Vancouver Heat Pump - Government Grants

Heat pump warms and cools
with less expense

Vancouver-area homeowner Marianne Russell has lived in her Port Coquitlam home since it was built, in 2003.

Since it’s a newer home, she knew that it was much more energy-efficient than many older homes. “It was a new house so the furnace was working fine,” she says. But there was still room for energy-saving renovations, says Russell, because she “wanted to do what was best for the environment.”

Vancouver home renovation - new air source heat pump

Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, BC – 2003

Vancouver home renovation - new heat pump

Furnace before heat pump

Air-source heat pump

Furnace connections to heat pump

Vancouver:

Heat pump | Furnace | Insulation
Windows | Vancouver energy audit

Home energy audit

Russell had a certified Home Energy Advisor conduct an energy audit of her home, to learn which energy-saving renovations would do the most to lessen her home’s impact on the environment.

The Advisor gave her a checklist of renovations meant to reduce the home’s greenhouse gas emissions — improvements like adding more insulation to the main walls, air sealing to prevent drafts and energy “leakage,” and upgrading the home’s heating and cooling equipment.

He also explained how Russell could get government grants and rebates for her renovations and improvements.

Air source heat pump

Russell chose to install an air source heat pump, one of the most efficient ways of heating and cooling a home in her British Columbia climate zone. Because there is always heat energy in the outdoor air, even when it feels cool outside, an air source heat pump can gather heat energy and transfer it to indoors.

In the summer, when indoor temperatures are higher, an air source heat pump can operate in reverse, removing heat from the indoors and releasing that heat outside.

Because it uses fluid-filled condensing coils to transfer the heat, it requires very little energy to operate — all it needs is a small, efficient electric motor to circulate the fluid.

Home comfort and savings

It was a new house so the furnace was working fine. But there was still room for energy-saving renovations.

Marianne Russell, Vancouver BC

Vancouver home energy grants

The home energy report also makes recommendations for changes to improve the home’s efficiency. For example, Wiens learned that 79 percent of her home’s energy use powered the natural gas furnace.

Russell likes how her new air source heat pump gives her “total environmental control on all levels of the house.” She finds the home is evenly comfortable, regardless of what room she’s in.

Probably about a 30 percent difference [in her home energy bills].

Marianne Russell, Vancouver BC

Vancouver heat pump rebates

Plus, she says, she’s noticed “probably about a 30 percent difference” in her home energy bills, which is a significant improvement. The best part of having her new air source heat pump, she says, is “knowing that over the long term I probably will get a return on the money spent.”

Vancouver energy audit - home renovation

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Government grants

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Vancouver homeowners can choose from a shopping list of South Coastal LiveSmart BC rebates:

Insulation — ceiling + wall + foundation, up to $3,075
Furnaces — high-efficiency gas up to $600
Heat pumps — air-source heat pump which doubles as air conditioner up to $1,600
Water heaters — condensing gas $300
Water heaters — tankless/instantaneous gas, condensing-type $300
Boilers — high-efficiency gas up to $600
HRV — heat recovery ventilator up to $900
Solar — hot water system $500 — the City of Vancouver offers an additional $3,000 incentive
Geothermal — ground- or water-source heat pumps which are energy-efficient heating and cooling systems up to $2,500
Air conditioning — up to $2,500
(Heat pumps for energy efficient heating & cooling)

Vancouver homeowners can also get ...

Attic or roof — insulation up to $600
Exterior wall — insulation up to $1,200
Basement — insulation up to $1,100
Crawl space — insulation up to $800
Air sealing — for your home up to $400
Windows & doors — up to $60 for each replacement unit
Toilets — for low-flow replacement unit
(local government. regional, city, municipality, energy utility)

And there’s more.

Take advantage of government rebates + grants up to $7,000 and more for home energy renovation in Vancouver BC:

LiveSmart BC rebates — Vancouver homeowners can get up to $7,000 and more in home energy grants through the BC government’s LiveSmart BC rebate program, which is in effect until March 31, 2013. Click here for more
Home Energy Audits — To qualify for Government of BC’s LiveSmart rebates, Vancouver homeowners must get a home energy audit before and after their home improvement work. The BC government’s LiveSmart BC program also subsidizes the cost of your first home energy audit. Click here for more
Other BC rebates — Vancouver homeowners may qualify for a $3,000 rebate from from the City of Vancouver's Solar Homes Pilot when installing solar hot water systems. There are additional rebates for low-flow toilets, and even more grants, rebates and incentives from local BC governments and energy utilities.
Home Renovation Tax Credit — Many homeowners in Vancouver use “tax credit” to describe a grant program like LiveSmart BC rebates. The original Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) expired in 2010. With today’s 2011 “tax credit” programs there’s no need to wait until you’ve filed your annual income tax return to receive a home renovation tax credit. Your tax-free grant money will be sent within 90 days of your follow-up energy audit. Click here for more

Enjoy all the benefits

Do it right

Each Vancouver home has its own specific energy-savings needs, and yours is no different. The right renovations add up to big savings. By following the expert advice of a certified BC energy advisor, you’ll make the energy renovations or "retrofits" that are right for your Vancouver home — and help improve your energy costs and the Vancouver BC environment.

Energy renovations help ...

Save energy — Your Vancouver home won’t need as much energy to stay comfortable.
Save money — Less energy used = lower energy costs for you.
Grants + Rebates — Qualify for tax-free government grants for home energy renovation, sent directly to you.

And that’s not all. Here are more benefits ...

Greater comfort – Your home will be warmer in Vancouver winters, cooler in Vancouver summers.
Better health – You’ll eliminate indoor health concerns like chills and drafts, and keep your home free of airborne pollutants and pollen.
Increased home value – By making energy renovations, you’ll increase the resale value of your Vancouver home. An official Canada EnerGuide label proves you’ve done the work.
Simpler home maintenance – No more scrubbing moldy windowsills! Keep airborne dust and dirt outside where it belongs.

When you improve your home in Vancouver, you also make a difference to the rest of the world. You’ll help address important global issues like ...

Climate change – Energy renovations help reduce your Vancouver home’s greenhouse gas emissions, while protecting you from the effects of climate change and extreme weather.
Energy security – By reducing your Vancouver home’s energy use, you’ll be less deeply affected by energy price fluctuations and supply interruptions.

And there’s even more. Click here to learn how Vancouver homeowners like you are saving thousands of dollars and tonnes of greenhouse gases every year, by making the right energy-saving home renovations. Vancouver BC homeowners can make a difference.