for national, state and local incentives.