Older Homes Benefit Most From Energy Efficiency Incentive

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(NC)—If your home is more than 25 years old and due for some renovation work, you might want to look into a new incentive program announced by the Government of Canada to encourage energy efficiency upgrades in the residential sector.

The incentive is part of the EnerGuide for Houses Program, launched in 1998 by Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency, which helps Canadians improve the energy efficiency of their homes to save money, increase comfort and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that are contributing to climate change.

The EnerGuide for Houses service involves a visit to your home by a licensed agent who performs an energy evaluation, calculates an energy efficiency rating for the house, and recommends measures to reduce energy consumption while maintaining a healthy living environment. After improvements have been made, the advisor returns to perform a follow-up evaluation and establish a new energy efficiency rating.

For eligible homeowners, the amount of the EnerGuide for Houses incentive is based on the difference in the energy efficiency rating before and ...
... after upgrades are implemented - the greater the improvement in the rating, the larger the incentive, to a maximum of $3,348. The average incentive is $700.

Homes built before 1975 offer the most potential for energy efficiency improvements and for large incentives. Research shows that owners of homes that are more than 25 years old can reduce energy consumption by an average of 32 percent using the EnerGuide for Houses service; for homes 50 years old or more, average energy savings increase to 38 percent.

For more information about the incentive program or to locate a licensed EnerGuide for Houses agent in your area, visit energuideforhouses.gc.ca or call 1 800 387-2000 (toll-free) or 995-2943 in the National Capital Region.

- News Canada
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