The Total Home Energy Savings Program provides financial incentives to homeowners who make eligible energy efficiency upgrades to their homes.
It all starts with your initial Home Energy Evaluation. For $99, a Certified Energy Advisor will evaluate your home – from the attic to the basement- to find out where your home needs upgrades. Your initial Home Energy Evaluation will give you customized recommendations to improve your home’s space and water heating energy efficiency. Then, you have nine months to complete any upgrades and the Certified Energy Advisor will return to your home to document the upgrades you perform. This information is then used to determine the financial incentives for which you are eligible. To get started, register here!
Homeowners are responsible for paying a $99 fee +HST to the Certified Energy Advisor at the time of the initial Home Energy Evaluation. This $99 fee (plus HST) covers both the Initial and the Final Home Energy Evaluations.
Please visit this web page for information about the Canada Greener Homes Grant (and Loan) and how it affects participants of the Total Home Energy Savings program.
To receive incentives, receipts must show:
No. You must wait until you have the initial Home Energy Evaluation before purchasing or installing any products or materials.
Yes, you can do the work yourself; however, you are still required to provide receipts for all materials purchased.
Ductless mini-split heat pumps are a type of home heating technology. A heat pump actually takes heat from the air outside and brings it into your home using a series of pumps and compressors.
During the summer a heat pump can cool your home by taking the heat from inside your home and moving it outside. Heat pumps can heat or cool your home using ductwork - like a furnace - or they can be ductless.
A ductless heat pump has no ductwork. Instead it has a supply head mounted on the wall inside your home to supply heat into the room. A split system means it has two pieces: one for the outside of your home, and one for the inside. Mini just means that it is smaller in both size and heating output than the bigger whole-home heat pumps.
The Total Home Energy Savings Program offers incentives for making your home more efficient through insulation, air sealing, and windows, among other products.
Before considering installing a heat pump as a heating system, consider investing in upgrades that will ensure your home is energy efficient and less costly and easier to heat. When a home has well insulated walls, attic and basement and has a high level of airtightness through air sealing it will require less energy to heat or cool and it will stay warmer or cooler longer no matter what type of heating system you have.
Heat pumps are a great option for many homes in New Brunswick. They offer many advantages including energy savings on heating costs, two to three times higher efficiency than electric baseboards and the option of air conditioning in the summer.
Even though most of your heating needs will be met by the heat pump in the areas where it is installed you will still need to keep your current heating system in working order to provide a source of back up heat if the temperature becomes extremely cold and the heat pump can no longer work efficiently.
A cold climate heat pump is a special type that is designed function on the coldest New Brunswick days. Since a heat pump works by taking heat from outside and bringing it into your home, the colder it is outside, the less effective the heat pump becomes. Cold climate heat pumps use special technology to work at low temperatures. While most heat pumps can still provide some heat at temperatures below -10°C, cold climate heat pumps are rated to provide anywhere from 70-100% of your heating needs at -20°C – and some systems can still provide heating at temperatures as low as -30°C.
Cold climate heat pumps are a great solution for New Brunswick Homeowners to help them reduce their heating bills year round, but also to take the edge off of those high January and February heating bills when outdoor temperatures drop below -15°C.
Due to their ability to provide both heating and cooling, heat pumps are becoming very popular. But not all heat pumps are the same. Some are actually designed to perform better as an air-conditioner, but aren’t that great at providing heat during harsh New Brunswick winters.
When looking for a heat pump for our New Brunswick climate you should pay attention to a few factors:
Your heating contractor can provide you with warranty information for the various brands of heat pumps. Warranties can range in coverage and length – from 5 to 12 years.
As a homeowner simply changing filters and keeping coils clean is most of the maintenance required. During winter you may need clear snow and ice away from the outdoor unit to ensure it can work properly and go through a regular normal defrost cycle.
Yes. You should ask the company what they offer for a service plan. Some companies offer free service within the first year, others offer $99/year general maintenance, etc. Make sure you know what is/isn’t covered under their warranty and service plan to ensure there are no unexpected costs.
Yes, windows that meet ENERGY STAR® Version 5 criteria introduced in January 2020 are eligible for incentives.
Windows that are eligible for incentives have some more advanced features such as three layers of glass, insulating materials separating the glass layers, special gasses between the glass, and careful design of the window frame to avoid losing heat to the outside. None of these requirements are mandatory, but these features are typically found in ENERGY STAR® Version 5 qualified windows.
Generally, yes. Windows that meet ENERGY STAR® Version 5 criteria are about 5% to 25% more expensive than windows that only meet minimum building code requirements.
You have to be registered in the program and have your initial Energy Evaluation performed on your home before purchasing or installing the windows. Keep the receipt from where you bought the windows or who installed them (or both). Also, it is important that you keep the stickers that are attached to the window that proves they are ENERGY STAR® Version 5 qualified; you can remove them from the window and attach them to a piece of paper.
First, although people talk about costs and savings before they start doing energy efficiency work on their homes, NB Power has found that after the work is performed, people talk about the many other benefits of energy efficiency instead of what they are saving. Properly installed energy efficient windows:
Of course, Energy efficient windows also save energy and money. It is difficult to provide estimates for how much can be saved, that is what the initial Energy Evaluation can help with! However, because even the very best windows have low insulating capabilities compared to walls or other surfaces, the energy savings and payback period are often not attractive. Energy efficient windows are still a good decision as they help reduce a home’s impact on the environment by reducing the heating requirements of the home and therefore reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
It depends on the unique environment of your home. Typically, participants achieve better energy savings by first making sure that their attic and basement walls are properly insulated.
