Comfort Home Pilot – Archive

Program/s:  Comfort Home
To:  All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary:  New Customer Release Form Available
Contact with Questions:   Comfort Home Operations Team at 1-888-406-4009 or [email protected]

Details: A revised Comfort Home customer release form is now available on the Comfort Home contractor SharePoint page and was emailed to all contractors on August 2, 2024.  This form may be used now and must be used effective August 26, 2024.  The new form includes updated release authorization language allowing NYSERDA to share project information with the customer’s utilities and Department of Public Service.  Release forms submitted on or after August 26, 2024, will need to use the new form.

Programs: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Incentive increase effective 7/1/2024
Questions: [email protected] or 888-406-4009

On July 1, 2024, Comfort Home will be launching revised standard package incentives.  The incentive updates are meant to help with material price inflation and labor cost increases.  The new incentives will apply for assessments and installations submitted for approval on or after July 1, 2024.

The 30-day prompt submission policy applies.

The customer-signed workscope must match the incentives.

Example:

June 10:     Customer signs workscope with $1,000 package A incentive

July 2:         Upgrade installed

July 10:       Installation submitted in Compass

This job qualifies for the new incentive!  This installation needs to have a revised workscope that shows the higher incentive and must be signed by the homeowner and submitted in Compass.

Please note that Compass will be offline during a system maintenance window from 7:00am to 8:00am (Eastern) on Monday July 1, 2024.

Program: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Clarification of how multi-unit buildings should be handled for Comfort Home:  The number of heating systems will determine how many “projects” and how many incentives will be applicable.
Contact with Questions:  1-888-406-4009 or [email protected]

If the whole building is heated with one system, then the whole building is entered into Compass as one project: 

• One incentive will apply for the whole building. 
• All areas must be upgraded in order for the building to qualify for Comfort Home incentives. 
• If package A is proposed, the entire attic must be air-sealed and insulated, even if the attic spans two units.
• If package B with wall insulation is proposed, all above grade exterior walls must be insulated.

Multi-unit buildings that have separate space heating systems for each unit are eligible for separate Comfort Home incentives for each unit:

• Each unit should be entered as a separate project in Compass.
• Each project should use the conditioned floor area associated with that unit.
• Each project should include details about the HVAC and water heating system associated with that unit. 
• Each project should use the improved “areas” (insulation, air sealing, windows, etc.) associated with that unit.
• Each project should use the actual attic area over the unit. 
• Each project should use the actual basement square footage and rim joist length for the portion under the unit.
• Each project should use the actual floor square footage for foundation ceiling if insulating the basement ceiling for the unit.
• A second-floor unit should identify its basement/foundation as “conditioned”.
• A first-floor unit with a second-floor unit above it should list attic insulation as “>=R38” and the grade as “<10% Voids or Compression”.

Program: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Reminder about knob-and-tube wiring
Contact with Questions:  1-888-406-4009 or [email protected]

• When insulating, ensure that no insulation is in direct contact with knob-and-tube wiring.
• Comfort Home packages require complete measure installation.  If 90% or more of attic can be air-sealed and insulated, then the project is eligible for Comfort Home.
• A home with knob-and-tube wiring in the attic that doesn’t allow at least 90% of the attic insulation to be installed is not eligible for Comfort Home.
• A home with knob-and-tube wiring in the walls is not eligible for Comfort Home Package B (Good Package).

Program: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Clarification of how multi-unit buildings should be handled for Comfort Home:  The number of heating systems will determine how many “projects” and how many incentives will be applicable.
Contact with Questions:  1-888-406-4009 or [email protected]

If the whole building is heated with one system, then the whole building is entered into Compass as one project: 

• One incentive will apply for the whole building. 
• All areas must be upgraded in order for the building to qualify for Comfort Home incentives. 
• If package A is proposed, the entire attic must be air-sealed and insulated, even if the attic spans two units.
• If package B with wall insulation is proposed, all above grade exterior walls must be insulated.

Multi-unit buildings that have separate space heating systems for each unit are eligible for separate Comfort Home incentives for each unit:

• Each unit should be entered as a separate project in Compass.
• Each project should use the conditioned floor area associated with that unit.
• Each project should include details about the HVAC and water heating system associated with that unit. 
• Each project should use the improved “areas” (insulation, air sealing, windows, etc.) associated with that unit.
• Each project should use the actual attic area over the unit. 
• Each project should use the actual basement square footage and rim joist length for the portion under the unit.
• Each project should use the actual floor square footage for foundation ceiling if insulating the basement ceiling for the unit.
• A second-floor unit should identify its basement/foundation as “conditioned”.
• A first-floor unit with a second-floor unit above it should list attic insulation as “>=R38” and the grade as “<10% Voids or Compression”.

