Home Energy Savings

Home Energy Savings is a whole-house approach to energy efficiency. By making energy efficiency improvements to your home, you can save energy and improve your home's indoor air quality. Improvements made through the Home Energy Savings program typically lower summer energy bills by an average of 20%.

Austin Energy offers rebate and loan options to help you complete your project. For Rebate-only projects, you will receive rebate checks at the end of the project. For Rebate & Loan projects, the estimated rebates will apply to the project cost, reducing your total loan amount.

Participating Contractor Required

Austin Energy requires that you use an Austin Energy participating contractor to qualify for this offering. Your contractor can help you choose the right-sized equipment for your home. Participating contractors meet Austin Energy requirements for licensure, insurance, work quality, and equipment.

Our participating contractors will:

• Discuss your home's condition with you
• Conduct a no-cost energy analysis
• Recommend improvements
• Leave an estimate for any recommended work
• Help you with the rebate/loan application process

Energy Efficiency Improvements

Possible Improvements (as recommended by the participating contractor):

• Install a new central air conditioner or heat pump
• Perform an HVAC tune-up
• Improve efficiency and temperature-balancing of air conditioning / heating system
• Add attic insulation
• Seal or replace leaky ducts and seal building envelope
• Install airtight, insulated covers for pull-down attic stairs and whole-house fans
• Install solar shading screens or film on single-pane windows
• Install an eligible smart thermostat
• Install an ENERGY STAR^® rated heat pump water heater

Home Energy Savings Certificate and ECAD Exemption

If you complete all recommended work, you will receive a Home Energy Savings participation document. If you sell your home, this document will exempt you from reporting requirements of the Energy Conservation Audit and Disclosure (ECAD) ordinance (City of Austin only).

Rebates

See the charts below for details on Austin Energy's Home Energy Savings rebates.

Customers may also be eligible for up to $1,000 in rebates from Texas Gas Service when they complete a Home Energy Savings project. Learn more about available rebates and eligibility criteria by visiting Texas Gas Service.

To qualify for project rebates, you must:

• Install a system listed in the table below.
• Make all recommended and approved energy efficiency improvements at the same that you have a new central air conditioning system installed.

Rebate amounts vary based on the type of equipment you install.

*Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2) measures average energy efficiency over a cooling season.
**Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (EER2) measures an air conditioner's energy efficiency at high outdoor temperatures and persistent use.
***Heating Seasonal Performance Factor 2 (HSPF2) measures the efficiency of a heat pump over the fall and winter seasons.
****Non-ducted heat pumps/heat pump mini-splits must have an HSPF2 of 9 or higher to qualify for the Tier 2 rebates.

Loan

Home Energy Savings customers may access a residential energy efficiency loan. The potential energy savings of the recommended upgrades to your home will determine your eligibility for accessing the loan. A low interest rate is available to customers with homes meeting the 15-point eligibility criteria.* This helps customers with a broad range of credit scores.

If your home needs fewer energy upgrades, you may still qualify for a residential energy efficiency loan at favorable rates from Velocity Credit Union. 

Apply for pre-approval online with Velocity Credit Union

* The Austin Energy participating contractor will determine if the recommended energy efficiency measures in the home meet the 15-point potential energy savings criteria set by Austin Energy. Funds for the 15-Point Rate may be limited based on the reserve fund balance from the Better Buildings Grant.

To qualify for the low interest loan rate, your Home Energy Savings work must include a minimum of three energy efficiency measures and meet the 15-point potential energy savings criteria. During your loan application process, consult with Velocity Credit Union on which option is right for you and learn about monthly payment amounts.

Prerequisites

• Your home or building must receive electric service from Austin Energy at residential rates.
• Only owners of single-family homes, condominiums, town homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, and rental properties are eligible.
• Your residence cannot be a mobile or manufactured home.
• A participating contractor must perform the no-cost energy assessment and make all energy efficiency improvements.
• All participating contractors are required to provide a warranty on all materials and workmanship for a minimum of one year from the date of final inspection by Austin Energy.
• Participating contractors shall act as the manufacturer's agent for all equipment, workmanship, and materials’ warranties.
• Participating contractors must comply with all program requirements and conduct business in an honest, professional, and ethical manner. All participating contractors must abide by the Austin Energy Code of Conduct and Ethical Requirements (pdf)​.

Requirements

• You must qualify for at least $100 in rebates to participate.
• Your home or building must be 10 years old or older.
• Buildings where asbestos is found in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system are not eligible.
• Buildings where remodeling is imminent or concurrent with the proposed installations are not eligible.
• New AC units or heat pumps must be sized to service at least 600 sq ft or 12,000 BTU adjusted performance per ton, or the participating contractor must perform a Manual J load calculation to determine the size of the AC unit.
• To qualify for an AC Tune Up, the system must be out of the manufacturer’s warranty and less than 15 years old.
• New AC unit must meet the minimum SEER2/EER2 requirements.
• All components of the system (condenser, furnace/air handler, and evaporator coil) must be replaced in order for the new system to be eligible for rebates.
• To qualify for a heat pump water heater rebate, the unit must be labeled as an ENERGY STAR® certified hybrid electric water heater, have an Energy Factor of 2.0 or better, store a minimum of 40 gallons of water, be installed new (not used), and have a minimum 6-year warranty on major components supplied by the manufacture.
• Renters must provide written permission from the property owner to participate.
• You are not eligible for a loan (or rebate) covering any energy efficiency measure for which you received a rebate or loan within the past 10 years.
• Allow Austin Energy access to all areas of the home for a verification inspection, final inspection, and in some cases a quality assurance quality control (QA/QC) inspection to confirm the scope of the project, compliance with program guidelines, local, state, and national codes, and closing of permits as applicable.