NB Power and the federal government have made it easier for you to access funding to switch from oil to heat pumps by co-delivering the OHPA program through the Total Home Energy Savings Program. This means that you can simply fill out one registration form and potentially benefit from Total Home incentives as well as advance funding of up to $15,000 to help you cover some of your costs.
Yes, a home energy evaluation is required when transitioning from oil to heat pumps through the Total Home Energy Savings Program and a Home Energy Evaluation is included.
To check your eligibility for advance funding to make the switch from oil, refer to the household income table on the eligibility page. The income table should only be used to check your eligibility. Household income verification will take place at a later stage of the application process.
To receive an advance payment to switch from oil heat to heat pumps, the gross (before-tax) income of you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must be equal to or less than the applicable amount indicated in this table based on household size.
Gross (Before-tax) income is calculated as follows:
NB Power will verify your proof of income and proof of primary residence based on these documents that you upload when you register:
There is no fee for those eligible for the advanced funding of up to $15,000. If you are switching from oil to heat pumps through the Total Home Energy Savings Program, the program will cover the cost of the Initial and the Final Home Energy Evaluations for participants switching from oil.
If you do not meet the income qualifications to qualify for up to $15,000 in advance funding, rebate-based incentives are still available to help you make the switch through the Total Home Energy Savings program. To learn more, refer to the Program Guidelines. Program Guidelines Under the Total Home Energy Savings Program you might also qualify for an interest free loan to finance your energy efficiency upgrades through the Canada Greener Homes Loan.
If you qualify, you can receive an advance payment to offset the costs for the installation of a complete heat pump system that will replace your oil heating system. You can check out the eligibility criteria page for specific requirements, but the system should be sized to meet the heating load of the home and be capable of distributing heat to all parts of the home. In some cases, a single correctly sized central heat pump may meet the criteria just mentioned; in other cases, a combination of central, multizone, and/or mini split heat pumps may be required. Talk to a qualified heat pump contactor about the right heat pump system for your home.
See the answer above. Yes, in some cases several cold climate mini split heat pumps could meet the requirement to have a heat pump system sized to meet the heating load of the home and be capable of distributing heat to all parts of the home. Talk to a qualified heat pump contactor about the right heat pump system for your home.
The maximum grant provided is $15,000. If the cost is higher, you’ll need to pay any amount over $15,000. The Canada Greener Homes Loan is available to help you finance eligible retrofits through the Total Home Energy Savings Program
The advanced funding is for an upgraded heating system and related expenses and covers costs up to $15,000. If the quotes for your upgrades are less than $15,000 then that amount will be covered. For upgrades over $15,000, the homeowners will be responsible for costs above the funding amount.
Up to $15,000 in advanced funding is available to help you upgrade from oil heat to a heat pump system. This means it will cover the actual cost of your upgrade, up to $15,000. For example, if your upgrades cost $12,500, it will cover $12,500. If your project costs exceed $15,000, it will cover $15,000, and you’ll be responsible for the difference.
Funding can be used for the following:
No. You must be a homeowner living in the home as your primary residence to participate in the and access advanced funding through the Total Home Energy Savings program.
Yes, you can get an advance payment after you provide the necessary documentation and quotes.
To get your advance payment you need to register, have your eligibility verified, have an Initial Energy Evaluation, and submit complete quotes (plus the Advance Payment Form). Once these items are complete and verified you should receive your payment in approximately 10 business days. Keep in mind part of this process involves getting quotes from contractors, and this should involve a visit to your home. Ensuring your application documents (including quotes) are complete and accurate will help speed up the process. For additional information you can review the Program Guidelines .
Homeowners are also eligible for a one-time bonus payment of $250. This payment from Natural Resources Canada is to further help homeowners with the costs associated in their transition from oil heating to an eligible heat pump. If you have questions regarding the $250 bonus payment, please contact Natural Resources Canada by email at OHPA-CAMT@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca or by telephone at 1-833-674-8282/TTY 1‑800-465-7735.
NB Power is a partner with the federal government to deliver their Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Program in New Brunswick. This means you only need to apply for the Total Home Energy Savings Program and select that you’d like to switch from oil heat to a heat pump system.
No, you must register into the Total Home Energy Savings Program, have your eligibility verified, have an Initial Energy Evaluation, submit complete quotes (plus the Advance Payment Form), and receive approval from NB Power before starting work. After these steps are complete you will be notified by NB Power that your work can proceed plus, you’ll receive your advance payment (if eligible)! Keep in mind under the Total Home Energy Savings Program you might also qualify for an interest free loan to finance your energy efficiency upgrades through the Canada Greener Homes Loan.
If you installed a heat pump system without:
Then, you are not eligible for funding.
Yes, and the process starts by registering into the Total Home Energy Savings Program and making the selection that you would like to switch from oil heat to a heat pump system. Check out the Canada Greener Homes Loan website for more information on the loan.
For more information on advance funding eligibility click here.
Yes, in New Brunswick the OHPA program is now delivered by NB Power through the Total Home Energy Savings Program and a Home Energy Evaluation is included. As part of the agreement with the federal government, both an Initial and Final Energy Evaluation are required in New Brunswick to participate in this program and receive incentives. Having a Home Energy Evaluation will identify efficiency measures that can be implemented to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.
If available, provide receipts for oil purchased in the last year to your Energy Advisor during the Final Energy Evaluation. This is not mandatory, it is for program improvement purposes.
You are not required to remove your oil tank through the Oil Heating Transition of the Total Home Energy Savings Program, however, you can use the advance payment to cover the cost, if you choose to have your tank removed.