Program: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Reminder about knob-and-tube wiring
Contact with Questions:  1-888-406-4009 or [email protected]

• When insulating, ensure that no insulation is in direct contact with knob-and-tube wiring.
• Comfort Home packages require complete measure installation.  If 90% or more of attic can be air-sealed and insulated, then the project is eligible for Comfort Home.
• A home with knob-and-tube wiring in the attic that doesn’t allow at least 90% of the attic insulation to be installed is not eligible for Comfort Home.
• A home with knob-and-tube wiring in the walls is not eligible for Comfort Home Package B (Good Package).

Program: Comfort Home
To: Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Comfort Home Migration to NYHEP
Contact with Questions: [email protected]

In mid-2024, NYSERDA will be migrating Comfort Home from the current Compass workflow platform to the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP).  NYHEP is the workflow system used for EmPower+ and REA (the Residential Energy Assessment program).  This change will simplify the contractor experience by having one common platform across all of the NYSERDA small home residential programs.  NYSERDA has started planning for this migration in areas such as training, workflow testing, data migration, and reporting.  Additional information will be shared in the coming months. 

Program: Comfort Home
To: Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Comfort Home Migration to NYHEP
Contact with Questions: [email protected]

In mid-2024, NYSERDA will be migrating Comfort Home from the current Compass workflow platform to the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP).  NYHEP is the workflow system used for EmPower+ and REA (the Residential Energy Assessment program).  This change will simplify the contractor experience by having one common platform across all of the NYSERDA small home residential programs.  NYSERDA has started planning for this migration in areas such as training, workflow testing, data migration, and reporting.  Additional information will be shared in the coming months. 

Program: Comfort Home
To: Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Comfort Home Monthly Contractor Webinar
Contact with Questions: [email protected]

The monthly Comfort Home Contractor Webinar is now part of the team-wide Contractor Webinar that takes place on the first Friday of each month. Sign up to attend the April 5th webinar.

No Announcements

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home
Summary: Updated Customer Utility Release Form
Contact: [email protected]

NYSERDA has released an updated customer utility release form for use with Comfort Home. A copy was emailed on February 8th and is available from the Comfort Home SharePoint site. The workflow remains the same, a copy of the signed form still needs to be uploaded to SharePoint.

This form includes the following updates:

1. Utility account number and POD number length and format information appears at the bottom of page 1.
2. Minor updates to permissions were added to include required data sharing with the Department of Public Service as they regulate the work that NYSERDA does and the U.S. Department of Energy in preparation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding.

This file, dated 2/8/24, may be used starting immediately. All customer signatures dated March 1, 2024 and beyond must use the new form.

No Announcements

No Announcements

No Announcements

No Announcements

No Announcements

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Automated Emails
Contact: [email protected]

Comfort Home Team has implemented automated approval emails for all Assessments, Load Reduction and HVAC Installations. This process will help streamline review times, getting approvals back to you in a timely and efficient manner. The automated email will only be sent to one person at your company. If you wish to change the point of contact, please email [email protected] and let us know the name and email address of the contact you wish to receive all project approval emails for your company. If you normally have multiple people that receive notifications on approval in Compass we encourage you to set up an email distribution rule in your email account. 

Key things to note about this change to automated emails are:  

• This is only for approvals – if projects are rejected or unsubmitted you will receive the normally formatted email from the Comfort Home Mailbox. 
• You will receive one email per project approval.  
• The emails will no longer have the eligibility in the body of the email but instead have a link that will take you back to the project page in Compass where you can view the eligibility statement in the Notes section.  
• The Sender name will be Comfort Home and the email address is [email protected].  NOTE: If you have questions do NOT respond to the approval email, it will not be received by anyone. If you have questions regarding the approval, please reach out to the [email protected] mailbox directly. 

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Timely Submissions of Assessments and Installations
Contact: [email protected]

To maintain accurate and current reporting and allow timely quality assurance inspections, Comfort Home workflow submissions into Compass must take place within 30 days of completion of the on-site work.  Effective on November 1, 2023:

• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home assessments must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site assessment. 
• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home load reduction installations must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site work by the Contractor.
• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home HVAC (heat pump) installations must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site work.

