Energy-efficient building practices and products have also continued to grow and develop and are now marketed directly to the homeowner. As a prime examples, Energy Star appliances, lighting, CFL’s & LED’s are now commonly available to consumers in a wide variety of Do-It-Yourself options.
Other encouraging developments include Federal and state (CT) rebates for new homes that are certified as ‘High Performance’ – Energy Star or DOE Zero Ready Challenge Home, and tax credits and incentives to homeowners for installing geothermal heating systems and/or solar panels.
One of our partners, Home Energy Technologies, has developed a very good chart of 2014 incentives:
2014 Financial Incentives. Summary of the rebates and tax credits available for new construction in Connecticut
Specifically, in regard to solar, CT Solar Challenge, a non-profit organization, is working to promote community-based incentives to reduce the price of solar to homeowners on a town-by-town basis in an effort to increase the number of homes utilizing renewable energy throughout the state.
