On Sept. 18, 2008, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted the state’s first Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan, presenting a single roadmap to achieve maximum energy savings across all major groups and sectors in California. This comprehensive Plan for
2009 to 2020 is the state’s first integrated framework of goals and strategies for saving energy, covering government, utility, and private sector actions, and holds energy efficiency to its role as the highest priority resource in meeting California’s energy needs.
California Statewide Residential Energy Efficiency Program (CalSPREE) offers rebates and incentives for a wide range of appliances and whole house programs to single and multi-family residents.
Program Descriptions
Energy Advisor Program
Utilizes interactive tools designed to engage customers and encourage participation in innovative energy initiatives. Energy Advisor includes residential surveys for homeowners and renters in multiple options and languages, similar-home/neighborhood energy comparisons, customized integrated energy saving tips and comprehensive home energy use reports. These initiatives are designed to assist customers understand and manage their energy use, guide them, where appropriate, towards advancing whole-house energy solutions and educate them on other integrated demand side management programs and services offered by their utility.
Plug Load and Appliance
The Plug Load and Appliances subprogram merges the previous Home Energy Efficiency Rebate (HEER), Business Consumer Electronics (BCE) and Appliance Recycling subprograms. This subprogram will develop and build upon existing retailer relationships and will include recycling strategies and whole house solutions, plug load efficiency, and opportunities for integration with local government, water agencies, Publically Owned Utilities (POUs), and the Demand Side Management (DSM) subprogram.
Energy Upgrade California
Provides incentives for comprehensive home performance retrofits to residential customers. Customers must decrease their energy use by 10 percent. Incentives of up to $4,500/home are available.
Multifamily Energy Efficiency Rebates Program
Offers rebates for efficient products for multi-family owners and managers to install these products in commons and individual dwelling areas in multi-family condominium and mobile home complexes. - Measures offered range from lighting products to central natural gas furnaces.
HVAC Programs
On September 18, 2008, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) adopted the state’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan (“Strategic Plan”), presenting a single roadmap to achieve maximum energy savings across all major groups and sectors in California. This comprehensive Strategic Plan for 2009 to 2020 represents the state’s first integrated framework of goals and strategies for saving energy, covering government, utility, and private sector actions, and holds energy efficiency to its role as the highest priority resource in meeting California’s energy needs.
The Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) programs build on the Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan’s vision and goals. HVAC program strategies use existing programs, education, marketing, and leverage relationships within the HVAC industry to transform the market into a sustainable, quality-driven market. Residential and small commercial HVAC programs strive to have technology, equipment, installation, and maintenance is of the highest quality to promote energy efficiency and peak load reduction in California’s climate.
Residential HVAC Quality Maintenance
This program area focuses on energy and demand savings achieved through the regular application of comprehensive, continuously improving Operation and Maintenance activities applied to existing residential HVAC equipment. It represents one of the more creative aspects of the HVAC “Big Bold Energy Efficiency Strategy”. This is based on the assumption that there are energy and demand savings achievable through the regular application of quality maintenance (QM) procedures applied to existing residential HVAC equipment.
Residential HVAC Quality Installation Development
Residential Quality Installation Development is applicable to quality installation (QI) of split or packaged HVAC systems, with a rated capacity up to 65,000 BTU/H. This program element is based on the assumption that energy and demand savings are achievable through the application of QI in accordance with appropriate industry standards applied to new residential HVAC equipment.
Residential New Construction
The RNC subprogram is a continuing statewide program that consists of the California Advanced Homes Program (CAHP) and, in Southern California, the Energy Star Manufactured Homes (ESMH) Program. The Program is designed to help guide builders to produce the most efficient homes in the most cost-effective manner, and will examine methodologies for supporting the Strategic Plan target of zero net energy (ZNE) by 2020.
California Advanced Home Program (CAHP)
Through a pay-for-performance incentive structure and a whole building approach, CAHP is designed to increase market demand for energy efficient multifamily and single family homes by encouraging builders to exceed Title 24 building efficiency standards by 15 to 45 percent. Performance Bonus adders and prescriptive measure incentives are included to encourage ENERGY STAR® appliances and solar photovoltaic installations. Non- incentive customer services will be offered such as technical support to energy analysts and design teams, Design Team Assistance, economic modeling/measure selection support to builders, marketing support, and demand-side management coordination support for builders. The CAHP will also work with Advanced Metering Infrastructure teams to test and develop in-home displays of energy use patterns.
CAHP Zero Net Energy Program
The zero net energy (ZNE) component of the CAHP promotes zero peak energy pilot custom homes via a peak kW incentive and a zero peak solar photovoltaic panel incentive. The minimum threshold for builder use of these incentives is a whole building performance level that is at least 45 percent higher than Title 24 standards (2008). Projects must also meet Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes (silver) equivalent or qualify for a minimum of 100 points from Build It Green’s Green Point Rated system. This incentive is linked to the Sustainable Communities pilot projects of Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and Southern California Gas Company. Pacific Gas and Electric Company has a related ZNE building pilot program (also see Fact Sheet on Utility Zero Net Energy Home and Commercial Building Pilot Projects).
ENERGY STAR® Manufactured Homes Program
This program promotes the construction of new manufactured homes that comply with ENERGY STAR® standards by encouraging manufacturers to go beyond federal Department of Housing and Urban Development specifications. Targeted measures include high efficiency and right size HVAC systems. The goal is to increase the efficiency of the whole home while moving the industry towards zero net energy.
Program Budgets
Residential Program Fact Sheet 2013 - 2014 (Download as PDF)