EmPower+ – Archive

Programs: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Regional Clean Energy Hubs
Summary: Updated Income Limits for EmPower+
Questions: If there are any questions, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA.

The income limits for EmPower+ have been updated and were effective as of October 17, 2024. These income limits reflect the updated 2024-2025 State Median Income numbers provided by HEAP and 2024 Area Median Income numbers provided by The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The updated guidelines can be found in Section 3.4 of the Program Manual.

The NYSERDA webpages are in the process of being updated and should be ready in a few weeks. Until then, please reference the guidelines from the Program Manual.

If you have any questions about these changes, please contact 866-NYSERDA.

rogram/s: Appliance Upgrade Program and EmPower+ Program
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: MyEnergy for the Appliance Upgrade Program (AUP) is officially operational and available for use. MyEnergy functionality for EmPower+ will go-live November 21, 2024.

What MyEnergy Means for Residential Customers 

NYSERDA is excited to announce that MyEnergy Portal is now live, the direct URL is plan.MyEnergy.ny.gov. New York State Customers can now utilize the MyEnergy Portal to apply and receive rebates for the new Appliance Upgrade Program (AUP), connect with Participating Contractors, Participating Retailers (AUP only), and Regional Clean Energy Hubs.

Effective today, all AUP applications can now be started and submitted through MyEnergy. Through the AUP, Customers can receive rebates for the installation of an ENERGY STAR® certified heat pump clothes dryer (including all-in-one washer-dryers with a heat pump dryer) and electrical wiring and panel upgrades that may be needed as part of the appliance installation.

What MyEnergy Means for You

As a Participating EmPower+ Contractor, beginning November 21, 2024, you will be able to submit applications on behalf of Customers in the MyEnergy Portal as well as documentation for completed projects. All existing and new EmPower+ applications will continue to use the current system until the migration to MyEnergy is complete on November 21, 2024.

If you enroll as a Participating Contractor with AUP, you can submit applications on behalf of Customers, provide rebates through the Installation Coupon, and Installations for Program Measures, which are the following:

• Appliance Installations (including the disconnection/capping of a gas line and existing exhaust vent)
• Electrical Wiring Upgrades
• Electrical Panel Upgrades

Installation incentives are available for these Program Measures, which follow the below structure:

• $200 per dwelling unit for a substantial installation located within a disadvantaged community (DAC); plus
• $150 per dwelling unit for the installation of one measure; OR
• $300 per dwelling unit for the installation of two or more measures.

Participating Contractors are eligible to receive a maximum total of $500/dwelling unit for the Program Measure Installations.

How to Become an AUP Participating Contractor

As an existing Participating EmPower+ Contractor, NYSERDA has a simplified path for becoming a Participating Contractor in the AUP; interested contractors may visit the open enrollment solicitation, Program Opportunity Notice (PON 5859) to apply and learn more. The general steps are outlined below.

The AUP Team is seeking for following trades for enrollment:

• Appliance Installers (i.e., installers who can perform plug and play appliance installations)
• Plumbers
• Electricians

All interested contractors must submit a signed Contractor Application, which includes:

1. Signed Contractor Participation Agreement
2. Company W-9
3. Certificate of Insurance (COI)
4. Trade-specific requirements outlined in the Program Manual, Section 6.2

Upon application submission, interested contractors can expect to hear from the AUP Team within 7-10 business days with next steps.

Once the application has been approved, contractors will participate in training to be onboarded as a Participating Contractor and learn about the necessary tasks to perform in the MyEnergy Portal.

After this training, Participating Contractors will be able to submit applications on behalf of Customers and upload project documentation to receive Installation Coupon reimbursement and Participating Contractor Installation incentives.

For EmPower+ Applications

All existing and new EmPower+ applications will continue to use the current system until the migration to MyEnergy is complete on November 21, 2024.  Until then, the EmPower+ application page from MyEnergy will redirect you to the current EmPower+ application page.

Support Resources

The following resources are available to assist you with utilizing MyEnergy:

• Knowledge Base Articles and Training Recordings: MyEnergy portal user guides are now active for the Appliance Upgrade Program. These provide step-by-step instructions, best practices, and troubleshooting tips via the NYSERDA Knowledge Base. Supporting materials for the EmPower+ Program will be available on November 21, 2024.
• Training Sessions:We will offer the following training sessions to familiarize you with the new processes for the EmPower+ Program:
  • Training Session 3: Wednesday, November 6 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. ET (Register Here)
  • Training Session 4: Thursday, November 7 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET (Register Here)
  • Training Session 5: Tuesday, November 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET (Register Here)
  • Training Session 6: Thursday, November 14 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET (Register Here)
• Additional Support: If you have additional questions about NYSERDA programs, your application, or need assistance with the MyEnergy portal please submit the request support form on MyEnergy. A NYSERDA representative will be sent an email on your behalf.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. We are confident that MyEnergy will transform the way New Yorkers engage with clean energy programs, making it easier than ever to access the latest technologies and incentives.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary:  Appliance Project Reminders
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

For EmPower+ projects where an appliance replacement is recommended, contractors should be measuring the open space where the appliance will be located and not just providing the measurements of the existing appliance.

Also, it is important for the contractor to capture customer email- address, if one is available, and ensure both a primary phone number and secondary phone number for all customers are entered in the portal.  These alternative forms of contact are important for Appliance Vendors to ensure the customer will be available for the appliance delivery. If you have any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+ 
To: Participating Contractors, Hubs 
Summary:  MyEnergy Portal Training Sessions 
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support with any registration questions.

 
Four training sessions will be conducted by NYSERDA in late October and early November for Participating Contractors and Regional Clean Energy Hubs on MyEnergy Portal.

This training will equip participants to effectively navigate and utilize MyEnergy, a portal designed to enhance residential customer engagement with home and building energy efficiency and clean energy improvements. The initial rollout of MyEnergy will support New York households by enabling residents to qualify for home energy improvement incentives, apply for incentive programs, including EmPower+ and the new Appliance Upgrade Program, and connect with Installation Contractors, Participating Retailers, and Regional Clean Energy Hubs.

Register for 1 of the following 4 training sessions:

• Training Session 1: Monday, October 21 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. ET Register here
• Training Session 2: Tuesday, October 22 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET Register here
• Training Session 3: Wednesday, November 6 from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. ET Register here
• Training Session 4: Thursday, November 7 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET Register here

Office Hours will be announced in the coming weeks.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069. 

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: MyEnergy platform will go-live on October 25, 2024
Contact with Questions: Please contact [email protected]

We are excited to introduce you to MyEnergy, a platform designed to enhance residential customer engagement with home and building clean energy improvements. The initial rollout of MyEnergy will support New York households by enabling residents to find clean energy home improvement incentives and connect with a participating contractor. Over the coming year, we will be enhancing MyEnergy with new features and resources to better connect residents and contractors to a broader range of clean energy programs.   

With a MyEnergy account, residents can initially

• Submit an EmPower+ and/or Appliance Upgrade Program application
• Search for a participating contractor or retailer
• Find a Clean Energy Regional Hub
• View NYSERDA residential rebate and incentive options
• Get help with the EmPower+ and/or Appliance Upgrade Program application process

Effective October 25, 2024, participating contractors can begin using MyEnergy to complete the following actions:

• Submit an EmPower+ and Appliance Upgrade Program application on behalf of a resident 
• Access submitted EmPower+ and Appliance Upgrade Program applications and projects to provide status updates
• Determine a resident’s eligibility for EmPower+ and Appliance Upgrade Program
• Submit Appliance Upgrade Program sales documentation
• Get support by submitting questions regarding NYSERDA programs, applications, or support with the MyEnergy portal

Upcoming Training Opportunities: Training opportunities will be offered in October to ensure you can make the most of the MyEnergy platform. Stay tuned for upcoming communications with details on how to register.

Important Considerations:

• Comfort Home Applications: Applications for the Comfort Home Program will be available on MyEnergy in 2025. In the meantime, residents eligible for the Comfort Home program will be guided to NYSERDA’s Find a Contractor page. From there, they can connect with a certified contractor who will assist in conducting an assessment and identifying potential energy-saving projects.
• Multifamily Residential Program: Applications for the Multifamily Residential Program will be available on MyEnergy in 2025. A separate communication will be distributed for this effort.

MyEnergy Recorded Demonstration:

During our Contractor Check-In on September 9, 2024, we conducted a demonstration of MyEnergy where we highlighted the numerous benefits of the platform. The session covered essential topics such as navigating the interface, submitting applications, and more! To watch the demonstration, please follow this link: https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/webinars.

We look forward to your active participation in the upcoming training sessions. Together, we can ensure a smooth transition and continue to provide exceptional service to New York residents.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Project Photo Requirements Update
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Effective for EmPower+ final project submissions on or after October 1, 2024, project photos will need to be time-stamped, geo-tagged and aggregated into a single document for submission to the program. A single PDF document for each project is required to be submitted and can be made using a commercial product such as CompanyCam or the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory  Quality Install Tool | PNNL. Alternately, a contractor can create a visible geo-tag for each photo individually and aggregate the photos into a single PDF.

EmPower+ project submission photo requirements were covered as part of the Single-Family Residential Program webinars on September 6, 2024, and October 4, 2024. Recordings of the webinars are located here. As a correction note, on the October 4^, 2024, webinar, it was indicated that for heat pump projects, a geo-tagged photo of the existing plenum was required at project submission, this was an error, Program does not require photos of the existing plenum to be geo-tagged. The posted slide deck and any program materials will be updated to reflect this.

Section 8.2 of the Program Manual has been created to provide information on photo requirements for energy assessments and project submissions.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors, Hubs
Summary:  IRA and EmPower+ Funding Flow Charts
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

NYSERDA has produced new flow charts to help Contractors and Regional Clean Energy Hubs identify the IRA and EmPower+ funding a customer could be eligible for as well as helping guide the process for determining what measures a house may be available for installation.

These guides are meant for use by the contractors and Hubs in educating their personnel and are not for public distribution or use in promotional materials. They can be found in Section 8 of the Program Manual on the contractor support site. These flow charts were discussed on the September 6th contractor check in webinar, a copy of the recording can be found here.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors, Clean Energy Hubs
Summary: EmPower+ Program Heat Pump Rules Changes and Updated Test Out Form
Questions: Please Contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069

Additional Incentive ending November 1, 2024

On November 1, 2024, the $5,000 additional heat pump incentive will no longer be available. Projects must be submitted to the workflow submission step in NYHEP by October 31, 2024, to be eligible for this incentive. Projects submitted after October 31^st will still be eligible for EmPower+ and additional IRA HEAR funding.

Change to the Acknowledgement Form Heat Pump Installation

NYSERDA has made edits to the Acknowledgement Form Heat Pump Installation, found in Section 8 of the Program Manual,  to clarify what utility incentives are not available for EmPower+ projects. Contractors should use this version of the form moving forward.

Heat Pump Commissioning Checklist

If a manufacturer’s commissioning checklist is not available for the equipment being installed, a contractor may use the NYS Clean Heat ASHP Commissioning Checklist when submitting documents to final project submission.

Updated Test Out Form

Updates to the test-out form are now live in NYHEP, which include IRA incentive estimates and utility bill savings estimates

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+ Contractors
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: Launching of Quality Home Contractor
Contact with Questions:  Amy Kasson-Muzio at [email protected]

Dear Stakeholders,

NYSERDA is in the process of establishing a Quality Home Contractor (QHC) designation aimed at highlighting exemplary performance among Single Family Residential EmPower+ participating contractors.

The Quality Home Contractor designation will help New Yorkers during the contractor search and selection process, by identifying EmPower+ contractors who consistently achieve high standards of quality. The designation will help lessen the search and selection burden on customers and lend confidence that the job will be well-done when a QHC is chosen. The designation will also help contractors to differentiate themselves by the quality of their work.

Eligibility criteria for determining which contractors will receive NYSERDA’s QHC designation are:

• Must be an active full status EmPower+ contractor,
• Must complete at least 12 full comprehensive projects within the past calendar year (2024 for the initial designation), and
• Must have at least a 4.0 (no rounding up) average in-field inspection QA score for the past calendar year.
• Must not have been on any disciplinary action, either probation or suspension, within the past calendar year. 

The designation will be valid for one calendar year and will be re-evaluated annually using the same criteria. 

Contractors that meet the eligibility criteria will be identified on NYSERDA platforms (e.g., website) and listed as a NYSERDA Quality Home Contractor. These contractors will also be provided with a NYSERDA Quality Home Contractorlabel/logo to use in their own marketing and customer communications as a third-party differentiator and validation of their work quality.

With the addition of the QHC designation, we do not anticipate any other changes to the Quality Assurance inspection guidelines within the overarching Quality Assurance program for EmPower+. 

Sincerely,

The Quality and Market Standards Team  

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Heat Pump Project Requirement Changes
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Section 5.10 of the EmPower+ Program Manual has been updated to provide additional clarification on the project requirements for heat pump projects. Participating Contractors installing heat pumps should review the updated guidance in its entirety. A summary of the significant changes is provided below.

• Manual D is only required if substantial (50%) new duct work is installed 
• Drawings of the house should be accurate enough for verifying the Manual J but, exact window locations don’t need to be shown- only sq/ft and type per side. Room by Room or block drawings are acceptable. Location of heat pumps are required at final project submission.   
• The proposed heat pump system may include use of a supplemental heating source to reach 100% of the building heating load. Supplemental heat sources may be designed to provide up to 20% of peak heating load up to 5kw or equivalent supplemental. 
• Customer attestations will be allowed when delivered fuel bills are not available. 
• Photos requiring the location of the heat pumps are not required until final project submission.  

CLEAResult is now reviewing to these standards. They will be reaching out to contractors who have had projects returned more than once to assist with project submittal.  They are also working up a list of common roadblocks that they are seeing and will distribute to contractors.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Building Airflow Standard Calculator
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

In response to a recent suggestion from a program contractor, for EmPower+ Contractors using the Comfort Home Building Airflow Standard Calculator, an ACH50 calculation has been added to the tool.  The inputs remain the same as the prior version; however, the calculated values now include the number of air changes per hour at 50 pascals.  We hope that you find this addition helpful. A copy of the tool can be found on the contractor support site, in Section 8 of the Program Manual.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors, Hubs
Summary: EmPower+ Application Update
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

The EmPower+ Application has been updated to include additional language in the attestation for sharing customer information with the Department of Public Service. The online application and English version of the application have already been updated and can be found at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/EmPower-New-York-Program/EmPower-Application. The translated versions of the application are in the process of being updated and will be posted once complete. The updated version of the application can be used immediately, and Program is requesting contractors and Hubs to transition to the updated application no later than August 28.

The added language can be found below.

“Customer agrees and authorizes their utility’s sharing of the participant-customer’s information and/or project-level information with New York State Department of Public Service Staff and NYSERDA, including its agents or authorized representatives, consistent with NYSERDA’s New York State Public Service Commission and statutorily authorized responsibilities, including, but not limited to supporting market development initiatives, and other evaluation and measurement activities. (For clarity, the term project level includes the information based on the scope of the project, including, but not limited to, aggregated and anonymized whole building, building or subsets of the project.)”

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: EmPower+ Project Contract Requirement- Update
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Effective August 1, 2024, Participating Contractors must generate a project contract for all EmPower+ projects, even if the Program is paying for 100% of the project cost. Contracts must be drafted in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Residential Contractor Participation Agreement in Section 2.4 of the Program Manual. For new work scope submissions, where EmPower+ funding is covering the entire cost of the project, contracts with the customer must contain the following statement: “The contract price is being paid by NYSERDA through the EmPower+ program, for and on behalf of the customer.” A copy of the contract must be included as part of the final project submission paperwork. Section 8.1 of the Program Manual has been added to provide an overview of the project paperwork required for each project type.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Switching OTDA 2024 Projects with ASHP/GSHP to IRA
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

If an OTDA eligible project meets ALL the following requirements, a contractor can request the NYHEP enrollment to be switched to an IRA funded project.

• Enrollment Incentives exceed $20,000
• Includes an ASHP/GSHP
• Note requesting $5,000 expended Value Engineered Incentive

Review the current enrollment for IRA eligibility prior to completing work in NYHEP and BEFORE submitting for approval at Workscope Submission*. Follow the path based on IRA eligibility (A or B).

A.Customer Address Eligible for IRA field is Yes

1. Contractor: For each enrollment submit as support ticket and include

• Enrollment ID
• Reason for change “OTDA project exceeding cap, requesting change to IRA”

2. CLEAResult will review request and update NYHEP as needed

• If necessary, roll back to Workscope Submission

3. Contractor: Review enrollment

• Ensure IRA incentives are enabled
• Rework project cost allocation
• Indicate in notes that project is seeking the Value Engineered Incentives
• Add any required documentation per Section 5.10 of the Program Manual
• Resubmit for approval

B. Customer Address Eligible for IRA field is No or is blank or does not exist

1. Contractor: For each enrollment submit as support ticket and include

• Enrollment ID
• Reason for change “OTDA project exceeding cap, requesting change to IRA”

2. CLEAResult will review request and initiate an IRA application confirmation with TRC

• If IRA application confirmed, update NYHEP and roll enrollment back to Workscope Submission
• If a New enrollment was needed, assign to contractor and close previous enrollment

3. Contractor: Review enrollment or complete new one

• Ensure IRA incentives are enabled
• Rework project cost allocation
• Indicate in notes that project is seeking the Value Engineered Incentives
• Add any required documentation per Section 5.10 of the Program Manual
• Resubmit for approval

*If the enrollment is currently in Workscope Review and the OTDA project exceeds $20,000, CLEAResult will automatically send the project back and include the instructions.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Heat Pump Update to Required Documents
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

In Section 5.10 of the Program Manual, the following change is effective immediately. Under Air Source/Ground Source Project Documentation-Pre-Installation Requirements, the requirement for item 2. has been changed to the following:

     2. Manual S or equivalent sizing software such as NEEP sizing or the manufacturer sizing software for the equipment being installed that shows the % of load covered by the unit and % covered by supplemental heater if applicable.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Heat Pump Additional Incentive Requirement Change
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

For heat pump projects where the Participating Contractor is looking for the additional incentive, there has been an update to the requirements for existing ducted systems.

In Section 5.10 of the Program Manual under Additional Incentive Project Requirements, the existing language for: 2. Static pressure test for existing ductwork as per ANSIRESNETACCA_310-2020_v7.1.pdf. is being replaced with the following: 2. For existing ducted systems, accurate measurements of the supply/return and any runoffs from those plenums is required. Along with the measurements, we will need proof that the new system will work effectively with the existing ductwork by providing us with ductolator or equivalent measurements based off the CFM of the proposed unit and the size of the existing ductwork. For test out, we will require static pressure testing of the system with the new unit in place.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: EmPower+ Project Contract Requirement
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Effective August 1, 2024, Participating Contractors must generate a project contract for all EmPower+ projects, even if the Program is paying for 100% of the project cost. Contracts must be drafted in accordance with the requirements set forth in the Residential Contractor Participation Agreement in Section 2.3 of the Program Manual.  A copy of the contract must be included as part of the final project submission paperwork. Program will be reviewing this in more detail on the July 12 contractor check-in webinar. Section 8.1 will be added to the Program Manual and will provide an overview of the project paperwork required for each project type.

If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: OTDA/IRA Assignment
Questions: If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

Enrollments are being created in the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) from NYSERDA Portal applications with “Yes” selected for both Customer Address Eligible for IRA and Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) eligible. This designation is being automatically assigned by the NYSERDA Portal. Until this is resolved, Enrollments with these designations will be considered to be OTDA projects with a maximum incentive amount of $20,000.

OTDA projects are determined based on the information provided during the application process and projects cannot be switched from OTDA to IRA HEAR funding. At the work scope review stage, these projects will include the following note to the contractor:

“This is an OTDA enrollment with a Maximum Incentive of $20,000. OTDA projects are determined based on the information provided during the application process. Projects cannot be switched from OTDA to IRA.”  

NYSERDA is internally tracking OTDA spending and once it is determined that sufficient enrollments are in process to fully commit the budget, future enrollments will stop getting assigned as OTDA.

If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: EmPower+ Program Manual Updates
Questions: For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

EmPower+ Program Manual Updates

Along with the launch of the IRA Hear incentives comes an important policy change with heat pumps. Effective June 24, 2024, and in alignment with New York’s priority to ensure energy affordability for low-income households, homes that heat with delivered fuels and electric resistance heating will be prioritized for funding in the initial rollout of IRA HEAR Rebates as they present the most advantageous economic case for conversion to heat pumps. As a result, IRA HEAR heat pump incentives will not initially be available for homes with natural gas as the primary existing heating fuel. NYSERDA will continue to assess this policy and provide updates as indicated by evolving market conditions.

The program team reviewed the updated heat pump rules along with the heat pump submission process during the June 21 Single Family Residential Program webinar. A recording of the webinar and Q&A document will be posted here once available. These changes have been captured as part of Section 5.10 of the Program Manual.

If there are any questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069 or submit a case to [email protected].

Programs: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Regional Clean Energy Hubs
Summary: Updated Income Limits for EmPower+
Questions: If there are any questions, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA.

The income limits for EmPower+ have been updated and were effective as of May 13, 2024. This round of updates only impacts the Area Median Income numbers used to determine eligibility for the EmPower+ moderate income incentive. The next round of revisions will take place in the Fall, when the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) income guidelines are updated.

