Registration now open for Regional Energy Efficiency Program – Home Renovation
By Nelson Daily Staff
The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is pleased to announce that the Regional Energy Efficiency Program (REEP) – Home Renovation is open for registration.
“The Regional Energy Efficiency Program supports the RDCK’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life for residents across the RDCK,” said Aimee Watson, Chair of the RDCK Board of Directors, in a media release.
“We are pleased to work with our partners in this program to make it more affordable for residents to make energy efficiency renovations to their homes through subsidized evaluations and incentives.”
Residents of the RDCK can access a subsidized EnerGuide home energy evaluation to learn how to reduce energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions by completing energy efficient upgrades. Following the EnerGuide home energy evaluation, residents will be able to access current rebate offers, financing options, a local contractor list and energy coaching. The program can also benefit renters and those who are low-income.
To register, visit www.rdck.ca/reep for information and to access an online registration form, or contact Carmen Proctor, Residential Energy Efficiency Program – Home Renovation Program Manager by phone 250-352-8278 or email [email protected]. Hard copy registration forms are also available in municipal and RDCK offices across the region.
The public can also learn more about the program at various events from April to June 2019.
The first event is Tuesday, April 16 in Castlegar at the Community Complex.
There are also events planned for Slocan (April 23), Silverton and New Denver, (April 24) Salmo (April 25), Nakusp (May 1), Creston (May 2) Kaslo (May 6) and Nelson (April 30).
RDCK Area events are scheduled for Harrop Hall (June 3), Crawford Bay Hall (June 11) and Lardeau (June 25).
At the information events, the public can ask questions, meet local contractors, and connect with financial partners to discuss loan options for energy upgrades. The events are listed below and will be held from 6- 8 p.m.
In addition to the Home Renovation program, the program’s New Home component continues to support builders through education, training and access to information. In March, builders from across the RDCK attended the BCIT Lab in the Box training course in Nelson and Revelstoke and received training in high performance construction. For more information about how to improve the efficiency of your new build, please visit www.rdck.ca/reep.
Backgrounder
Regional Energy Efficiency Program
The Regional District Central Kootenay (RDCK) is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has developed the Regional Energy Efficiency Program (REEP). The program offers two streams: Home Renovation and New Home. The energy efficient home renovation stream provides incentives that support energy audits and access to rebates. The energy efficient new-home education stream provides training and access to information for all new home builders.
The program offers environmental and social benefits.
- Environmental benefits: The Home Renovation program is designed to reduce 309 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year (equivalent to the GHG emissions of 66 passenger vehicles driven for one year). The New Home program will encourage a standard of construction, outlined in the BC Step Code that will produce 1.03 tonnes of CO2e per year (equivalent to the emissions of 440 liters of gasoline) less per home than a home built to the prescriptive path of the BC Building Code.
- Social benefits: The program makes energy efficiency accessible first by reducing the cost of EnerGuide home energy evaluations, second by installing free energy efficiency products (LEDs, Water Efficient Shower Heads and Taps) and third by supporting residents’ participation in Fortis and BCHydro’s income qualified Energy Conservation Assistance Program (ECAP).
