Advice and financial incentives to

become more energy efficient

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FAQs

Residential Energy Efficiency program

Please click on one of the headings below to choose the Frequently Asked Questions for your home or building type. 
ANSWERS

1. Who should I call to schedule an energy efficiency assessment of my home?
Contact a licensed Service Provider  to book a pre-upgrade assessment for your home. All five Service Providers have been licensed by Natural Resources Canada and have Energy Advisors designated to cover all regions of the province in either official language.
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2. How much does an energy efficiency assessment cost?

Efficiency NB subsidizes the cost of energy efficiency assessments.Your cost is $150 for a Pre-Upgrade assessment and $110 for a Post-Upgrade Assessment.  For homes greater than 4000 square feet; there is an additional cost. Click here to see the cost breakdown  of the energy efficiency assessments.

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3. How many times can I access the Program?

You can access the program once for each home/building that you own in the province of New Brunswick.

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4. Can I begin to do work before I've had an energy efficiency assessment?

No.  Only upgrades completed after the Pre-Upgrade Assessment will be eligible.

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5. Can I do the work myself?

Yes, you can do the work yourself.

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6. How long before I receive my incentive payment after the energy advisor submits the post-upgrade report to Efficiency NB?

After the application has been received, adjudicated and approved by Efficiency NB, a cheque will be mailed to you directly from Service NB. Processing time usually takes 8 weeks.

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7. Are there incentives available to convert my non-electric heating system to an electric heating system?

No, converting to an electric resistance heating system (including baseboards, convection heaters, radiant heating panels, furnaces and boilers) is not considered an eligible upgrade through the program. 


If interested in converting your central heating system, you could explore several environmentally friendly options such as natural gas or a ground source heat pump. These systems are both more efficient and generate less greenhouse gas emissions than standard systems like electric baseboard or an electric furnace.  


Click here  for a complete list of eligible upgrades through the Residential Energy Efficiency Program.

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8. If I have already received an energy efficiency grant for upgrades to my home through the department of social development, can I access additional incentives from Efficiency NB?

No. If you have already received an Energy Efficiency grant from the Department of Social Development, you will not be able to receive additional funding through Efficiency NB.  It should be noted that recipients of other Department of Social Development loans and grants can participate in our program.

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9. Does the same service provider who conducted the pre-upgrade assessment have to conduct the post-upgrade assessment?

No, you can contact another Service Provider and have a post-upgrade assessment completed.

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QUESTIONS


  1. Why is electric resistance heating not an option through the Residential Energy Efficiency Program – New Construction (REEP - NC)?
  2. What is the EnerGuide Rating System (ERS)?
  3. How do I get an EnerGuide rating?
  4. How much does the EnerGuide rating service cost?
  5. Do I need to have my building plans approved prior to building?
  6. My home is already built and I have already moved in; I just found out about the program now.  Do I still qualify?
  7. How much will I get for building an energy efficient new home? 
  8. How do I apply for financial incentives?
  9. I had an energy evaluation on my new home but it did not qualify for incentives through the program.  Can I still apply for the energy evaluation rebate?
  10. I am a builder; can I apply for incentives through the residential energy efficiency program - new construction?


ANSWERS


1. Why is electric resistance heating not an option through the Residential Energy Efficiency Program – New Construction (REEP - NC)?

The Climate Change Action Plan of the Government of New Brunswick encourages an off-electricity heating strategy for residential buildings that will include the use of low-Green House Gas (GHG) technologies and eliminate the installation of new electric baseboards and electric resistance heating systems. Therefore, buildings that use electric resistance as the primary source for space heating will NOT be eligible to participate in this program.

Please see the REEP-NC Guidelines  for a list of eligible heating systems. 

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2. What is the EnerGuide Rating System (ERS)?  

An EnerGuide Rating shows a standard measure of your home's energy performance.

