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In this region, our homes and residential buildings are responsible for one third of our community’s greenhouse gas emissions. Taking climate action at home is an essential part of our collective approach to addressing the climate crisis and ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

In our homes, most of our emissions are related to burning fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, or propane as we heat our homes. The electricity we use at home also creates emissions.

Over the past 15 years, nearly 5,000 residents have undertaken home energy retrofits to reduce their emissions and save on their energy bills! Most of these retrofits have focused on improvements to the building envelope to increase air-tightness – things like increasing insulation levels, sealing cracks around doors, and replacing windows – as well as the replacing old heating systems. These retrofits are essential, because they help our home to be more efficient.

The resources below provide more information about Easy DIY Retrofits, Retrofit Incentive Programs, Achieving Carbon Neutral, and Booking an Energy Audit (also known as a Home Energy Assessment).

To learn about easy DIY retrofits that you can complete in your own home or apartment, check out our new Climate Action Home DIY Retrofit Video Series. Chris Magwood from the Endeavour Centre shares tips to help you reduce emissions, save money, and increase the comfort of your home.

DIY Draftproofing

This video highlights opportunities to draft-proof your home by sealing up the cracks and holes where heat is escaping.

DIY Water Heater Insulation

This video highlights opportunities to reduce energy use by insulating your hot water heater and pipes, as well as optimizing the water temperature.

DIY Insulation

This video highlights opportunities to insulate your home by adding insulation to your attic.

For homeowners in the Peterborough region who would like to undertake more significant retrofits, there are opportunities for additional funding and support.

GreenUP is currently offering home energy assessments in K9J and K9H postal codes. Please call us at 705-536-9943 to book your appointment today.

Existing retrofit incentive programs may cover some of the costs associated with the purchase of new windows and doors, new heating and mechanical systems, insulation upgrades, and more.

  • If your home is heated with Natural Gas, check out our page on the Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate Program.
  • The Federal Government has recently announced the Greener Homes Initiative, which will provide up to grants for upgrades in a broad range of homes. Homeowners can register for this program and select a local Service Organization to complete their audit. GreenUP is a Service Organization in the Peterborough region, and we’re working to increase our auditing capacity. To find out more about this program, click here.
  • Income-contingent programs are also available for home owners and tenants whose household income falls below defined levels. To see if you qualify for available programs, visit the Save on Energy Affordability Program for support to reduce electricity demand and the Enbridge Home Winterproofing Program for support to reduce natural gas demand.

Most energy efficiency retrofits achieve between 20 and 40% reductions in emissions. This is important, but to address the climate crisis in the long-term, we need to reduce our emissions even more dramatically.

Although it’s not easy, achieving carbon neutrality in our existing homes is possible. This video highlights key strategies to get us there: (1) undertaking a deep energy retrofit to significantly increase the energy efficiency of our homes, (2) creating renewable solar energy onsite, (3) electrifying your home’s heating and cooling, (4) and purchasing carbon offsets to get us the final mile.

This video features local experts: Chris Magwood from the Endeavour Centre Sustainable Building School, Sean Flanagan from Flanagan and Sun, and Brianna Salmon, Executive Director at GreenUP.

The Federal Government and local municipalities are working to develop programs to support homeowners in undertaking the more significant and costly upgrades that would be needed to achieve large emission reductions. Most of these programs are designed to provide homeowners with interest-free loans, some projected to be worth up to $40,000. More information on these programs will be published as the details are announced.

Booking a home energy assessment is the first step toward taking climate action at home!

A Energuide home energy assessment is performed by a Registered Energy Advisor (REA). An assessment reveals areas where you can make improvements or retrofits that will enhance your home’s energy efficiency, helping you to conserve energy and save money.

For most incentive programs, the first step is to book an energy assessment.

Talk with our home energy team through GreenUP’s home energy helpdesk (705-536-9943) to ensure your eligibility for an assessment, and then schedule your home energy assessment by clicking here!

WHAT TO EXPECT:

  • EVALUATION: You’ll get a basement-to-attic assessment of your home’s insulation, heating, and cooling systems and other energy use.
  • TESTING: A blower door test will be conducted to see if your home has air leakage, which can cause wasted energy, uncomfortable drafts and poor air quality.
  • GET YOUR RATING: Your home will be given an energy rating using the Natural Resources Canada home evaluation – the higher the rating the better.
  • RETROFITS: During your home energy assessment, you’ll get recommendations for improvements, or retrofits to help reduce your energy bills and increase home comfort.
  • RECOMMENDATION: Your recommended improvements may include heating and insulation, so it’s best to book your home energy assessment before the winter heating season.

After you’ve completed your upgrades, most incentive programs will require a post-retrofit assessment to measure improvements to your home’s energy efficiency rating. This should be completed by the same REA who completed your initial assessment.