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Upcoming Contractor Webinar – October 23 at 10am
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (fourth Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.  

Next one up is Monday October 23, 2023 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET. This will be the last webinar for 2023 to provide a break for Holidays and will resume in January 2024. 

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides individuals with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone.  

Register Here:   

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.  

If you have any questions reach out to the Comfort Home team at:  

Email: [email protected]  

Phone: 1-888-406-4009 

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Timely Submissions of Assessments and Installations
Contact: [email protected]

To maintain accurate and current reporting and allow timely quality assurance inspections, Comfort Home workflow submissions into Compass must take place within 30 days of completion of the on-site work.  Effective on November 1, 2023:

• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home assessments must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site assessment. 
• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home load reduction installations must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site work by the Contractor.
• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home HVAC (heat pump) installations must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site work.

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Data Collection Form – New Version LIVE
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home Data Collection Form (form) is an editable PDF comprised of all the fields required to complete an assessment in the Compass tool. This PDF form is intended for your auditors to use in the field to ensure they capture all the information needed to submit an assessment in the Compass tool.

This updated Comfort Home Data Collection Form includes new fields, more room to add notes and reminders to get a signed Utility Release Form (URF) from the homeowner.

This form is not required but is encouraged to assist with data collection and entry into Compass. A completed form will allow any staff member to enter the information into the Compass tool.

You can download the new version on SharePoint in the Program Documents folder. CH – Data Collection Form – Aug. 2023

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Timely Submissions of Assessments and Installations
Contact: [email protected]

To maintain accurate and current reporting and allow timely quality assurance inspections, Comfort Home workflow submissions into Compass must take place within 30 days of completion of the on-site work.  Effective on November 1, 2023:

• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home assessments must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site assessment. 
• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home load reduction installations must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site work by the Contractor.
• Unless alternative agreements are reached with NYSERDA, Comfort Home HVAC (heat pump) installations must be entered into Compass and submitted within 30 days of completion of the on-site work.

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Data Collection Form – New Version LIVE
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home Data Collection Form (form) is an editable PDF comprised of all the fields required to complete an assessment in the Compass tool. This PDF form is intended for your auditors to use in the field to ensure they capture all the information needed to submit an assessment in the Compass tool.

This updated Comfort Home Data Collection Form includes new fields, more room to add notes and reminders to get a signed Utility Release Form (URF) from the homeowner.

This form is not required but is encouraged to assist with data collection and entry into Compass. A completed form will allow any staff member to enter the information into the Compass tool.

You can download the new version on SharePoint in the Program Documents folder. CH – Data Collection Form – Aug. 2023

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Monthly Contractor Webinar – Aug. 28th 2023 10am
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (fourth Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.

Next one up is Monday August 28, 2023 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET.

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides individuals with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone.

Register Here.

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out to the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Data Collection Form – New Version LIVE
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home Data Collection Form (form) is an editable PDF comprised of all the fields required to complete an assessment in the Compass tool. This PDF form is intended for your auditors to use in the field to ensure they capture all the information needed to submit an assessment in the Compass tool.

This updated Comfort Home Data Collection Form includes new fields, more room to add notes and reminders to get a signed Utility Release Form (URF) from the homeowner.

This form is not required but is encouraged to assist with data collection and entry into Compass. A completed form will allow any staff member to enter the information into the Compass tool.

You can download the new version on SharePoint in the Program Documents folder. CH – Data Collection Form – Aug. 2023

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: NO July Contractor Webinar
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team will NOT be hosting a monthly contractor webinar for the month of July and will resume again in August for the August 28th webinar. A registration link for the August webinar will be distributed next month.

If you have questions reach out to the Comfort Home team at [email protected].

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Update to Blower Door Requirement
Contact: [email protected]

All Load Reduction Installs with an On-Site Installation Date AND Assessment Date of 6/15/23 or later will REQUIRE both a Blower Door Test In and Out to be completed. If the Assessment Date is before 6/15/23 and the On-Site Installation Date is on or after 6/15/23 we will only require the Blower Door Test Out to be completed.

