Mar 4 2011
The unique cooperation between the local, state and federal governments and regional utility companies has resulted in a new program called, ‘Energy Upgrade California,’ in Los Angeles County.
The new program anticipates modernizing around 18,000 homes in the county and makes them save around 20% of their energy usage. The house owners in the Los Angeles County now will become eligible for up to $4,500 in the form of financial incentives and rebates and cut down their utility costs by performing energy saving upgrades under the program.
The home owners in the Californian County can perform home improvements such as home insulation, sealing, upgrading of HVAC, and installing energy-saving windows, erecting tank-less water heaters and other types of fixed improvements to become eligible for rebates and incentives under the program. The program suggests for a ‘full-house’ approach instead of attempting isolated improvements as an efficient method of saving energy and to avail maximum rebates. The incentives and rebates available for the clients will differ in cities of the county such as Azusa, Los Angeles, Vernon, Pasadena, Long Beach, Burbank and Glendale.
To become qualified for the incentives and rebates, the upgrade work need to be carried out by a contractor participating in the Energy Upgrade California program. The program officials have recruited qualified contractors for the purpose and trained them in their work for over six months. The home owners opting for the upgrade will be directed to the selected contractors trained for the purpose to perform the upgrades. The contractors will also get benefited by continued referrals.
The Energy Upgrade California program is anticipated to create over 2,000 new job opportunities in the county. The program when completed will result in the elimination of around 20,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide discharges. The improvement in air quality can be equated to planting of around half a million new trees.