These income limits are based on 2023-2024 State Median Income numbers provided by HEAP and 2024 Area Median Income numbers provided by The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The updated guidelines can be found in Section 3.4 of the Program Manual and on the EmPower+ webpage.

All websites and program materials have been updated to reflect these changes.  If you have any questions about these changes, please contact 866-NYSERDA.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Guidance Update
Contact with Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

NYSERDA is continuing to work on updating the submission process and guidance for work scopes with heat pumps. We will provide an overview of these updates as part of the 6/21 Single Family Residential Program webinar (rescheduled from 6/14) and therefore request that contractors continue to pause on submitting heat pump work scopes until 6/24 (regardless of project funding type). To register for the webinar, please click here.   If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Inflation Reduction Act HEAR Funding for EmPower+
Questions: If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069. 

NYSERDA is pleased to announce the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offering for the EmPower+ program through the IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program will be available beginning June 3, 2024. Please read through this announcement for information on reviewing past webinars and trainings, upcoming webinars and office hours, and changes to the Program Manual.

On May 3, 2024, NYSERDA provided an overview of the IRA HEAR Program offering for the EmPower+ program. If you missed the webinar, you can access it, along with a question and answer document, here.  

The webinar covered the following topics: 

• General IRA overview/estimated funding 
• Eligibility updates 
• Program process changes  
• Cost effectiveness criteria 

CLEAResult provided IRA HEAR contractor training on May 22nd and May 28th. If you missed these trainings, the May 28th training has been posted to the Webinars section on the Contractor Support site: https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/webinars/. The specific links are: Video and PDF

Upcoming Training and Webinars

Be sure to register for the June 21st Contractor Webinar, where Program will be available to answer additional IRA-related questions. To register, click here.

CLEAResult will host office hours in late May and throughout June to address additional IRA/Program questions. Be sure to attend one of the below sessions if you are interested.

Participating Contractors and Other Interested Parties

Office Hours #4:  Tue, June 18, 3-4pm

Office Hours #5: Tue, June 25, 9-10am

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: OTDA/IRA Assignment
Questions: If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069. 

Enrollments are being created in the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) from NYSERDA Portal applications with “Yes” selected for both Customer Address Eligible for IRA and Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) eligible. This designation is being automatically assigned by the NYSERDA Portal. Until this is resolved, Enrollments with these designations will be considered to be OTDA projects with a maximum incentive amount of $20,000.

OTDA projects are determined based on the information provided during the application process and projects cannot be switched from OTDA to IRA HEAR funding. At the work scope review stage, these projects will include the following note to the contractor:

“This is an OTDA enrollment with a Maximum Incentive of $20,000. OTDA projects are determined based on the information provided during the application process. Projects cannot be switched from OTDA to IRA.”  

NYSERDA is internally tracking OTDA spending and once it is determined that sufficient enrollments are in process to fully commit the budget, future enrollments will stop getting assigned as OTDA.

If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Participation Agreement Changes
Questions: If there are any questions or you would like to change your participation status send an email to [email protected]

The following changes have been made to the Residential Contractor Participation Agreement and are applicable to all current participating contractors. These changes became effective June 3, 2024.   The Participation Agreement can be reviewed in full in Section 2 of the Program Manual. For existing contractors, no action is required on your part to continue your participation.

Should you no longer wish to participate in the Program, or if you have any objection to continuing participation in the Program under these terms and conditions, please provide notice to NYSERDA by emailing [email protected] no later than June 21, 2024.

3.9 Customer Issues and Dispute Resolution

NYSERDA requires the Participating Contractor to maintain a dispute resolution policy on file. The policy shall include protocols for a timely response, identification of responsible parties, documentation of corrective actions, results, and a means of identifying and addressing systemic issues. If a Participating Contractor, or its Subcontractor, becomes involved in a dispute with a Customer over business practices, the Participating Contractor shall work to settle the dispute amicably utilizing the Participating Contractor’s customer dispute resolution policy.

3.11 Code of Conduct

Participating Contractor is familiar with and will comply with NYSERDA’s Code of Conduct for Contractors, Consultants, and Vendors¹ with respect to the performance of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the provisions that ensure the appropriate use of public funds by requiring Contractors, Consultants and Vendors to refrain from policy advocacy on behalf of NYSERDA unless explicitly authorized, and in the manner described, under the terms of their Agreement; and to refrain from providing advocacy positions or opinions of their own that could be construed as those of NYSERDA.

¹ The Contractor Code of Conduct can be found at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Board-Governance

In addition, the Participating Contractor must follow the policies and procedures found on the Doing Business with NYSERDA webpage at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Doing-Business-with-NYSERDA, as amended and superseded.  

4 Agreement Terms

The Contractor acknowledges this Agreement is completely voluntary. NYSERDA may suspend or terminate a Participating Contractor from participation in the Program for any reason, including failure to maintain Program standards, poor performance, unresponsiveness, or inappropriate behavior. In all cases involving a Participating Contractor’s participation status, NYSERDA’s written decision is final.

6.1 Contract Compliance

It is the sole responsibility of the Participating Contractor to ensure that all contracts and subcontracts submitted to the Program by the Participating Contractor are written in full compliance with requirements detailed in the applicable Program Manual(s).

It is the sole responsibility of the Participating Contractor to ensure that all contracts and subcontracts submitted to the Program by the Participating Contractor are written in full compliance with the General Business Law, Article 36-A “HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTS” and any other applicable statutory or regulatory provisions. Contracts and other documents submitted by the Participating Contractor must be clear and legible and include line-item detail for each installed measure, including nameplate and efficiency information and cannot contain mandatory arbitration clauses.

The contract must include the following holder-in-due course term: “Any holder of a consumer credit contract is subject to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert against the seller of goods and services obtained pursuant hereto or with the proceeds hereof, recovery hereunder by the debtor shall not exceed amounts paid by the debtor hereunder.”

Upon request by NYSERDA or Implementation Contractor staff, the Participating Contractor shall provide additional details regarding contractual terms and costs for the purposes of project review.

7.2 Eligible Measures

Eligible Measures are home upgrade options that are eligible for Incentives or financing through NYSERDA’s programs that are covered by this Participation Agreement, and meet the requirements stated in the relevant Program Manuals, and affiliated Program documents.  To the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available for the Program should be American-made.

7.6 Repayment or Recapture of Program Incentives

The Participating Contractor acknowledges if NYSERDA determines a Participating Contractor has not strictly adhered to the terms and conditions of the Program for a project, any Program Incentives paid to the Customer and/or Participating Contractor on the project, or any Program incentives due and owing to the Contractor under the Program, shall be repaid to, or recaptured by, the Program from the Participating Contractor. Upon notice from NYSERDA, the Participating Contractor shall provide NYSERDA direct payment within 30 days for the identified outstanding value of any Program Incentives paid on Projects that do not comply with Program terms, conditions, policies, or procedures identified in this Agreement, the applicable Program Manual(s), or Program Announcements. Failure to repay funds owed to NYSERDA may result in referral of the matter to the Attorney General’s Office.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Appliance Vendors
Summary: Vendor Agreement Changes
Questions: If there are any questions or you would like to change your participation status send an email to [email protected]

The following changes have been made to the Appliance Vendor Agreement and are applicable to all current Vendors. These changes became effective June 3, 2024. The Vendor Agreement can be reviewed in full in Section 2 of the Program Manual. For existing Vendors, no action is required on your part to continue your participation.

Should you no longer wish to participate in the Program, or if you have any objection to continuing participation in the Program under these terms and conditions, please provide notice to NYSERDA by emailing [email protected] no later than June 21, 2024.

Section 1. Program Requirements

Language updates were made to the following sections:

• The Vendor shall adhere to the incentive cap schedule of as provided in Section 5.5 of the Program Manual .  This schedule is subject to change based upon 30-days written notice from the Program. 

• The new model must be the same size (cubic feet) as the existing model and must be ENERGY STAR®.

• All Participating Contractors, Vendors and Subcontractors performing work in association with NYSERDA’s programs are required to comply with the policies and procedures outlined in the  New York State Information Classification Policy (NYS-S14-002) . In addition, the New York State Information Security Policy (NYS-P03-002)  sets forth the minimum requirements, responsibilities, and accepted behaviors to establish and maintain a secure environment to achieve the State’s information security objectives. In general, when corresponding with Program participants, Implementation Contractors, and NYSERDA, use the NYSERDA External Contractor Data Security and Controls Policy to determine the type of Customer information that can be shared based on the platform being used. To minimize the occurrence of incoming emails containing confidential information, please instruct Program participants to redact utility account numbers, social security numbers and bank account numbers if you are requesting documents containing this information. Vendors who fail to comply with the NYSERDA External Contractor Data Security and Controls Policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
• The Vendor is familiar with and will comply with NYSERDA’s Code of Conduct for Contractors, Consultants, and Vendors¹ with respect to the performance of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the provisions that ensure the appropriate use of public funds by requiring Contractors, Consultants and Vendors to refrain from policy advocacy on behalf of NYSERDA unless explicitly authorized, and in the manner described, under the terms of their Agreement; and to refrain from providing advocacy positions or opinions of their own that could be construed as those of NYSERDA;

¹ Code of Conduct for Contractors, Consultants, and Vendors can be found at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Board-Governance

In addition, the Vendor must follow the policies and procedures found on the Doing Business with NYSERDA webpage at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Doing-Business-with-NYSERDA, as amended and superseded.

Section 2. Project Requirements

Language updates were made to the following sections:

3. To the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available for the Program should be American-made.

Vendor shall maintain a policy for QA, for resolution of Program participant complaints or disputes, and for response to Program participant emergencies. The policy shall include protocols for a timely response, identification of responsible parties, documentation of corrective actions, results, and a means of identifying and addressing systemic issues. Vendor agrees to make this policy available to NYSERDA or its Program Implementer for review and approval upon request. 

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: EmPower+ Program Manual Updates
Questions: For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

EmPower+ Program Manual Updates

Along with the launch of the IRA Hear incentives comes an important policy change with heat pumps. Effective June 3, 2024. In alignment with New York’s priority to ensure energy affordability for low-income households, homes that heat with delivered fuels and electric resistance heating will be prioritized for funding in the initial rollout of IRA HEAR Rebates as they present the most advantageous economic case for conversion to heat pumps. As a result, IRA HEAR heat pump incentives will not initially be available for homes with natural gas as the primary existing heating fuel. NYSERDA will continue to assess this policy and provide updates as indicated by evolving market conditions.

The following changes impact specific sections of the EmPower+ Program Manual, which can be found here on the contractor support site.  Please review each Program Manual Section in its entirety. Program is currently making updates to the Program Manual, and they should be available at or near the time of the IRA HEAR incentive launch.

Section 3.1

Moderate Income Changes:

• The EmPower+ program is removing the required 50% match for Tier 3 – Moderate Income projects, with income between 60-80% AMI. The maximum incentive available for EmPower+ funding for Moderate income customers is $5,000.
• Tier 3 will be using Tier 1 pricing moving forward for measures such as insulation, air sealing, and ventilation.
• EmPower+ pricing can be found in Section 5.5 of the Contractor Manual

Section 5.6 (New Section)

IRA HEAR Customer Eligibility:

EmPower+ will be eliminating the 3-year look back starting May 4, 2024. Former customers will still need to fill out new applications and projects will be subject to cost effectiveness tests. Paper applications must be version LMI-EMP+-form-1-v5 2/24 or later to be eligible. It should be noted that the maximum lifetime incentive for IRA HEAR is $14,000.

Customers on Long Island will be eligible for both HEAR and certain EmPower+ funding as budgets allow. Low-Income customers eligible for work through available PSEG or National Grid programs, must apply through those programs first and provide an approval document to be submitted as part of the EmPower+ work scope submission.  If a customer is eligible for programs from PSEG/National Grid that funding needs to be deducted from the project amount.

Contractor Participation Requirements:

Contractors who have more than 20% of their projects older than 180 days since project acceptance will not be assigned any new enrollments, including their own. Thresholds will be monitored on a regular basis and once backlogs have been resolved, enrollment assignments will resume. Contractors can work with the CLEAResult Contractor Support Team for an approved exception if needed for projects with special circumstances. 

Incentives:

NYSERDA will be combining HEAR funding with current EmPower+ funding through the NYHEP system for a single program offering through EmPower+. The NYHEP system will calculate incentives for contractors.  EmPower+ funding sources such as NENY, RGGI, and CEF will be applied before HEAR funding.

To be eligible for IRA funding, if any of the following measures are being installed, they must replace a non-electric appliance and the dwelling cannot currently have or have previously had that same type of appliance:

• Electric heat pump water heater
• Electric heat pump for space heating and cooling

Heat Pumps may replace existing electric resistance or electrical baseboard heating. A Heat Pump Water Heater may replace an electrical resistance water heater.

Single Family Project Caps

Multi-Family (2-4 Family) Project Caps

For projects receiving IRA funding, contractors who work on income qualified homes located in Disadvantaged Community (DAC) areas (as define by the New York DAC map: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ny/Disadvantaged-Communities are eligible a $200 incentive on a substantial project. A substantial project must contain one of the following qualifying measures: Heat Pump, HPWH, panel box, electrical upgrade, air sealing, insulation, or ventilation. 

In both DAC and non-DAC areas, contractors are eligible to receive the following for IRA-funded projects:

• Substantial Project with one qualifying HEAR measure- $150
• Substantial Project with two or more qualifying HEAR measures- $300

Example: For a project located in a DAC, where the contractor installed a heat pump and a heat pump water heater, the contractor would be eligible for $500.

DAC= $200     2 or more measures= $300 Total Incentives= $500

Project Requirements:

Funding Prioritization:

NYSERDA will be prioritizing current available funding before using IRA HEAR funding on a project.

• If project has OTDA funding and is under $20,000, no IRA HEAR funding will be allocated to it.
• For low-income customers, if project is under $10,000, no IRA HEAR funding will be allocated to it.
• For low-income customers, if a project is over $10,000, the program applies IRA HEAR funding first for eligible measures, up to $14,000, then will apply up to $10,000 in other EmPower+ funding, such as CEF, RGGI, etc.
• For moderate-income customers, if a project is under $5,000, no IRA HEAR funding will be allocated to it.
• For moderate-income customers, if a project is over $5,000, the program applies IRA HEAR funding first for eligible measures, up to $14,000, then will apply up to $5,000 for moderate income in other EmPower+ funding, such as CEF, RGGI, etc.

ENERGY STAR^® Requirement

For HEAR funding, the following measures will be required to use ENERGY STAR® Certified equipment: Heat Pumps, Heat Pump Water Heaters, insulation¹ and ventilation fans. A list of ENERGY STAR® products can be found at https://www.energystar.gov/products.

¹ Insulation Measures need to be installed in accordance with Program rules.

Contractors can also find out more about ENERGY STAR® eligible products here: https://www.energystar.gov/partner_resources/products_partner_resources/state-and-tribal-rebate-programs/connecting-your

Contractors will need to verify that the products they are using are ENERGY STAR® by checking a box in the measure in NYHEP.

HVAC Commissioning:

A check box will be added to HVAC measures to verify that the contractor has commissioned the measure. This box will appear during final project submittal and the contractor will need to check the box before they can submit the measure, verifying that they have commissioned the equipment to manufacturer’s specifications.

Cost Itemization:

The Department of Energy requires that labor and materials costs are provided for all measures. For measures with EmPower+ pricing such as insulation, these rates will be automatically entered. For other measures, the contractor will enter the total cost and materials rate and NYHEP will deduct materials from the total cost to determine the labor cost. 

Total cost – materials= labor costs.

Total Cost – $10,000

Materials Cost – $3,000

NYHEP Calculates labor to be $7,000

Section 5.10

Heat Pump Rules-Update

• New York State’s priority with respect to electrification for lower income households is to ensure energy affordability.  The initial rollout of the IRA HEAR rebates will have a limited budget and to ensure the greatest impact of these funds, NYSERDA will prioritize the conversion of homes that heat with delivered fuels such as oil and propane, to heat pumps, which presents the best economic case.  Nearly one third of LMI residents heat with a delivered fuel. 
• NYSERDA will work with the NYS Department of Public Service (DPS) and other state agencies over the next several months to assess opportunities to mitigate energy burden impacts for additional lower-income New Yorkers when converting to heat pumps.  This work will inform the administration of the remainder of the IRA rebates. 
• The heat pump should cover 100% of the building load according to code. The existing heating system must be decommissioned. If equipment is left in the home, it must be rendered inoperable.
• NYSERDA will be working on coordinating heat pump submissions with NY Clean Heat so that NY Clean Heat funding can be reserved for LMI projects before the work scope is submitted to EmPower+. In order to align the processes between NY Clean Heat and EmPower+, contractors must wait to submit projects with heat pumps for work scope review until June 14th.
• Program funding is for the addition of heat pump technology to an existing home and not for updating or replacing existing heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.
• The existing primary HVAC system must be older than 5 years.
• For homes that heat with oil, propane, coal, electrical resistance, kerosene, pellets, and wood, the project should pass a total project savings for approval. Considerations will be made for health and safety. 
• NYSERDA is removing the per btu incentive and using program and funding incentive levels as a cap.
• Distribution upgrade costs will be included in the cost of the heat pump.

Section 5.15 Eligible Measures List

Cost Effectiveness Changes-Update

The EmPower+ program will be changing its calculations for cost effectiveness moving forward. 

• Currently, for Tier 1 projects that are made up solely of “Prequalified measures” as found in Section 5.15 of the program manual, have less than $1000 in Health and Safety, and a total project cost of less than $10,000 automatically qualify. (For Tier 3 Health &and Safety is $500 and total project cost is $5,000.) This will remain for prequalified-only projects.
• For other projects, the following calculation will be used: ​ 

𝑆𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓[𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 ($) 𝐷𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 × 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 (𝐸𝑈𝐿)] > 𝑁𝑌𝑆𝐸𝑅𝐷𝐴 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚 𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 (-enabling measures) × 80% 

Enabling measures such as health and safety that facilitate the installation of a project for up to 30% of the project cost will be deducted from the project cost for cost calculations.

Enabling Measures

Section 5.17

Project Photographs-Update

To reduce review time and conserve space in NYHEP, contractors will be required to upload project photographs as one document with each photo labeled. There will be multiple ways contractors can fulfill this requirement:

1. Use a commercial product like Company Cam which labels and organizes photos of a project. 
2. NYSERDA will provide a PowerPoint template in the forms section of the contractor support site: (need link here). Once the photos are added to the PowerPoint, the contractor can save the PowerPoint as a pdf and upload it to NYHEP.
3. The PNNL Quality Install Tool is a free website that can work on cell phones to aggregate photos of a project.
4. Contractors with other methods of organizing their photos into one document are encouraged to share their ideas with NYSERDA. 

Section 8

Forms-Update

Working with the Building Performance Contractors Association, NYSERDA has reduced the number of forms required for a project from a up to 28 to up to 15.  The exact number of required forms is dependent on the specific applicant and work scope. The goal behind this reduction was to eliminate the gathering of data points on forms that are already collected in NYHEP so that the forms included only data that needed a customer signature or that could not be collected from NYHEP.

Major changes:

• The Assessment Installation, Homeowner Agreement, and Proof of Ownership forms will be replaced by the Test-In Form.
• The Customer Attestation and Contractor Attestation for Heat Pump installations are combined into one Heat Pump form.
• The Pre-Installation Agreement Form, Post Installation Measure Report and the Field Change Order are all combined into the Test-Out form.
• Forms no longer needed by the program include the NEC Calculation Worksheet, AHRI Certificate, and the Clean and Tune Checklist. 
• Utility Bills will only be required to be uploaded if the savings of the project are over 30%.
• These new form requirements will go live with the changes to the NYHEP system with the launch of IRA funding in late May/early June. Please see the updated forms requirements below:

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Appliance Vendor Contacts 
Questions: Contractor Support

The Program wanted to highlight a feature of NYHEP that is available to contractors to surface and provide appliance vendor information in the event a customer reaches out to them directly. This feature is available to enhance customer service by providing timely and accurate information regarding appliance vendors.

Vendor information can be found in NYHEP under Main Menu>Enrollments, entering identifying information in the corresponding field (last name, street address, etc.) and selecting ‘Appliance’ in the Program field before clicking Search.

The vendor’s name can be found in the ‘Installer’ column. If ‘Installer’ is blank, the appliance order has not yet been placed. Results can be further filtered or sorted by Enrollment Status.

The list of participating appliance vendors is located on the Program Contacts page of the Contractor Support website, https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/program-contacts/.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Contractor Support.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Heat Pump Changes
Questions: Please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Participating Contractors installing air source heat pumps , regardless of project funding type, must wait until June 14 to submit projects for work scope review. NYSERDA is working on coordinating heat pump submissions with NYS Clean Heat so that NYS Clean Heat funding can be reserved for Low- to Moderate-Income projects before the work scope is submitted to EmPower+. This does not apply to heat pump water heaters.

If a heat pump project is submitted for work scope review, the project will be returned to the contractor with the following note:

“NYSERDA and the NYS Clean Heat programs are currently aligning their submission processes. Project submissions containing a heat pump measure will not be accepted for review until June 14. This enrollment is being returned; no review has been completed. Please resubmit on, or after, June 14”.   This will allow the contractor to make changes should they be necessary and eliminate a duplicate review.

The program is reviewing the heat pump submission process during the June 14 Single Family Residential Program webinar, to register, click here. If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: OTDA/IRA Assignment
Questions: If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069. 

