Introducing Energy Efficiency Alberta
Corey McCloskey, Customer Response Team
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 18 months, you’re well aware of the Government of Alberta’s position on climate change, and you already know we now have a carbon tax in our fine province. I have no interest in turning this blog into a political soapbox because, frankly, I don’t care enough about politicking to do so, but I’m well aware this has been a contentious issue for many Albertans. Regardless of how you feel about the road which has led us to this point, there are tangible programs emerging from this new revenue stream, and Energy Efficiency Alberta is one of them.
Energy Efficiency Alberta is a new Government of Alberta agency, dedicated to helping the province save energy. The stated mandate of the agency includes the following:
- Raising awareness among energy consumers of energy use and the associated economic and environmental consequences
- Promoting, designing, and delivering programs and carrying out other activities related to energy efficiency, energy conservation, and the development of micro-generation and small scale energy systems in Alberta
- Promoting the development of an energy efficiency services industry
This mandate is, obviously, very general, but initial program offerings should be of interest to many Albertans. Commencing in April, the Residential No-Charge Energy Savings Program offers direct, no-charge installation of energy efficient products across the province. Here’s how it works:
- Register online and fill out the form.
- You’ll receive a call to schedule the appointment, and the installer will call the day prior to confirm the appointment still works for you.
- An installer will walk through your home, identifying potential energy-efficient upgrades
- The same installer will complete the upgrades, and provide instruction on their function or use, at no cost to you!
Sounds simple enough, right? Depending on your home, these appointments will take around an hour to complete, leaving you with energy efficient upgrades, which begin saving you money on your utility bills immediately. So, what kind of stuff are they looking for?
- Replacing existing incandescent nightlights, lightbulbs, and exit signs with LED products
- Replacing inefficient shower heads with high-efficiency shower heads
- Installing faucet aerators if no aerator is present
- Replacing a traditional power bar with an advanced power bar
- Replacing a non-programmable thermostat with a smart thermostat
Additionally, if you sign up for the newsletter, you’ll find out as soon as new programs are rolled out, including the Residential Retail Products Program and the Residential and Commercial Solar Program; these rebate incentive programs will reimburse costs associated with upgrades to eligible household appliances, such as fridges and water heaters, or the installation of a solar photovoltaic systems.
Your EnerGuide rated, energy efficient Cedarglen home already comes equipped with many of these items as a standard, but you were already savvy enough to build your home with us, so you’re definitely savvy enough to know the price is right on this program. I know I could use a few extra dollars in my jeans these days!
Have a great weekend,
Cedarglen Homes