A large step forward in creating co-operation between the government and citizens to help combat climate change. A major percentage of energy produced is lost on inefficient consumers homes. This program provides an oppourtunity for citizens to lower thier environmental impact without breaking the bank. The best part about this is that once the intial (subsidized) cost and work is done it keeps on giving providing energy bill reductions all year long.

CANADA- January 21, 2007, the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources, announced the $220-million ecoENERGY Retrofit program to be launched on April 1, 2007. ecoENERGY Retrofit offers incentives for energy efficiency improvements in homes as well as in small and medium-sized organizations in the institutional, commercial and industrial sectors.

ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes is designed to help homeowners and owners of existing low-rise properties make smart energy retrofit decisions that will result in significant energy savings and a cleaner environment. The first step in participating in ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes is to call for a professional energy assessment provided by an energy advisor licensed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The advisor will perform a pre-retrofit assessment of the home and provide you with your own personalized action checklist of upgrades that will reduce your energy consumption.

The average grant is expected to yield reductions in energy use of approximately 30 percent and greenhouse gas emission reductions of approximately 4 tonnes per house. By implementing the energy retrofit recommendations, a typical homeowner could save $700 a year on a $2,000 annual heating bill.

Five easy steps to get your ecoENERGY Retrofit grant

Take advantage of the ecoENERGY Retrofit grant to make your home more energy efficient and help you save money. To qualify, follow these five easy steps:

1. Hire a qualified energy advisor to perform an energy evaluation of your home.
2. Select the improvements from your home energy action checklist.
3. Implement the recommended energy upgrades within 18 months.
4. Call your energy advisor to perform your post-retrofit evaluation, to confirm your new energy rating and to submit your application on your behalf.
5. Wait for up to 90 days to receive your cheque based on the eligible upgrades performed!