Enrollments are being created in the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) from NYSERDA Portal applications with “Yes” selected for both Customer Address Eligible for IRA and Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) eligible. This designation is being automatically assigned by the NYSERDA Portal. Until this is resolved, Enrollments with these designations will be considered to be OTDA projects with a maximum incentive amount of $20,000.

OTDA projects are determined based on the information provided during the application process and projects cannot be switched from OTDA to IRA HEAR funding. At the work scope review stage, these projects will include the following note to the contractor:

“This is an OTDA enrollment with a Maximum Incentive of $20,000. OTDA projects are determined based on the information provided during the application process. Projects cannot be switched from OTDA to IRA.”  

NYSERDA is internally tracking OTDA spending and once it is determined that sufficient enrollments are in process to fully commit the budget, future enrollments will stop getting assigned as OTDA.

If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Inflation Reduction Act HEAR Funding for EmPower+
Questions: If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

NYSERDA is pleased to announce the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offering for the EmPower+ program through the IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program will be available beginning June 3, 2024. Please read through this announcement for information on reviewing past webinars and trainings, upcoming webinars and office hours, and changes to the Program Manual.

On May 3, 2024, NYSERDA provided an overview of the IRA HEAR Program offering for the EmPower+ program. If you missed the webinar, you can access it, along with a question and answer document, here.  

The webinar covered the following topics: 

• General IRA overview/estimated funding 
• Eligibility updates 
• Program process changes
• Cost effectiveness criteria

CLEAResult provided IRA HEAR contractor training on May 22nd and May 28th. If you missed these trainings, the May 28th training has been posted to the Webinars section on the Contractor Support site: https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/webinars/. The specific links are: Video and PDF

Upcoming Training and Webinars

Be sure to register for the June 14thth Contractor Webinar, where Program will be available to answer additional IRA-related questions. To register, click here.

CLEAResult will host office hours in late May and throughout June to address additional IRA/Program questions. Be sure to attend one of the below sessions if you are interested.

Participating Contractors and Other Interested Parties

Office Hours #3: Wed, June 12, 9-10am

Office Hours #4:  Tue, June 18, 3-4pm

Office Hours #5: Tue, June 25, 9-10am

EmPower+ Program Manual Updates

Along with the launch of the IRA Hear incentives comes an important policy change with heat pumps. Effective June 3, 2024. In alignment with New York’s priority to ensure energy affordability for low-income households, homes that heat with delivered fuels and electric resistance heating will be prioritized for funding in the initial rollout of IRA HEAR Rebates as they present the most advantageous economic case for conversion to heat pumps. As a result, IRA HEAR heat pump incentives will not initially be available for homes with natural gas as the primary existing heating fuel. NYSERDA will continue to assess this policy and provide updates as indicated by evolving market conditions.

The following changes impact specific sections of the EmPower+ Program Manual, which can be found here on the contractor support site.  Please review each Program Manual Section in its entirety. Program is currently making updates to the Program Manual, and they should be available at or near the time of the IRA HEAR incentive launch.

Section 3.1

Moderate Income Changes:

• The EmPower+ program is removing the required 50% match for Tier 3 – Moderate Income projects, with income between 60-80% AMI. The maximum incentive available for EmPower+ funding for Moderate income customers is $5,000.
• Tier 3 will be using Tier 1 pricing moving forward for measures such as insulation, air sealing, and ventilation.
• EmPower+ pricing can be found in Section 5.5 of the Contractor Manual

Section 5.6 (New Section)

IRA HEAR Customer Eligibility:

EmPower+ will be eliminating the 3-year look back starting May 4, 2024. Former customers will still need to fill out new applications and projects will be subject to cost effectiveness tests. Paper applications must be version LMI-EMP+-form-1-v5 2/24 or later to be eligible. It should be noted that the maximum lifetime incentive for IRA HEAR is $14,000.

Customers on Long Island will be eligible for both HEAR and certain EmPower+ funding as budgets allow. Low-Income customers eligible for work through available PSEG or National Grid programs, must apply through those programs first and provide an approval document to be submitted as part of the EmPower+ work scope submission.  If a customer is eligible for programs from PSEG/National Grid that funding needs to be deducted from the project amount.

Contractor Participation Requirements:

Contractors who have more than 20% of their projects older than 180 days since project acceptance will not be assigned any new enrollments, including their own. Thresholds will be monitored on a regular basis and once backlogs have been resolved, enrollment assignments will resume. Contractors can work with the CLEAResult Contractor Support Team for an approved exception if needed for projects with special circumstances. 

Incentives:

NYSERDA will be combining HEAR funding with current EmPower+ funding through the NYHEP system for a single program offering through EmPower+. The NYHEP system will calculate incentives for contractors.  EmPower+ funding sources such as NENY, RGGI, and CEF will be applied before HEAR funding.

To be eligible for IRA funding, if any of the following measures are being installed, they must replace a non-electric appliance and the dwelling cannot currently have or have previously had that same type of appliance:

• Electric heat pump water heater
• Electric heat pump for space heating and cooling

Heat Pumps may replace existing electric resistance or electrical baseboard heating. A Heat Pump Water Heater may replace an electrical resistance water heater.

Single Family Project Caps

Multi-Family (2-4 Family) Project Caps

For projects receiving IRA funding, contractors who work on income qualified homes located in Disadvantaged Community (DAC) areas (as define by the New York DAC map: https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ny/Disadvantaged-Communities are eligible a $200 incentive on a substantial project. A substantial project must contain one of the following qualifying measures: Heat Pump, HPWH, panel box, electrical upgrade, air sealing, insulation, or ventilation. 

In both DAC and non-DAC areas, contractors are eligible to receive the following for IRA-funded projects:

• Substantial Project with one qualifying HEAR measure- $150
• Substantial Project with two or more qualifying HEAR measures- $300

Example: For a project located in a DAC, where the contractor installed a heat pump and a heat pump water heater, the contractor would be eligible for $500.

DAC= $200     2 or more measures= $300 Total Incentives= $500

Project Requirements:

Funding Prioritization:

NYSERDA will be prioritizing current available funding before using IRA HEAR funding on a project.

• If project has OTDA funding and is under $20,000, no IRA HEAR funding will be allocated to it.
• For low-income customers, if project is under $10,000, no IRA HEAR funding will be allocated to it.
• For low-income customers, if a project is over $10,000, the program applies IRA HEAR funding first for eligible measures, up to $14,000, then will apply up to $10,000 in other EmPower+ funding, such as CEF, RGGI, etc.
• For moderate-income customers, if a project is under $5,000, no IRA HEAR funding will be allocated to it.
• For moderate-income customers, if a project is over $5,000, the program applies IRA HEAR funding first for eligible measures, up to $14,000, then will apply up to $5,000 for moderate income in other EmPower+ funding, such as CEF, RGGI, etc.

ENERGY STAR^® Requirement

For HEAR funding, the following measures will be required to use ENERGY STAR® Certified equipment: Heat Pumps, Heat Pump Water Heaters, insulation¹ and ventilation fans. A list of ENERGY STAR® products can be found at https://www.energystar.gov/products.

¹ Insulation Measures need to be installed in accordance with Program rules.

Contractors can also find out more about ENERGY STAR® eligible products here: https://www.energystar.gov/partner_resources/products_partner_resources/state-and-tribal-rebate-programs/connecting-your

Contractors will need to verify that the products they are using are ENERGY STAR® by checking a box in the measure in NYHEP.

HVAC Commissioning:

A check box will be added to HVAC measures to verify that the contractor has commissioned the measure. This box will appear during final project submittal and the contractor will need to check the box before they can submit the measure, verifying that they have commissioned the equipment to manufacturer’s specifications.

Cost Itemization:

The Department of Energy requires that labor and materials costs are provided for all measures. For measures with EmPower+ pricing such as insulation, these rates will be automatically entered. For other measures, the contractor will enter the total cost and materials rate and NYHEP will deduct materials from the total cost to determine the labor cost. 

Total cost – materials= labor costs.

Total Cost – $10,000

Materials Cost – $3,000

NYHEP Calculates labor to be $7,000

Section 5.10

Heat Pump Rules-Update

• New York State’s priority with respect to electrification for lower income households is to ensure energy affordability.  The initial rollout of the IRA HEAR rebates will have a limited budget and to ensure the greatest impact of these funds, NYSERDA will prioritize the conversion of homes that heat with delivered fuels such as oil and propane, to heat pumps, which presents the best economic case.  Nearly one third of LMI residents heat with a delivered fuel. 
• NYSERDA will work with the NYS Department of Public Service (DPS) and other state agencies over the next several months to assess opportunities to mitigate energy burden impacts for additional lower-income New Yorkers when converting to heat pumps.  This work will inform the administration of the remainder of the IRA rebates. 
• The heat pump should cover 100% of the building load according to code. The existing heating system must be decommissioned. If equipment is left in the home, it must be rendered inoperable.
• NYSERDA will be working on coordinating heat pump submissions with NY Clean Heat so that NY Clean Heat funding can be reserved for LMI projects before the work scope is submitted to EmPower+. In order to align the processes between NY Clean Heat and EmPower+, contractors must wait to submit projects with heat pumps for work scope review until June 14th.
• Program funding is for the addition of heat pump technology to an existing home and not for updating or replacing existing heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.
• The existing primary HVAC system must be older than 5 years.
• For homes that heat with oil, propane, coal, electrical resistance, kerosene, pellets, and wood, the project should pass a total project savings for approval. Considerations will be made for health and safety. 
• NYSERDA is removing the per btu incentive and using program and funding incentive levels as a cap.
• Distribution upgrade costs will be included in the cost of the heat pump.

Section 5.15 Eligible Measures List

Cost Effectiveness Changes-Update

The EmPower+ program will be changing its calculations for cost effectiveness moving forward. 

• Currently, for Tier 1 projects that are made up solely of “Prequalified measures” as found in Section 5.15 of the program manual, have less than $1000 in Health and Safety, and a total project cost of less than $10,000 automatically qualify. (For Tier 3 Health &and Safety is $500 and total project cost is $5,000.) This will remain for prequalified-only projects.
• For other projects, the following calculation will be used: ​ 

𝑆𝑢𝑚 𝑜𝑓[𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 ($) 𝐷𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 × 𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑈𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝐿𝑖𝑓𝑒 (𝐸𝑈𝐿)] > 𝑁𝑌𝑆𝐸𝑅𝐷𝐴 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚 𝐼𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 (-enabling measures) × 80% 

Enabling measures such as health and safety that facilitate the installation of a project for up to 30% of the project cost will be deducted from the project cost for cost calculations.

Enabling Measures

Section 5.17

Project Photographs-Update

To reduce review time and conserve space in NYHEP, contractors will be required to upload project photographs as one document with each photo labeled. There will be multiple ways contractors can fulfill this requirement:

1. Use a commercial product like Company Cam which labels and organizes photos of a project. 
2. NYSERDA will provide a PowerPoint template in the forms section of the contractor support site: (need link here). Once the photos are added to the PowerPoint, the contractor can save the PowerPoint as a pdf and upload it to NYHEP.
3. The PNNL Quality Install Tool is a free website that can work on cell phones to aggregate photos of a project.
4. Contractors with other methods of organizing their photos into one document are encouraged to share their ideas with NYSERDA. 

Section 8

Forms-Update

Working with the Building Performance Contractors Association, NYSERDA has reduced the number of forms required for a project from a up to 28 to up to 15.  The exact number of required forms is dependent on the specific applicant and work scope. The goal behind this reduction was to eliminate the gathering of data points on forms that are already collected in NYHEP so that the forms included only data that needed a customer signature or that could not be collected from NYHEP.

Major changes:

• The Assessment Installation, Homeowner Agreement, and Proof of Ownership forms will be replaced by the Test-In Form.
• The Customer Attestation and Contractor Attestation for Heat Pump installations are combined into one Heat Pump form.
• The Pre-Installation Agreement Form, Post Installation Measure Report and the Field Change Order are all combined into the Test-Out form.
• Forms no longer needed by the program include the NEC Calculation Worksheet, AHRI Certificate, and the Clean and Tune Checklist. 
• Utility Bills will only be required to be uploaded if the savings of the project are over 30%.
• These new form requirements will go live with the changes to the NYHEP system with the launch of IRA funding in late May/early June. Please see the updated forms requirements below:

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Participation Agreement Changes
Questions: If there are any questions or you would like to change your participation status send an email to [email protected]

The following changes have been made to the Residential Contractor Participation Agreement and are applicable to all current participating contractors. These changes became effective June 3, 2024.   The Participation Agreement can be reviewed in full in Section 2 of the Program Manual. For existing contractors, no action is required on your part to continue your participation.

Should you no longer wish to participate in the Program, or if you have any objection to continuing participation in the Program under these terms and conditions, please provide notice to NYSERDA by emailing [email protected] no later than June 21, 2024.

3.9 Customer Issues and Dispute Resolution

NYSERDA requires the Participating Contractor to maintain a dispute resolution policy on file. The policy shall include protocols for a timely response, identification of responsible parties, documentation of corrective actions, results, and a means of identifying and addressing systemic issues. If a Participating Contractor, or its Subcontractor, becomes involved in a dispute with a Customer over business practices, the Participating Contractor shall work to settle the dispute amicably utilizing the Participating Contractor’s customer dispute resolution policy.

3.11 Code of Conduct

Participating Contractor is familiar with and will comply with NYSERDA’s Code of Conduct for Contractors, Consultants, and Vendors¹ with respect to the performance of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the provisions that ensure the appropriate use of public funds by requiring Contractors, Consultants and Vendors to refrain from policy advocacy on behalf of NYSERDA unless explicitly authorized, and in the manner described, under the terms of their Agreement; and to refrain from providing advocacy positions or opinions of their own that could be construed as those of NYSERDA.

¹ The Contractor Code of Conduct can be found at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Board-Governance

In addition, the Participating Contractor must follow the policies and procedures found on the Doing Business with NYSERDA webpage at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Doing-Business-with-NYSERDA, as amended and superseded.  

4 Agreement Terms

The Contractor acknowledges this Agreement is completely voluntary. NYSERDA may suspend or terminate a Participating Contractor from participation in the Program for any reason, including failure to maintain Program standards, poor performance, unresponsiveness, or inappropriate behavior. In all cases involving a Participating Contractor’s participation status, NYSERDA’s written decision is final.

6.1 Contract Compliance

It is the sole responsibility of the Participating Contractor to ensure that all contracts and subcontracts submitted to the Program by the Participating Contractor are written in full compliance with requirements detailed in the applicable Program Manual(s).

It is the sole responsibility of the Participating Contractor to ensure that all contracts and subcontracts submitted to the Program by the Participating Contractor are written in full compliance with the General Business Law, Article 36-A “HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTS” and any other applicable statutory or regulatory provisions. Contracts and other documents submitted by the Participating Contractor must be clear and legible and include line-item detail for each installed measure, including nameplate and efficiency information and cannot contain mandatory arbitration clauses.

The contract must include the following holder-in-due course term: “Any holder of a consumer credit contract is subject to all claims and defenses which the debtor could assert against the seller of goods and services obtained pursuant hereto or with the proceeds hereof, recovery hereunder by the debtor shall not exceed amounts paid by the debtor hereunder.”

Upon request by NYSERDA or Implementation Contractor staff, the Participating Contractor shall provide additional details regarding contractual terms and costs for the purposes of project review.

7.2 Eligible Measures

Eligible Measures are home upgrade options that are eligible for Incentives or financing through NYSERDA’s programs that are covered by this Participation Agreement, and meet the requirements stated in the relevant Program Manuals, and affiliated Program documents.  To the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available for the Program should be American-made.

7.6 Repayment or Recapture of Program Incentives

The Participating Contractor acknowledges if NYSERDA determines a Participating Contractor has not strictly adhered to the terms and conditions of the Program for a project, any Program Incentives paid to the Customer and/or Participating Contractor on the project, or any Program incentives due and owing to the Contractor under the Program, shall be repaid to, or recaptured by, the Program from the Participating Contractor. Upon notice from NYSERDA, the Participating Contractor shall provide NYSERDA direct payment within 30 days for the identified outstanding value of any Program Incentives paid on Projects that do not comply with Program terms, conditions, policies, or procedures identified in this Agreement, the applicable Program Manual(s), or Program Announcements. Failure to repay funds owed to NYSERDA may result in referral of the matter to the Attorney General’s Office.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Appliance Vendors
Summary: Vendor Agreement Changes
Questions: If there are any questions or you would like to change your participation status send an email to [email protected]

The following changes have been made to the Appliance Vendor Agreement and are applicable to all current Vendors. These changes became effective June 3, 2024. The Vendor Agreement can be reviewed in full in Section 2 of the Program Manual. For existing Vendors, no action is required on your part to continue your participation.

Should you no longer wish to participate in the Program, or if you have any objection to continuing participation in the Program under these terms and conditions, please provide notice to NYSERDA by emailing [email protected] no later than June 21, 2024.

Section 1. Program Requirements

Language updates were made to the following sections:

• The Vendor shall adhere to the incentive cap schedule of as provided in Section 5.5 of the Program Manual .  This schedule is subject to change based upon 30-days written notice from the Program. 

• The new model must be the same size (cubic feet) as the existing model and must be ENERGY STAR®.

• All Participating Contractors, Vendors and Subcontractors performing work in association with NYSERDA’s programs are required to comply with the policies and procedures outlined in the  New York State Information Classification Policy (NYS-S14-002) . In addition, the New York State Information Security Policy (NYS-P03-002)  sets forth the minimum requirements, responsibilities, and accepted behaviors to establish and maintain a secure environment to achieve the State’s information security objectives. In general, when corresponding with Program participants, Implementation Contractors, and NYSERDA, use the NYSERDA External Contractor Data Security and Controls Policy to determine the type of Customer information that can be shared based on the platform being used. To minimize the occurrence of incoming emails containing confidential information, please instruct Program participants to redact utility account numbers, social security numbers and bank account numbers if you are requesting documents containing this information. Vendors who fail to comply with the NYSERDA External Contractor Data Security and Controls Policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
• The Vendor is familiar with and will comply with NYSERDA’s Code of Conduct for Contractors, Consultants, and Vendors¹ with respect to the performance of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, the provisions that ensure the appropriate use of public funds by requiring Contractors, Consultants and Vendors to refrain from policy advocacy on behalf of NYSERDA unless explicitly authorized, and in the manner described, under the terms of their Agreement; and to refrain from providing advocacy positions or opinions of their own that could be construed as those of NYSERDA;

¹ Code of Conduct for Contractors, Consultants, and Vendors can be found at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Board-Governance

In addition, the Vendor must follow the policies and procedures found on the Doing Business with NYSERDA webpage at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/About/Doing-Business-with-NYSERDA, as amended and superseded.

Section 2. Project Requirements

Language updates were made to the following sections:

3. To the greatest extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds made available for the Program should be American-made.

22. Vendor shall maintain a policy for QA, for resolution of Program participant complaints or disputes, and for response to Program participant emergencies. The policy shall include protocols for a timely response, identification of responsible parties, documentation of corrective actions, results, and a means of identifying and addressing systemic issues. Vendor agrees to make this policy available to NYSERDA or its Program Implementer for review and approval upon request. 

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Inflation Reduction Act HEAR Funding for EmPower+
Questions: If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

NYSERDA is pleased to announce the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offering for the EmPower+ program through the IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program will be available beginning June 3, 2024. Please read through this announcement for information on reviewing past webinars and trainings, upcoming webinars and office hours, and changes to the Program Manual.

On May 3, 2024, NYSERDA provided an overview of the IRA HEAR Program offering for the EmPower+ program. If you missed the webinar, you can access it, along with a question and answer document, here.  

The webinar covered the following topics: 

• General IRA overview/estimated funding 
• Eligibility updates 
• Program process changes
• Cost effectiveness criteria

CLEAResult provided IRA HEAR contractor training on May 22nd and May 28th. If you missed these trainings, the May 28th training has been posted to the Webinars section on the Contractor Support site: https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/webinars/. The specific links are: Video and PDF

Upcoming Training and Webinars

Be sure to register for the June 7thth Contractor Webinar, where Program will be available to answer additional IRA-related questions. To register, click here.

CLEAResult will host office hours in late May and throughout June to address additional IRA/Program questions. Be sure to attend one of the below sessions if you are interested.

Participating Contractors and Other Interested Parties

Office Hours #3: Wed, June 12, 9-10am

Office Hours #4:  Tue, June 18, 3-4pm

Office Hours #5: Tue, June 25, 9-10am

Regional Clean Energy Hubs

Office Hours #2: Wed, June 5, 3-4pm

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Appliance Vendor Contacts 
Contact with Questions: Contractor Support

The Program wanted to highlight a feature of NYHEP that is available to contractors to surface and provide appliance vendor information in the event a customer reaches out to them directly. This feature is available to enhance customer service by providing timely and accurate information regarding appliance vendors.

Vendor information can be found in NYHEP under Main Menu>Enrollments, entering identifying information in the corresponding field (last name, street address, etc.) and selecting ‘Appliance’ in the Program field before clicking Search.

The vendor’s name can be found in the ‘Installer’ column. If ‘Installer’ is blank, the appliance order has not yet been placed. Results can be further filtered or sorted by Enrollment Status.

The list of participating appliance vendors is located on the Program Contacts page of the Contractor Support website, https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/program-contacts/.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Contractor Support.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
Contact with Questions: Please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069

NYSERDA has received approximately $9.5 million from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) funding to serve Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) recipients with envelope and heat pump measures. This funding is currently live.

To qualify for this offering, customers must provide one of the following at the time of application: 

1. HEAP (Heating) award letter dated between October 1, 2023, or later, with Client Identification Number (CIN) or Case Number. 
2. HEAP (Cooling) award letter dated between October 1, 2023, or later with CIN or Case Number. 
3. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) award letter dated between October 1, 2023, or later, with a Case Number. 

For applications that have already been submitted, if the higher incentive amount is requested, Program will need an updated award letter per the above and TRC will need to confirm eligibility with OTDA. Once eligibility is confirmed, TRC will update Salesforce with the higher maximum incentive amount and notify CLEAResult.  

For this offering, up to $20,000 in funding is available per household.  To be considered for funding, households must be identified with an approved application no later than July 1, 2024, and work must be completed by September 30, 2025. Funding is available on a first come first served basis. Being identified as eligible for the funding does not reserve funds. It is up to the participating contractor to complete the work in a timely manner while the funds are still available if they wish to serve households at the higher incentive cap.  

This funding is available to all current program year HEAP recipients including households on Long Island and in municipal utility territories. This funding cannot be used in conjunction with the upcoming Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for the same project.

Information regarding the OTDA offering was included on the May 3, 2024, contractor webinar. If you missed the webinar, you can access it, along with a frequently asked questions document, here.

If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors and Hubs 
Summary: Online EmPower+ Application Updates 
Contact with Questions: 1-866-NYSERDA 

The online version of the EmPower+ Application has been updated to capture changes implemented on the paper version of the application in February of this year. These changes went live on May 4, 2024. In addition, updates specific to the online application have been made to accommodate process changes. Applications in the system prior to May 4, 2024, that were not submitted, will need to reapply.

Below is a summary of the online application changes: 

• Consolidated Edison (Con-ed) Account Numbers- Con-Ed has updated the format of their utility account numbers from 15 digits to 11 digits. The online application has been updated to accept both the new format and the historic format.  
• Attestation Language- Minor changes have been made to accommodate projects with Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding. 
• Demographics and Household Information- Historically, this was one section of the application, now there is a standalone Demographics Section and a separate Household Information Section.

In the upcoming weeks, the knowledge base will be updated with screenshots to reflect the changes to the on-line application. In the meantime, if there are questions on completing the online application, please reach out to 1-866-NYSERDA.  

Programs: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA)
Contact with Questions: Please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069

NYSERDA has received approximately $9.5 million from the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) funding to serve Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) recipients with envelope and heat pump measures. This funding is available starting today.

To qualify for this offering, customers must provide one of the following at the time of application: 

1. HEAP (Heating) award letter dated between October 1, 2023, or later, with Client Identification Number (CIN) or Case Number. 
2. HEAP (Cooling) award letter dated between October 1, 2023, or later with CIN or Case Number. 
3. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) award letter dated between October 1, 2023, or later, with a Case Number. 

For applications that have already been submitted, if the higher incentive amount is requested, Program will need an updated award letter per the above and TRC will need to confirm eligibility with OTDA.

Once eligibility is confirmed, TRC will update Salesforce with the higher maximum incentive amount and notify CLEAResult.

For this offering, up to $20,000 in funding is available per household.  To be considered for funding, households must be identified with an approved application no later than July 1, 2024, and work must be completed by September 30, 2025. Funding is available on a first come first served basis. Being identified as eligible for the funding does not reserve funds. It is up to the participating contractor to complete the work in a timely manner while the funds are still available if they wish to serve households at the higher incentive cap. 

This funding is available to all current program year HEAP recipients including households on Long Island and in municipal utility territories. This funding cannot be used in conjunction with the upcoming Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding for the same project.

Information regarding the OTDA offering was included on the May 3, 2024, contractor webinar. If you missed the webinar, you can access it, along with a frequently asked questions document, here.

If there are any questions on the application process, please call us at 1-866-NYSERDA. For project related questions, please contact contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.  

Program: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: May 15, 2024 -Updated project deadline for geo-eligibility projects to be completed by.
Contact with Questions: Please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069

As a reminder, May 15, 2024, is the new deadline for any EmPower+ project where the household was determined eligible by geo-eligibility to be completed and closed out by. A 30-day extension has been added to the originally announced date of April 15, 2024. Projects that are not completed by May 15, 2024, will need to be closed by CLEAResult. When the customer reapplies, a new enrollment will be created for them. Contractors can enter the information from the previous enrollment into the new enrollment. If there are any questions, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: New Call System is live 
Contact with Questions: If you experience any issues reaching the contractor support team by phone (1-800-284-9069), please send an email to [email protected] 

The EmPower+ program has implemented a new call handling system as of April 17, 2024. If you experience any issues reaching the contractor support team by phone, please send an email to [email protected]. 

Program: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: May 15, 2024 -Updated project deadline for geo-eligibility projects to be completed by.
Contact with Questions: Please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069

May 15, 2024, is the new deadline for any EmPower+ project where the household was determined eligible by geo-eligibility to be completed and closed out by. A 30 day extension has been added to the originally announced date of April 15, 2024. Projects that are not completed by May 15, 2024, will need to be closed by CLEAResult. When the customer reapplies, a new enrollment will be created for them. Contractors can enter the information from the previous enrollment into the new enrollment. If there are any questions, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Programs: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: New Call System will be implemented April 17th, 2024
Contact with Questions: If you experience any issues reaching the contractor support team by phone, please send an email to [email protected]

The EmPower+ program will be implementing a new call handling system on the evening of April 17th, 2024. During this time, you may experience delays reaching the support team. If you do experience any issues reaching the contractor support team by phone, please send an email to [email protected].

Program: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: May 15, 2024 -Updated project deadline for geo-eligibility projects to be completed by.
Contact with Questions: Please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069

May 15, 2024, is the new deadline for any EmPower+ project where the household was determined eligible by geo-eligibility to be completed and closed out by. A 30 day extension has been added to the originally announced date of April 15, 2024. Projects that are not completed by May 15, 2024, will need to be closed by CLEAResult. When the customer reapplies, a new enrollment will be created for them. Contractors can enter the information from the previous enrollment into the new enrollment. If there are any questions, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors and Regional Clean Energy Hubs
Summary: Clarification of EmPower+ applications with HEAP award letters dated 10/1/2023 and later
Contact with Questions: [email protected]

The EmPower+ program team is clarifying a miscommunication made during the Single-Family Residential Contractor webinar on March 1, 2024.

 During the webinar, it was stated that EmPower+ Applications with Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) award letters would be accepted, and the application would be placed on hold. To clarify, this is for HEAP recipients in Long Island who would otherwise not be eligible for the EmPower+ program. HEAP customers for the rest of New York can continue to use HEAP award letters for EmPower+ application approval at the $10,000 incentive cap. When OTDA funding is available, these projects will be eligible for $20,000 rather than $10,000. The program’s three year look back is still in effect.

If there are any questions on this, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Program: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: Contractors must provide a copy of the Home Energy Assessment to customers
Contact with Questions: If there are any questions on this, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

The EmPower+ program has been receiving many customer complaints about customers not receiving copies of their home energy assessment. Starting on February 13, 2024, CLEAResult will verify that the home energy assessment report was generated in NYHEP as part of final project review. If the report is not present, the project will be pushed back to the contractor to generate the report and provide it to the customer. After the report has been provided to the customer, the contractor can resubmit the project.

Section 5.17 of the Program Manual specifies “The participating contractor shall provide Program participants with a finalized home energy assessment report within 14 calendar days of site visit. The report shall be generated from Program-approved software and include a detailed workscope proposal that identifies measures and pricing for improving the energy efficiency, comfort and safety of the home. The report shall include all energy efficiency, comfort, health and safety opportunities that exist in the home regardless of type of service(s) the participating contractor offers (i.e., a participating contractor with heating certification needs to identify applicable envelope issues in the report) while adhering to the policies and procedures.”

Moving forward, quality assurance inspections will also include an inquiry with customers to see if home energy assessment reports were provided. Initially, scores will not be diminished if a home energy assessment report was not provided to the customer; however, the contractor will be notified to send a copy of the home energy assessment report to the customer. If it is determined that a contractor is not providing their customers with a home energy assessment on a regular basis, CLEAResult Quality Control will work with the contractor to help them remediate this.

In addition to being a Program requirement, upcoming funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will make home energy assessment reports a requirement, where NYSERDA may need to show proof the home energy assessment report was delivered to the customer.

If there are any questions on this, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

To: All NYHEP Users
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: NYHEP Updates
Contact: If there are any questions on this, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

Thank you for your feedback for the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). NYSERDA and our developers are
working to make the requested improvements and release enhancements on a monthly cadence.
NYHEP will be updated on March 14, 2024 with the following changes:

• All users: Ability to choose multiple document types when uploading a file
• NYSERDA/Implementation users: Enhanced Implementation/Contractor profile features and management tools
• Numerous back-end data exchange enhancements to streamline reporting and other bug fixes

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Contractors must provide a copy of the Home Energy Assessment to customers
Contact: Please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069

The EmPower+ program has been receiving many customer complaints about customers not receiving copies of their home energy assessment. Starting on February 13, 2024, CLEAResult will verify that the home energy assessment report was generated in NYHEP as part of final project review. If the report is not present, the project will be pushed back to the contractor to generate the report and provide it to the customer. After the report has been provided to the customer, the contractor can resubmit the project.

Section 5.17 of the Program Manual specifies “The participating contractor shall provide Program participants with a finalized home energy assessment report within 14 calendar days of site visit. The report shall be generated from Program-approved software and include a detailed workscope proposal that identifies measures and pricing for improving the energy efficiency, comfort and safety of the home. The report shall include all energy efficiency, comfort, health and safety opportunities that exist in the home regardless of type of service(s) the participating contractor offers (i.e., a participating contractor with heating certification needs to identify applicable envelope issues in the report) while adhering to the policies and procedures.”

Moving forward, quality assurance inspections will also include an inquiry with customers to see if home energy assessment reports were provided. Initially, scores will not be diminished if a home energy assessment report was not provided to the customer; however, the contractor will be notified to send a copy of the home energy assessment report to the customer. If it is determined that a contractor is not providing their customers with a home energy assessment on a regular basis, CLEAResult Quality Control will work with the contractor to help them remediate this.

In addition to being a Program requirement, upcoming funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will make home energy assessment reports a requirement, where NYSERDA may need to show proof the home energy assessment report was delivered to the customer.

If there are any questions on this, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Updated EmPower+ Pricing and Fuel Rates
Contact: Please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069 with any questions

EmPower+ measure pricing and Program fuel rates have been updated and are effective as of February 23, 2024.

EmPower+ pricing was reviewed and updated to reflect changes to several variables including national inflation and consumer price index (CPI) data, and market price research.  The updated list can be found in Section 5.5 of the Program Manual on the Contractor Support site.

EmPower+ Program fuel rates for 2024 have been updated and posted on the Contractor Support website in Section 5.12 of the Program Manual. The fuel rates and EmPower pricing have been updated in the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) currently and will be effective for any new project entered in NYHEP beginning February 23, 2024. NYSERDA finance has also updated their Proforma tool to reflect the updated fuel pricing.

For Program fuel rates, natural gas and electricity rates are based on the Joint Utilities 2021-2023 SC1 3-year average. Delivered fuels are based upon the NYSERDA New York Home Pricing Monitoring Program 2022-2023 averages. For cost-effectiveness calculations,  NYSERDA uses volumetric charges including supply (commodity), transmission and distribution, and other charges applied based on the supply volume.

If there are any questions, please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Contractors must provide a copy of the Home Energy Assessment to customers
Contact: Please reach out to 866-NYSERDA

The EmPower+ program has been receiving many customer complaints about customers not receiving copies of their home energy assessment. Starting on February 13, 2024, CLEAResult will verify that the home energy assessment report was generated in NYHEP as part of final project review. If the report is not present, the project will be pushed back to the contractor to generate the report and provide it to the customer. After the report has been provided to the customer, the contractor can resubmit the project.

Section 5.17 of the Program Manual specifies “The participating contractor shall provide Program participants with a finalized home energy assessment report within 14 calendar days of site visit. The report shall be generated from Program-approved software and include a detailed workscope proposal that identifies measures and pricing for improving the energy efficiency, comfort and safety of the home. The report shall include all energy efficiency, comfort, health and safety opportunities that exist in the home regardless of type of service(s) the participating contractor offers (i.e., a participating contractor with heating certification needs to identify applicable envelope issues in the report) while adhering to the policies and procedures.”

Moving forward, quality assurance inspections will also include an inquiry with customers to see if home energy assessment reports were provided. Initially, scores will not be diminished if a home energy assessment report was not provided to the customer; however, the contractor will be notified to send a copy of the home energy assessment report to the customer. If it is determined that a contractor is not providing their customers with a home energy assessment on a regular basis, CLEAResult Quality Control will work with the contractor to help them remediate this.

In addition to being a Program requirement, upcoming funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will make home energy assessment reports a requirement, where NYSERDA may need to show proof the home energy assessment report was delivered to the customer.

If there are any questions on this, please reach out to contractor support at 1-800-284-9069.

To: NYHEP Users
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: NYHEP Release 3.0
Contact: For Questions – contact [email protected]

The New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) version 3.0 will be released February 8, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

What’s new

• Changes to Residential Energy Assessment New Customer Page
• Enrollment Profile – Step’s Total # of Days Value
• Upstate vs. Downstate Pricing Schedule based on contractor office zip code

What’s fixed

• Duplicate workflow steps no longer appearing
• Enrollment incentives in the Enrollment summary and the Enrollment Profile – Measures Page match
• “Update Customer” button on the Application Step Type no longer produces error code if there is no mailing address on the customer profile
• Updated wording from EECP to NYHEP on the Two-Step verification (MFA) email
• Email notifications sent to primary trade ally employee on Application step type when Installation step type does not exist on the enrollment AND a program correspondence is triggered
• Workflow step outcome ‘Work Complete’ will no longer require a reason code

To: EmPower+ Contractors, HUBS
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Income Eligibility Process Document-Program Manual Section 3.6 Updates
Contact: Please reach out to 866-NYSERDA

The Income Eligibility Process Document, Section 3.6 of the Program Manual, has been updated to reflect upcoming program changes and to provide consistency between the different forms of income eligibility. As discussed in the January 11, 2024, Program Announcement, the use of Geo-Eligibility for determining eligibility for the EmPower+ low-income incentive is ending on February 1, 2024. The Income Eligibility Process Document has been updated to remove Geo-Eligibility as an acceptable income eligibility method.

For Standard Eligibility, Section 3.6 provides guidance for using the IRS Tax Form Transcript and Tax documentation using a 1040, 1040 A, 1014-SR, or 1040-EZ. Effective immediately, when using any of these tax documents for determining EmPower+ eligibility, the adjusted gross income figure should be used for determining a household’s income for low-or moderate income EmPower+ eligibility. If using a W2, then take the figure provided in Box-1 Wages, tips, and other Compensation.

If there are any questions on income eligibility, please reach out to 866-NYSERDA.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+, Residential Energy Assessments
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal will be unavailable from Friday 2/2 at 6PM until 2/3 at 9PM
Contact: Please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069

The NY Home Energy Portal will be unavailable on Friday, February 2, beginning at 6:00pm through 9:00 PM on Saturday, February 3, to allow time for the software development team to make necessary security upgrades.

If there are any questions, please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.

To: NYHEP Users
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: NYHEP Release 3.0
Contact: For Questions – contact [email protected]

The New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) version 3.0 will be released February 8, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

What’s new

• Changes to Residential Energy Assessment New Customer Page
• Enrollment Profile – Step’s Total # of Days Value
• Upstate vs. Downstate Pricing Schedule based on contractor office zip code

What’s fixed

• Duplicate workflow steps no longer appearing
• Enrollment incentives in the Enrollment summary and the Enrollment Profile – Measures Page match
• “Update Customer” button on the Application Step Type no longer produces error code if there is no mailing address on the customer profile
• Updated wording from EECP to NYHEP on the Two-Step verification (MFA) email
• Email notifications sent to primary trade ally employee on Application step type when Installation step type does not exist on the enrollment AND a program correspondence is triggered
• Workflow step outcome ‘Work Complete’ will no longer require a reason code

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Geo-eligibility Ending
Contact: Additional information will be provided in upcoming Program Announcements and on the February 2nd Contractor Webinar.

Effective February 1, 2024, geo-eligibility will no longer be an option for determining EmPower+ income eligibility. Certain funding sources that support EmPower+ do not allow for geo-eligibility as an option for income verification. Below are estimated dates for the transition away from geo-eligibility:

• Now through January 31, 2024- Program will continue to approve EmPower+ applications where the household was determined through geo-eligibility to be income-eligible.
• February 1, 2024- geo-eligibility will be shut down in the online application and on the EmPower+ Application web page. References to geo-eligibility will be removed from EmPower+ web pages and program documentation.
  • Households that have been determined to be geo-eligible prior to the shut off will have until April 15, 2024, to have work completed. After the shut off of geo-eligibility, contractors will be given a list of customers who qualified with geo-eligibility.
• April 15, 2024- Any EmPower+ project where the household was determined eligible by geo-eligibility will need to be completed and closed out. Projects that are not completed at this time will be closed by CLEAResult. When the customer reapplies, a new enrollment will be created for them. Contractors can enter the information from the previous enrollment into the new enrollment.

Households determined to be eligible for EmPower+ through geo-eligibility will be sent an email and letter from NYSERDA. They will be informed them that their project must be completed no later than April 15, 2024, or they will need to reapply to the program.

This change is only applicable to geo-eligibility in EmPower+; it does not impact the geo-eligibility determination for interest rates through NYSERDA’s Residential Loan Fund.

Additional information will be provided in upcoming Program Announcements and on the February 2 Contractor Webinar.

To: EmPower+ Contractors, HUBS
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Income Eligibility Process Document-Program Manual Section 3.6 Updates
Contact: Please reach out to 866-NYSERDA

The Income Eligibility Process Document, Section 3.6 of the Program Manual, has been updated to reflect upcoming program changes and to provide consistency between the different forms of income eligibility. As discussed in the January 11, 2024, Program Announcement, the use of Geo-Eligibility for determining eligibility for the EmPower+ low-income incentive is ending on February 1, 2024. The Income Eligibility Process Document has been updated to remove Geo-Eligibility as an acceptable income eligibility method.

For Standard Eligibility, Section 3.6 provides guidance for using the IRS Tax Form Transcript and Tax documentation using a 1040, 1040 A, 1014-SR, or 1040-EZ. Effective immediately, when using any of these tax documents for determining EmPower+ eligibility, the adjusted gross income figure should be used for determining a household’s income for low-or moderate income EmPower+ eligibility. If using a W2, then take the figure provided in Box-1 Wages, tips, and other Compensation.

If there are any questions on income eligibility, please reach out to 866-NYSERDA.

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Invoice Payments
Contact: For Questions – contact [email protected]

On January 25, an issue prevented EmPower+ contractor invoice payments from being dispersed. This issue has been resolved. ACH payments were processed overnight on February 5 and should be available within your banks typical processing time. Paper checks will be processed in the next check run on February 14.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Geo-eligibility Ending: Effective February 1, 2024, geo-eligibility will no longer be an option for determining EmPower+ income eligibility.
Contact: Additional information will be provided in upcoming Program Announcements and on the February 2nd Contractor Webinar

Effective February 1, 2024, geo-eligibility will no longer be an option for determining EmPower+ income eligibility. Certain funding sources that support EmPower+ do not allow for geo-eligibility as an option for income verification. Below are estimated dates for the transition away from geo-eligibility:

• Now through January 31, 2024- Program will continue to approve EmPower+ applications where the household was determined through geo-eligibility to be income-eligible.
• February 1, 2024- geo-eligibility will be shut down in the online application and on the EmPower+ Application landing page. References to geo-eligibility will be removed from EmPower+ web pages and program documentation. Households that have been determined to be geo-eligible will have until April 15, 2024, to have work completed. After the shut off of geo-eligibility, contractors will be given a list of customers who qualified with geo-eligibility.
• April 15, 2024- Any EmPower+ project where the household was determined eligible by geo-eligibility will need to be completed and closed out. Projects that are not completed at this time will need to be closed by CLEAResult. When the customer reapplies, a new enrollment will be created for them. Contractors can enter the information from the previous enrollment into the new enrollment.

NYSERDA will be sending an email and mailing a letter to households determined eligible for EmPower+ through geo-eligibility to inform them that their project must be completed no later than April 15, 2024, or they will need to reapply to the program.

This change is only applicable to geo-eligibility in EmPower+; it does not impact the geo-eligibility determination for interest rates through NYSERDA’s Residential Loan Fund.

Additional information will be provided in upcoming Program Announcements and on the February 2nd Contractor Webinar.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Customer Acceptance
Contact: Please reach out to Contractor Support at 800-284-9069

In September, the EmPower+ program announced an extension to the time contractors have to accept customers in the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) to 15 calendar days with one 5 business day extension. Effective January 1, 2024, this process reverted back to the original timeline.

• Initial Contractor Assignment- Contractor has 5 business days to accept the Enrollment and can request a one-time, 5 business day extension.

In early 2024, NYHEP will be enhanced to semi-automate assignments to reduce project acceptance wait times and improve the customer experience. When this automation is rolled-out, the assignment timeline will be updated as follows:

• Initial Contractor Assignment- Contractor has 5 business days to accept the Enrollment and can request a one-time, 5-business day extension.
• Second Contractor Assignment-If the initial Contractor does not accept the Enrollment within the initial 5 day w/5 day extension period or rejects it, the Enrollment will be auto-assigned to a second Contractor who will have 5 business days to accept the Enrollment. No extensions will be granted to the second contractor.
• Third Contractor Assignment- If the second Contractor does not accept the Enrollment within 5 business days, the Enrollment will get auto-assigned to a third Contractor who will have 5 business days to accept the Enrollment. No extensions will be granted to the third contractor.
• Final Contractor Assignment- If the third Contractor fails to accept the Enrollment, it will get sent to a manual assignment queue where the implementor will work with a Contractor to get the customer accepted.

It is imperative for Contractors to routinely check their customer assignment queues. If you know you cannot serve a particular household, then decline the assignment in a timely manner so the customer can get assigned to another Contractor. This will help maintain a positive customer experience.

If there are any questions, please contact Customer Support at 800-284-9069.

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Holiday Impacts on EmPower+ Program
Contact: Reach out to your Account Manager

NYSERDA wishes you and your family a happy and safe holiday season. Please see below for EmPower+ program staff and implementation staff hours for the end of December and beginning of January.

CLOSURES:

• Monday, December 25: NYSERDA & CLEAResult
• Tuesday, December 26: CLEAResult
• Monday, January 1: NYSERDA & CLEAResult

INVOICES:

CLEAResult will submit two invoices to NYSERDA the week of the 24th with payments expected to be dispersed within 2-3 days.

• Wednesday, December 27 with an estimated payment by Jan 2
• Thursday, December 28 an estimated payment by Jan 3

Participating contractors working in the field in need of an emergency approval may contact Michael Downing – 774-314-2220 on Monday, 12/25, Brendon Fox – 518-207-4512 on Tuesday, 12/26 and Pete Hoke – 518-207-4534 on Monday, 1/1. The Tech Services team also includes information in their autoreply and voicemail messages directing contractors on who to go to if they have an emergency or to reach out to contractor support for non-emergency matters and someone will get back to them after the holidays. If there is an emergency that requires assistance from Shared Services, please contact Lindsay Huba-Zhang at 518-598-3573, otherwise non-emergency matters will be responded to after the holiday.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Customer Acceptance
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

In September, the EmPower+ program announced an extension to the time contractors have to accept customers in the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) to 15 calendar days with one 5 business day extension. Effective January 1, 2024, this process will revert back to the original timeline.

• Initial Contractor Assignment- Contractor has 5 business days to accept the Enrollment and can request a one-time, 5 business day extension.

In early 2024, NYHEP will be enhanced to semi-automate assignments to reduce project acceptance wait times and improve the customer experience. When this automation is rolled-out, the assignment timeline will be updated as follows:

• Initial Contractor Assignment- Contractor has 5 business days to accept the Enrollment and can request a one-time, 5-business day extension.
• Second Contractor Assignment-If the initial Contractor does not accept the Enrollment within the initial 5 day w/5 day extension period or rejects it, the Enrollment will be auto-assigned to a second Contractor who will have 5 business days to accept the Enrollment. No extensions will be granted to the second contractor.
• Third Contractor Assignment- If the second Contractor does not accept the Enrollment within 5 business days, the Enrollment will get auto-assigned to a third Contractor who will have 5 business days to accept the Enrollment. No extensions will be granted to the third contractor.
• Final Contractor Assignment- If the third Contractor fails to accept the Enrollment, it will get sent to a manual assignment queue where the implementor will work with a Contractor to get the customer accepted.

It is imperative for Contractors to routinely check their customer assignment queues. If you know you cannot serve a particular household, then decline the assignment in a timely manner so the customer can get assigned to another Contractor. This will help maintain a positive customer experience.

 If there are any questions, please contact your Account Manager.

To: NYSERDA Single Family Residential Program Partners
Regarding Programs: NYSERDA Single Family Residential Programs
Summary: Implementation Contractor Updates
Contact: [email protected]

At the end of 2023, the current Shared Services and Technical Services contracts supporting EmPower+ and Residential Energy Assessments will expire.  Effective January 1, 2024, these program implementation services will be transitioned to TRC and CLEAResult to provide programmatic and customer support as outlined below. Moving forward, NYSERDA’s expectation is to streamline and align implementation support across all Single-Family Residential programs.

Over the next several weeks, staff will be working to make the necessary system and internal process updates. While we expect minimal interruptions and impacts to the services provided, we appreciate your support and understanding as the Implementation teams work through the changes.

If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Customer Engagement and Enrollment Contractor

TRC will assume the responsibility of customer support prior to, and through, the application enrollment process. Specifically, TRC will:

• Provide call-center support for customers to answer questions about program offerings and assist with customer enrollment
• Process customer applications for EmPower+
• Provide income verification services for program incentives
• Process low-income referral files and mailings or other outreach to referred customers

The customer application will continue to be in Salesforce and no changes to the application process is expected.

For questions on customer applications to EmPower+, TRC will be handling calls received through the 1- 866-NYSERDA number. For EmPower+ paper applications that will be mailed in, the updated address is:

TRC Companies

3 Corporate Drive, Suite 202

Clifton Park, NY 12065

The application address is being updated on the NYSERDA website and on the online and  paper versions of the application and will be available prior to January 1, 2024.

Program Operations and Technical Support Contractor

CLEAResult has been named as the Program Operations and Technical Support Contractor responsible for customer support once an application has been approved as well as programmatic and technical support for contractors in the EmPower+ and Residential Energy Assessment programs. Specifically, their role will include the following:

• Contractor Assignment on Approved EmPower+ Applications
• Provide technical and programmatic support to contractors through trainings, in-field and remote assistance, responding to support tickets and managing a call center
• Provide customer support for in-progress work and post-completion inquiries or other issues
• Process manual workscope and final project reviews for EmPower+, including incentive invoice processing
• Process Residential Energy Assessment submissions, including incentive invoice processing
• Provide assistance maintaining program participation agreements, updating program processes and other resources

For  project related questions following the approval of the audit application, please reach out to 1-800-284-9069, the current contractor support phone number. Workflow approval procedures and invoice submission processes will continue to be processed in the New York Home Energy Portal.

For Comfort Home, technical and operational support services will continue by the current TRC contract through 2024.

NYSERDA will be providing a more comprehensive overview of implementation roles as part of the January 5th Contractor Check-in.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Field Change Order and Assessment Installation Form
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Effective January 1, 2024, the following process requirements will be in place for Field Change Orders and the Assessment Installation Form. 

Field Change Orders

For projects where the approved workscope is different than the final workscope, regardless of the dollar amount, a Field Change Order must be completed and signed by the household as affirmation they have been informed of the modification to the project. In instances where the changes are greater than $500, the Participating Contractor must receive approval from the Program. This can be a call to the account manager or through the contractor support line if the account manager is unavailable.

Assessment Installation Form

For all projects, the Assessment Installation Form must be reviewed and signed by the household. Preferably, this should occur at the time of the assessment; however, it can be signed at a later stage providing a signed copy is uploaded as part of the final project submission.

Currently, NYSERDA is working with the BPCA and Participating Contractors to review and streamline existing Program forms. NYSERDA expects this effort to be completed in early 2024 and will provide updates to the forms and requirements once available.  

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Customer Acceptance
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

In September, the EmPower+ program announced an extension to the time contractors have to accept customers in the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) to 15 calendar days with one 5 business day extension. Effective January 1, 2024, this process will revert back to the original timeline.

• Initial Contractor Assignment- Contractor has 5 business days to accept the Enrollment and can request a one-time, 5 business day extension.

In early 2024, NYHEP will be enhanced to semi-automate assignments to reduce project acceptance wait times and improve the customer experience. When this automation is rolled-out, the assignment timeline will be updated as follows:

• Initial Contractor Assignment- Contractor has 5 business days to accept the Enrollment and can request a one-time, 5-business day extension.
• Second Contractor Assignment-If the initial Contractor does not accept the Enrollment within the initial 5 day w/5 day extension period or rejects it, the Enrollment will be auto-assigned to a second Contractor who will have 5 business days to accept the Enrollment. No extensions will be granted to the second contractor.
• Third Contractor Assignment- If the second Contractor does not accept the Enrollment within 5 business days, the Enrollment will get auto-assigned to a third Contractor who will have 5 business days to accept the Enrollment. No extensions will be granted to the third contractor.
• Final Contractor Assignment- If the third Contractor fails to accept the Enrollment, it will get sent to a manual assignment queue where the implementor will work with a Contractor to get the customer accepted.

It is imperative for Contractors to routinely check their customer assignment queues. If you know you cannot serve a particular household, then decline the assignment in a timely manner so the customer can get assigned to another Contractor. This will help maintain a positive customer experience.

 If there are any questions, please contact your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Referring to the Program as EmPower+
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Following the launch of EmPower+ in July, NYSERDA requested Participating Contractors review their literature and websites and change all references of EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® to EmPower+ by September 1, 2023. In addition, marketing and promotional materials as well as forms with the EmPower or Assisted Home Performance program names should have ceased to be used by September 1, 2023, at the latest.

When discussing program offerings with customers, please refer to the Program as EmPower+, this helps create program awareness and helps eliminate confusion.  Also, moving forward, any marketing or media review requests with references to “EmPower” and not EmPower+ will be denied. In addition, please ensure any references to EmPower or Assisted Home Performance in your own literature or on company websites have been updated to EmPower+.

Please reach out to your Account Manager with any questions.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Field Change Order and Assessment Installation Form
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Effective January 1, 2024, the following process requirements will be in place for Field Change Orders and the Assessment Installation Form. 

Field Change Orders

For projects where the approved workscope is different than the final workscope, regardless of the dollar amount, a Field Change Order must be completed and signed by the household as affirmation they have been informed of the modification to the project. In instances where the changes are greater than $500, the Participating Contractor must receive approval from the Program. This can be a call to the account manager or through the contractor support line if the account manager is unavailable.

Assessment Installation Form

For all projects, the Assessment Installation Form must be reviewed and signed by the household. Preferably, this should occur at the time of the assessment; however, it can be signed at a later stage providing a signed copy is uploaded as part of the final project submission.

Currently, NYSERDA is working with the BPCA and Participating Contractors to review and streamline existing Program forms. NYSERDA expects this effort to be completed in early 2024 and will provide updates to the forms and requirements once available.  

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Staff Hours for Thanksgiving
Contact: Reach out to your Account Manager

NYSERDA wishes you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Please see below for EmPower+ program staff and implementation staff hours for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

NYSERDA: Closed Thursday, limited staffing Friday

CLEAResult: Closed Thursday and Friday

Participating contractors working in the field in need of emergency approval may contact Jeannette Francis – 518-360-2166 on Thursday, 11/23 and Pete Hoke – 518-207-4534 on Friday, 11/24. The Tech Services team also includes information in their autoreply and voicemails directing contractors on who to go to if they have an emergency or to reach out to contractor support for non-emergency matters and someone will get back to them after the holiday. If there is an emergency that requires assistance from Shared Services, please contact Lindsay Huba-Zhang at 518-598-3573, otherwise non-emergency matters will be responded to after the holiday. With the holiday, there will only be one EmPower+ incentive invoice processed during the week of 11/20. Incentive invoicing processing will return to twice per week beginning the week of 11/27.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Referring to the Program as EmPower+
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Following the launch of EmPower+ in July, NYSERDA requested Participating Contractors review their literature and websites and change all references of EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® to EmPower+ by September 1, 2023. In addition, marketing and promotional materials as well as forms with the EmPower or Assisted Home Performance program names should have ceased to be used by September 1, 2023, at the latest.

When discussing program offerings with customers, please refer to the Program as EmPower+, this helps create program awareness and helps eliminate confusion.  Also, moving forward, any marketing or media review requests with references to “EmPower” and not EmPower+ will be denied. In addition, please ensure any references to EmPower or Assisted Home Performance in your own literature or on company websites have been updated to EmPower+.

Please reach out to your Account Manager with any questions.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Clean Energy Hubs
Regarding Programs: EmPower+ (Low-Income Eligible Households)
Summary: OTDA HERR benefit increased to $4,000 for repair and $8,000 for heating system replacement
Contact: Contact your Account Manager

Effective October 2, 2023, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has increased the benefit available through the Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement (HERR) Benefit to $4,000 for a repair and $8,000 for a replacement.  The HERR Benefit provides incentives for eligible low-income homeowners to repair or replace failed direct heating equipment. In addition, the maximum resource limit for HERR was increased to $10,000.

Low-Income households looking to participate in HERR, can call a Local District Contact. If it is determined the low-income household is not eligible for the HERR Benefit or if the HERR Benefit will not cover the entire cost of the system, the household may be eligible for incentives through EmPower+. Please refer to the No Heat Guidelines Section 5.9 of the Program Manual for additional information. 

If there are any questions, please contact your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Regional Clean Energy Hubs
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Updated Income Limits for EmPower+
Contact: Contact your Account Manager

The income limits for EmPower+ have been updated and are effective as of November 1, 2023. These income limits are based on 2023-2024 State Median Income numbers provided by the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and 2023 Area Median Income numbers provided by The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The updated guidelines can be found in Section 3.4 of the Program Manual and on the EmPower+ webpage.

All websites and program materials have been updated to reflect these changes.  If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Field Change Order and Assessment Installation Form
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Effective January 1, 2024, the following process requirements will be in place for Field Change Orders and the Assessment Installation Form. 

Field Change Orders

For projects where the approved workscope is different than the final workscope, regardless of the dollar amount, a Field Change Order must be completed and signed by the household as affirmation they have been informed of the modification to the project. In instances where the changes are greater than $500, the Participating Contractor must receive approval from the Program. This can be a call to the account manager or through the contractor support line if the account manager is unavailable.

Assessment Installation Form

For all projects, the Assessment Installation Form must be reviewed and signed by the household. Preferably, this should occur at the time of the assessment; however, it can be signed at a later stage providing a signed copy is uploaded as part of the final project submission.

Currently, NYSERDA is working with the BPCA and Participating Contractors to review and streamline existing Program forms. NYSERDA expects this effort to be completed in early 2024 and will provide updates to the forms and requirements once available.  

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) Processing Times 8:00 PM 11/22- 11/26
Contact: Contact your Account Manager

As part of the continuing efforts to migrate historic documents/projects to the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP), NYSERDA will be taking advantage of the long Thanksgiving break.  Starting Wednesday, November 22 at 8:00 pm and continuing through Sunday, November 26, NYSERDA is planning a large file transfer.  During this time, the system may perform slower than usual. 

We appreciate your continued support and understanding as the system is built out.   

If you have any questions, please contact your Account Manager.  

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Clean Energy Hubs
Regarding Programs: EmPower+ (Low-Income Eligible Households)
Summary: OTDA HERR benefit increased to $4,000 for repair and $8,000 for heating system replacement
Contact: Contact your Account Manager

Effective October 2, 2023, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) has increased the benefit available through the Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement (HERR) Benefit to $4,000 for a repair and $8,000 for a replacement.  The HERR Benefit provides incentives for eligible low-income homeowners to repair or replace failed direct heating equipment. In addition, the maximum resource limit for HERR was increased to $10,000.

Low-Income households looking to participate in HERR, can call a Local District Contact. If it is determined the low-income household is not eligible for the HERR Benefit or if the HERR Benefit will not cover the entire cost of the system, the household may be eligible for incentives through EmPower+. Please refer to the No Heat Guidelines Section 5.9 of the Program Manual for additional information. 

If there are any questions, please contact your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Regional Clean Energy Hubs
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Updated Income Limits for EmPower+
Contact: Contact your Account Manager

The income limits for EmPower+ have been updated and are effective as of November 1, 2023. These income limits are based on 2023-2024 State Median Income numbers provided by the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) and 2023 Area Median Income numbers provided by The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The updated guidelines can be found in Section 3.4 of the Program Manual and on the EmPower+ webpage.

All websites and program materials have been updated to reflect these changes.  If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Field Change Order and Assessment Installation Form
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Effective January 1, 2024, the following process requirements will be in place for Field Change Orders and the Assessment Installation Form. 

Field Change Orders

For projects where the approved workscope is different than the final workscope, regardless of the dollar amount, a Field Change Order must be completed and signed by the household as affirmation they have been informed of the modification to the project. In instances where the changes are greater than $500, the Participating Contractor must receive approval from the Program. This can be a call to the account manager or through the contractor support line if the account manager is unavailable.

Assessment Installation Form

For all projects, the Assessment Installation Form must be reviewed and signed by the household. Preferably, this should occur at the time of the assessment; however, it can be signed at a later stage providing a signed copy is uploaded as part of the final project submission.

Currently, NYSERDA is working with the BPCA and Participating Contractors to review and streamline existing Program forms. NYSERDA expects this effort to be completed in early 2024 and will provide updates to the forms and requirements once available.  

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) Processing Times 8:00 PM 11/22- 11/26
Contact: Contact your Account Manager

As part of the continuing efforts to migrate historic documents/projects to the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP), NYSERDA will be taking advantage of the long Thanksgiving break.  Starting Wednesday, November 22 at 8:00 pm and continuing through Sunday, November 26, NYSERDA is planning a large file transfer.  During this time, the system may perform slower than usual. 

We appreciate your continued support and understanding as the system is built out.   

If you have any questions, please contact your Account Manager.  

No Announcements

No Announcements

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: No Heat Guidelines
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

The 2023-2024 No-Heat Guidelines are available and can be found in Section 5.9 of the Program Manual. The no heat season begins October 1, 2023 and continues through May 31, 2024. Please review these guidelines for additional information.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Customer Acceptance Extension
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

The Empower+ program is announcing an extension of the time contractors have to accept customers in the NYHEP portal 15 calendar days with one 5 calendar day extension. Currently contractors have 5 business days to accept a project and can request a 5 business day extension. The program encourages contractors to accept customers as soon as possible so they have the best program experience. This extension will remain in effect until current portal stability issues have been thoroughly resolved. If there are any questions, please contact your Account Manager. 

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: No Heat Guidelines
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

The 2023-2024 No-Heat Guidelines are available and can be found in Section 5.9 of the Program Manual. The no heat season begins October 1, 2023 and continues through May 31, 2024. Please review these guidelines for additional information.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Fact Sheet Translations
Contact: Please reach out to [email protected]

The EmPower+ Fact Sheet has been translated into the same 14 languages as the EmPower+ application and these are currently available on the contractor support site. If there are additional languages you would like to see the fact sheet or EmPower+ application made available in, please reach out to [email protected]. 

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: No Heat Guidelines
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

The 2023-2024 No-Heat Guidelines are available and can be found in Section 5.9 of the Program Manual. The no heat season begins October 1, 2023 and continues through May 31, 2024. Please review these guidelines for additional information.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: All Residential Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+, Comfort Home
Summary: Find A Contractor Tool
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

NYSERDA is aware of an issue on our website where Contractor Doing Business As names are not surfacing properly in the Find a Contractor tool . We are working to resolve this issue and expect a fix to be in place within the next week. We apologize for any inconvenience.

To: EmPower+
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Freezer and Refrigerator Replacement Age
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

For EmPower+ projects, current program language allows for refrigerators and freezers older than 10 years to be replaced with more efficient models.  To align with the New York State Technical Resource Manual,  NYSERDA is modifying the replacement age requirement for refrigerators and freezers from “older than 10 years” to “older than 2011”.  NYSERDA will allow a grace period until September 4, 2023, for this change to be implemented.  After this date, refrigerator and freezers must be older than 2011 to be eligible for replacement through the Program.  NYSERDA is modifying Section 5.15, EmPower+ Eligible Measures and Accessories and Section 5.18 Measure and Installation Criteria of the Program Manual to reflect these changes.  

If there are any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: NYHEP Invoice Processing for Rolled Back Projects
Contact:[email protected]

Please find additional instructions below to invoice NYSERDA as a follow-up to the Program Notice from August 11, 2023, which authorized compensation to Participating Contractors as follows:   

“Starting [August 11] through 9 PM August 20, 2023, NYSERDA will offer a flat rate of $75 per hour for Participating Contractor staff to perform any necessary data entry and document uploads to bring projects with completed installations that were rolled back from “Final Submission” in the data migration process up to current status so they can be invoiced. To be eligible for this compensation, the following requirements must be met:

1. If a contractor is finding this process takes significantly longer than 30 minutes after working on 2-3 projects, they must contact CLEAResult immediately for assistance before proceeding to be eligible for the hourly payment.
2. Contractors must track staff and hours worked and may submit a separate invoice (please use the provided template) for staff time to NYSERDA by emailing [email protected] no later than Aug 28, 2023. 
3. The invoice must include at a minimum a breakdown of all enrollment numbers where data entry was completed, list staff and number of hours worked each day, and cost…” 

 Instructions:

1. Download the available invoicing template, here, or request a copy by emailing [email protected].
2. Complete the requested data fields highlighted in Green, including a list of Enrollment IDs processed meeting the above requirements.
3. Submit the completed invoice template to [email protected] by end of day, Aug. 28, 2023. Invoices submitted after Aug. 28 will not be accepted.

Please note that payment times may vary based on the following:

• Based on our own testing and reports from contractors, we expect the total time needed to complete the necessary data entry and document uploads to be approximately 15 to 30 minutes per project. NYSERDA reserves the right to follow up, request clarifications for, or reject payments where the average processing time significantly deviates from this expectation.
•  Any Enrollment IDs that were not rolled back from “Final Submission” or are otherwise ineligible will be removed from the invoice or may result in the rejection or delay of the invoice processing. 
• Invoices less than $5,000 will be batched and processed by the end of the day on Aug. 29 with payments reaching contractors starting Aug. 30.
• Invoices $5,000 or greater require additional steps and may take up to two weeks or longer for payment to be processed.

