Home Performance with Energy Star Program

Home Performance with Energy Star is a national program designed to bring your home up to Energy Star standards. An assessment of your entire home by a certified contractor will show you ways to save on your energy costs. 

Home Performance Rebates and Loans

Residents who participate in the Home Performance program can finance energy efficiency improvements through our rebates and loans. For more information, visit our Rebates and Loans page.

Participation Steps

The Home Performance program connects each homeowner with a certified Home Performance contractor, who will walk you through the steps of participating in the program.

You will receive a FREE energy efficiency score certificate for participating in the program! The official certificate will show you, and potential buyers of your home, the value of your energy efficiency upgrades.

To participate in this program, please contact several of our certified contractors and ask for a cost estimate before deciding on whom you want to use. For a list of certified contractors, see the Approved Contractors section.

The assessment can cost from $200 to $400. The cost of the assessment can be financed with our low-interest loan program.

The assessment usually takes about four hours and will provide you with the recommended energy efficiency improvements, the expected energy savings and a rough estimate of the costs to make the upgrades. The contractor will also review your eligibility for rebates.

If you want to apply for a loan, complete and submit the Home Performance Loan Application to Columbia Water & Light. Wait for approval before starting your upgrades. You can be pre-approved in as little as two weeks, and the loan is good for up to six months.

As soon as your financing is secure, you can instruct the contractors working on your home to begin.

Complete all of your energy efficiency improvements.

Make copies of all the invoices for your efficiency upgrades. If you are completing the energy efficiency upgrades yourself, please save the receipts for all the materials. Columbia Water & Light will need copies of them to process your rebate.

Set up an appointment with the Home Performance contractor for a final inspection. At this appointment, a Columbia Water & Light staff member will collect all the copies of the invoices. Your rebate application will be completed at this meeting and turned in for processing.

Rebate qualifying improvements must be listed on the contractor’s summary report. Window receipts must be accompanied by National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) stickers for each window. Rebates are only allowed for qualifying primary doors.

If you are approved for a loan, you will be contacted two weeks after the final inspection to arrange an appointment for the loan signing papers. Loan checks will either be mailed or given to you at your loan appointment. Your monthly payment for the loan will be added to your utility bill from the City of Columbia.

Common Recommendations

Adding Insulation

Many homes built before 2000 could be low on insulation. If you think you need more attic insulation, check our charts for savings, costs, payoff and rebate amounts, found on the Rule Your Attic page. Your certified Home Performance contractor will check the levels of insulation in your walls, floors, attic and rim joists.

Improving Heating and Cooling Systems

If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, it’s probably time to replace it with a more efficient unit that is properly sized for your home.

Sealing Air Leaks

Some air leaks in homes are fairly obvious, such as around windows, doors, and electrical outlets. But others, like those in attics, around chimneys, and through recessed lighting fixtures, are often significant sources of energy loss in a home.

Sealing Ductwork

Many homes have leaky ductwork and poor airflow, resulting in stuffy and uncomfortable rooms. Your certified Home Performance contractor may recommend sealing and/or insulating your home’s ductwork along with balancing the duct system to optimize airflow.

Eligibility

  • The Home Performance with Energy Star program is available to Columbia Water & Light residential electric customers.
  • Eligible property types include:
    • Single family homes;
    • Duplexes and condos with attic spaces may qualify, contact the City for more information.
  • Your property must receive a pre- and post-assessment by a certified Home Performance contractor.

For more information about eligibility requirements, download the Home Performance with Energy Star Guidelines.

How do I know if I would benefit from this program?

To see if this program could help you, complete the Home Energy Yardstick assessment found at energystar.gov. If you have a score of five or less, your home could benefit from the Home Performance Program.