Home Energy Education & Retrofit
Get valuable efficiency training, up to $300 in energy saving freebies and invest in your home with comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades through Holland’s Home Energy Retrofit Program.
Save as much as $6,000 on qualified projects totalling up to $30,000 to improve the efficiency and comfort of your house, condo or apartment.
Program Overview
The Home Energy Retrofit Program (HER) is a City of Holland initiative that makes it easy for all homeowners, renters and landlords in Holland to reduce their energy use and utility bills while increasing the value of their homes. After completing the 60-90 minute at-home Home Energy 101 session, participants will receive FREE energy saving supplies in the mail that they can use to start saving energy.
Participants who complete Home Energy 101 may also apply for a HER grant to fund more in-depth energy efficiency projects.
Projects eligible for HER’s 5-20% grant rebate program include:
- Home Air Sealing (20% grant)
- Insulation (20% grant)
- Heat Pump HVAC (10% grant)
- Dual Fuel Heat pump HVAC (5% grant)
- Heat Pump Water Heater (10% grant)
- Full Home Energy Audit (10% grant)
Why Retrofit Your Home?
Improving the energy efficiency of your home not only helps keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter, it also lowers your energy bills and increases the overall value of your home for years to come. Our entire community benefits when each of our homes in the City of Holland use energy efficiently.
Improved Home Comfort
Sealing drafts and improving the insulation of your home also improves the comfort. Some homes may also experience improvements in indoor air quality.
Lower Utility Bills
Efficiency upgrades decrease your energy consumption and lower your utility bills. The free Home Energy 101 session will help you determine which measures may be most cost-effective for your specific home.
Free Energy Saving Supplies
Get up to $300 in free energy saving supplies such as caulk, door seals, water-saving shower heads by participating in our FREE Home Energy 101 session.
Financial Incentive
Each qualified project is eligible for a 5-20%* rebate grant. *Rate valid through June 30, 2023.
Financing Options
Environmental Sustainability
Reducing your energy consumption by improving your home’s efficiency reduces your environmental impact.
Testimonials
Dan Morrison, Ken Freestone, and Andrew Reynolds speak about their experiences working with the City of Holland, the Holland Board of Public Works, and contractors during their home energy retrofit processes.
Stories from Holland Energy Fund Participants
“Our house was built in 1966 and we knew it needed a few upgrades, namely windows and insulation. After being extremely impressed with the assessment done on our home, we decided to dive fully into the program. We were amazed at how fast the men worked and their level of expertise! The most noticeable change after we had the work done was how long it took for our house to cool off at night in the winter; we’d set the thermostat to 60 degrees before bed, and the house wouldn’t even get that low by morning! We are just very, very pleased with the results of this program.”
Jim, HEF Participant
“My wife and I have been in our house for over 25 years. We knew that it was old and that we’d need to make a few upgrades eventually: our windows, which were mostly original, were horrible. The house was so bad at holding heat that my wife thought we needed a new furnace! With this program, we were able to replace all of our windows, upgrade most of our exterior doors, and insulate our basement, crawlspace and attic. Our house is real tight now, noticeably less drafty. I definitely recommend this program if people are looking for resources to make their house more efficient!”
Scott, HEF Participant
HoW It Works
Home Energy 101
Your journey to a more efficient and comfortable home starts with a 60-90 minute Home Energy 101 session along with up to $300 in free energy saving supplies. The session will be led by trained home energy adviser from local nonprofit partners.
Home Energy 101 Program & Free Supplies Overview
To fully understand your home and the opportunities to improve it, together you will:
- Review of past utility bills to see how they compare to homes like yours in the area.
- Identify opportunities for free energy saving supplies, which we’ll mail to you after your session including (as needed):
- Caulk
- Spray foam insulation
- Weather stripping (various lengths)
- Duct, outlet and furnace seals
- Faucet aerators & water saving shower heads
- Pipe wrap
- Window air conditioner covers
- Storm window insulation kit
- Laser infrared temperature sensor & plug-in
power meter - LED light bulbs
- Programmable thermostat
- Review information on how to use your energy saving supplies
- View thermal images of your home that show where insulation or sealing is needed
- Create an energy plan for your home
In order to apply for the Holland Energy Fund grant, you must complete Home Energy 101.
In the case of emergency equipment replacement (e.g. water heater failure), you may complete Home Energy 101 after purchase.
After you complete Home Energy 101 and receive your free energy saving supplies, there is no obligation to continue with the HER program.
Find a Contractor & Quote the Work
After you’ve completed the Home Energy 101, if you choose to invest in additional measures to improve your home, simply select any licensed contractor to complete one or more of the grant-eligible improvements.
Apply for the HER Program
Submit an application to the Holland Energy Retrofit program to receive a 5-20% rebate grant on projects up to $30,000, saving up to $6,000 for your home energy improvements. There is no minimum project cost for this grant, as long as the work done is included on the list of eligible upgrades and is completed by a licensed contractor.
(Optional) Apply for On-Bill Financing
In addition to the 5-20% rebate grant, participants can also apply for an On-Bill Loan Program with low, fixed interest rates and simple qualifying criteria as a way to finance your improvements and pay them off on your monthly electric bill.
Do the Work
Your authorized contractor will work with you to complete your qualifying home improvements. Holland Energy Fund will then send your rebate directly to the contractor.
Track Your Savings
Receive a final Energy Use Intensity (EUI) score compiled by the Holland Energy Fund team from your utility bills one year after your improvements are complete. Compare your final EUI score to the score you received during Home Energy 101 and see the savings for yourself.
Apply Now
Ready to Get Started?