To: EmPower+
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: Freezer and Refrigerator Replacement Age
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

For EmPower+ projects, current program language allows for refrigerators and freezers older than 10 years to be replaced with more efficient models.  To align with the New York State Technical Resource Manual,  NYSERDA is modifying the replacement age requirement for refrigerators and freezers from “older than 10 years” to “older than 2011”.  NYSERDA will allow a grace period until September 4, 2023, for this change to be implemented.  After this date, refrigerator and freezers must be older than 2011 to be eligible for replacement through the Program.  NYSERDA is modifying Section 5.15, EmPower+ Eligible Measures and Accessories and Section 5.18 Measure and Installation Criteria of the Program Manual to reflect these changes.  

If there are any questions, please reach out to your account manager.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: SQA trending statewide nonconformance
Contact: Amy Kasson-Muzio; [email protected]

The NYSERDA Standards and Quality Assurance (SQA) team regularly reviews statewide trends of nonconformances identified during Quality Assurance inspections. To assist contractors by enhancing their internal Quality Control, the SQA team will be sending out emails to contractors who have received the trending statewide nonconformance identified at least once during a Quality Assurance inspection. The emails sent to contractors will contain the nonconformance identified during one or more inspections performed over the past year from the installed energy efficient projects.  

The goal is to ensure the installation of the safest and most reliable energy efficient projects for all households throughout New York. The SQA team will assist contractors to successfully pass all inspections and answer questions. 

Below is an example of a trending statewide nonconformance identified:

REQUIREMENT: Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) safety issues have been corrected.

NONCONFORMANCE DESCRIPTION: CAZ and appliance related safety issues have been corrected per ANSI/BPI-1200 Sections 7.8.1.1, 7.8.1.3, 7.8.1.5, 7.8.2.2 and 7.8.4.

The most common reasons why this nonconformance is identified are because:

• Vent/flue/connector piping does not have the minimum clearance from combustible materials per BPI-1200 and NYS Residential Code
• Unintended vent/flue/connector openings causing leakage (corrosion, broken fittings, detached piping/fittings)
• Vent/flue connector is not pitched up from the appliance connection point to the chimney/vent connection.

To avoid this nonconformance we highly encourage the leadership and crew members to:

• Maintain minimum required clearances between insulation, chimneys, vents and connectors. Repairs made to single wall vents and appliance connectors, such as holes made for combustion analysis should be covered with materials approved by NYS code, use of snap in metal plugs are recommended, foil tapes do not meet minimum code material requirements.
• Replace/repair vents, flues, connectors to address leakage and improper pitch, this work scope item should be included as a health and safety measure.
• Where the existing appliance flue outlet is too tall to install the flue/connector with the proper pitch per the appliance manufacturer specifications and/or code include replacement of the appliance with a heat pump or combustion appliance with a flue outlet that is low enough, for example a short gas fired hot water heater. This work scope item should be discussed with your account manager and should be included in the work scope as a health and safety measure for program review.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please submit to:

[email protected]

We appreciate the hard work and effort put forth by all installers.

Sincerely,

The Standards and Quality Assurance Team

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Support Number
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

CLEAResult has set up a temporary support number to assist contractors with questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (Portal). The number is for contractors who have completed the online training and is not intended to provide extensive training on how to use the portal. Contractors who have hit a roadblock with their homework or need to reset a password can use this number for assistance. If a contractor needs to review the online training a webinar is available here: https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274

The support number is 518-207-4500 and contractors should select Option #3. This number will be available through the initial stages of launch and is expected to sunset in mid-August.

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: SQA trending statewide nonconformance
Contact: Amy Kasson-Muzio; [email protected]

Dear Stakeholders,

The NYSERDA Standards and Quality Assurance, SQA, team regularly reviews statewide trends of nonconformances identified during Quality Assurance inspections. To assist contractors by enhancing their internal Quality Control, the SQA team will be sending out emails to contractors who have received the trending statewide nonconformance identified at least once during a Quality Assurance inspection. The emails sent to contractors will contain the nonconformance identified during one or more inspections performed over the past year from the installed energy efficient projects.

The goal is to ensure the installation of the safest and most reliable energy efficient projects for all households throughout New York. The SQA team will assist contractors to successfully pass all inspections and answer questions.

Below is an example of a trending statewide nonconformance identified:

REQUIREMENT: Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) safety issues have been corrected.

NONCONFORMANCE DESCRIPTION: CAZ and appliance related safety issues have been corrected per ANSI/BPI-1200 Sections 7.8.1.1, 7.8.1.3, 7.8.1.5, 7.8.2.2 and 7.8.4.

The most common reasons why this nonconformance is identified are because:

• Vent/flue/connector piping does not have the minimum clearance from combustible materials per BPI-1200 and NYS Residential Code
• Unintended vent/flue/connector openings causing leakage (corrosion, broken fittings, detached piping/fittings)
• Vent/flue connector is not pitched up from the appliance connection point to the chimney/vent connection.

To avoid this nonconformance we highly encourage the leadership and crew members to:

• Maintain minimum required clearances between insulation, chimneys, vents and connectors. Repairs made to single wall vents and appliance connectors, such as holes made for combustion analysis should be covered with materials approved by NYS code, use of snap in metal plugs are recommended, foil tapes do not meet minimum code material requirements.
• Replace/repair vents, flues, connectors to address leakage and improper pitch, this work scope item should be included as a health and safety measure.
• Where the existing appliance flue outlet is too tall to install the flue/connector with the proper pitch per the appliance manufacturer specifications and/or code include replacement of the appliance with a heat pump or combustion appliance with a flue outlet that is low enough, for example a short gas fired hot water heater. This work scope item should be discussed with your account manager and should be included in the work scope as a health and safety measure for program review.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please submit to:

[email protected]

We appreciate the hard work and effort put forth by all installers.

Sincerely,

The Standards and Quality Assurance Team

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Support Number
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

CLEAResult has set up a temporary support number to assist contractors with questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (Portal). The number is for contractors who have completed the online training and is not intended to provide extensive training on how to use the portal. Contractors who have hit a roadblock with their homework or need to reset a password can use this number for assistance. If a contractor needs to review the online training a webinar is available here: https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274

The support number is 518-207-4500 and contractors should select Option #3. This number will be available through the initial stages of launch and is expected to sunset in mid-August.

To: Participating Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: REA and EmPower+
Summary: Additional Office Hours
Contact: Account Managers

In the coming weeks, staff from the Residential Energy Assessment (REA) and EmPower+ Programs will hold additional Office Hours to field questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). Participating contractors should bring their “How do I…“ questions on modeling, forms/reports, homework assignments, etc. Use the registration links below to sign up for the Office Hour sessions. The Office Hour time slots are provided below:

Office Hours #15- Thursday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6030003673934649432

Office Hours #16- Tuesday, August 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3670160350146012245

Office Hours #17- Wednesday, August 9 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6734688372757717593

Office Hours #18- Thursday, August 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1046097785133046360

Office Hours #19- Tuesday, August 22 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8064622453343506519

Office Hours #20- Wednesday, August 30 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8535081488636308309

To: EmPower+ Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: SQA trending statewide nonconformance
Contact: Amy Kasson-Muzio; [email protected]

Dear Stakeholders,

The NYSERDA Standards and Quality Assurance, SQA, team regularly reviews statewide trends of nonconformances identified during Quality Assurance inspections. To assist contractors by enhancing their internal Quality Control, the SQA team will be sending out emails to contractors who have received the trending statewide nonconformance identified at least once during a Quality Assurance inspection. The emails sent to contractors will contain the nonconformance identified during one or more inspections performed over the past year from the installed energy efficient projects.

The goal is to ensure the installation of the safest and most reliable energy efficient projects for all households throughout New York. The SQA team will assist contractors to successfully pass all inspections and answer questions.

Below is an example of a trending statewide nonconformance identified:

REQUIREMENT: Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) safety issues have been corrected.

NONCONFORMANCE DESCRIPTION: CAZ and appliance related safety issues have been corrected per ANSI/BPI-1200 Sections 7.8.1.1, 7.8.1.3, 7.8.1.5, 7.8.2.2 and 7.8.4.

The most common reasons why this nonconformance is identified are because:

• Vent/flue/connector piping does not have the minimum clearance from combustible materials per BPI-1200 and NYS Residential Code
• Unintended vent/flue/connector openings causing leakage (corrosion, broken fittings, detached piping/fittings)
• Vent/flue connector is not pitched up from the appliance connection point to the chimney/vent connection.

To avoid this nonconformance we highly encourage the leadership and crew members to:

• Maintain minimum required clearances between insulation, chimneys, vents and connectors. Repairs made to single wall vents and appliance connectors, such as holes made for combustion analysis should be covered with materials approved by NYS code, use of snap in metal plugs are recommended, foil tapes do not meet minimum code material requirements.
• Replace/repair vents, flues, connectors to address leakage and improper pitch, this work scope item should be included as a health and safety measure.
• Where the existing appliance flue outlet is too tall to install the flue/connector with the proper pitch per the appliance manufacturer specifications and/or code include replacement of the appliance with a heat pump or combustion appliance with a flue outlet that is low enough, for example a short gas fired hot water heater. This work scope item should be discussed with your account manager and should be included in the work scope as a health and safety measure for program review.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please submit to:

[email protected]

We appreciate the hard work and effort put forth by all installers.

Sincerely,

The Standards and Quality Assurance Team

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Support Number
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

CLEAResult has set up a temporary support number to assist contractors with questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (Portal). The number is for contractors who have completed the online training and is not intended to provide extensive training on how to use the portal. Contractors who have hit a roadblock with their homework or need to reset a password can use this number for assistance. If a contractor needs to review the online training a webinar is available here: https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274

The support number is 518-207-4500 and contractors should select Option #3. This number will be available through the initial stages of launch and is expected to sunset in mid-August.

To: Participating Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: REA and EmPower+
Summary: Additional Office Hours
Contact: Account Managers

In the coming weeks, staff from the Residential Energy Assessment (REA) and EmPower+ Programs will hold additional Office Hours to field questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). Participating contractors should bring their “How do I…“ questions on modeling, forms/reports, homework assignments, etc. Use the registration links below to sign up for the Office Hour sessions. The Office Hour time slots are provided below:

Office Hours #14- Wednesday, July 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4701604511581240149

Office Hours #15- Thursday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6030003673934649432

Office Hours #16- Tuesday, August 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3670160350146012245

Office Hours #17- Wednesday, August 9 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6734688372757717593

Office Hours #18- Thursday, August 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1046097785133046360

Office Hours #19- Tuesday, August 22 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8064622453343506519

Office Hours #20- Wednesday, August 30 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8535081488636308309

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance and Residential Energy Assessment Program (REA)
Summary: NY HEP Live Environment URL
Contact: [email protected]

For contractors participating in EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance, soon to be EmPower+, and the Residential Energy Assessment Program, the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) can be accessed at https://homeportal.nyserda.ny.gov/, starting Monday, July 10.   

To: Participating Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance
Summary: EmPower+ Contractor Program Announcement- Go Live Next Week
Contact: Account Managers

Please remember that the EmPower and Assisted Home Performance programs will be combining into one program, EmPower+, next week, on Monday, July 10, 2023. Please see prior program announcements for full details.

For current Participating Contractors, no action is required for you to continue working in the Program through EmPower+. Your existing Participation Agreement remains valid under EmPower+. If you decide you no longer wish to Participate in EmPower+, please send us an email to [email protected].

As you communicate EmPower+ changes with your staff and customers, please emphasize that, although the program names are changing, the customer experience should not change; NYSERDA is still dedicated to reducing energy usage for low- and moderate-income households.

To help assist with this rebranding, we ask that you please review your literature and websites and change all references to EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® to EmPower+ by September 1, 2023. All marketing and promotional materials as well as forms with the Empower or Assisted Home Performance program names should stop being used by September 1, 2023, at the latest.

Please make sure to attend the July 7 Contractor webinar for additional EmPower+ information, the sign up information is here.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact your Account Manager.

To: Participating Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: REA and EmPower+
Summary: Additional Office Hours
Contact: Account Managers

In the coming weeks, staff from the Residential Energy Assessment (REA) and EmPower+ Programs will hold additional Office Hours to field questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). Participating contractors should bring their “How do I…“ questions on modeling, forms/reports, homework assignments, etc. Use the registration links below to sign up for the Office Hour sessions. The Office Hour time slots are provided below:

Office Hours #13- Tuesday, July 11 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5508571279578113885

Office Hours #14- Wednesday, July 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4701604511581240149

Office Hours #15- Thursday, July 27 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6030003673934649432

Office Hours #16- Tuesday, August 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3670160350146012245

Office Hours #17- Wednesday, August 9 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6734688372757717593

Office Hours #18- Thursday, August 17 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1046097785133046360

Office Hours #19- Tuesday, August 22 at 9:00 a.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8064622453343506519

Office Hours #20- Wednesday, August 30 at 3:00 p.m. ET

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8535081488636308309

To: Participating Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Invoices for the weeks of July 3 and July 10
Contact: Account Managers

With the 4th of July holiday and the transition from Uplight to the NYHEP, Program will be processing one Assisted Home Performance/EmPower invoice package per week, instead of two.

The invoices will be processed in accordance with the timeline below:

• Week of July 3, Invoice package will be processed on July 6

• Week of July 10, Invoice package will be processed on July 12

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: Participating Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: Residential Energy Assessment Program (REA) and EmPower+
Summary: Energy Assessment Cost Change
Contact: [email protected] or Account Managers

With the launch of the NY Home Energy Portal, the Residential Energy Assessment and EmPower+ Programs have aligned the home energy assessment data collection process and report output. To go along with this alignment in processes, NYSERDA is announcing the following changes to the cost fee for energy assessments, effective for assessments submitted July 10, 2023 or later:

• The Residential Energy Assessment cost will change from $150 to $200. Energy Assessments must follow the protocols listed in the Program Manual.
• The EmPower+ Energy Assessment cost will change from $250 to $200. The cost to complete a blower door will change from $50 to $100. Therefore, contractors who are completing energy assessments with blower door tests will not see any change in the total cost the energy assessment. Energy Assessments must follow the protocols listed in the Program Manual.

If you have any questions about this change, please contact [email protected] (REA) or your Account Manager (EmPower+).

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Residential Energy Assessment Program (REA)
Summary: REA Website Updates
Contact: [email protected]

In coordination with the launch of the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP), all REA contractors are encouraged to review the new documents available July 10, 2023 on the REA Contractor Website including:

Program Manual – updated to reflect NYHEP adjustments.

REA Workflow User Guide – Full NYHEP walkthroughs and links to Knowledge Base.

Customer Report Mapping – Identifies data modeled in NYHEP used to populate the Customer Report.

REA Photo Template – Opportunity to provide a photo report to customers.

Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance and Residential Energy Assessment Program (REA)
Summary: NY HEP Live Environment URL
Contact: [email protected]

For contractors participating in EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance, soon to be EmPower+, and the Residential Energy Assessment Program, the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) can be accessed at https://homeportal.nyserda.ny.gov/, starting Monday, July 10.   

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower+
Summary: EmPower+ Launch
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

NYSERDA is announcing the launch of EmPower+ for Spring 2023 which will be the culmination of a years’ long effort to combine the EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® programs into one program with a single application, single set of processes and requirements, and a consistent incentive structure. The coordination of these programs began with the launch of the combined income-eligible customer application in July 2021, continued with the alignment of program processes in March 2022, and will finalize with a rebranding and launch of the NY Home Energy Portal on July 10, 2023. EmPower+ will be a seamless experience for all – customers, contractors, and community groups, with customers accessing difference incentive levels based on their income level.

The Program will function very similarly to the current state, with incentive levels for low- and moderate-income households at 100% and 50% respectively. However, this will all be under the EmPower+ umbrella. Customers who have recently applied under the Combined Application will not need to reapply once the switch to EmPower+ has been made.

Name Change

To help assist with this rebranding, we ask that you please review your literature, scripts and websites and change all references for EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR to EmPower+ by September 1, 2023. Please note the name is EmPower+, not EmPower Plus. If the use of + is prohibitive (such as within a software system), then the name EmPower should be used.

The URL for EmPower+ will be: nyserda.ny.gov/empower. Please review your materials and websites and make any necessary changes.

Retirement of EmPCalc

Over the past two years, processes and procedures have been changed to align EmPower and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. With the official launch of EmPower+ and the NY Home Energy Portal, the use of the EmPCalc tool will be retired. All energy modeling and project submissions will be done within the NY Home Energy Portal. There will be no need to upload Excel documents to address versioning, as that will be done automatically within the new system.

Home Energy Assessments

The home energy assessment procedures and reports will align for customers across all income levels, and among the EmPower+ and Residential Energy Assessment programs. All customers will receive a complete home energy assessment with a report that shows customers all opportunities for improvements in their homes, regardless of available incentives.

As previously announced, all staff who complete energy assessments must hold the proper certifications and submit that proof to the program.

Updates to Program Rules

Required minimum insulation levels required for heat pump installations will be aligned for Empower+, REA, and Comfort Home. Section 5.10 of the Program Manual will be updated with the table below:

The 5% Assisted Home Performance contractor modeling incentive will end for projects submitted for completion after July 7, 2023, as the energy modeling process is being streamlined by being built into the new platform.

Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Name and Logo

The Department of Energy announced that the national Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program is sunsetting in 2023. This change will not impact NYSERDA running the EmPower+ program and taking a building-science forward approach to energy efficiency and clean energy improvements. However, the use of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR name and logo will end. NYSERDA is retiring this use with the launch of EmPower+. Contractors and partners who use this name and/or logo should cease to do so by the end of 2024.

As you communicate these changes with your staff and customers, please emphasize that, although the program names are changing, the customer experience should not change; NYSERDA is still dedicated to reducing energy usage for low- and moderate- income households.

If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Initial Training
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Participating Contractors and Vendors that did not attend either an in-person or virtual training for the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) must view a training recording and complete the assigned homework to receive NYHEP login credentials. Instructions below outline the steps:

• Sign-up by sending your name, company, and email address to [email protected]
  • Users will receive a welcome email with their log-in credentials for the learning environment on a weekly cadence, links to the training video, homework assignment and additional resources
• View training recording located at https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274
• Complete the two homework assignments
  • Upon approval, access to the production environment will be provided when the system goes live

Separate login credentials are required for each NYHEP user. Shared logins are a security risk for both NYSERDA and your company.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Support Number
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

CLEAResult has set up a temporary support number to assist contractors with questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (Portal). The number is for contractors who have completed the online training and is not intended to provide extensive training on how to use the portal. Contractors who have hit a roadblock with their homework or need to reset a password can use this number for assistance. If a contractor needs to review the online training a webinar is available here: https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274

The support number is 518-207-4500 and contractors should select Option #3. This number will be available through the initial stages of launch and is expected to sunset in mid-August.

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Trainees
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Each week in May and June, staff from the Residential Energy Assessment (REA) and EmPower/AHP Programs will hold Office Hours to field questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). Each office hour session will cover a specific topic, please make sure you are registering for a session that covers your training needs. Participating contractors should bring their “How do I…“ questions on modeling, forms/reports, homework assignments, etc. to be prepared for the transition to the NY HEP in June. Use the registration links below to sign up for the Office Hour sessions. The remaining Office Hour Time slots are provided below:

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Find a controctor site improvements
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

NYSERDA is pleased to announce improvements to the “Find a Contractor Site” located at https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ny/ahp-empower/Contractors. These improvements should be live at the time of this announcement or shortly thereafter. Historically, this site was updated at planned intervals, so there was a lag time between when a contractor notified the Program of changes to their contact information and when those changes were live on the website. Now, this site is directly connected to the NYSERDA Salesforce Program Partnership records, so any updates will immediately be seen on the website once Program staff has updated and saved the record. In addition, the Search feature has been expanded to include county served, which will surface contractors who serve a specific county and/or are located in specific county:

Contractors are asked to check their information on this website at regular intervals to ensure it is up to date. If a change is required, a case can be submitted to [email protected] with any requested updates.

Also as a clarification, the Find a Contractor site hosted by Uplight at https://nyserda.energysavvy.com/contractors/ is still searchable through browsers but is not considered an active NYSERDA website and contractors are not encouraged to use this. Over the upcoming months as the Program transitions from Uplight to the New York Home Energy Portal, this webpage will be decommissioned.

If there are any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: July Contractor Portal Launch
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

NYSERDA would like to inform you that the launch of the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) and EmPower+ has been delayed and will not be released on July 10, 2023. This modified timeline will allow additional time to address any remaining technology challenges and ensure an improved crossover experience from the current portal (Uplight) to NYHEP. Additional information was provided on the June 2, 2023, monthly contractor check-in webinar. 

We recognize this postponement may cause some inconvenience to participating contractors and vendors; however, it is necessary in order to ensure a smooth system transition. Prior to the transition, we encouraged you to close out as much in-progress work as possible to minimize the impacts of this transition. 

To help ensure contractor staff are fully prepared for the transition, we will take advantage of the additional time to provide additional training opportunities and office hours in the upcoming weeks to allow contractors more time to experience the new system, to answer questions, and ensure all impacted contractor staff have sufficient time to become familiar with the new system before the transition. A sandbox version of the NYHEP will remain open through July, allowing contractors to practice on sample projects and attend open ended Office hours to address any issues that may be found. If additional support is needed, contractors are encouraged to reach out to their account managers for assistance. 

