Qualifying Home Improvements

Choose your state below to find out what types of home improvements can qualify you for special financing.

Connecticut

Eligible Measures and Qualifying Criteria as of January 30th, 2012

To qualify for the interest rates below and obtain a loan, a customer must participate in the Home Energy Solutions Program (HES) through a Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund approved HES contractor. All measures or equipment financed must meet the criteria set forth below including the Home Energy Solutions (HES) participation criteria and the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund rebate and criteria where noted.
If 4.99% and 2.99% measures are bundled together, the entire package qualifies for 2.99% (with the exception noted below for oil or propane heated homes).
Special offer of 0% financing for insulation jobs from $1,000 to $2,500 with a maximum loan term of 36 months; the offer lasts until June 30, 2012. Applies to homes heated by all fuel types for CL&P customers. Applies to homes heated by electricity or natural gas for UI customers.
Advanced air sealing and/or duct sealing can be financed only when air sealing or duct sealing is necessary to increase the energy efficiency of the qualifying measure. The interest rate is set based on the qualifying measure installed.
Measures that have unproven or questionable savings (including but not limited to fuel oil catalyst products, radiant barriers, and power correction devices) will NOT be financed.
Minimum Loan Amount is $1,000 for Special offer; Minimum Loan Amount is $2,500 for all other loans
Maximum Loan Amount is $2,500 for Special offer; Maximum Loan Amount is $20,000 for all other loans
Maximum Loan Term is 36 months for Special offer; Maximum Loan Term is 10 years for all other loans

100% of work being financed shall apply to qualifying measures as listed below. Non-listed work directly related and necessary to the installation of the listed qualifying measures may be financed along with the qualifying measure at the applicable interest rate.

Qualifying Measures and Requirements for 2.99%

High Efficiency Insulation For Natural Gas or Electric heated homes
- Ceilings with less than R-30 insulation must install a minimum of R-19 and the final R-value of the ceiling must be equal to or greather than R-38
- Walls that have no insulation or an R-value of 4 or less must install a minimum of R-13
ENERGY STAR® Ductless Heat Pumps
- Ductless Heat Pump must be AHRI rated and Energy Star qualified
- Must meet or exceed: 14.5 SEER, 12 EER, 8.2 HSPF
ENERGY STAR® Electric Heat Pump Water Heaters
- Must meet or exceed: Energy Factor (EF) of 2.0 or greater
ENERGY STAR® Tankless Natural Gas Hot Water Heaters
- ENERGY STAR Tankless Natural Gas Water Heater 0.82 EF or greater with Electronic Ignition
- High Efficiency Indirect Water Heater attached to a natural gas ENERGY STAR qualified boiler (90% AFUE or greater)

Qualifying Measures and Requirements for 4.99%

ENERGY STAR® Central Air System
- Must meet or exceed: 14.5 SEER, 12 EER, for split systems: 14 SEER, 11 EER for single packaged systems

ENERGY STAR® Air to Air Heat Pump
- Must meet or exceed: 14.5 SEER, 12 EER, 8.2 HSPF for split systems: 14 SEER, 11 EER, 8.0 HSPF for single packaged systems
ENERGY STAR® Natural Gas Furnaces and Boilers
- Furnace: AHRI rated 95% AFUE with Air Handler Performance Level EAE of 2% or lower
- Boiler: 90% AFUE or greater with temerature reset or purge control

Windows (Natural Gas and Electric heated homes only)
- Must have: ENERGY STAR®U-factor less than ore equal to 0.30

Qualifying Measures and Requirements for Market Rate¹ (CL&P Customers Only)

High Efficiency Insulation (Oil or Propane heated homes)
- Ceilings with less than R-30 insulation must install a minimum of R-19 and the final R-value of the ceiling must be equal or greater than R-38
- Walls that have no insulation or an R-value of 4 or less must install a minimum of R-13
ENERGY STAR® Oil or Propane Furnaces and Boilers
- Oil Furnace: 86% AFUE with Air Handler Performance Level EAE of 2% or lower
- Propane Furnace: 92% AFUE with Air Handler Performance Level EAE of 2% or lower
- Oil Boilers: 86% AFUE with temperature reset or purge control
- Propane Boiler: 90% AFUE with temperature reset or purge control
Geothermal Systems
- GLHP Closed Loop Water to Air 17.1 EER, 3.6 COP
- DX Direct Expansion Refrigerant 16.0 EER, 3.6 COP
- Water to Water 16.1 EER, 3.1 COP
Windows (Oil or Propane heated homes)
- Must have: ENERGY STAR® U-factor less than or equal to 0.30

¹ The current market rate is 9.25% (June 1, 2011).

Massachusetts

Information coming soon. Check back frequently for updates.

New York

Eligible Measures and Qualifying Criteria as of July 1, 2011

Participants may finance energy efficiency improvements through Green Jobs - Green New York Financing* or Energy $mart Loans. Only work performed by a participating Building Performance Institute Accredited Home Performance Contractor through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® Program qualifies for financing. Participants can choose from the following options to pay for the cost of work. Additionally participants may be eligible for high efficiency measure cash-back incentives.

Green Jobs-Green New York Financing*

Take advantage now of low interest loans through Green Jobs - Green New York*. Apply now through Energy Finance Solutions. Financing is available to participants in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® Program to finance the installation of recommended energy efficiency improvements that may be repaid through energy savings. Interest rates are subject to change without notice. For list of eligible measures and accessories matrix.

Features:
- Low interest rates available through Green Jobs - Green New York*
- Loans of up to $25,000 per homeowner
- Select a loan repayment period of 5, 10, or 15 years
- Projects using Green Jobs – Green New York financing* must be cost-effective
- Can combine with high efficiency measure cash-back incentives
Energy $mart Loans
Energy $mart Loans are offered through a network of Participating Residential Loan Fund Lenders servicing New York State.
The following conditions apply:
- Loans up to $20,000 ($30,000 in the Consolidated Edison service territory) may be obtained on a secured or unsecured basis, at the option of the Lender and the Borrower
- Your interest rate is bought down by up to 4.0% or 400 basis points, reduced as low as 3.0%, for a term up to ten (10) years
- Procedures and conditions may vary by Participating Lender, and by loan
- Cannot combine with high efficiency measure cash-back incentives
High Efficiency Measure Incentives

To make energy efficiency even more affordable, you may be eligible to receive 10% of the cost of eligible energy efficiency improvements, up to a maximum incentive of $3,000. This incentive is available in conjunction with Green Jobs – Green New York financing*. However, this incentive cannot be combined with the Energy $mart Loan. Payment is authorized after you sign the Certificate of Completion and the program implementer reviews the project.

Additional incentives are available to income-qualified homeowners

Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR provides an additional subsidy to assist income-qualified customers to pay for cost-effective energy efficiency improvements. However, customer that receive a subsidy are not eligible to receive the 10% High Efficiency Measure Incentive. The subsidy payment is made directly to the contractor after you sign the Certificate of Completion.