If you’d like to book an assessment for the Enbridge Home Energy Retrofit program, visit this page to see a list of other qualified service organizations.

NRCan also maintains a list of other service organizations who are licensed to deliver EnerGuide Home Evaluations in this region: click here to view this list.

+ Easy DIY Retrofits

To learn about easy DIY retrofits that you can complete in your own home or apartment, check out our new Climate Action Home DIY Retrofit Video Series. Chris Magwood from the Endeavour Centre shares tips to help you reduce emissions, save money, and increase the comfort of your home.

DIY Draftproofing

This video highlights opportunities to draft-proof your home by sealing up the cracks and holes where heat is escaping.

DIY Water Heater Insulation

This video highlights opportunities to reduce energy use by insulating your hot water heater and pipes, as well as optimizing the water temperature.

DIY Insulation

This video highlights opportunities to insulate your home by adding insulation to your attic.

+ Retrofit Incentive Programs

For homeowners in the Peterborough region who would like to undertake more significant retrofits, there are opportunities for additional funding and support.

GreenUP is currently offering home energy assessments in K9J and K9H postal codes. Please call us at 705-536-9943 to book your appointment today.

Existing retrofit incentive programs may cover some of the costs associated with the purchase of new windows and doors, new heating and mechanical systems, insulation upgrades, and more.

  • If your home is heated with Natural Gas, check out our page on the Enbridge Home Efficiency Rebate Program.
  • The Federal Government has recently announced the Greener Homes Initiative, which will provide up to grants for upgrades in a broad range of homes. Homeowners can register for this program and select a local Service Organization to complete their audit. GreenUP is a Service Organization in the Peterborough region, and we’re working to increase our auditing capacity. To find out more about this program, click here.
  • Income-contingent programs are also available for home owners and tenants whose household income falls below defined levels. To see if you qualify for available programs, visit the Save on Energy Affordability Program for support to reduce electricity demand and the Enbridge Home Winterproofing Program for support to reduce natural gas demand.
+ Achieving Carbon Neutral

Most energy efficiency retrofits achieve between 20 and 40% reductions in emissions. This is important, but to address the climate crisis in the long-term, we need to reduce our emissions even more dramatically.

Although it’s not easy, achieving carbon neutrality in our existing homes is possible. This video highlights key strategies to get us there: (1) undertaking a deep energy retrofit to significantly increase the energy efficiency of our homes, (2) creating renewable solar energy onsite, (3) electrifying your home’s heating and cooling, (4) and purchasing carbon offsets to get us the final mile.

This video features local experts: Chris Magwood from the Endeavour Centre Sustainable Building School, Sean Flanagan from Flanagan and Sun, and Brianna Salmon, Executive Director at GreenUP.

The Federal Government and local municipalities are working to develop programs to support homeowners in undertaking the more significant and costly upgrades that would be needed to achieve large emission reductions. Most of these programs are designed to provide homeowners with interest-free loans, some projected to be worth up to $40,000. More information on these programs will be published as the details are announced.

+ Book an Energy Assessment

Booking a home energy assessment is the first step toward taking climate action at home!

A Energuide home energy assessment is performed by a Registered Energy Advisor (REA). An assessment reveals areas where you can make improvements or retrofits that will enhance your home’s energy efficiency, helping you to conserve energy and save money.

For most incentive programs, the first step is to book an energy assessment.

Talk with our home energy team through GreenUP’s home energy helpdesk (705-536-9943) to ensure your eligibility for an assessment, and then schedule your home energy assessment by clicking here!

WHAT TO EXPECT:

  • EVALUATION: You’ll get a basement-to-attic assessment of your home’s insulation, heating, and cooling systems and other energy use.
  • TESTING: A blower door test will be conducted to see if your home has air leakage, which can cause wasted energy, uncomfortable drafts and poor air quality.
  • GET YOUR RATING: Your home will be given an energy rating using the Natural Resources Canada home evaluation – the higher the rating the better.
  • RETROFITS: During your home energy assessment, you’ll get recommendations for improvements, or retrofits to help reduce your energy bills and increase home comfort.
  • RECOMMENDATION: Your recommended improvements may include heating and insulation, so it’s best to book your home energy assessment before the winter heating season.

After you’ve completed your upgrades, most incentive programs will require a post-retrofit assessment to measure improvements to your home’s energy efficiency rating. This should be completed by the same REA who completed your initial assessment.

If you’d like to book an assessment for the Enbridge Home Energy Retrofit program, visit this page to see a list of other qualified service organizations.

NRCan also maintains a list of other service organizations who are licensed to deliver EnerGuide Home Evaluations in this region: click here to view this list.

Partners

City of Peterborough

City of Peterborough

Green Communities Canada

Green Communities Canada

County of Peterborough

County of Peterborough

Enbridge Gas Distribution

Enbridge Gas Distribution