Scenario 1: Assessment Date: before 6/15/23 |Install Date: on or after 6/15/23

• Pre Blower Door Test – optional
• Post Blower Door Test – required

Scenario 2: Assessment Date: on or after 6/15/23 |Install Date: on or after 6/15/23

• Pre Blower Door Test – required
• Post Blower Door Test – required

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: NO July Contractor Webinar
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team will NOT be hosting a monthly contractor webinar for the month of July and will resume again in August for the August 28th webinar. A registration link for the August webinar will be distributed next month.

If you have questions reach out to the Comfort Home team at [email protected].

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Update to Blower Door Requirement
Contact: [email protected]

All Load Reduction Installs with an On-Site Installation Date AND Assessment Date of 6/15/23 or later will REQUIRE both a Blower Door Test In and Out to be completed. If the Assessment Date is before 6/15/23 and the On-Site Installation Date is on or after 6/15/23 we will only require the Blower Door Test Out to be completed.

Scenario 1: Assessment Date: before 6/15/23 |Install Date: on or after 6/15/23

• Pre Blower Door Test – optional
• Post Blower Door Test – required

Scenario 2: Assessment Date: on or after 6/15/23 |Install Date: on or after 6/15/23

• Pre Blower Door Test – required
• Post Blower Door Test – required

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: NO July Contractor Webinar
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team will NOT be hosting a monthly contractor webinar for the month of July and will resume again in August for the August 28th webinar. A registration link for the August webinar will be distributed next month.

If you have questions reach out to the Comfort Home team at [email protected].

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Update to Blower Door Requirement
Contact: [email protected]

All Load Reduction Installs with an On-Site Installation Date AND Assessment Date of 6/15/23 or later will REQUIRE both a Blower Door Test In and Out to be completed. If the Assessment Date is before 6/15/23 and the On-Site Installation Date is on or after 6/15/23 we will only require the Blower Door Test Out to be completed.

Scenario 1: Assessment Date: before 6/15/23 |Install Date: on or after 6/15/23

• Pre Blower Door Test – optional
• Post Blower Door Test – required

Scenario 2: Assessment Date: on or after 6/15/23 |Install Date: on or after 6/15/23

• Pre Blower Door Test – required
• Post Blower Door Test – required

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Coordinated Incentive Update – Westchester County
Contact: [email protected]

NYSERDA is partnered with Consolidated Edison in Westchester county to make energy upgrades more affordable for homeowners. This partnership aims to increase customer demand for energy upgrades driving an increase in business for our participating contractor network. Together, Con Edison’s Residential Weatherization Program (Con Edison RWP) and NYSERDA’s Comfort Home Program will pilot deeper retrofit projects through expanded homeowner incentives.

Recently Con Edison Residential Weatherization Program put out an announcement that their program has increased incentives for their program in all Con Edison territory. This will not change the current incentives offered by NYSERDA in Westchester county. If a home does not meet the Con Edison Eligibility criteria (flow chart below) NYSERDA will continue to pay a $1,000 incentive in addition to standard Comfort Home package incentives.

An updated Fact Sheet on the coordinated incentives can be found on SharePoint in the Program Documents folder under the Con Edison RWP Coordinated Program sub folder.

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: NEW Market Rate Utility Release Form
Contact: [email protected]

New Version of Comfort Home Utility Release Form (URF) Released! The Comfort Home URF has been updated and all assessments submitted on or after 7/10/23 will be required to submit using the new URF found on SharePoint in the Program Documents folder. Download the newest version (revision date of 5/30/23 in the lower left corner of page 2) and start implementing as soon as possible.

This new URF can be used in both market rate NYSERDA programs, Residential Energy Audits (REA) and Comfort Home.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Monthly Contractor Webinar – June 2023
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (4th Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and provide an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.

Next one up is Monday June 26th 2023 10:00am – 11:00am. ET.

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone.

Register Here: https://nyserdany.webex.com/weblink/register/r9ed592bc9800cd6c755ea8d8de313a2f

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Blower Door Tests Required Again starting 6/15/23
Contact: [email protected]

At the time of installation, a blower door test (in and out) will be required on all installations with an On-Site Installation Date of June 15, 2023 or later.

A blower door measurement is not required at time of the assessment. For purposes of the assessment, the contractor may report approximate level of air leakage for the home.

