Upgrading Your Current Home?

Through our Home Improvement Program (HIP), we offer homeowners expert advice, as well valuable rebates on energy efficient windows, insulation and lighting, and technologies like air and ground source heat pumps.   You can also maximize your savings by applying for an ecoEnergy Retrofit audit offered through Natural Resources Canada.  

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Just looking for simple tips and solutions for saving energy in your home? Click here for easy, low-cost and no-cost Bright ideas!

HIP Requirements

  • You must be a customer of FortisBC, or one of the following municipal utilities: Grand Forks, Kelowna, Penticton, Summerland or Nelson Hydro.  
  • Your home must be electrically heated (includes electric baseboard, electric forced air, electric boiler, and air source or ground source heat pumps).

Planning Incentives

A house is made up of components that work together to form an integrated system. The performance of one component depends on its relationship with other components in the same system.   Receiving professional advice before you start your project can help you identify where your improvement dollars are best spent, giving you peace of mind and long-term savings.

Free Energy Efficiency Audit
Receive a free energy audit from a qualified energy efficiency expert. An auditor will assess your home’s energy efficiency, identifying areas for improvement.  Request a home energy efficiency audit.

$50 rebate on a NRCAN ecoEnergy Retrofit Audit
The federal government offers homeowners valuable rebates and incentives for completing home improvement upgrades.  An auditor will assess your home’s energy efficiency, identifying opportunities for improvement. You may qualify for valuable rebates from both the federal government and FortisBC PowerSense. For more information, visit www.ecoaction.gc.ca or call 1-800-387-2000.

Heating & Cooling Incentives

Heating and cooling costs account for up to 59% of your energy bill, so taking advantage of energy efficient technologies and solutions can mean real savings on your energy bill.   

ENERGY STAR© Windows Rebate
Energy efficient windows are an essential component of the building envelope of any home. They’re an excellent long-term investment for your family and home because they can increase comfort by keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and lower your bill by reducing heating costs.

Rebate details: Rebate is based on $0.50 per square foot.

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Insulation Upgrade

Proper insulation helps keep your home cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. It comes in a variety of types including mineral or organic material, plastic foam, spray foam, glass fibers, batts, blankets, rigid foamboard or fiberboard. Insulation performance is measured by R-value, which refers to its ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better, however different R-values are recommended for walls, attics, basements and crawlspaces, depending on the area you live.

Rebate details: Rebate is calculated at $0.05 per kWh in savings.

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Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Rebate or Loan

An air source heat pump can save you up to 40% on your home’s heating and cooling costs, and provide you with heat in the winter and cooling in the summer.    An ASHP is an electric device that sits outside your home absorbing heat from the outdoor air in winter, and removing heat from inside your home in the summer. Air conditioners and refrigerators are examples of heat pump technology. Learn more about air source heat pumps.

Rebate & Loan Details: Rebate is calculated at $0.05 per kWh in savings, with an average rebate on a 2000 sq. ft. home being approximately $300.  You can also apply for a loan of up to $5000 OAC financed over 10 years at 4.9%.

Qualifying Models: Natural Resources Canada and the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) have developed an EnerGuide rating system to determine the level of efficiency offered by each model of ASHP.  The EnerGuide rating is printed on the back page of manufacturers’ literature for each model. This rating indicates the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). To qualify for PowerSense financial incentives the ASHP must have a SEER of at least 13.0.

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Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) Rebate or Loan

A ground source heat pump can save you up to 65% on your home’s heating and cooling costs, and provide you with heat in the winter and cooling in the summer.  Solar energy stored in the ground is captured in a solution circulating through underground pipes and carried back to a heat pump installed inside your home. The heat pump distributes heat indoors during cold weather, displacing conventional heating systems and collects it during hot weather, acting as an air conditioner.

Rebate & Loan Details: Rebate is calculated at $0.05 per kWh in savings, with an average rebate on a 4000 sq. ft. home being approximately $900.  You can also apply for a loan of up to $5000 OAC financed over 10 years at 4.9%. 

GSHP Incentive Requirements:

  • The GSHP will be installed in a residential dwelling.
  • The GSHP system uses closed loop underground piping or open loop e.g. well, if water source is suitable.
  • The system equipment design and installation meets CSA Standards.

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Lighting Incentives

Lighting in your home accounts for 5 to 10% of your total energy use.  It may not seem like much, but you can still achieve savings in the long-term by changing your usage habits and switching to more energy efficient technologies. Learn more about energy efficient lighting.

Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb rebate (Up to $5 per bulb)

CFLs use 75% less energy, last up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs, and are available for a wide variety of fixtures.  Receive up to $5 (to a maximum of 50%) for every CFL bulb you purchase.  Download a CFL rebate form.