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Tag: New Brunswick

  • New Brunswick Home Energy Savings

    New Brunswick Home Energy Savings

    New Brunswick Home Energy Savings

    Home Rebate

    New Brunswick Launches New Home Energy Savings Program

    As the Greener Homes Grant rebate phase concludes, New Brunswick is strengthening its sustainability commitment by launching a retrofit program for upcoming residential construction projects.

    The rebate incentive is a three-tiered program. The lowest tier provides $1000 in rebate money, the middle tier moves up to $9000, and the highest tier allots up to $15000. The rebate incentive requires criteria to be met in the building of the property.  The addition of renewable energy, like solar power, is the only way for the property to reach the 2nd or 3rd tier of the rebate incentive for the maximum possible rebate allowed. Lets take a look at what the program requires.

    Eligibility Requirements

    Either the builder or the homeowners can register for the rebate incentive. The incentive registration must be completed before the building permit is issued. Homes with building permits issued within 30 days of registration are able to participate. The eligible building types are listed as follows:

    • Homes located in New Brunswick heated by electricity, cord wood, pellets,
      natural gas, or propane
    • Single detached, semi-detached, and row houses
    • Semi-detached or row housing units must have party walls that extend from the
      slab to the attic and have separated heating and ventilation systems
    • Manufactured dwellings on a permanent foundation
    • Types of eligible foundations:
    • Basement foundation
    • Slab-on-grade with anchors
    • Concrete blocks on an engineered pad Verification purposes
    • Piers and beams
    • Must be a residential property as defined under Part 9 of the National Building
      Code of Canada 2015. Such properties would be no more than three (3) stories
      high and having a footprint of not more than 600 m2 (6,458 ft2).

    Note that the following buildings are ineligible:

    • Homes heated with oil
      natural gas, or propane
    • Mixed-use buildings with less than 50% Residential Occupancy
    • Multi-Unit Residential Buildings having two or more dwelling units. Note: Some
      two-unit buildings may be eligible if there is an interior unlocked doorway
      connecting the 2 units. In these cases, eligibility will be determined by your
      chosen Service Organization
    • Off-grid buildings
    • Cottages and camps not lived in year-round

    Performance Based Rebate Incentive

    The rebate categorizes 3 types of prescriptive upgrades you can incorporate into the building of your property: Building Envelope, Mechanical Systems, or Domestic Hot Water. You must complete at least five upgrades in total across the three categories to trigger an incentive.

    Building envelope is primarily concerned with upgrades related to insulation, air tightness, and roofing. Mechanical systems are related to specific types of heat pumps or boilers. Domestic Hot Water is concerned with having an energy efficient hot water heater as the name implies.

    Program details and types of upgrades can be referenced here.

    Achieve A Zero-Energy Rated Home

    Through the EnerGuide Rating System a residence can achieve a zero-energy rating, indicating that the yearly projected energy consumption is balanced by on-site renewable energy production, often utilizing solar photovoltaic technology. This means that by installing solar on your newly built home you will be instantly qualified for the middle-tier incentives of $9000. Depending on the prescriptive upgrades you chose from the incentive list you may also be qualified for the highest tier incentives of up to $15000.

    Get the most out of your rebate by installing Solar

    This incentive cuts the costs of going solar in the short run, and in the long run many thousands are saved from the solar system installation. Going solar instantly qualifies you for the mid-tier of incentives of up to $9000, making it easier for you to choose the upgrades that are best for your soon to be built home. It also makes it easier for you to reach the incentive ceiling of $15000. Opting for these upgrades not only guarantees long-term savings but also ensures low energy costs and enhances overall energy efficiency.

    Our Solar Specialists and Project Managers can cleanly walk you through the steps of what is required and make sure you maximize the value of the rebates you receive. We’ll also get you started on the vital first step of acquiring a tailor-made solar proposal for your residential project’s energy needs.

    Schedule a consultation for our solar specialist’s expert guidance here.

    The official website for the program can be found here.
    Program details can be referenced here.

