Home Performance with Energy Star

2012 HPwES INCENTIVES Available Home Performance with Energy Star® (HPwES) Contact us to find out how to take advantage of current programs.

What is Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® (HPwES)?

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR offers incentives to reduce both your energy costs and carbon footprint. Bright Alternatives will help you to install the most cost-effective, energy-efficient upgrades through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program.  You can save 15-60% on energy costs and increase the comfort, safety, and durability of your home.

All NJ residents with a utility bill are eligible for the following Home Performance with Energy Star rebates.

Since 2006, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program has been helping all New Jersey residents significantly reduce their utility bills. The first step is to schedule a home energy audit at your home with one of Bright Altenatives BPI Certified technicians. Our technicians take specific care in addressing your concerns including discussing how to address comfort issues, energy-efficiency steps to include as part of any planned renovation and health and safety issues that may be noticed during our walk-through or safety testing.

After we complete our on-site analysis, we will use energy modeling software to quantify energy savings we can achieve with specific energy upgrades at your home.

Bright Alternatives will provide a detailed report including existing conditions, specific recommendations and Home Performance with Energy Star eligibility. After the audit, you will receive a report listing recommended measures, along with financial incentives available to help you pay for the recommended improvement work.

Program Eligibility - All NJ residential uility customers are eligible for incentives through HPwES

Single Family Home Eligibility Requirements
Single family homes and townhouses, and residential buildings of 2-4 units (individual living spaces) are eligible for the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program. A townhouse is a single-family dwelling unit constructed in groups of three or more attached units in which each unit extends from foundation to roof and with open space on at least two sides.

Multi-Family Eligibility Requirements
Multi-family buildings may participate in HPwES. The NJ HPwES program defines eligibility as buildings that are less than three stories high, have single ownership, and where total building energy usage is accessible (through individual metering of the units within the multi-family structure, or a master meter at the building).  Contact Bright Alternatives today to determine your eligibility.

Federal Tax Credit

A Federal Tax Credit is available for 10% of cost up to $500 or a specific amount from $50 - $300.  The tax credit expires December 31, 2011 and must be on an existing home and your principal residence. New construction and rentals do not qualify.

Eligible Measures

See a complete listing of eligible measures here.

Financing Options

• Energy Finance Solutions Loan – 0% interest up to $10,000, available for projects with 20+% TES.

• NJ Natural Gas On-Bill Repayment Plan - 0% interest up to $10,000, available for NJNG customers and projects with 10+% TES. 

• Home Energy Saver Program Loan - 0% interest up to $10,000, mortgage based loan, available for projects with 20+% TES who were determined ineligible for the previous financing options.  

Funding for HPwES

Funds for the HPwES program are collected on your utility bills, known as the Societal Benefits Charge (SBC). The SBC is a per kWh/therm charge that equates to approximately 3% of a customer’s energy bill.  In 2008, an average residential electric utility customer contributed approximately $18 to fund these programs and an average residential gas utility customer contributed approximately $14.   From 2001 through 2008, $1.227 billion was collected to support New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program. An additional $1.213 billion will be collected from 2009-2012.  The funds are allocated to various incentives programs designatied by NJBPU and NJ's Clean Energy Program promoting programs to reduce our energy consumptions.

Home Performance Contractor

Contractors participating in New Jersey's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® meet the certification and accreditation guidelines of the Building Performance Institute (BPI), the industry's resource for building science technology that sets the standards for assessing and improving the energy performance of homes.  Contractors' companies must be accredited by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) to participate in the program.  Technicians performing the audits must also be individually BPI certified, demonstrating that they have the knowledge to test your home and make recommendations based on building science principles.

BPI Contractor

BPI is a leading developer of technical standards for home performance and weatherization retrofit work that are recognized across North America. From these standards, BPI has developed training programs, professional credentialing for individuals and company accreditations – including quality assurance programs – that help raise the bar in home performance contracting.

BPI has developed rigorous requirements that all of its accredited contracting companies must comply with in order to retain their status.  BPI’s quality assurance program ensures that desired energy efficiency performance levels are achieved on each project and that the work performed protects and enhances the comfort, health and safety of the occupants.

BPI standards or equivalent are cited by the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

BPI accredited contracting companies have made an organization-wide commitment to quality and accountability. The companies in this elite group follow BPI standards for home assessments and retrofit solution implementation.  BPI accredited contracting companies enjoy a competitive advantage over their competition because they can prove their solutions work. The test-in/test-out protocols ensure installed improvements attain the desired goals, and that means happier, more satisfied customers.

Bright Altenatives has been participating with the Home Perfomrance with Energy Star program since 2009 and completed over 150 energy upgrade projects following BPI Standards.