Step 2 – Green Renovations - Energy Audit (2 of 5)

Here is your opportunity for the government to pay you! By doing an energy audit and completing the recommended energy fixes, you can receive federal grants and local rebates for energy savings improvements or water savings fixtures being imstalled.

The energy audit must be conducted by a certified energy auditor. Look for the CEA designation (certified energy auditor). The auditing field is now becoming more crowded. Two types of auditors are appearing - the audit only service which is not directly repairing or renovating the homes, and the audit and renovation one-stop combinations. I recommend the unbiased audit only firms such as Greensaver.

A comprehensive audit should include a review of the heating system, the hot water system and the building envelope. A visual inspection is done and possible some computer modeling. A blower door depressurization test is conducted to determine air loss. The report will tell you the repairs needed and the savings.

After the recommended retrofits are completed during the renovation process the second audit is done to verify the work performed. You could receive a grant for up to $5000. See Ecoenergy amounts available at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/retrofit-homes/retrofit-qualify-grant.cfm?attr=4 (More details in Step 5)