The contractor is required to measure pre‐work blower door leakage rate (CFM50) when the crew is on‐site to complete air sealing and insulation work. A post‐work blower door measurement is also required and should be submitted on the Load Reduction Install in the applicable fields for all projects with an On-Site Installation Date of June 15, 2023 or later.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Comfort Home Fact Sheets have been distributed to your company via mail
Contact: [email protected]

As previously announced, to help cut down on print costs and provide more in-person resources for your company NYSERDA has printed copies of the Comfort Home Customer Facing Fact Sheet. We are happy to announce these were mailed out to all participating contractors on 6/2/23 so keep a look out for them in the mail. Once received, hit the ground running and use internally as a reminder on the program and/or distribute to auditors to give the homeowner as a leave behind. By doing so can help build homeowners trust with you as an experienced contractor by highlighting that you are knowledgeable/participating in a program that can benefit them.

If you do not receive any fact sheets over the next two weeks or have any questions, comments or concerns reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Coordinated Incentive Update – Westchester County
Contact: [email protected]

NYSERDA is partnered with Consolidated Edison in Westchester county to make energy upgrades more affordable for homeowners. This partnership aims to increase customer demand for energy upgrades driving an increase in business for our participating contractor network. Together, Con Edison’s Residential Weatherization Program (Con Edison RWP) and NYSERDA’s Comfort Home Program will pilot deeper retrofit projects through expanded homeowner incentives.

Recently Con Edison Residential Weatherization Program put out an announcement that their program has increased incentives for their program in all Con Edison territory. This will not change the current incentives offered by NYSERDA in Westchester county. If a home does not meet the Con Edison Eligibility criteria (flow chart below) NYSERDA will continue to pay a $1,000 incentive in addition to standard Comfort Home package incentives.

To: Participating Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Market Rate Utility Release Form
Contact: [email protected]

New Version of Comfort Home URF Released! The Comfort Home URF has been updated and all Assessments submitted on or after 7/10/23 will be required to submit using the new URF found on SharePoint in the Program Documents folder. Download the newest version (revision date of 5/30/23 in the lower left corner of page 2) and start implementing as soon as possible.

This new URF can be used in both market rate NYSERDA programs, Residential Energy Audits (REA) and Comfort Home.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Monthly Contractor Webinar – June 2023
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (4th Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and provide an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.

Next one up is Monday June 26th 2023 10:00am – 11:00am. ET.

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone.

Register Here: https://nyserdany.webex.com/weblink/register/r9ed592bc9800cd6c755ea8d8de313a2f

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Blower Door Tests Required Again starting 6/15/23
Contact: [email protected]

At the time of installation, a blower door test (in and out) will be required on all installations with an On-Site Installation Date of June 15, 2023 or later.

A blower door measurement is not required at time of the assessment. For purposes of the assessment, the contractor may report approximate level of air leakage for the home.

The contractor is required to measure pre‐work blower door leakage rate (CFM50) when the crew is on‐site to complete air sealing and insulation work. A post‐work blower door measurement is also required and should be submitted on the Load Reduction Install in the applicable fields for all projects with an On-Site Installation Date of June 15, 2023 or later.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Comfort Home Fact Sheets have been distributed to your company via mail
Contact: [email protected]

As previously announced, to help cut down on print costs and provide more in person resources for your company NYSERDA has printed copies of the Comfort Home Customer Facing Fact Sheet. We are happy to announce these were mailed out to all participating contractors on 6/2/23 so keep a look out for them in the mail. Once received hit the ground running and use internally as a reminder on the program and/or distribute to auditors to give the homeowner as a leave behind. By doing so can help build homeowners trust with you as an experienced contractor by highlighting that you are knowledgeable/participating in a program that can benefit them.

If you do not receive any fact sheets over the next two weeks or have any questions, comments or concerns reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Monthly Contractor Webinar – June 2023
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (4th Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and provide an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.

Next one up is Monday June 26th 2023 10:00am – 11:00am.

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone.

Register Here: https://nyserdany.webex.com/weblink/register/r9ed592bc9800cd6c755ea8d8de313a2f

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Adding Windows to EmPower / Assisted Home Performance Homes
Contact: [email protected]

Income-eligible homeowners that have participated in EmPower or AHP within the past three years are now eligible to participate in Comfort Home as well to complete window upgrades under Package C for a $1,500 incentive. To be eligible:

• The home must meet Package A and B(option 1) program requirements after going through EmPower or AHP
• Package B option 2 (basement walls) is the only Package A/B measure that can be proposed in conjunction with Windows for this incentive
• An assessment must be completed and show the home’s conditions after the work was completed in EmPower or AHP
• The EmPower/AHP Completion Report must be submitted in the Document Management Section of the Comfort Home assessment in Compass
• The home must meet all other Comfrot Home eligibility criteria (home type, electric provider, etc.)
• The proposed window work scope must meet the Comfort Home Package C requirements (80%, etc)

While the references above are to EmPower and AHP, this offer will remain in effect once EmPower+ becomes the income-eligible program in July 2023.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Total Incentive must be less than or equal to the installation cost
Contact: [email protected]

Package incentives cannot exceed the Package installation cost. If the work proposed for a Package will cost less than the Package incentives, the incentive will be reduced to match the Package cost. For these types of projects only deduct the Package cost from the contract and not the standard Package incentive.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Blower Door Tests Required Again starting 6/15/23
Contact: [email protected]

Blower Door Test In and Out at time of Installation will be required on all installations with an On-Site Installation Date of 6/15/23 or later.

Blower door measurement is not required at time of the assessment. For purposes of the assessment, the contractor may report approximate level of air leakage for the home.

The contractor is required to measure pre‐work blower door leakage rate (CFM50) when crew is on‐site to complete air sealing and insulation work. A post‐work blower door measurement is also required and should be submitted on the Load Reduction Install in the applicable fields for all project with an On-Site Installation Date of 6/15/23 or later.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Compass Training Series – May 2023
Contact: [email protected]

For the first three Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. ET for the month of May the Comfort Home team will be hosting a training series about Compass. Each week we will cover a new stage of the project life cycle. The first in the series will cover basics, navigation, terminology of Compass and how to submit an assessment start to finish. The second training will cover how to submit a load reduction install and the final one will cover how to submit a HVAC install.

Week 3: How to Submit a HVAC Install

Tuesday, May 16 at 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. (1 hour)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted a HVAC Install in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Monthly Contractor Webinar – May 2023
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (4th Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and provide an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.

Next one up is Monday May 22 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET where the Comfort Home team will cover:

• Training on Selling Strategies for Load Reduction Projects
• Top 5 QA Failures and How to Avoid Them
• Program Updates
• Monthly Metrics

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone.

Comfort Home Monthly Webinar

May 22 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET

Register Now

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at: Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Compass Training Series – May 2023
Contact: [email protected]

For the first three Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. ET for the month of May the Comfort Home team will be hosting a training series about Compass. Each week we will cover a new stage of the project life cycle. The first in the series will cover basics, navigation, terminology of Compass and how to submit an assessment start to finish. The second training will cover how to submit a load reduction install and the final one will cover how to submit a HVAC install.

Week 1: Compass Basics + How to Submit an Assessment

Tuesday, May 2 at 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET (2 hours)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted an assessment in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

Week 2: How to Submit Load Reduction Install

Tuesday, May 9 at 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. ET (1 hour)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted a Load Reduction Install in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

Week 3: How to Submit a HVAC Install

Tuesday, May 16 at 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. (1 hour)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted a HVAC Install in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Leads Will be Distributed in Round Robin Style Now
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team is happy to announce that Comfort Home leads generated from the homeowner survey will now be distributed via a round robin process. In the past the lead distribution was to all contractors that serve that county. As the program has grown, we heard your concerns about too many contractors getting the same lead and frustration from homeowners getting too many calls.

The leads will now come from the Comfort Home mailbox ([email protected]) with the subject line Comfort Home Lead – XXXXX County. They will be sent to 2 contractors in the county the lead is in and then we will move down the list as new leads come in.

If you have any questions or would like to update the contact information leads are being sent to reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Compass Reminders
Contact: [email protected]

Below are common errors we are seeing with Compass submissions and want to provide reminders on importance and how to correct these issues.

• Arbitrary homeowner phone numbers and emails are being entered in Compass. To ensure that our QA team can reach out to homeowners to complete inspections we need these fields to be completed and accurate every time. If the homeowner doesn’t have an email address enter [email protected] to meet the fields requirements and if they do not have a phone number enter all zeros (000-000-0000).
• Contract Signature Date on Load Reduction and HVAC Installs are left blank. This field is new to Compass as of a couple months. If you are submitting a Load Reduction or HVAC Install enter the date the homeowner signed the contract into the field on the basic data section.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Help Tax Credit Fact Sheets/Website
Contact: [email protected]

NYSERDA has launched a very helpful website about the IRA Tax Credits and NYS Incentives available to homeowners.

