Every lender is legally required to offer the program, Centanni said, and qualified buyers should ask about it when they apply for a loan. The residential contractor program offers owners a rebate for making certain energy-efficient improvements. Nearly 60 local contractors have been certified to participate in the program and the rebates are only available if an authorized contractor does the work. He said the goal is to encourage an energy-consciousness among contractors and consumers so that the rebates can eventually be eliminated. If all the recommended improvements were made to a typical house, he said, the energy bill might drop by 25 percent to 30 percent.
Consumers apply to the utility for the rebates after the sale.
The company also operates a special rebate program for home builders. A home outfitted with the most efficient features could save its owner as much as 1,600 kilowatt-hours in usage per year, Summerford said. The savings for a multifamily dwelling would be about 600 kilowatt-hours annually, she said. Temporary subsidy for high summer-period bills.