What are the Benefits of doing an ecoENERGY evalution?

Peace of mind

AmeriSpec's NRCan-licensed energy advisors provide unbiased advice on how to improve your home's energy use. The service is also quality-assured by the Government of Canada to ensure the integrity of the residential energy assessment service.

Understanding your options

The residential energy assessment service provides a thorough basement-to-attic assessment of your home's energy use - otherwise referred to as the "D" evaluation. The AmeriSpec energy advisor's written report will help you to plan rand prioritize retrofits that will improve the energy efficiency of your home or multi-unit residential building.

Proof of upgrades

After you have completed your energy upgrades, our experts will provide you with a second (post-retrofit or "E") evaluation and a new energy efficiency rating label that indicates your home's improved energy use.

Grants toward your retrofit expenses

Only homes that have had pre- and post-retrofit evaluations from an AmeriSpec NRCan-licensed energy advisor are eligible for grants. The grant amount is based on each of the recommended retrofits you have completed and the relative impact the retrofits have on the energy efficiency of your home. For instance, replacing your gas furnace with an ENERGY STAR® qualified furnace will achieve a high level of energy savings and will therefore have a bigger grant value. Your energy advisor can suggest the retrofits that are your best options.

Taking action to alleviate climate change

The use of energy from fossil fuels is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Canadians are being encouraged to use less energy. Make your contribution to help protect our environment by using the residential energy assessment service

Who is eligible for the ecoENERGY evaluation grants?

For full details on eligibility, consult your local AmeriSpec NRCan-licensed office or call us at 1 866 284 6010.

Main criteria:

You can apply for a grant for a property that you own and live in or rent out. This includes detached, semi-detached and row houses and low-rise residential buildings of three storeys or less (with a footprint of less than 600 square metres), as well as mobile homes on a permanent foundation.

Grants are available for work done within a specific time frame, so it is important to talk to your local AmeriSpec about the eligibility of your house as soon as you are ready to plan and undertake your energy efficiency retrofits. You have 18 months from the date of your pre-retrofit evaluation to complete the work and qualify for a grant.

Only homes that have undergone a pre- and post-retrofit residential energy assessment service by an NRCan-licensed advisor will be eligible. You will be able to apply only once per property.

Homeowners must carry out specific improvements in order to qualify for a grant. AmeriSpec energy advisors will be able to tell you which retrofits have the greatest impact on your home's efficiency. The greater the improvement, the more the grant will be.

It is you – the property owner – who decides what retrofits recommended by your AmeriSpec energy advisor you wish to undertake. You are responsible for choosing a contractor and for ensuring that the work is performed properly. It is important that you get a detailed written contract between you and your contractor in order to prevent problems later on. The residential energy assessment service does not assess the quality of the work performed – it evaluates only the retrofit's impact on the energy efficiency of your home.

How do I apply for the ecoENERGY grant?

It's easy. Your AmeriSpec energy advisor will apply for the grant on your behalf after you have completed the energy efficiency retrofits and your home has been re-assessed. Your AmeriSpec advisor will prepare the paperwork for you to sign and will be able to tell you exactly how much you can expect to receive. Your AmeriSpec energy advisor will then forward your application to NRCan. See available grants here

A table of retrofits has been established to show the payment for the completion of each recommended upgrade. The grant amount has been determined by the relative effectiveness of that particular upgrade in reducing energy or water use, and not directly on the cost of the upgrade, which will vary depending on location, local pricing and labour costs, size of house, etc.

Refer to Retrofit Your Home and Qualify for a Grant! for grant amounts related to retrofits.

A grant application must be submitted to NRCan no later than 18 months after the date of the pre-retrofit evaluation. You can expect to receive your cheque within 90 days.

How do I prepare for the ecoENERGY evaluation?

In preparation for an energy assessment, you should ensure that the energy advisor has access to your attic, crawl space or any other hard to reach areas. The advisor will need to take photos of your house (outside and inside). You will be asked to sign a homeowner release form permitting the advisor to take the photos, to release assessment data to NRCan and to allow NRCan to carry out quality assurance measures if the need arises. A responsible person who can make household decisions should be there when the AmeriSpec advisor does his or her assessment

For more detailed FAQs, please visit NRCan's website For more information on ecoENERGY, click on one of the icons below: