Starting any sort of renovation project can be a financial and logistical headache. Luckily, that upcoming project doesn’t have to leave you in agony like the characters in the 80’s comedy, “The Money Pit.” There are a lot of programs and incentives offered through your state and utility/energy provider, that can help you save time and money and become more energy-efficient.
If you have a commercial or multi-family building renovation project in New York State, you may be eligible for the Flexible Technical Assistance Program (FlexTech). This program sponsored by NYSERDA will share the cost of completing an energy study of your building to help identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce energy costs and incorporate clean energy into your capital planning. A NYSERDA FlexTech Consultant will work with you to complete the energy study that will provide you with data to help plan your project’s upcoming steps. Single-family homes may qualify for a free energy audit under NYSERDA’s Residential Audit Program.
There are also many incentives for installing high-efficiency products into your commercial or multi-family buildings. Con Edison in NYC, offers rebates up to 70% of the project cost for installing high-efficiency boilers, furnaces, unit heaters, controls and thermostats, steam traps, demand control ventilation, and more. The current years’ catalog of rebates will let you know if you might be eligible.
Another program offered through NYSERDA is the Multifamily Performance Program. This program offers equipment replacement and rebates designed to reduce electricity and/or natural gas use in apartment and condominium complexes. This includes; lighting upgrades, water-saving measures, occupancy controls, and pipe insulation.
Your local NYS utility like RG&E and NYSEG offer similar programs and incentives.
With help from these programs, you can avoid creating your own “money pit” of a project and get your own happy ending in terms of money and energy savings. To learn more about these and other programs, check out the Put Energy to Work page on the state of New York’s webpage.