 

The home's energy efficiency level is rated on a scale of 0 to 100. A rating of 0 represents a home with major air leakage, no insulation and extremely high energy consumption. A rating of 100 represents a house that requires no purchased energy on an annual basis.


 


Efficiency NB has established an energy performance target for our programs of EnerGuide 83.

 

For more information on the EnerGuide Rating Service, please visit:

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-homes/upgrade-packages/rating.cfm?attr=4 [J2]

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3. How do I get an EnerGuide rating?  

You need to have your building plans or home evaluated, please contact a licensed New Homes EnerGuide Rating Service Provider.  They will assign a Certified Energy Advisor to work with you to help make your new home as energy efficient as possible and issue an EnerGuide Rating. 

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4. How much does the EnerGuide rating service cost?   

The cost of an energy evaluation is based on the size of your new home. Efficiency NB will issue a $260 rebate towards the cost of the energy evaluation, provided your house meets minimum program requirements.

 

House Size

Cost

Rebate (if applicable)

Up to 4,000 ft2 (372m2)

$520 + HST

$260

Over 4,000 ft2 (372m2)

$660 + HST

$260

 

Rebates for the energy evaluation will be issued in addition to the financial incentive amount after successful application to the program.

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5. Do I need to have my building plans approved prior to building?  

It is recommended that the building plans be reviewed BEFORE construction as it is much easier to make modifications if necessary, although the energy evaluation process can begin at any time during construction.

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6. My home is already built and I have already moved in; I just found out about the program now.  Do I still qualify?  

Maybe.  To be eligible to participate in the program you need to contact a licensed New Homes EnerGuide Rating Service Provider within 6 months of occupancy to have your new home tested to verify that it qualifies as an EnerGuide 83 rated home.

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7. How much will I get for building an energy efficient new home?

If your home does not use electric resistance heating as the primary heating source and meets the Program requirements, the basic incentive amount is $1,500 however you can get a higher incentive amount if you incorporate renewable technologies. 

 

Incentive

Amount

Description

Efficiency Incentive

$1,500

For homes built to meet the Energy Efficiency Specifications or that achieve an EnerGuide rating of 83 or higher

Solar Domestic Hot Water (SDHW) 

$2,500

For homes that qualify for the Efficiency Incentive and add an eligible Solar Domestic Hot Water (SDHW) system

Geothermal

$5,000

For homes that qualify for the Efficiency Incentive and add qualifying Geothermal space heating and hot water systems 

Net Zero

$7,500

For homes that have been pre-qualified by Efficiency NB and designed to Net Zero performance standards

 

Please see the REEP-NC Guidelines for minimum requirements for renewable technologies. 

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8. How do I apply for financial incentives?  

After completing the energy evaluation, the Energy Advisor will help you complete the appropriate Application Forms and will submit them on your behalf.

 

You will receive a congratulatory letter confirming your eligibility to participate in the program, and an EnerGuide Rating to proudly display in your home.

 

(It is recommended placing the EnerGuide Label on a permanent fixture in the home, such as the electrical panel.)

 

Cheques will be mailed to qualifying applicants to the address indicated on the application form.

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9.  I had an energy evaluation on my new home but it did not qualify for incentives through the program.  Can I still apply for the energy evaluation rebate?  

No, only homes that meet program requirements are eligible for a rebate off the cost of the Energy Assessment. 

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10. I am a builder; can I apply for incentives through the residential energy efficiency program - new construction?  

Yes, as a building contractor you may apply for incentives through the Residential Energy Efficiency Program – New Construction. To be eligible you must have a ‘Builder Agreement’ signed with Efficiency NB, and you must make the homeowner aware that you have received the incentives, either by having the homeowner complete a FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TRANSFER FORM or by mentioning the incentive in the PURCHASE AND SALES AGREEMENT.  To obtain a copy of the ‘Builder Agreement’ form, please contact a licensed EnerGuide Rating Service Provider.

 

For more information on this process, contact Efficiency NB.

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