The right renovations can turn a house into your home. New kitchen cabinets, fresh paint, and other features you’ve seen in home renovation shows or magazines are all attractive options that allow you to transform your living space into a personalized oasis.
But what about those deeper renovations? The ones that go beyond cosmetic upgrades and improve your home’s energy performance? While not as visible as new quartz countertops, taking on a renovation project that reduces your home’s energy consumption has other benefits. You’ll save money on your monthly energy bills, improve your home’s comfort, and if you heat with natural gas, reduce negative impacts on the environment.
Plus, Efficiency Manitoba can offer you expert assistance—and put money back in your pocket.
Efficiency Manitoba makes accessing energy-saving upgrades easy and affordable. Their programs and
rebates are designed to help Manitobans save energy, money, and the environment. Here are just a few of their offers to consider before tackling your next renovation project!
Stay warm this fall with heating upgrades
The average Manitoba household can expect to see nearly 60% of their monthly energy bill go towards heating their home. Luckily, Efficiency Manitoba can help you upgrade your heating system and cut down on those costs.
Heat pumps are some of the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems, and a single unit provides both heating and cooling. Efficiency Manitoba offers a rebate of $2.50 per square foot when upgrading to a ground source heat pump and $1.65 per square foot for an air source heat pump. Or, if you have an older natural gas furnace and meet income-based eligibility requirements, you could be eligible for a subsidized high-efficiency natural gas furnace through their Energy Efficiency Assistance Program.
Ready to cozy up while saving some money this fall with a new heating system? Go to efficiencyMB.ca/heating for more information.
Solar energy? Bright idea!
Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems provide energy to homes in a sustainable manner. They can help reduce your monthly energy bill, mitigate the impact of future rate increases, and increase the value of your property.
Efficiency Manitoba can help with the cost of installation with their newest offer: the Solar Rebate Program. Eligible homeowners can receive a rebate of $0.50 per direct current watt installed on homes connected to Manitoba Hydro’s grid, up to a maximum of $5,000 per home.
Get more details about this exciting new offer by heading to efficiencyMB.ca/solar.
Add insulation, save energy and money
Insulation slows the flow of heat in and out of your home, making it easier to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Having enough insulation means your heating and cooling systems don’t have to work as hard. So while adding insulation is one of those “invisible” renovations, you’ll see a big difference on your energy bills all year round.
Older homes often don’t have enough insulation. If your home was built before 1999, you may qualify for a rebate of up to 100% of insulation material costs through Efficiency Manitoba’s Home Insulation Rebate (just be sure to apply and get approved before purchasing materials or starting any work). Alternatively, through their income-based Energy Efficiency Assistance Program, qualifying households can receive free attic, wall, and basement insulation — and that includes the cost of installation.
Check out efficiencyMB.ca/insulation to learn more about these programs and find out if you qualify.
Improve your comfort with high-performance windows and doors
New windows and doors add an undeniable aesthetic value to your home. But if you choose high-performance windows and doors, you also can enjoy a more comfortable living space, save on your energy bills, and get a rebate from Efficiency Manitoba! You could qualify for a $50 rebate on each eligible ENERGY STAR® certified window and door you install in your home, up to a total of $1,000. Head over to efficiencyMB.ca/windowsanddoors for a list of eligible products.
Additional rebates and financing available
For many of these upgrades, additional rebates and financing are available through the federal government’s Canada Greener Homes Initiative and Manitoba Hydro’s Home Energy Efficiency Loan. Be sure to check the eligibility requirements for each program before you start any work.
Not sure where to start?
That’s okay! Figuring out what energy efficiency upgrades to take on can seem like a daunting task at first. Efficiency Manitoba’s free virtual energy review makes this process much easier. Simply create an account and answer a few questions about your home. Their virtual energy review tool will generate a customized home energy use report and recommend energy-saving opportunities that make sense for you. The best part? It’s free and only takes about 10 minutes.
Get your free home energy report by going to efficiencyMB.ca/virtual-energy-review.
Before planning your renovation project, keep energy efficiency in mind. Check with Efficiency Manitoba first to see if they can help you with your energy-saving upgrades. You can learn more about their rebates and offers at efficiencyMB.ca.