The Province is giving people a free digital tool to help make their homes more energy-efficient and reduce heating bills.

The BC Home Energy Planner makes it simple for people to save energy and reduce their environmental footprint at the same time.

“Many British Columbians, especially those in older homes, may be needlessly wasting energy without even realizing it,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “People want their homes to be more energy-efficient and comfortable, and reduce heating bills. The Home Energy Planner is a free and easy-to-use way to do it.”

The Home Energy Planner provides information about each home’s energy use by identifying issues, such as old windows or poor insulation, that may be causing heating bills to be higher than they should be. The tool also provides retrofit recommendations and connects people with program offers and registered contractors.

The planner uses public data and information to assess how well a home uses energy. Homeowners will learn about:

• the home’s energy score (measured in gigajoules per year);
• what kinds of home-energy upgrades will have the biggest impact;
• how home-energy upgrades can help prepare people for extreme weather events; and
• resources to help upgrade the home.

The planner is available to homeowners and renters. It can be used with single-family homes, as well as most townhouses, duplexes/triplexes, rowhouses and manufactured homes. It does not support condominiums, apartments or other multi-unit residential building types.

Quotes:

Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness –

“Extreme-heat events are becoming more frequent and are expected to become more severe because of climate change. The Home Energy Planner can help people make choices that protect those they care about, such as installing a heat pump, which can efficiently cool your home during the hottest days of summer, while reducing your monthly energy bill.”

Maggie Baynham, sustainability project manager, District of Saanich –

“As a pilot community, Saanich has had an opportunity to test the Home Energy Planner and see it as a valuable tool for helping our residents understand how to save money on their energy bills, prepare their homes for climate impacts, such as extreme heat, while also making a meaningful contribution to climate action.”

Trevor Koot, CEO, BC Real Estate Association –

“The BC Home Energy Planner is an important step in providing homeowners with more information and tools to better understand their home’s energy-efficiency. By recognizing the impacts of building structure and systems on the home’s operational cost, carbon emissions, comfort and air quality, homeowners can be guided to their best options for future energy-retrofit projects.”

Chris O’Riley, president and CEO, BC Hydro –

“The BC Home Energy Planner helps homeowners and renters improve efficiency and reduce costs. By identifying problem areas and offering solutions, it empowers British Columbians to make smarter energy choices.”

Learn More:

To use the BC Home Energy Planner, visit: https://bchomeenergyplanner.ca/