Washington, D.C., Now Offering Home Energy Rebates

ON BOARD WITH INCENTIVES: Washington, D.C., is now offering incentives, through the Inflation Reduction Act, for high-efficiency HVAC products and energy-saving home improvements. (Courtesy of Carrier)

WASHINGTON — The District of Columbia is launching its Home Energy Rebates programs, supported by the federal Inflation Reduction Act.

The District is launching both the Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) programs to lower energy bills by lowering costs for energy-efficiency home improvements, a press release from the U.S. Department of Energy said.

The District of Columbia’s rebate programs will be overseen by the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), working closely with the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU). The District will deliver federal rebates to eligible residents through existing equity-focused programs administered by the DCSEU, an approach that will ensure home energy upgrades are accessible to all residents, the press release said.

The District is utilizing federal HEAR funding to expand its Affordable Home Electrification Program (AHEP), which replaces residential gas appliances and systems in qualifying households with energy-efficient electric appliances and systems.

Through AHEP, eligible owners of single-family homes and multifamily buildings will have help paying for whole-home electrification through up to $14,000 in federal rebates per dwelling unit and local efficiency funding. The federal rebates will provide up to $8,000 for an Energy Star-certified HVAC heat-pump system, for example.

The District's HER program will expand the city's Affordable Housing Retrofit Accelerator (AHRA), a technical and financial program for qualifying owners of affordable multifamily buildings. HER will serve multifamily affordable housing properties at which at least 50% of occupied units are occupied by low-income households (those earning below 80% of the area median income).

Implemented by the DCSEU, AHRA supports these owners and managers in implementing energy-efficiency measures, electrification, and deep energy-saving retrofits. Building owners and managers must participate in the AHRA program to utilize the HER program.

Participating building owners receive one-on-one technical assistance from DCSEU and will be connected directly with qualified contractors and installers.

Projects that reduce a unit’s energy usage by an estimated 20% to 34% will be eligible for a rebate of up to $15,000 per unit. Projects that reduce a unit’s estimated energy usage by 35% or more will be eligible for a rebate of up to $30,000 per unit. In both cases, projects may be eligible for additional resources from District to ensure that the building owners can unlock the benefits of electrification and energy efficiency while maintaining affordability for residents.

Visit the District’s Home Energy Rebates webpage to learn more about the HEAR and HER programs.