New Hydro-Québec Energy Efficiency Program - Residential construction: make way for efficient homes

Hydro-Québec is pleased to announce the Efficient Homes Program to encourage Québec builders of single-family homes to install efficient products. Hydro-Québec also recommends that new home buyers to look for homes that comply with the best practices in energy efficiency.

Hydro-Québec hopes to rally the residential construction market by helping builders distinguish themselves and gain a competitive advantage that will add value to their residential projects. The Efficient Homes Program is designed to be simple: signing up is quick and free of charge for builders.

The Program has two components. First, Efficient Homes offers a promotional incentive of up to $5,000 for the construction of model homes that include the energy efficiency measures targeted by the program. Second, the program allows builders to accumulate points for each efficient home sold. These per-sale reward points will give builders access to customized promotional material to showcase the work of participants.

The program targets five basic measures, all easy to implement:

• ENERGY STAR qualified windows
• ENERGY STAR qualified LED bulbs
• Electronic thermostats
• Three-element water heaters
• Outlet for electric-vehicle charging station

It also features two optional measures:

•  Drain water heat recovery
• Geothermal systems

These energy-efficient measures are an inexpensive improvement compared to conventional products or standard practices in effect. They use proven technologies. For buyers, efficient homes will help reduce their energy consumption.

Builders who sign up for the program by December 1, 2014, could win a trip to Baie James.

Builders can sign up at www.hydroquebec.com/maisons-efficaces.