Forum Archive

To all,
Thanks to those who attended the Energy Saving Seminar on Saturday. I enjoyed answering your questions and discussing your projects with you. To those of you that couldn’t make it, I wanted to briefly explain some of the Rebates available for Energy improvements so we can start fixing our economy the sustainable, energy smart way.

NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) Incentives – 2 forms of low interest loans, or rebate incentives are available. The standard incentive rebates are up to 20% off eligible measures (i.e. air sealing, insulation, new efficient boilers, new efficient water heaters, ENERGY STAR air conditioners, ENERGY STAR appliances, ENERGY STAR lighting and bulbs, mechanical venting, etc…) w/ a $4,500 cap. Resource – www.getenergysmart.org

National Grid Rebates – 20% on all energy saving measures w/ a cap at $750. Plus rebates on heating equipment and other individual measures up to $1300. Resource – www.thinksmartthinkgreen.com/index.html

Federal Tax Credit – 30% credit on all energy saving measures up to $1,500 per year. (Just passed in the stimulus package). Resouce – www.energystar.gov

For example: If you were to air seal your whole house, and add R35 insulation in the roof, replace one broken window, change out incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents, add a bathroom vent fan for $6,000 by a Home Performance Certified contractor (to be eligible for the rebate programs) then the savings would look like -

$6,000 total construction cost
$1,200 NYSERDA rebate
$760 National Grid rebate
$1,500 Federal Tax Credit
Total final cost to home owner – $2,540 (a 58% cost reduction, and a payback period for the work above that would likely be less than 2 years)

Finally, Prospect Development and Construction offers Energy Audits on 1-4 family Homes, 4 stories or smaller for $500 (the fee varies with other building types). With the rebates available the final cost of the audit to the customer would be $150, a very small price to pay to determine how you can significantly reduce your energy consumption.

Please call or email to set up an Audit.

Thanks,
Jeremy

–
Jeremy R. M. Shannon, AIA, LEED AP, BPI Envelope Specialist
Principal Architect
Prospect Architecture, PC

Vice President
Prospect Development and Construction, LTD
BPI Accredited, Home Performance Contractor

969 Lincoln Place, Ground Floor
Brooklyn, NY 11213
718.783.0348
347.558.9677 (fax)