Inflation Reduction Act – NYSERDA

The website includes Federal IRA Tax Credits and NYS Incentives/Tax Credits information for:

• Home Clean Electricity Products
• Heating, Cooling, and Water Heating
• Other Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Utilize this website to educate yourself and share with homeowners receiving services with the applicable measures eligible for tax credits.

For those that are Heat Pump contractors the Clean Heat Connect group has also developed the following fact sheet to provide quick and clear details on the heat pump tax credits and how to max out your customers incentives!

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Comfort Home Fact Sheet Prints will be Distributed to all Contractors via Mail
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team will be sending out print copies of our Comfort Home Customer Facing Fact Sheet to all participating contractors. We hope this will cut down on your company’s print costs and encourage you all to travel with the fact sheets to distribute to homeowners that are eligible for Comfort Home!

Fact Sheets will be sent to the address we have on file and that is the one listed on our website. If your address has changed reach out to the [email protected] mailbox with an updated address. We hope to have these sent out in the next 2 months and will provide updates on when they will be mailed.

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Monthly Contractor Webinar – April 2023
Contact: [email protected]

The Comfort Home team hosts a regularly occurring monthly (fourth Monday of every month) contractor webinar where the program team will provide program updates, helpful resources, contractor production metrics and provide an opportunity for contractors to ask any open questions.

Next one up is Monday, April 24, 2023 at 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET

All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone. To register, click the link below:

Register Here

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

To: Comfort Home Contractors
Regarding Programs: Comfort Home Pilot Program
Summary: Compass Training Series – May 2023
Contact: [email protected]

For the first three Tuesdays at 9:00 a.m. ET for the month of May the Comfort Home team will be hosting a training series about Compass. Each week we will cover a new stage of the project life cycle. The first in the series will cover basics, navigation, terminology of Compass and how to submit an assessment start to finish. The second training will cover how to submit a load reduction install and the final one will cover how to submit a HVAC install.

Week 1: Compass Basics + How to Submit an Assessment

Tuesday, May 2 at 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. ET (2 hours)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted an assessment in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

Week 2: How to Submit Load Reduction Install

Tuesday, May 9 at 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. ET (1 hour)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted a Load Reduction Install in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

Week 3: How to Submit a HVAC Install

Tuesday, May 16 at 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. (1 hour)

Register Here

This training is meant for contractors that have not yet submitted a HVAC Install in Compass, those who would like a refresher or new staff that will be working on Comfort Home projects.

All webinars and trainings are recorded and copies of the recordings and slides are available on the Comfort Home SharePoint site under the Webinars and Presentation folder.

If you have any questions reach out the Comfort Home team at:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 1-888-406-4009

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To: Contractors offering NYSERDA Green Jobs – Green New York (GJGNY) Residential Loans
Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^®,GJGNY Residential Financing Program; NY-Sun; NYS Clean Heat; Comfort Home; Residential Energy Audit Program
Summary: ProForma Launch
Contact: [email protected]

NYSERDA is excited to announce the rollout of our new web-based ProForma, to support the Green Jobs – Green New York (GJGNY) Residential Financing Program. The new platform, called Web ProForma, will replace the current Excel ProFormas.

The Web ProForma will be launching August 22, 2022. Applications submitted to Slipstream/EFS starting on August 22, 2022 will need to include the Web ProForma. No Excel version ProFormas will be accepted after the launch of the Web ProForma.

Web Proforma Benefits:

• 24/7 online access
• One ProForma for all project types (energy efficiency, solar, heat pumps)
• Database to save all ProFormas by Contractor
• Versioning control

What is new?

• Web-based application that provides error checking on fields and calculations within the ProForma
• ProForma can be saved as a draft, and then “finalized”, which generates a PDF file for sending to EFS

What is staying the same? 

• Audit process is still the same; must be attached to a ProForma
• Finalized ProForma must be sent to Slipstream/EFS as it is today

A step-by-step user guide for the Web ProForma will be posted our Resources for Participating Contractors page upon the Web ProForma launch. NYSERDA will be hosting training sessions on the new platform to provide contractors with an in-depth walk through of the process. Information relating to these training sessions will be sent out in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions about these changes, please reach out to [email protected], or contact Heather Clark, 518-862-1090 Ext. 3253.

Thank you for your continued support and cooperation in making GJGNY Residential Financing Program a success.

Respectfully,
The Residential Financing Team