Resources
The following resources provide more detailed information and address frequently asked questions about the Energy-Smart Homes program. These resources are designed to help you better understand eligibility requirements and the steps to qualify your projects for incentives.
Resources
The following resources provide more detailed information and address frequently asked questions about the Energy-Smart Homes program. These resources are designed to help you better understand eligibility requirements and the steps to qualify your projects for incentives.
Factsheets
Get a high-level overview of available program incentives.
Handbooks
Learn more about program eligibility, prerequisites, incentives, and requirements.
Application Checklists
View our application checklists for your new construction or alteration project.
New Construction Incentive Request Form
Download the Incentive Request Form template to fill out as lots or buildings of enrolled projects complete.
Video Library
Program Webinars
Energy Smart Homes Alterations Program Overview (Single Family)
Watch our Alterations Program Overview to learn more about program eligibility, incentives, participation and the application process.
Energy Smart Homes Advanced Technology Bonuses Webinar
Watch a recording of the Advanced Technology Bonuses webinar to learn more about newly available Advanced Technology Bonuses available from the Energy-Smart Homes program.
Electrification Education
- Interested in learning more about the benefits of all-electric residential new construction?
- Is your design team determined to use mixed fuel because they think it is cheaper?
- Need help convincing your Homeowners Association (HOA) that removing gas from your community has both financial and health benefits?
- Could your sales agents benefit from a short “Why electrify” training?
If you answered YES to one or more of the above questions, our Energy-Smart Homes education manager can provide a short virtual training on the benefits of electrification. The training is virtual, available at no-cost, and will be an interactive discussion about financial benefits and health advantages that an all-electric home can provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Cap and Trade funded programs like TECH Clean California and BUILD (identified by Senate Bill 177: Low-emissions buildings and sources of heat energy) can layer with Energy-Smart Homes.
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) allows local jurisdictions to aggregate, or combine, their electricity load to purchase power on behalf of their residents. CCAs work with the region’s existing Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) companies, which continue to provide customer services including meter-reading, billing, grid maintenance, power delivery, outage response services, and billing. If your property is located in the San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E®), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E®), or Southern California Edison Company (SCE®) electric utility territories you are eligible for Energy-Smart Homes Incentives.
Projects cannot receive incentives for the same fuel-substitution measures or any of the Regional Area Network (RENs) provider programs (including BayREN) and Energy-Smart Homes; this is double dipping.
Since your property will be substituting electricity for gas, your project is not eligible for Energy-Smart Homes incentives. Fuel substitution measures and associated program costs are funded by the ratepayers of the new fuel (electric municipal utility district), not ratepayers of the fuel being substituted. Only projects receiving electricity from PG&E, SCE, or SDG&E are eligible for Energy-Smart Homes Alteration incentive payments.
The Mixed-Fuel Program closed on December 31, 2022. The program is no longer accepting Mixed-Fuel project applications.
Multifamily is defined as four or more attached units. Any project with fewer than four attached units would be considered a single-family project.
Yes, new construction condominiums are eligible for Energy-Smart Homes Multifamily Low-Rise program enrollment if they are in buildings with three stories or less.
Low-rise (three stories or fewer) dormitories and assisted living projects can qualify for Energy-Smart Homes Multifamily Low-Rise enrollment if they include fully functional individual units that include in-unit kitchens and bathrooms.
Energy-Smart Homes incentives are for dwelling units only. The program does not incentivize common area spaces.
No, both market-rate and affordable properties are eligible for Energy-Smart Homes enrollment and no documentation around resident income is needed to participate.
Your utility provider will remove meters for free upon request.
All-electric projects (2019 or 2022 building code cycle) that meet program prerequisites and eligibility requirements are eligible to apply for incentives.
The Energy-Smart Homes program is only available to projects permitted under the 2019 Energy Code and beyond.
The Energy-Smart Homes program does not require any pre-approved vendors for eligibility. However, all Title 24 energy models must be authored and signed by a professional holding the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC) 2019 residential certified energy analyst (CEA) designation.
Any California Energy Commission-approved Title 24 compliance software can be used to model energy performance. All Title 24 energy models must be authored and signed by a professional holding the California Association of Building Energy Consultants (CABEC) 2019 residential certified energy analyst (CEA) designation.
Energy-Smart Homes program incentives must be requested in the same calendar year that the certificate of occupancy is issued. Example: If a project’s certificate of occupancy is issued in December, incentives must be requested by or before December 31st of that same calendar year.
ADU’s do not have to be detached. However, they must be permitted as a new construction ADU with separate mechanical and plumbing.
Energy-Smart Homes incentives are available for properties located in the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E), and Southern California Edison Company (SCE) electric service territories.
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