Q&A: How we help you save money on your energy bills

How do you know what energy upgrades are best for your home? In the Clean Energy Financing (CEF) program, a Home Energy Advisor will work with you to recommend upgrades that will help to reduce the cost of your energy bills.

We had a chat with Manager of Energy Programs, Steve Fairbairn, to learn more about what he and the team do to help homeowners through the CEF process.

Q: What role does a Home Energy Advisor have in the CEF program?

Steve: We’re there as a resource for the homeowner at each step of the process. We sit down with the homeowner at the beginning to discuss desired upgrade plans, possibilities and potential challenges. We also collect actual energy use data from the homeowner – such as electricity and/or oil bills – to increase the accuracy of return-on-investment calculations later in the process.

Q: How do you communicate upgrade options to homeowners?

Steve: The homeowner will receive a standard Natural Resources Canada Home Energy Assessment upgrade report after the audit which lists potential upgrades. As part of CEF, they also receive a recommendations report from the advisor, which uses estimated costs and actual energy use data to calculate a payback period for each of the upgrades. This allows the homeowner to see which upgrades could make the most sense and would likely qualify for CEF.

Q: What is the goal of the program?

Steve: The main goal is for the homeowner to save on their energy costs by making home upgrades. It enables homeowners to make these upgrades by providing access to financing through their municipality. The rules regarding available financing amounts and payback periods are put in place to help homeowners make upgrades that make sense for their home and are both affordable and manageable.