How does the Home Energy Improvement Bonus work?

The Home Energy Improvement Bonus is a rebate of $750 to $2000 for improving your EnerGuide rating by installing three or more bonus-eligible upgrades. A pre-upgrade EnerGuide home evaluation and a post-upgrade EnerGuide home evaluations are required to determine the change in the EnerGuide rating of your home and the rebate amount. The Home Energy Improvement Bonus is paid out in addition to the rebates paid for eligible individual rebates.

Effective Oct 1, 2020 the Home Energy Improvement Bonus provides a minimum of $750 and a maximum of $2,000 for qualifying applications.

Bonus-eligible individual upgrades include:

• Insulation – must have a minimum rebate value of $500 per location. Eligible locations are attic, exterior wall cavity, exterior wall sheathing and basement and crawlspace walls. Each location is considered one upgrade.
• Primary heating system (air-source heat pump (central or mini-split / ductless system), combination space and water heat pump, natural gas furnace, or natural gas boiler) – a maximum of one system is eligible for the rebate.
• Secondary heating system (natural gas fireplace) – a maximum of one fireplace can be counted toward the bonus and must replace an existing natural gas fireplace.
• Water heater (heat pump water heater or natural gas water heater) – a maximum of one hot water system can be counted towards this bonus.
• Windows and doors– must achieve a minimum rebate value of $250.

The Home Energy Improvement Bonus amount is calculated as $20 multiplied by the percentage reduction in your home’s EnerGuide rating (in gigajoules per year, or GJ/year) between your pre- and post-upgrade EnerGuide home evaluation.

Example 1: If your pre-upgrade EnerGuide rating was 250 GJ/year and your post-upgrade EnerGuide rating is 200 GJ/year you would do the following calculations:

1. 250 GJ/year – 200 GJ/year = 50 GJ/year [This is the change in GJ/year of your EnerGuide rating.]
2. 50 GJ/year ÷ 250 GJ/year = 0.20
3. 0.20 x 100 = 20 [You have achieved a 20 percent reduction in your home’s EnerGuide rating.]
4. $20.00 x 20 = $400.00 [Since the calculated amount is less than the minimum of $750, you will receive $750. This is in addition to the individual rebates.]

Example 2: If your pre-upgrade EnerGuide rating was 250 GJ/year and your post-upgrade EnerGuide rating is 125 GJ/year you would do the following calculations:

1. 250 GJ/year – 125 GJ/year = 125 GJ/year [This is the change in GJ/year of your EnerGuide rating.]
2. 125 GJ/year ÷ 250 GJ/year = 0.50
3. 0.50 x 100 = 50 [You have achieved a 50 percent reduction in your home’s EnerGuide rating.]
4. $20.00 x 50 = $1000.00 [This is the incentive you will receive, in addition to the individual rebates]

The Energy Efficiency Action Roadmap section of your EnerGuide Renovation Upgrade Report includes an estimate of GJ savings for recommended upgrades. See our FAQ How much will my incentive be for the Home Energy Improvement Bonus? to see the potential range of Home Energy Improvement Bonus rebate amounts based on the upgrades you do.

Keep in mind that not all upgrades recommended in your EnerGuide Renovation Upgrade Report are bonus-eligible. Always review the program terms and conditions [90.3KB PDF] before any renovations begin to ensure your upgrades will be eligible.

Even though some energy efficiency upgrades are not bonus-eligible, they may still improve your EnerGuide rating. For example, draftproofing (air sealing) is not a bonus-eligible upgrade but air sealing upgrades will improve (lower) your EnerGuide rating and allow you to access a higher bonus rebate.

If your renovation plans include upgrades that are not bonus eligible, ensure that at least three other upgrades are eligible so you can access the Home Energy Improvement Bonus. Other upgrades that are not bonus eligible but will contribute to lowering your EnerGuide rating and increasing your bonus rebate amount include:

• Insulation upgrades that have received individual rebates under $500 in value or that are not eligible for the individual rebate (DIY installation)
• Foundation insulation
• Exposed floor, floor over crawlspace or basement header insulation
• Solar hot water upgrades
• Photovoltaic panels
• Draftproofing/Air-sealing

To get started: Schedule a pre-upgrade EnerGuide home evaluation with a Program-Qualified Energy Advisor. The energy advisor will provide you with recommendations to improve the energy efficiency of your home and can assist with determining which upgrade options are bonus-eligible.