National Home Performance Council

Home Performance Programs Report

The National Home Performance Council’s upcoming report, Innovations and Growth: Home
Performance with ENERGY STAR® Programs in the US, showcases twelve path-breaking programs
designed to promote residential energy efficiency. The report features relatively mature programs that
have demonstrated success and are reaching large numbers of homes, as well as newer programs that
are bringing innovative approaches to marketing, contractor recruitment and training, and financing.

Home Performance with Energy Star programs are designed to encourage homeowners to upgrade their
homes to make them more energy efficient through measures such as insulation, air sealing, and
replacement of inefficient HVAC systems and appliances. Home Performance programs are market-
based, with contractors typically driving sales and marketing, and program officials providing guidelines
and a quality assurance framework to ensure customer satisfaction and significant energy savings.

This report showcases HPwES programs from 12 different states: New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Florida, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Arizona, Kentucky, Maryland, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. It
looks at many features of each program, including number of jobs completed, age of the program,
program growth since its inception, number and business structure of participating contractors,
marketing strategies, quality assurance protocols, and tools used to estimate energy savings.

It should be noted that many programs not included in the report are also doing very innovative and
successful work. NHPC plans to feature some of these programs in a second version of this report in
2012.

For more information, please contact info@nhpci.org or visit www.nhpci.org.

ARRA Funds
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, abbreviated ARRA (Public Law 111-5) is the $787
billion economic stimulus package enacted by the 111th Congress and signed into law in February 2009
by President Obama.

The goal of the act was to stimulate the economy and create jobs. A portion of the stimulus dollars was
directed to states to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. The states determined
how their funds were spent within approved parameters.

While some states used a portion of ARRA funds to advance, accelerate, or start home performance
programs, many states already had existing programs that had ratepayer or public benefit funding.
DC-MD-VA Region Rebates and Incentives
Below is a comprehensive list of programs with publically available details (see references). These
rebates and incentives are associated with the purchase of energy efficient products. Please see the
state referenced websites for additional details.

Maryland [4]
Servicing utilities: Allegheny power, BGE, Delmarva Power, Pepco, SMECO
Eligible Improvements; Maximum Rebate (35% of improvement cost to a maximum of the following):
• Energy Audit; $100
• Whole-House Air Sealing; $1,500 maximum
• Attic Insulation ; $1,500 maximum
• Duct Sealing or Replacement or Insulation; $1,500 maximum
• Wall Insulation; $1,500 maximum
• Insulation (Crawl Space or Basement); $1,500 maximum
• Insulation (Rim Joist); $1,500 maximum
Maximum total = $3,100
o It doesn’t cover HVAC. Customer can take advantage of ALL rebates, loans and tax credits and save
up to 50% on certain improvements
o As of Sept. 23, 2011, MEA added $250,000 to the MEA Home Performance Rebate program

For information on loans: http://www.mcecloans.com/

For information on tax credits: http://www.energystar.gov/

Virginia [5]
1. LEAP:
Utility partners: Dominion Power, Charlottesville Gas and Water, Albemarle Water Service Authority
Areas served: City of Charlottesville and the surrounding counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene,
Louisa and Nelson.
• $250 LEAP Home Performance Assessment Rebate
• $1000 LEAP Home Energy Improvements Rebate 30%
• $500 Energy Star Tax Credit
• $300 VA Appliance Rebate (heat pump)
• $595 VA Home Efficiency Rebate (air sealing and insulation)
Total = $2,700
o Rebates are based on total job cost amount. The rebate is deducted from your contractor's final
invoice to you based on the efficiency gain you achieve as a result of the improvements you've
made. For job costs <$3000 the cash rebate is 20% off the job; job costs $3000-5000, cash rebate is
$600; job costs $5000-7000, cash rebate is $800; job costs >$7000, cash rebate is $1000
o $100 for installation of programmable thermostat (Charlottesville Gas Thermostat rebate)
o $100 when replacing an electric water heater with a high efficiency gas one (Charlottesville Gas
Water Heater rebate)
2. NOVA[6]
Areas served: Loudon County, Manassas, Prince Williams County, Fairfax city, Falls Church, Fairfax
County, Alexandria, and Arlington
• Heat Pump, Air Source - $300
• Natural Gas or Propane Furnace - $250
• Heat Pump Water Heater - $250
• Tankless Natural Gas or Propane Water Heater - $225
• Clothes Washer - $75
• Refrigerator - $60
• Dishwasher - $50
• Room Air Conditioner - $40
• Storage Natural Gas or Propane Water Heater - $35
• Central Air Conditioner - $500

