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  • 18
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Alberta Home Energy Plan

As of October 16, 2018 Energy Efficiency Alberta is offering financial rebates to eligible homeowners for energy efficient renovations. Here is how the program works:

 

  1. The first step is to book an appointment with a registered Energy Advisor to get a pre-upgrade energy assessment of your home e. EnerGuide Home Energy Evaluation. Note the assessment must be done before any upgrades begins, including any demolition. A $300 rebate will be directly applied to the EnerGuide Evaluation so the homeowner will see the rebate instantly.

 

  1. Step two an Energy Advisor will visit your home to perform comprehensive energy assessment of your home which includes:

The Building Envelope: windows, doors, ceilings, walls, foundation. A visual inspection and measurement is done to determine surface area, insulation levels, dimensions/volume and the orientation (to accommodate for solar gain) of your home.

The Mechanical Systems: heating system, air conditioning, ventilation system and water heater.

Blower door test: assess air tightness of your home and identify air leakage location.

Depressurization test: when required (combustion spillage) This is air quality and safety check.

Energy modelling: of all components to determine the energy efficiency of your home.

 

  1. Step three the energy advisor will provide you with a custom certified ERS report, a recommended upgrade report with potential energy savings and an EnerGuide label for your home. The report will be available on a secure portal 2-3 weeks after your Evaluation. It will detail energy efficiency upgrades and applicable rebates. This help plan and track your renovations. 

 

  1. Step four, completing the recommended energy efficiency renovations. Here there are two ways of going about it. There is a prescriptive path “Common upgrades” and a performance path “Custom upgrades”

 

  • Common upgrades: This is done by hiring a participating contractor to complete the common upgrades. Disadvantage: You are limited to six (6) upgrades and the selection of items must meet a specific criteria. Advantage: No E-file required i.e. no post energy evaluation follow up by an energy advisor.

 

  • Custom upgrades: This recognizes some homes may benefit from a more custom upgrades and goes beyond just the common upgrades. Wide range of upgrades available such as window glazing inserts, DIY. Advantage: It offers greater flexibility and chance to do your own energy efficiency upgrades “do it yourself project” . Disadvantage: a post-upgrade Energy Evaluation is required to determine the energy savings you have achieved.

 

  1. Step five, receiving the rebates. With the Home Energy Plan, you receive rebates on both common upgrades, as well as custom upgrades as follows * (Eligibility requirements apply. Please refer to this guide for list of eligible upgrades.)

 

  • Energy Evaluation = $300 Instant Rebate applied

  • All upgrades = $62.50 for every Gigajoule saved

  • Heat Recovery Ventilator = $350 rebate for homes with less than 3.57 air changes per hour (ACH@50pa)

  • Complete 3 upgrades that result in a minimum of 3GJ of energy savings each in 18 months = Bonus $1000

 

For more detailed information, visit efficiencyalberta.ca/homeenergyplan/

 

 

By Marco Carello

 

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