The Canadian Newswires are abuzz today with the announcement of the renewal of the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program.
The CHBA press-released the following:
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) today applauded Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver on the announced details of a renewed ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program.
CHBA President Vince Laberge of Edmonton said: “This announcement will be well received by both our industry and Canadian households. It means that homeowners can begin the process of making their homes more energy efficient, right away.”
The program is complemented by the government’s on-going support for the R-2000 initiative, the EnerGuide Rating System and ENERGY STAR for New Homes.
By requiring written receipts for expenses eligible for a grant, the ecoENERGY Retrofit – Homes program has the added benefit of encouraging people to work with professional renovators. This will bolster the government’s efforts to combat the underground cash economy in home renovation services.
“The renewal of the ecoENERGY Retrofit program will help to enhance the quality of our country’s housing stock, particularly in terms of its environmental performance,” Mr. Laberge said. “The residential sector is already a leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and this federal government commitment will help homeowners achieve even more. Improved energy efficiency saves homeowners money, and it helps Canada meet its environmental goals.”
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) is the national voice of the residential construction industry, representing more than 8,000 member firms across the country. Membership comprises new home builders, renovators, developers, trade contractors, building material manufacturers and suppliers, lenders and other professionals in the housing sector.
(Original and related articles here…)
For information on how to enroll your home for the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, visit the NRCan website here.
*Author’s note… given the success of the last program, and knowing that there is a finite amount of funding, I would suggest opting in to this program sooner than later to avoid disappointment.
Due the to impact of this article, this post in the “Energy Efficiency Series” is being posted early. Next week, we will be back to posting on Thursday.
Each Thursday, we will feature a blog entry about energy efficient new homes, covering a range of topics from building innovations to ratings systems to “score” your home’s efficiency. Subscribe to the DrummondHousePlans blog to make sure you get the latest news on how to make your new or renovated home energy efficient.