Energy Impact Illinois Offers Home Performance Rebate of Up to $2,000 to City of Rockford Homeowners
NOTE: As of January 28,2013, the Rockford Residential Rebate Program is no longer accepting new applications as it has enough pending reservations to exhaust its funding. We thank Rockford homeowners for their excitement and participation in the program. Rockford homeowners are still eligible to participate for a rebate of up to $1750 off air sealing and insulation offered by Energy Impact Illinois in conjunction with Nicor Gas and ComEd, as well as our low-interest loans with the first year of interest paid by Energy Impact Illinois.
The information below is for reference.
Home improvements to reduce energy consumption can achieve lower bills, improved home comfort
ROCKFORD, IL – March 8, 2012 – Energy Impact Illinois, an alliance that provides tools and resources to help homeowners take action toward reducing energy consumption, announced today a home performance rebate of up to $2,000 for City of Rockford residents who make energy improvements to their home. The limited-time rebate program is designed to decrease home energy upgrade costs by offering eligible homeowners reimbursements of $1,000 for work resulting in 15 to 20 percent energy savings; $1,200 for 20 to 30 percent savings; or $2,000 for 30 percent savings or more.
City of Rockford homeowners simply visit TheEnergyBills.org or call 1-855-9-IMPACT to find a participating contractor. Energy Impact Illinois participating contractors then perform a home energy assessment and work with the homeowner to determine the best mix of improvements for the most savings that meet the Illinois Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® requirements. Eligible homeowners can receive a significant discount on the cost of specific energy upgrades like air sealing, insulation, furnace replacement, and other HVAC work. Once the work is complete and a quality assurance inspection is conducted, the rebates will be directly subtracted from the contractor‟s invoice. Homeowners will also be eligible to receive, at no additional cost, a silver or gold Illinois Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® certificate.
“We are proud to be a key partner with Energy Impact Illinois and to be selected as the first pilot community in Illinois to launch the Home Performance Residential Retrofit Rebate Program,” stated Mayor Morrissey. “This energy retrofit program will not only financially assist Rockford homeowners in making needed home improvements to save money on their energy bills, it has the added benefit of improving our environment and leading the way toward energy conservation and a more sustainable community for our future.”
“We know there are two things people want to do when it comes to energy efficiency – increase the comfort of their homes and save money on their energy bills,” added Randy Blankenhorn, executive director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), the lead agency behind Energy Impact Illinois. “The rebate simplifies the process and offers an attractive option for City of Rockford residents.”
Energy Impact Illinois also offers an array of additional tools and resources at TheEnergyBills.org that educate homeowners on their current energy usage, provide information on how to make smart energy efficiency investments and connect them with additional financial resources to make those investments a reality.
These tools include a groundbreaking energy quotient calculator, known as “MyHomeEQ,” a customized web tool that gives users customized information on their home energy usage. The tool is a simple process that tells a user how they use energy, what can be done to lower utility bills while improving energy efficiency, and connects them to the right resources and contractors needed to implement those actions.
City of Rockford homeowners are also eligible for financing for the cost of their energy efficient work exceeding the rebate through the Energy Impact Illinois Residential Loan Program. In partnership with MembersAlliance Credit Union, City of Rockford homeowners can work with certified and specially trained contractors participating in the program to take advantage of special low rate unsecured loan products to help finance energy efficiency improvement projects. The loan program offers competitive rates and financing for energy efficiency improvement projects, in most cases below what consumer can find elsewhere.
To learn more, and to take advantage of all the resources Energy Impact Illinois offers, please visit TheEnergyBills.org.
About Energy Impact Illinois
Energy Impact Illinois is an alliance of local and federal organizations, utility companies and not-for-profit groups who are dedicated to helping communities change their energy usage habits, by offering access to a broad array of programs and solutions. The alliance provides people and businesses with smart, simple resources that make it easy to save energy and money for collective results in the seven county region of Northern Illinois and in the City of Rockford. The alliance was formed as a result of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant through the U.S. Department of Energy‟s Better Buildings Initiative to spur energy efficiency upgrades and create a long-term energy efficiency market in the region. For more information, visit: www.energyimpactillinois.org.
About Better Buildings Neighborhood Program
Better Buildings Neighborhood Program is a national program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy that is working to transform the marketplace for energy efficiency upgrades in homes, businesses, and institutions. Better Buildings Neighborhood Program has provided seed funding to more than 40 energy efficiency programs across the country that are helping consumers and businesses reduce their energy use, save money, and support the development of local jobs. Learn more, please visit: www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/betterbuildings/neighborhoods/.
About Illinois Home Performance
Illinois Home Performance (IHP) is Illinois‟ version of the national Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, which is currently running in 32 states across the country. IHP connects homeowners with qualified contractors and energy auditors who assess the „performance‟ of existing homes and complete targeted renovations that result in energy savings and improved comfort, safety, and durability. IHP is funded by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) with the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) acting as statewide coordinator. Please visit www.IllinoisHomePerformance.org for more information.
Media Contact
Kate Murphy Fleishman-Hillard for Energy Impact Illinois
312.729.3605
kate.murphy@fleishman.com