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HomeZero seeks 10-15 Vernon homeowners for energy retrofit pilot

August 25, 2023 – The HomeZero Collective Society is actively looking for up to 15 homeowners in East Hill and the Foothills to be among the first to access a $10,000 to $30,000 subsidy—as well a no-interest Greener Homes Loan of up to $40,000—to help finance energy efficiency retrofits.

This is part of a retrofit pilot project in Vernon, B.C., that is receiving up to $500,000 from Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund’s (GMF) Community Efficiency Financing (CEF) program.

The project focuses on retrofitting 10 to 15 homes within Vernon using lessons learned from a previously funded GMF study, which looked at incentivizing whole neighbourhoods to participate in a home energy retrofitting financing program.

If selected, the Vernon homeowners will receive guidance from HomeZero as they choose their energy efficiency retrofit package: either geothermal or air source heat pump, plus hybrid electric hot water tank, solar panels and an electric vehicle charging outlet.

Performance monitoring systems will be installed to show energy and emissions reductions to homeowners.

Retrofits will be installed by the end of February 2024, and homeowners will see instant results, says HomeZero.

The application deadline for Vernon homeowners is September 15, 2023.

If successful, the pilot project could be scaled up to include more homes and neighbourhoods, and could act as a roadmap for other communities, says Natural Resources Canada.

Administered by FCM, the GNF is funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada. The CEF, meantime, provides capital to homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient.