Residential Energy Incentives

One of SWA’s primary goals is to foster greater access to sustainable building practices. To that end, SWA is an active partner in a number of public and private incentive programs that help reduce or eliminate costs associated with building or substantially renovating homes with energy efficient systems and insulation. The incentives are available to offset the costs of the upgrades themselves, along with the verification processes needed to achieve the required certifications.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

NYSERDA offers incentives to builders who work with an ENERGY STAR® rater, such as SWA, to build or renovate homes that earn the EPA’s ENERGY STAR label and also meet additional NY requirements. Additional incentives are available for affordable homes, green certified homes, or for homes that are built under the direction of a BPI-certified technician.

Long Island Power Authority (LIPA)

LIPA offers tiered performance-based incentives to builders for building or substantially renovating homes that earn the EPA’s ENERGY STAR label and meet some additional LIPA requirements. Additional incentives are available for pin-based ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures, ENERGY STAR qualified doors, and central air conditioning systems 18 SEER and higher.  Free CFLs are also available, and affordable housing is eligible for additional incentives.

New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program

The Clean Energy program offers incentives to builders in designated SmartGrowth areas to defray the costs of obtaining ENERGY STAR certification for their homes.

Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund

With support from Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and United Illuminating, the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund offers a variety of incentives for energy efficiency improvements to builders of residential single-family or multifamily buildings through their Residential New Construction program. These include tiered performance-based incentives for HERS ratings, for meeting or exceeding ENERGY STAR requirements, as well as incentives for low load homes, high performance insulation, high efficiency HVAC and hot water systems, and for ENERGY STAR qualified geothermal systems.

Massachusetts New Homes With ENERGY STAR Program

This program is sponsored by various utilities within the state, and offers tiered performance-based incentives along with free CFLs and additional incentives for high performance HVAC equipment, hot water systems, and programmable thermostats.

Energy Efficient New Homes Tax Credit for Home Builders

The Federal government awards tax credits to builders of homes that are certified to use 50% less heating and cooling energy than the 2004 IECC. These credits expired on December 31, 2011 and currently only apply to homes completed by that deadline; however, in previous rounds, the deadline was extended past expiration.  If the deadline is extended, homes built in 2012 may end up eligible for the tax credit ($2,000 per home). If you are building new homes in 2012, SWA can evaluate your design and let you know if your home would be eligible for the tax credit, if extended.

Please note: If you are not building or substantially renovating your home, many of the above programs also offer existing home owners rebates and incentives for replacing lights, appliances, and equipment with energy efficient options, or for installing renewable energy systems such as solar panels. Visit www.dsireusa.org to see which incentives and federal tax credits are available to you based on your state.