Energy Efficient Homes: How to Save Money and Live Greener
Energy-efficient homes reduce your rate of energy consumption while maintaining the comfort you’ve grown accustomed to. By making small changes and creating new habits and leveraging government incentives for energy-efficient upgrades, you can lower your energy bills, protect the planet, and increase your ROI.
Use this accessible guide for homeowners at any stage to find the best ways to improve your efficiency.
What Defines an Energy-Efficient Home?
An energy-efficient home is defined by a cost-effective and eco-friendly use of energy for heating, cooling, lighting, and appliances. Homes that qualify for this label often have proper insulation, excellent HVAC systems, sealed air leaks, and modern appliances. The residents of these homes also practice eco-friendly habits, such as turning off lights when leaving a room, unplugging appliances and devices when not in use, and adjusting the temperature when away from home.
Living with efficiency in mind at home can significantly lower utility bills, with some households saving up to 50% depending on the measures taken. It also creates more consistent indoor temperatures and reduces your carbon footprint, making a lasting positive impact on our one and only Earth.
How Do Government Incentives Support Energy-Efficient Living?
The Canadian government encourages you to become more thoughtful in your energy use by providing several incentives to promote energy-efficient upgrades. For example, the Canada Greener Homes Initiative offers grants of up to $5,000 for eligible upgrades. Although the program is currently closed to new applicants due to its success, existing applicants still have the opportunity to finalize their grant requests before the end of 2025.
Eligible upgrades may include insulation, new windows or doors, smart thermostats, solar energy systems, or heat pumps.
You may also be able to find additional provincial programs that offer further incentives, such as rebates, grants, or loans.
Beyond supporting your own home’s upgrades, these programs also contribute to the green economy by creating more job opportunities and growth pathways for skilled tradespeople. It has supported over 75,000 jobs in construction, Canadian manufacturing, home energy auditing, clean tech, sales, and financial services.
And the results speak for themselves: Canada has seen reduced emissions from the Greener Homes program equal to removing about 60,000 cars off the road.
Upgrades That Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Some of the best ways to save energy are also some of the best home investments you can make with considerable and measurable returns. There are options for every budget, from low-cost DIY upgrades to major renovations. Prioritize your upgrades based on your current efficiency, budget, and the age of your home.
Incorporate Smart Tech
Consider letting the tech do some of the work for you to reinforce smart energy habits. Use smart thermostats, lights, power strips, or monitors to adjust or shut off specific devices or appliances automatically. They often allow you to create schedules, use motion sensors, or operate remotely to ensure your systems are working when you need them, but never when it's unnecessary.
Home Solar Battery Systems for a Greener Home
Renewable energy sources, such as home solar batteries, can supplement your grid power use, reducing your reliance on the grid, lowering your bills, and providing critical backup during outages. Systems like the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus make this even easier, offering powerful home-scale storage that integrates seamlessly with solar panels for reliable, round-the-clock energy.
If you pair a battery backup with solar panels, you can enjoy off-grid power whenever you need it, whether that’s during peak demand hours or extended blackouts.
The longer you use this technology, the greater and faster your return on your investment will be. And the more you use it, the fewer fossil fuels you’re burning and the lower your carbon footprint gets.
Upgrade to Efficient Appliances
Consider upgrading to ENERGY STAR appliances, which are 10-15% more efficient than standard models. While you don’t need to replace every item, start with major appliances, such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and dishwashers.
Improve Building Insulation
You can make a significant impact on your home’s energy use by improving insulation and reducing heating/cooling loss. Start with your attic, walls, basement, and crawl spaces.
How to Qualify for Canada Greener Homes Initiative Funding?
The Canada Greener Homes Initiative is closed to new applicants. However, existing applicants may be eligible if they own their own home, it is their primary residence, and it was built before a specific date.
The process starts with online registration and a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation (which will be partially reimbursed). Then, you’ll receive a report identifying recommended upgrades and potential grant amounts. The typical timeframe to complete eligible upgrades is 12-18 months. After completing a post-retrofit evaluation and submitting the required documents, you will receive the grant payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Best Energy-Efficient Upgrades for Older Homes?
The first priorities to make older homes more energy efficient are air sealing and insulation, followed by window upgrades and an HVAC system replacement. Other easy and quick wins include LED lighting, smart thermostats, and solar energy systems.
How Can I Check My Home’s Energy Efficiency Rating?
You can schedule and pay for an EnerGuide professional home evaluation, which typically costs between $300 and $ 600. The assessment includes a blower door test, thermal imaging, and system inspections. The result is a rating on a scale of 1-100, along with recommendations for potential upgrades to enhance the rating.
Are Energy-Efficient Renovations Worth the Cost?
Most energy-efficient renovations pay for themselves within 5 to 15 years and can result in significant savings on utility costs. Incentives such as grants and rebates can also shorten the payback period. As utility rates rise over the years, the savings increase accordingly.
Do Energy-Efficient Homes Increase Property Value?
Yes, several studies have shown that homes with energy-efficient upgrades can sell for 2-8% more in most markets. Buyers are willing to pay a premium for these homes, and such homes often spend less time on the market and sell faster.
Ready to Discover Home Solar Battery Systems?
When you invest in energy efficiency, you reap the benefits of long-term savings, enhanced comfort, and a positive environmental impact. To begin your journey towards energy efficiency, consider starting with an energy audit to identify your home’s top energy efficiency priorities. One of the easiest and most effective ways to make a difference is by investing in home solar battery systems, such as the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus. It can maximize your use of renewable energy and provide the independence you’re looking for.