ENERGY STAR Certified New Home and Renovation Rebates

Rebate Amount: $1 / square foot up to $2,000

Who May Participate: City electric customers who own an ENERGY STAR qualified home, including single-family detached, single-family attached, low-rise multifamily, and existing-home renovations.

How to Get Started: Get a certified HERS rating, download a rebate form and read the terms and conditions

Additional Information

Why ENERGY STAR? An ENERGY STAR qualified new home performs better for the homeowner and the environment thanks to a variety of energy-efficient features. Home buyers enjoy better performance, greater comfort, and lower utility bills.

• City of Tallahassee incentive rebate: $1/square foot up to $2,000 incentive for ENERGY STAR qualified new homes.
• Qualifying housing types include single-family detached, single-family attached, low-rise multifamily, and existing-home renovations.
• To earn ENERGY STAR qualification, a home must meet guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Qualifying homes are a least 15% more energy efficient than homes built to the current International Energy Conservation Code, with Florida modifications, and include additional energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes.
• The qualifying home's ENERGY STAR status is certified to a statewide database maintained by the Florida Solar Energy Center.
• Rebate Eligibility: The home must be served by City of Tallahassee Electric, utilize natural gas for water heating, and achieve ENERGY STAR qualification under current guidelines.
  • If natural gas is unavailable, and gas main extension to the site is denied by the City's Gas Utility, units must utilize an ENERGY STAR qualified electric water heater with Energy Factor (EF) 2.0 or greater; or utilize ENERGY STAR qualified solar water heating.

Homebuilder participation: For homebuilders, achieving ENERGY STAR is a major rung on the ladder toward Green Building certification under nationally recognized programs like Florida Green Building Coalition or LEED For Homes.

• The homebuilder signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as an ENERGY STAR partner.
• The homebuilder works with a third-party energy rater, specifically a RESNET-certified Level 1 HERS Rater (RESNET is the national Residential Energy Services Network, a nonprofit standards-setting group aligned with the US Department of Energy and EPA. HERS = Home Energy Rating System, RESNET's energy efficiency rating system for homes.) Learn more here
• The home must achieve a qualifying HERS Index under Florida-specific guidelines. The final as-built HERS Index is confirmed by the HERS Rater.
• The essential elements of a qualifying Energy Star home are:
  
  1. Effective Insulation
  2. High Performance Windows
  3. Tight Construction and Ductwork
  4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Systems
  5. Efficient Lighting and Appliances
  6. Third Party Verification
• There are new mandatory training requirements for participating Builders, HVAC installers, and HERS Raters.

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