Our current NYHEP launch timeline is as follows:

For EmPower/Assisted Home Performance Projects:

• 6/23/23- Applications in Salesforce will be held for the new portal
• 7/7/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 7/10/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens, Applications previously held from Salesforce will migrate to NYHEP
• 7/12/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 7/17/23- Projects from Uplight with status of project acceptance, audit claim or earlier will be available in NYHEP at enrollment acceptance step.
• 7/18/23- Payment begins of projects completed in NYHEP
• 7/28/23 Remaining open projects from Uplight available in NYHEP
• 9/1/23-References to EmPower and Assisted Home Performance on websites and printed materials must be updated for EmPower+
• 9/11/23- Last day for accepting the Combined Residential Application paper version.

For Residential Energy Assessments:

• 7/7/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All completed assessments must be submitted by 5 PM
• 7/10/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens for new energy assessment submissions
• 7/12/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 7/18/23- Payment begins for assessments completed in NYHEP

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact your Account Manager (for EmPower and AHP contractors) or [email protected] (for REA contractors).

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Initial Training
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Participating Contractors and Vendors that did not attend either an in-person or virtual training for the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) must view a training recording and complete the assigned homework to receive NYHEP login credentials. Instructions below outline the steps:

• Sign-up by sending your name, company, and email address to [email protected]
  • Users will receive a welcome email with their log-in credentials for the learning environment on a weekly cadence, links to the training video, homework assignment and additional resources
• View training recording located at https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274
• Complete the two homework assignments
  • Upon approval, access to the production environment will be provided when the system goes live

Separate login credentials are required for each NYHEP user. Shared logins are a security risk for both NYSERDA and your company.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your Account Manager.

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Trainees
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Each week in May and June, staff from the Residential Energy Assessment (REA) and EmPower/AHP Programs will hold Office Hours to field questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). Each office hour session will cover a specific topic, please make sure you are registering for a session that covers your training needs. Participating contractors should bring their “How do I…“ questions on modeling, forms/reports, homework assignments, etc. to be prepared for the transition to the NY HEP in June. Use the registration links below to sign up for the Office Hour sessions. The remaining Office Hour Time slots are provided below:

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: New Date for Contractor Portal Launch
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

NYSERDA would like to inform you that the launch of the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) and EmPower+ has been delayed and will now be released on July 10, 2023. This modified timeline will allow additional time to address any remaining technology challenges and ensure an improved crossover experience from the current portal (Uplight) to NYHEP. Additional information will be provided on the June 2, 2023, monthly contractor check-in webinar.

We recognize this postponement may cause some inconvenience to participating contractors and vendors; however, it is necessary in order to ensure a smooth system transition. Prior to the transition, we encouraged you to close out as much in-progress work as possible to minimize the impacts of this transition.

To help ensure contractor staff are fully prepared for the transition, we will take advantage of the additional time to provide additional training opportunities and office hours in the upcoming weeks to allow contractors more time to experience the new system, to answer questions, and ensure all impacted contractor staff have sufficient time to become familiar with the new system before the transition. A sandbox version of the NYHEP will remain open through July, allowing contractors to practice on sample projects and attend open ended Office hours to address any issues that may be found. If additional support is needed, contractors are encouraged to reach out to their Account Manager for assistance.

Our current NYHEP launch timeline is as follows:

For EmPower/Assisted Home Performance Projects:

• 6/23/23- Applications in Salesforce will be held for the new portal
• 7/7/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 7/10/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens, Applications previously held from Salesforce will migrate to NYHEP
• 7/12/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 7/17/23- Projects from Uplight with status of project acceptance, audit claim or earlier will be available in NYHEP at enrollment acceptance step.
• 7/18/23- Payment begins of projects completed in NYHEP
• 7/28/23 Remaining open projects from Uplight available in NYHEP
• 9/1/23-References to EmPower and Assisted Home Performance on websites and printed materials must be updated for EmPower+
• 9/11/23- Last day for accepting the Combined Residential Application paper version.

For Residential Energy Assessments:

• 7/7/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All completed assessments must be submitted by 5 PM
• 7/10/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens for new energy assessment submissions
• 7/12/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 7/18/23- Payment begins for assessments completed in NYHEP

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact your account manager (for EmPower and AHP contractors) or [email protected] (for REA contractors).

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Initial Training
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Participating Contractors and Vendors that did not attend either an in-person or virtual training for the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) must view a training recording and complete the assigned homework to receive NYHEP login credentials. Instructions below outline the steps:

• Sign-up by sending your name, company, and email address to [email protected]
  • Users will receive a welcome email with their log-in credentials for the learning environment on a weekly cadence, links to the training video, homework assignment and additional resources
• View training recording located at https://knowledge.nyserda.ny.gov/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=142641274
• Complete the two homework assignments
  • Upon approval, access to the production environment will be provided when the system goes live.

Separate login credentials are required for each NYHEP user. Shared logins are a security risk for both NYSERDA and your company.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager.

To: Participating Contractors and Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Trainees
Contact: Please reach out to your Account Manager

Each week in May and June, staff from the Residential Energy Assessment (REA) and EmPower/AHP Programs will hold Office Hours to field questions on the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP). Each office hour session will cover a specific topic, please make sure you are registering for a session that covers your training needs. Participating contractors should bring their “How do I…“ questions on modeling, forms/reports, homework assignments, etc. to be prepared for the transition to the NY HEP in June. Use the registration links below to sign up for the Office Hour sessions. The remaining Office Hour Time slots are provided below:

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: June Contractor Portal Launch
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The EmPower, Assisted Home Performance, and Residential Energy Assessment programs are announcing the postponement of the launch of the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) until June 12, 2023. The move of this date, due to unplanned data migration issues with one of NYSERDA’s platforms, will ensure a better cross over from the current portal (Uplight) to NYHEP. This change will also minimize the expected down-time between systems for in-progress projects

We recognize this postponement may cause some inconveniences to participating contractors; however, it is necessary in order to ensure a smoother system transition.

Additional Training and Office Hours are scheduled in May to allow contractors more time to experience the new system and ensure all impacted contractor staff have sufficient time to become familiar with the new system before the transition. A sandbox version of the NYHEP will be available April 10 through June, allowing contractors to submit sample projects and attend Open Office hours to address any issues that may be found.

Our current NYHEP launch timeline is as follows:

For EmPower/Assisted Home Performance Projects:

• 5/26/23- Applications in Salesforce will be held for the new portal
• 6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens, Applications previously held from Salesforce will migrate to NYHEP
• 6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 6/19/23- Projects from Uplight at Workscope Submission Stage or earlier will be available in NYHEP at project acceptance step.
• 6/21/23- Payment begins of projects completed in NYHEP
• 6/30/23- Remaining open projects from Uplight available in NYHEP

For Residential Energy Assessments:

• 6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens for new energy assessment submissions
• 6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 6/21/23- Payment begins for assessments completed in NYHEP

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact your account manager (for EmPower and AHP contractors) or [email protected] (for REA contractors).

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Assisted Home Performance and EmPower
Summary: Pre/Post Installation Report submission reminder
Contact: Please reach out to your account manager

As a reminder for all Assisted Home Performance and EmPower New York projects, EmPCalc v 8.14+ and later generates both pre-installation and post installation measures reports, which outline the proposed and installed energy efficiency measures and energy savings for each project. Prior to the start of work, participating contractors must review the proposed measures being installed with the household and have them sign the pre-installation report. Following the completion of work, the household is required to review and sign the post-EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance Program installation report. At the time of final project submission, the participating contractor must upload both the signed pre-installation and post installation reports.

Please reach out to your account manager with any questions on these reports or the final project submission process.

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: Assisted Home Performance and EmPower
Summary: Knob and Tube wiring
Contact: Account Manager

Effective immediately, NYSERDA has made the following changes related to the removal of active/live knob and tube wiring from a home so shell measures can be completed. Participating contractors shall follow the requirements of the local jurisdiction when completing any electrical work in a home, including when the removal of knob and tube is required.

This means that Participating contractors are no longer required to use a licensed electrician to remove active/live knob and tube wiring, unless a licensed electrician is required by the local jurisdiction where work is being performed.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: IRA Working Group
Contact: Please contact [email protected]

NYSERDA will be administering funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to help electrify and make homes electrification ready. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a United States federal law that was passed in 2022. It is the single largest investment the United States federal government has ever made in clean energy and climate solutions.

The benefits of the IRA can be combined with New York State incentives and rebates, helping New Yorkers use less energy, save more money, and contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet by supporting the electrification of homes. As part of this process, NYSERDA will be engaging with participating contractors on program design and outreach strategies through the IRA working group. This group will meet 4 times on a bimonthly basis starting in May. If you are interested in being considered for this group, please email Scott Oliver at [email protected] .

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: June Contractor Portal Launch
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The EmPower, Assisted Home Performance, and Residential Energy Assessment programs are announcing the postponement of the launch of the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) until June 12, 2023. The move of this date, due to unplanned data migration issues with one of NYSERDA’s platforms, will ensure a better cross over from the current portal (Uplight) to NYHEP. This change will also minimize the expected down-time between systems for in-progress projects

We recognize this postponement may cause some inconveniences to participating contractors; however, it is necessary in order to ensure a smoother system transition.

The previously announced trainings will still occur as planned. We will schedule additional training and office hours in May to allow contractors more time to experience the new system and ensure all impacted contractor staff have sufficient time to become familiar with the new system before the transition. A sandbox version of the NYHEP will be available April 10 through June, allowing contractors to submit sample projects and attend Open Office hours to address any issues that may be found.

Our current NYHEP launch timeline is as follows:

For EmPower/Assisted Home Performance Projects:

• 5/26/23- Applications in Salesforce will be held for the new portal
• 6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens, Applications previously held from Salesforce will migrate to NYHEP
• 6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 6/19/23- Projects from Uplight at Workscope Submission Stage or earlier will be available in NYHEP at project acceptance step.
• 6/21/23- Payment begins of projects completed in NYHEP
• 6/30/23- Remaining open projects from Uplight available in NYHEP

For Residential Energy Assessments:

• 6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens for new energy assessment submissions
• 6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 6/21/23- Payment begins for assessments completed in NYHEP

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact your account manager (for EmPower and AHP contractors) or [email protected] (for REA contractors).

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: IRA Working Group
Contact: Please contact [email protected]

NYSERDA will be administering funding from the Inflation Reduction Act to help electrify and make homes electrification ready. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a United States federal law that was passed in 2022. It is the single largest investment the United States federal government has ever made in clean energy and climate solutions.

The benefits of the IRA can be combined with New York State incentives and rebates, helping New Yorkers use less energy, save more money, and contribute to a cleaner, healthier planet by supporting the electrification of homes.

As part of this process, NYSERDA will be engaging with participating contractors on program design and outreach strategies through the IRA working group. This group will meet 4 times on a bimonthly basis starting in May. If you are interested in being considered for this group, please email Scott Oliver at [email protected] .

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: June Contractor Portal Launch
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The EmPower, Assisted Home Performance, and Residential Energy Assessment programs are announcing the postponement of the launch of the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) until June 12, 2023. The move of this date, due to unplanned data migration issues with one of NYSERDA’s platforms, will ensure a better cross over from the current portal (Uplight) to NYHEP. This change will also minimize the expected down-time between systems for in-progress projects

We recognize this postponement may cause some inconveniences to participating contractors; however, it is necessary in order to ensure a smoother system transition.

The previously announced trainings will still occur as planned. We will schedule additional training and office hours in May to allow contractors more time to experience the new system and ensure all impacted contractor staff have sufficient time to become familiar with the new system before the transition. A sandbox version of the NYHEP will be available April 10 through June, allowing contractors to submit sample projects and attend Open Office hours to address any issues that may be found.

Our current NYHEP launch timeline is as follows:

For EmPower/Assisted Home Performance Projects:

• 5/26/23- Applications in Salesforce will be held for the new portal
• 6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens, Applications previously held from Salesforce will migrate to NYHEP
• 6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 6/19/23- Projects from Uplight at Workscope Submission Stage or earlier will be available in NYHEP at project acceptance step.
• 6/21/23- Payment begins of projects completed in NYHEP
• 6/30/23- Remaining open projects from Uplight available in NYHEP

For Residential Energy Assessments:

• 6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM
• 6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens for new energy assessment submissions
• 6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight
• 6/21/23- Payment begins for assessments completed in NYHEP

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact your account manager (for EmPower and AHP contractors) or [email protected] (for REA contractors).

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Correction to the BPI Certifications Announcement
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Correction to the BPI Certifications Announcement.

In the original announcement, it was stated that BA-P will replace the BPI Envelope certification, it should have stated BA-T. The announcement below has been updated to reflect the correct certification.

BPI new certifications and Program requirements

Building Performance Institute (BPI) will be replacing the BPI Building Analyst (BA) and BPI Envelope Professional certifications with the BPI Building Analyst Technician (BA-T) and the BPI Building Analyst Professional (BA-P) in early 2023.

Due to these changes, starting January 1, 2023, NYSERDA’s Single Family Residential Programs will continue to accept the BPI BA and Envelope certifications until the certification’s expiration date. When an individual’s certifications expire, they will be required to hold one of the BPI certifications listed in the program manual to perform energy assessments and BA-T will replace BPI Envelope as the requirement for a contractor to do building shell work.

If you have any questions on certifications, please contact your account manager.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: June Contractor Portal Launch
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The EmPower, Assisted Home Performance, and Residential Energy Assessment programs are announcing the postponement of the launch of the New York Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) until June 12, 2023. The move of this date, due to unplanned data migration issues with one of NYSERDA’s platforms, will ensure a better cross over from the current portal (Uplight) to NYHEP. This change will also minimize the expected down-time between systems for in-progress projects

We recognize this postponement may cause some inconveniences to participating contractors; however, this postponement is necessary in order to ensure a smoother system transition.

The previously announced trainings will still occur as planned. We will schedule additional training and office hours in May to allow contractors more time to experience the new system and ensure all impacted contractor staff have sufficient time to become familiar with the new system before the transition. A sandbox version of the NYHEP will be open starting April 10 and continuing until June, allowing contractors to submit sample projects and attend Open Office hours to address any issues that may be found.

Our current NYHEP launch timeline is as follows:

For EmPower/Assisted Home Performance Projects:

5/26/23- Applications in Salesforce will be held for the new portal

6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM

6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens, Applications previously held from Salesforce will migrate to NYHEP

6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight

6/19/23- Projects from Uplight at Workscope Submission Stage or earlier will be available in NYHEP at project acceptance step.

6/21/23- Payment begins of projects completed in NYHEP

6/30/23 Remaining open projects from Uplight available in NYHEP

For Residential Energy Assessments:

6/9/23- Contractor Access to Uplight is closed- All projects must be updated by 5 PM

6/12/23- NY Home Energy Portal Opens for new energy assessment submissions

6/14/23- Payment of all closed projects from Uplight

6/21/23- Payment begins for assessments completed in NYHEP

If you have any questions about this transition, please contact your account manager (for EmPower and AHP contractors) or [email protected] (for REA contractors).

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower and AHPwES
Summary: Quality Assurance Contractor Portal (QACP) update
Contact: David Houle, [email protected]

The Quality Assurance Contractor Portal (QACP) has been updated to include a dashboard that summarizes performance data including Average Score by Quarter, Average Score by Year, Count of Non-conformances by Category (Critical, Major, Minor, Incidental) and Non-conformance Frequency. Clicking on a graph will provide a report that summarizes the information by performance indicator and project.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Eligible Measure List Updates
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Several updates were made to Section 5.15 EmPower NY & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Eligible Measures List in the Program Manual. Significant changes are noted below. A full list of changes was shared on the Single Family Residential Program Update Contractor Check In Call on March 3, 2022.

• Replacement Windows
  • Incentivized only in situations where window glass is broken or missing, and repair is not a feasible option. A photo of each existing window proposed for replacement must be included with the project’s workscope submission.
• Heating/DHW System Repair/Upgrades including CAZ Corrections
  • Measures for Heating/DHW System Repairs/Upgrades and Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) Correction were combined into a single measure.
  • Maximum incentives: Tier 1 $500, Tier 3 $250. Cap exceptions may be considered with a Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement (HERR) denial or if implementation staff has determined the project ineligible for HERR.
• Heat Pump Water Heaters
  • Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) should be installed in accordance with manufacturer’s installation guidelines and contractors should use their professional discretion when citing them.
  • HPWH equipment may operate differently than the existing equipment in a home and customer expectations should be set accordingly. They need to be made aware of and agree to the proposed location, manufacturers installation specifications and overall operation of the proposed HPWH.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Correction to the BPI Certifications Announcement
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Correction to the BPI Certifications Announcement.

In the original announcement, it was stated that BA-P will replace the BPI Envelope certification, it should have stated BA-T. The announcement below has been updated to reflect the correct certification.

BPI new certifications and Program requirements

Building Performance Institute (BPI) will be replacing the BPI Building Analyst (BA) and BPI Envelope Professional certifications with the BPI Building Analyst Technician (BA-T) and the BPI Building Analyst Professional (BA-P) in early 2023.

Due to these changes, starting January 1, 2023, NYSERDA’s Single Family Residential Programs will continue to accept the BPI BA and Envelope certifications until the certification’s expiration date. When an individual’s certifications expire, they will be required to hold one of the BPI certifications listed in the program manual to perform energy assessments and BA-T will replace BPI Envelope as the requirement for a contractor to do building shell work.

If you have any questions on certifications, please contact your account manager.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Timeline Announcement
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

In Spring 2023 the Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, EmPower NY, and the Residential Energy Assessment Programs will be migrating from the current project portal (Uplight) to a new portal called the NY Home Energy Portal. The new portal will have many features requested by contractors and should help quicken project approval and closure times.

To efficiently move to the new portal, there are a number of steps needed to migrate project data from the current system to the new system. Below is an estimated timeline of the transition, which is currently based on the best information we have available at this time. As some of these factors are outside of NYSERDA’s control, this timeline is subject to change. Please note, this timeline is updated from what was presented at the January 6, 2023, program webinar.

January and February 2023– NYSERDA will be working with the portal contractor to finalize the design and functionality of the portal and continue internal testing.

March through Mid-April– Voluntary testing is available to contractors and appliance vendors while internal NYSERDA testing continues. If you are a contractor or vendor interested in participating in this testing (which will be on sample projects), please email Scott Oliver at [email protected].

Late April– Submitted customer applications will continue to be approved but will not be assigned out to contractors in Uplight for 1-2 weeks.

April 30– Contractors will have until 5:00 p.m. ET to submit documentation for completed projects or assessments in the Uplight portal.

May 5– Payments issued for all completed projects/assessments in the Uplight portal.

Week of May 8– NY Home Energy Portal opens. For EmPower and Assisted Home Performance, all projects that were at the workscope submission stage or earlier in Uplight will be available in the new portal. New assignments of customers will begin.

Week of May 15– Payments begin for projects and assessments completed in the NY Home Energy Portal.

June 1– Projects that were awaiting final completion in the Uplight portal will be migrated to the NY Home Energy Portal. Contractors can access these projects and continue the submission process, once projects are complete.

NYSERDA realizes that this change will disrupt business practices for many contractors. We will be developing additional materials to provide you with information about this transition. We encourage everyone to engage with your Account Managers.

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower and AHPwES
Summary: Quality Assurance Contractor Portal (QACP) update
Contact: David Houle, [email protected]

The Quality Assurance Contractor Portal (QACP) has been updated to include a dashboard that summarizes performance data including Average Score by Quarter, Average Score by Year, Count of Non-conformances by Category (Critical, Major, Minor, Incidental) and Non-conformance Frequency. Clicking on a graph will provide a report that summarizes the information by performance indicator and project.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Eligible Measure List Updates
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

Several updates were made to Section 5.15 EmPower NY & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Eligible Measures List in the Program Manual. Significant changes are noted below. A full list of changes was shared on the Single Family Residential Program Update Contractor Check In Call on March 3, 2022.

• Replacement Windows
  • Incentivized only in situations where window glass is broken or missing, and repair is not a feasible option. A photo of each existing window proposed for replacement must be included with the project’s workscope submission.
• Heating/DHW System Repair/Upgrades including CAZ Corrections
  • Measures for Heating/DHW System Repairs/Upgrades and Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ) Correction were combined into a single measure.
  • Maximum incentives: Tier 1 $500, Tier 3 $250. Cap exceptions may be considered with a Heating Equipment Repair or Replacement (HERR) denial or if implementation staff has determined the project ineligible for HERR.
• Heat Pump Water Heaters
  • Heat Pump Water Heaters (HPWH) should be installed in accordance with manufacturer’s installation guidelines and contractors should use their professional discretion when citing them.
  • HPWH equipment may operate differently than the existing equipment in a home and customer expectations should be set accordingly. They need to be made aware of and agree to the proposed location, manufacturers installation specifications and overall operation of the proposed HPWH.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Updated EmPower NY Pricing and Fuel Rates
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

EmPower NY pricing was reviewed and updated to reflect changes to several variables including national inflation and consumer price index (CPI) data, market price research, and supplier letters detailing price increases. The updated list can be found in the Program Manual on the Contractor Support site.