3. City of Fredericksburg - Home Performance with Energy Star (GW-HELP)

• 50% - 75% AMI - $2,350
• 75% - 100% AMI - $3,850
• 100% - 120% AMI - $5,850
• 120%+ AMI - $500

Non-HPwES[7]

1. Washington Gas – Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate program, VA

• Natural Gas Boiler: $250
• Tankless Water Heaters (Replacement): $250
• Tankless Water Heaters (In New Home): $250
• Storage Water Heaters: $50
• Programmable Thermostat: $30
• Heating System Checkup: $30

2. City of Danville Utilities – Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate program, VA

• Clothes Washer: $50
• Refrigerator: $30
• Central AC: $145 - $250
• Air Source Heat Pumps: $350
• Heat Pump Water Heater: $100
• High Efficiency Water Heater: $25
• HVAC Tune-Up: $55
• Attic Insulation (Tier 1): $0.08/sq ft
• Attic Insulation (Tier 2): $0.15/sq ft
3. Columbia Gas of Virginia – Home savings Rebate program
• Energy Star Gas Storage Water Heater: $50
• Energy Star Gas Tankless Water Heater: $300
• High Efficiency Gas Furnace: $300
• High Efficiency Windows (Replacement): $1/sq. ft.
• Attic and Floor Insulation (Replacement): $0.30/sq. ft.
• Duct Insulation (Replacement): $200 - $250/site

4. Virginia Natural Gas – Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate program

• Furnace: $500
• Tankless Water Heater: $500
• Tank Water Heater: $150 Rebate
• Programmable Thermostat: Free (1)

5. DC – residential energy efficient appliances rebates

• Clothes Washer: $250
• Dishwasher: $100 - $150 (varies by efficiency, water use)
• Refrigerator: $200
• Electric Heat Pump Water Heater: $600
• Gas Storage Water Heater: $400
• Residential Gas Boiler: $600
• Residential Gas Furnace: $400

6. Allegheny Power - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

• Home Performance Programs: $1000 for insulation and free energy efficiency kit.
• Dishwasher: $25
• Clothes Washer: $50-$100
• Clothes Dryer: $25
• CFLs: $1.50-$3.00
• Programmable Thermostat: $25
• Room AC: $25
• Room AC Recycling: $25
• Refrigerator: $50
• Refrigerator Recycling: $35
• Freezer: $25
• Freezer Recycling: $35
• Central AC: $100-$200
• Heat Pump: $100-$200
7. Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (Electric) - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
• A/C Cycling: $50-$100
• Central A/C: $175 or $350
• Air Source Heat Pump: $200 or $400
• Duct Sealing: $200
• Tune-ups: $75
• Installation Rebates: $200
• Room A/C: $25
• CFLs: Up to $2.50
• Light Fixtures: $10
• Clothes Washers: $50
• Refrigerator/Freezer: $50
• Refrigerator/Freezer Recycling: $50

8. Baltimore Gas & Electric Company (Gas) - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
• Gas Furnace: $300 or $400
• Duct Sealing: $200
• Tune-ups: $75
• Installation Rebates: $200

9. Delmarva Power - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

• CFLs: $1.50/single and $3/multipack Refrigerator: $50
• Room A/C: $25
• Water Heater: $20
• A/C or Heat Pump Tune Up: $100
• Replacing Heat Pump or A/C: $150-$300
• Home Energy Checkup: free
• Free Retrofits for Income Eligible Customers

10. PEPCO - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program

• CFLs: $1.50/single and $3/multipack
• Refrigerator: $50
• Room A/C: $25
• Water Heater: $20
• A/C or Heat Pump Tune Up: $100
• Replacing Heat Pump or A/C: $100-$300
• A/C Cycling: $40-$80/year
• Home Energy Checkup: Free
11. SMECO - Residential Energy Efficiency Rebate Program
• Home Energy Audit: Free
• Home Performance Weatherization: up to $1,300
• Central AC: $175 - $400
• Air Source Heat Pump: $175 - $400
• Electric Water Heater: up to $25
• HVAC Duct Sealing: up to $200
• HVAC Diagnostic Tune-Up: $75
• HVAC Quality Installation: $200
• Room Air Conditioner: $25
• Refrigerator Recycling: $50
• Clothes Washer: $50
• Refrigerators: $50
• CFL Multi-Pack: up to $12

Additional References
1. http://www.dmme.virginia.gov/de/arra-public/arra.shtml
2. http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=VA50F&re=1&ee=1
3. http://energy.maryland.gov/homeperformance/documents/MarylandHomePerformanceRebatesPr
esentation-1-14-11and1-19-11.pdf
4. http://energy.maryland.gov/homeperformance/
5. http://leap-va.org/information/incentives
6. http://www.novahomeperformance.com/index.html
7. http://www.dsireusa.org/