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  • New Brunswick Total Home Energy Savings Program

    New Brunswick Total Home Energy Savings Program

    New Brunswick Total Home Energy Savings Program

    Residents of New Brunswick Can Achieve Energy Independence and Claim Government Rebates of Up to $9,500

    How New Brunswick residents can gain Independence from NB Power while earning up to $9,500 in government rebates

    In 2021 New Brunswick amended legislation permitting NB Power to use variance accounts which allows them to increase the price of electricity in the event of unforeseen costs.  Variance account rate increases could be triggered by power outages, fluctuations in exchange rates, fuel costs, or a host of other conditions that may affect their supply chain. While this helps NB Power manage their financial risk, it can lead to volatile price increases for the average consumer.  This means if NB Power experiences cost fluctuations due to variance, those costs will be passed down to the consumer.

    Last winter there were outages for over 30 days at the Point Lepreau and Bayside power plants.
    Under the new rule, NB Power may use this as justification for price increases starting in 2024.

    You may also know that NB Power requested a general 8.9% price hike for electricity this fiscal year starting April 2023, but they were only approved for 4.8% after the proposal was challenged aggressively.

    The bottom line is that producing power for yourself by going solar is the only way to protect yourself from these unavoidable rate increases.

    Introducing the Total Home Energy Savings Program

    Fortunately, there is an easy path forward to help create some certainty around your own power costs by going solar. The Total Home Energy savings program delivered by NB Power makes it easy. What’s great about this program is that you both benefit – your grid tied solar panel system helps reduce variance by sending energy back into the grid with Net Metering, and your energy costs are stabilized since you will be producing that energy for yourself and covering your power bills. The Total Home Energy Savings Program allocates up to $3,000 for solar power and $1,500 to install an air source heat pump. This also stacks with Canada’s Greener Homes Initiative, which offers an additional up to $5,000 for a solar power system installation, totaling up to $8,000 in possible rebates for going solar.

    Total Home Energy Savings Program Qualification Criteria

    The program requires that you apply for a pre-energy audit prior to installing any home energy
    retrofits, and then get a post-energy audit after the completion of their installation. This is so
    they can measure the difference in efficiency after you are finished with your home upgrades.
    There is a fee for the initial pre-energy audit of $99 + HST. If you plan on applying for both
    rebates, that initial fee will be $249 + HST and then another $100 + HST for the post-energy
    evaluation. The Canada Greener Homes Grant will pay out an additional $600 rebate to cover
    the costs you incurred for your audits, once your retrofits are complete. The following terms
    and conditions also apply to program recipients:

    • You must be the legal Property Owner in order to apply for the Total Home Energy
      Savings Program.
    • Your home is: a residential property, no more than three stories high, smaller than 600
      m² (6458 ft²)*. Single-family homes, detached, side-by-side, or row homes are eligible.
    • Manufactured or Mobile homes are on a permanent foundation*.
    • Buildings must be habitable, structurally sound and capable of receiving a home
      evaluation, as determined by a Certified Energy Advisor. The home must have all
      interior and exterior finishes in place (including, for example, siding and drywall) and
      have a functioning automated heating system, kitchen, and bathroom.
    • Buildings that participated in any of Efficiency NB’s programs or NB Power’s Home
      Insulation Energy Savings Program that still need upgrades.

    It’s pretty simple to get the ball rolling on this. First, contact SaveEnergyNB to schedule your
    pre-energy audit at this link. Their Energy Advisor will help you determine which retrofits best
    fit your property as they complete your first audit. A solar proposal is then required to
    determine your total rebate size. Solar is the easiest upgrade you can do to maximize your
    rebate while also directly saving on your energy bill. The solar power system alone guarantees
    up to $5,000 through the Greener Homes Grant, and another potential up to $3,000 with the
    Total Home Energy Savings Program for a combined total of up to $8000 just for going solar.
    We recommend adding a heat pump to your solar installation so you can heat your home with
    free solar electricity and capture the greatest possible rebate amount of up to $9,500.

    The Benefits of Adding Solar to your Home Efficiency Plan

    These incentives cut the costs of going solar in the short run, and in the long run thousands are saved from the solar system installation. You get to stabilize and save money on your power bills, NB Power gets to reduce their variance, and it’s great for the environment.
    It’s a win-win-win situation. Our solar specialists can do the legwork getting you set up with a tailor-made system for your property’s needs.


    Schedule a consultation for our solar specialist’s expert guidance here.


    For full program details, you may visit https://www.saveenergynb.ca/en/for-home/total-home/.

    XOLAR INC.

    Xolar is a full service turn-key platform for transitioning both residential and commercial clients, book a free quote today!

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