• Program Manual – Section 5.5 EmPower NY Pricing

Fuel rates have been updated and posted on the Contractor Support website in the Program Manual. They are based on a three-year average and for cost effectiveness calculations, NYSERDA uses volumetric charges including supply (commodity), transmission and distribution, and other charges applied based on the supply volume.

• Program Manual – Section 5.12 NY Existing Homes Energy Pricing

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: EmPCalc v8.4 Release
Contact: Earl Hicks ([email protected]), Steve Smith ([email protected]) or Contractor Support: [email protected]

EmPCalc v8.4 will be available on March 10. Only new projects, those not previously submitted for review, may use EmPCalc v8.4. Approved projects and those previously submitted for review but were returned must continue using the EmPCalc version the project was submitted with and cannot be rolled back to use v8.4.

Notable updates include:

• Updated Measure Pricing
• Updated Fuel Rates
• Mileage Rate adjusted to 2023 IRS Standard of $0.655
• Updated to meet NYS Technical Resource Manual v10 released on January 1, 2023
• Updated to meet new federal standards for consumer heat pumps and central air conditioners
• Added SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2 inputs for ASHP, GSHP and CAC

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Timeline Announcement
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

In Spring 2023 the Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, EmPower NY, and the Residential Energy Assessment Programs will be migrating from the current project portal (Uplight) to a new portal called the NY Home Energy Portal. The new portal will have many features requested by contractors and should help quicken project approval and closure times.

To efficiently move to the new portal, there are a number of steps needed to migrate project data from the current system to the new system. Below is an estimated timeline of the transition, which is currently based on the best information we have available at this time. As some of these factors are outside of NYSERDA’s control, this timeline is subject to change. Please note, this timeline is updated from what was presented at the January 6, 2023, program webinar.

January and February 2023– NYSERDA will be working with the portal contractor to finalize the design and functionality of the portal and continue internal testing.

March through Mid-April– Voluntary testing is available to contractors and appliance vendors while internal NYSERDA testing continues. If you are a contractor or vendor interested in participating in this testing (which will be on sample projects), please email Scott Oliver at [email protected].

Late April– Submitted customer applications will continue to be approved but will not be assigned out to contractors in Uplight for 1-2 weeks.

April 30– Contractors will have until 5:00 p.m. ET to submit documentation for completed projects or assessments in the Uplight portal.

May 5– Payments issued for all completed projects/assessments in the Uplight portal.

Week of May 8– NY Home Energy Portal opens. For EmPower and Assisted Home Performance, all projects that were at the workscope submission stage or earlier in Uplight will be available in the new portal. New assignments of customers will begin.

Week of May 15– Payments begin for projects and assessments completed in the NY Home Energy Portal.

June 1– Projects that were awaiting final completion in the Uplight portal will be migrated to the NY Home Energy Portal. Contractors can access these projects and continue the submission process, once projects are complete.

NYSERDA realizes that this change will disrupt business practices for many contractors. We will developing additional materials to provide you with information about this transition. We encourage everyone to engage with your Account Managers.

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower and AHPwES
Summary: Quality Assurance Contractor Portal (QACP) update
Contact: David Houle, [email protected]

The Quality Assurance Contractor Portal (QACP) has been updated to include a dashboard that summarizes performance data including Average Score by Quarter, Average Score by Year, Count of Non-conformances by Category (Critical, Major, Minor, Incidental) and Non-conformance Frequency. Clicking on a graph will provide a report that summarizes the information by performance indicator and project.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Timeline Announcement
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

In Spring 2023 the Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, EmPower NY, and the Residential Energy Assessment Programs will be migrating from the current project portal (Uplight) to a new portal called the NY Home Energy Portal. The new portal will have many features requested by contractors and should help quicken project approval and closure times.

To efficiently move to the new portal, there are a number of steps needed to migrate project data from the current system to the new system. Below is an estimated timeline of the transition, which is currently based on the best information we have available at this time. As some of these factors are outside of NYSERDA’s control, this timeline is subject to change. Please note, this timeline is updated from what was presented at the January 6, 2023, program webinar.

January and February 2023– NYSERDA will be working with the portal contractor to finalize the design and functionality of the portal and continue internal testing.

March through Mid-April– Voluntary testing is available to contractors and appliance vendors while internal NYSERDA testing continues. If you are a contractor or vendor interested in participating in this testing (which will be on sample projects), please email Scott Oliver at [email protected].

Late April– Submitted customer applications will continue to be approved but will not be assigned out to contractors in Uplight for 1-2 weeks.

April 30– Contractors will have until 5:00 p.m. ET to submit documentation for completed projects or assessments in the Uplight portal.

May 5– Payments issued for all completed projects/assessments in the Uplight portal.

Week of May 8– NY Home Energy Portal opens. For EmPower and Assisted Home Performance, all projects that were at the workscope submission stage or earlier in Uplight will be available in the new portal. New assignments of customers will begin.

Week of May 15– Payments begin for projects and assessments completed in the NY Home Energy Portal.

June 1– Projects that were awaiting final completion in the Uplight portal will be migrated to the NY Home Energy Portal. Contractors can access these projects and continue the submission process, once projects are complete.

NYSERDA realizes that this change will disrupt business practices for many contractors. We will be developing additional materials to provide you with information about this transition. We encourage everyone to engage with your Account Managers and to attend the monthly program meeting on February 3 to ask questions and get more information.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: NY Home Energy Portal Timeline Announcement
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

In Spring 2023 the Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, EmPower NY, and the Residential Energy Assessment Programs will be migrating from the current project portal (Uplight) to a new portal called the NY Home Energy Portal. The new portal will have many features requested by contractors and should help quicken project approval and closure times.

To efficiently move to the new portal, there are a number of steps needed to migrate project data from the current system to the new system. Below is an estimated timeline of the transition, which is current based on the best information we have available at this time. As some of these factors are outside of NYSERDA’s control, this timeline is subject to change. Please note, this timeline is updated from what was presented at the January 6, 2023, program webinar.

January and February 2023– NYSERDA will be working with the portal contractor to finalize the design and functionality of the portal and continue internal testing.

March through Mid-April– Voluntary testing is available to contractors and appliance vendors while internal NYSERDA testing continues. If you are a contractor or vendor interested in participating in this testing (which will be on sample projects), please email Scott Oliver at [email protected].

Late April– Submitted customer applications will continue to be approved but will not be assigned out to contractors in Uplight for 1-2 weeks.

April 30– Contractors will have until 5:00 PM to submit documentation for completed projects or assessments in the Uplight portal.

May 5– Payments issued for all completed projects/assessments in the Uplight portal

Week of May 8– NY Home Energy Portal opens. For EmPower and Assisted Home Performance, all projects that were at the workscope submission stage or earlier in Uplight will be available in the new portal. New assignments of customers will begin.

Week of May 15– Payments begin for projects and assessments completed in the NY Home Energy Portal

June 1– Projects that were awaiting final completion in the Uplight portal will be migrated to the NY Home Energy Portal. Contractors can access these projects and continue the submission process, once projects are complete

NYSERDA realizes that this change will disrupt business practices for many contractors. We will be developing additional materials to provide you with information about this transition. We encourage everyone to engage with your Account Managers and to attend the monthly program meeting on February 3 to ask questions and get more information.

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Refrigerator/Freezer Deliveries
Contact: E[email protected]

When discussing no-cost refrigerators/freezer replacements with EmPower households, Participating Contractors should make their customers aware at the time of the energy assessment that the delivery of refrigerators/freezers could be delayed.

Program staff have been informed by Participating Vendors that supply chain issues are impacting the availability of certain makes and models of refrigerators/freezers. In some cases, it could take 2 to 6 months before the vendor receives the unit from the manufacturer.

Participating Contractors should set expectations with the household that appliances may be delayed. If a household reaches out to a Participating Contractor regarding their appliance delivery, please remind the customer of the delays discussed above. If the appliance was ordered more than 90 days ago, the household can request additional information regarding their appliance by calling the customer support line 1-877-697-6278.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Refrigerator/Freezer Deliveries
Contact: If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact us at [email protected].

When discussing no-cost refrigerators/freezer replacements with EmPower households, Participating Contractors should make their customers aware at the time of the energy assessment that the delivery of refrigerators/freezers could be delayed.

Program staff have been informed by Participating Vendors that supply chain issues are impacting the availability of certain makes and models of refrigerators/freezers. In some cases, it could take 2 to 6 months before the vendor receives the unit from the manufacturer.

Participating Contractors should set expectations with the household that appliances may be delayed. If a household reaches out to a Participating Contractor regarding their appliance delivery, please remind the customer of the delays discussed above. If the appliance was ordered more than 90 days ago, the household can request additional information regarding their appliance by calling the customer support line 1-877-697-6278. If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact us at [email protected].

To: EmPower, AHP Contractors, HUBS
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York
Summary: Geographically Eligible Territories
Contact: If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact us at [email protected].

In response to questions from stakeholders and participating contractors, NYSERDA is providing clarification on EmPower New York’s Geographically Eligible Territories:

• Geographic Eligibility can only be used for determining income eligibility for single-family residences.
• Two- to Four-unit buildings and Multifamily properties with five or more units are not eligible to be income qualified as geographically eligible and will need to provide alternate income documentation to determine program eligibility.

The following language has been added to Section 5.15a of the Program Manual.

Geographically Eligible Territories

As part of the Combined Residential Application, NYSERDA developed an income-eligibility tool to allow for low-income single-family households to qualify for Program incentives based on their location in geographically eligible territories where census data reports that 50% or more of the population of the Census Block Group have a household income that is below 250% of the federal poverty level.

If an applicant’s address is located within a geographically eligible territory, and is a single-family residence, they will be deemed eligible for EmPower and will not have to provide documentation of household income. An eligible single-family household can be owner occupied or occupied by a renter. Two- to Four-unit buildings and Multifamily properties with five or more units are not eligible to be income qualified as geographically eligible and will need to provide alternate income documentation to determine program eligibility.

An interactive map can be referenced on the EmPower Geo-eligibility Tool webpage, and shows the geographically eligible territories in blue. Enter an address in the search address box to determine if it is in a geographically eligible territory.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact us at [email protected].

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: Contractors and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance
Summary: Holiday Hours
Contact: See Announcement

NYSERDA wishes you and your family a happy and safe holiday season and a Happy New Year! Please see below for EmPower and AHP program staff and implementation staff hours for the final week of December.

CLEAResult

• Closed Friday December 23 and Monday December 26.
• Closed Monday January 2.

NYSERDA

• Closed Monday December 26, limited staff the week of December 26.
• Closed Monday January 2.

Participating contractors working in the field in need of an emergency approval may contact Lea Campbell at (518) 207-4510, on Friday, 12/23, John Carrigan at (518) 309-0568 on Monday, 12/26, and Michael Downing (401) 330-8749, on Monday, 1/2. The Tech Services team also includes information in their autoreply and voicemails directing contractors on who to go to if they have an emergency or to reach out to contractor support for non-emergency matters and someone will get back to them after the holidays. If there is an emergency that requires assistance from Shared Services, please contact Lindsay Huba-Zhang at (518) 598-3573, otherwise non-emergency matters will be responded to after the holiday. Incentive invoices will processed as normal both weeks and payment should not be impacted by the holiday.

To: EmPower, AHP Contractors, HUBS
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York
Summary: Geographically Eligible Territories
Contact: If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact us at [email protected].

In response to questions from stakeholders and participating contractors, NYSERDA is providing clarification on EmPower New York’s Geographically Eligible Territories:

• Geographic Eligibility can only be used for determining income eligibility for single-family residences.
• Two- to Four-unit buildings and Multifamily properties with five or more units are not eligible to be income qualified as geographically eligible and will need to provide alternate income documentation to determine program eligibility.

The following language has been added to Section 5.15a of the Program Manual.

Geographically Eligible Territories

As part of the Combined Residential Application, NYSERDA developed an income-eligibility tool to allow for low-income single-family households to qualify for Program incentives based on their location in geographically eligible territories where census data reports that 50% or more of the population of the Census Block Group have a household income that is below 250% of the federal poverty level.

If an applicant’s address is located within a geographically eligible territory, and is a single-family residence, they will be deemed eligible for EmPower and will not have to provide documentation of household income. An eligible single-family household can be owner occupied or occupied by a renter. Two- to Four-unit buildings and Multifamily properties with five or more units are not eligible to be income qualified as geographically eligible and will need to provide alternate income documentation to determine program eligibility.

An interactive map can be referenced on the EmPower Geo-eligibility Tool webpage, and shows the geographically eligible territories in blue. Enter an address in the search address box to determine if it is in a geographically eligible territory.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact us at [email protected].

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Income limits 2022-2023
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The income limits for EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®have been updated for 2022-2023. The updated document, Section 3.4 Income Limits, is located in Section 3 of the Program Manual. These changes are based on the yearly numbers from HUD and will be effective November 10, 2022. All websites and program materials will be updated by December 15, 2022. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Income limits 2022-2023
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The income limits for EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®have been updated for 2022-2023. The updated document, Section 3.4 Income Limits, is located in Section 3 of the Program Manual. These changes are based on the yearly numbers from HUD and will be effective November 10, 2022. All websites and program materials will be updated by December 15, 2022. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors, REA Assessors, and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, and Residential Energy Assessment Program
Summary: Join us on December 2 for a Contractor Platform demo – don’t miss out! 
Contact: [email protected]

The new Contractor Portal is coming in March! 

We encourage you to attend the live webinar event on December 2 at 8:30 a.m. ET to see the Contractor Portal/RMES demonstration! See how the online platform works and how it will help you as a contractor or auditor.  Register for the webinar.

Want to learn more? Read the Frequently Asked Questions about the new Contractor Portal coming in March 2023.

If you have questions, reach out to Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or email [email protected]. 

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Income limits 2022-2023
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The income limits for EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®have been updated for 2022-2023. The updated document, Section 3.4 Income Limits, is located in Section 3 of the Program Manual. These changes are based on the yearly numbers from HUD and will be effective November 10, 2022. All websites and program materials will be updated by December 15, 2022. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors, REA Assessors, Stakeholders, NYSERDA and CR
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, and Residential Energy Assessment
Summary: Implementation of a new Contractor Platform. Watch the platform overview from October 7
Contact: [email protected]

During the October 7 webinar, we shared an overview of the new Contractor Platform to be implemented in March 2023. This online platform is an exciting step toward our goals of more updated information, greater collaboration, and streamlined processes to make our jobs easier. If you missed the overview, watch the recording located on the contractor support site.You are a critical member of the team that will use the new system in March 2023. Be ready for the new system by watching the overview and attending an RMES demo during the December 2 webinar. If you have questions, reach out to CONTRACTOR SUPPORT: call toll-free 800-284-9069 or email [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors, REA Assessors, and Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, and Residential Energy Assessment Program
Summary: Join us on December 2 for a Contractor Platform demo – don’t miss out! 
Contact: [email protected]

The new Contractor Portal is coming in March! 

We encourage you to attend the live webinar event on December 2 at 8:30 a.m. ET to see the Contractor Portal/RMES demonstration! See how the online platform works and how it will help you as a contractor or auditor.  Register for the webinar.

Want to learn more? Read the Frequently Asked Questions about the new Contractor Portal coming in March 2023.

If you have questions, reach out to Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or email [email protected]. 

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Income limits 2022-2023
Contact: Please contact your Account Manager

The income limits for EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®have been updated for 2022-2023. The updated document, Section 3.4 Income Limits, is located in Section 3 of the Program Manual. These changes are based on the yearly numbers from HUD and will be effective November 10, 2022. All websites and program materials will be updated by December 15, 2022. If you have any questions about these changes, please contact your Account Manager.

To: EmPower and AHP Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Invoice Processing Monday November 14th 

NYSERDA’s offices will be closed on Friday, November 11, in observance of Veteran’s day. The contractor incentive invoice typically processed on Friday will now be processed on Monday, November 14.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be addressed with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out to contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors, REA Assessors, Stakeholders, NYSERDA and CR
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, and Residential Energy Assessment
Summary: Implementation of a new Contractor Platform. Watch the platform overview from October 7
Contact: [email protected]

During the October 7 webinar, we shared an overview of the new Contractor Platform to be implemented in March 2023. This online platform is an exciting step toward our goals of more updated information, greater collaboration, and streamlined processes to make our jobs easier. If you missed the overview, watch the recording located on the contractor support site.You are a critical member of the team that will use the new system in March 2023. Be ready for the new system by watching the overview and attending an RMES demo during the December 2 webinar. If you have questions, reach out to CONTRACTOR SUPPORT: call toll-free 800-284-9069 or email [email protected].

To: Participating Contractors, Participating Appliance Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: New Participation Agreement Effective October 2022
Contact: Questions can be addressed with your account manager or submitted through [email protected].

As announced previously, the Participation Agreement for the EmPower NY (EmPower) and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® (AHP) Programs and the EmPower New York Appliance Vendor Agreement expired on September 30, 2022. For Contractors and Appliance Vendors who did not submit updated agreements, you can close out any projects approved prior to October 1, 2022; however, your accounts have been disabled and you cannot submit any new projects to the Program for consideration.

If you did not submit an updated agreement or if you are a new contractor looking to join the NY Residential Programs, you can still do so using the below links.

For AHP/EmPower New York:

For both new contractors and contractors looking to renew participation – you should review the Program Manual, complete the Participation Agreement and Contractor Application and return both via email to [email protected].

For EmPower New York Appliance Vendors:

Appliance Vendors looking to provide services as an EmPower New York Appliance Vendor, must review and complete the 2022 EmPower New York Appliance Vendor Agreement and return it via email to [email protected].

• For Appliance Vendors who provided services under the previous agreement, please indicate in your submission if you want NYSERDA to continue with your previously approved appliance models and pricing. Otherwise, please complete and submit and an updated EmPower Appliance List and return with your submission.
• For new Appliance Vendors, please review and sign the 2022 EmPower New York Appliance Vendor Agreement, complete the EmPower Appliance List, and submit to [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support of the AHP and EmPower New York Programs. You can reference previous Program Announcements online. If you have any questions regarding any program policies or procedures, please contact your Account Manager or email NYSERDA directly at [email protected].

No Announcements

To: Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: OTDA Funding and HEAP Award Letters
Contact:[email protected] or reach out to your account manager

As you know, the EmPower New York (EmPower) program administers funds that are made available through the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) to provide energy efficiency and weatherization services for HEAP recipients. To qualify for these funds, clients must demonstrate that they have received a HEAP benefit during the HEAP program year. Currently, HEAP award letters may be used to determine categorical income eligibility for Tier 1(of EmPower). NYSERDA expects that the 2022-2023 HEAP program year to begin on November 1, 2022, at which point clients will be able to apply for a HEAP benefit through their Local Department of Social Service or online through mybenefits.ny.gov. Details on funding available specifically for HEAP clients will be provided by NYSERDA in the near future. Please note that while HEAP funding can only be applied to HEAP recipients, all income-eligible residents are able to qualify for services under EmPower. If you are working with a client that has not received HEAP but may qualify for no-cost services, please have them apply for EmPower.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower/AHP Contractors, REA Auditors, Stakeholders
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance and Residential Energy Audit Program
Summary: NYSERDA Implementing a New Energy Platform Called RMES
Contact: Questions can be addressed with your account manager or submitted through [email protected]

NYSERDA is excited to implement a new platform called the Residential Market Engagement Platform (RMES). This online platform will replace the EmPCalc and the contractor portal (Uplight) used by the EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, and Residential Energy Assessment Programs. RMES will be launching in March of 2023. Starting now, monthly updates will be posted in Program Announcements and will occur in the Monthly Stakeholder Webinars.

Your role:  

As a user of the platform, you will get to know the tool, attend training, and use the new platform upon release in March.   

There are many benefits to this new system. Let’s look at three: 

• This is an online, integrated platform replacing the use of spreadsheets.  
• Real-time program and measures management providing up-to-date information. 
• Ability to upload additional paperwork as needed.

What stays the same?

If you are a contractor entering an application on your customer’s behalf, you will continue to use the NYSERDA Partner Portal.

What is new?   

Contractors, CLEAResult, and NYSERDA will use the RMES platform for many tasks, including contractor assignments, project acceptance, work scope submissions, screenings, approvals, reviews, final project submissions, funding allocations, invoice reporting, and real-time program and measure updates.  

Next steps:  

Attend the October 7 webinar to learn more about RMES, your role, and how we collaborate to make this a success! Register in advance for the webinar access. 

If you have questions, reach out to your account manager or email [email protected].

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be address with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if that is the case.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: Participating Contractors, Participating Appliance Vendors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York
Summary: New Participation Agreement Effective October 2022
Contact:Questions can be addressed with your account manager or submitted through [email protected].

Appliance Vendors looking to provide services as an EmPower New York Appliance Vendor, must review and complete the 2022 EmPower New York Appliance Vendor Agreement (Agreement) and return to the Program at [email protected]. 

• Existing EmPower Appliance Vendors – As a reminder to the email sent on September 16, 2022, your current Agreement period ends on September 30, 2022, and you must complete and return the 2022 Agreement prior to September 30, 2022, if you wish to continue participation as an Appliance Vendor. Existing Appliance Vendors who don’t complete and return the Agreement will not receive any new referrals after September 30, 2022, but they will be able to complete work assigned prior to that date. Please indicate in your submission if:
  • You want NYSERDA to continue with your previously approved models and pricing
  • You have new models and pricing – please complete and submit and updated EmPower Appliance List and return with your submission. 
• New contractors – please review and sign the 2022 EmPower New York Appliance Vendor Agreement, complete EmPower Appliance List, and submit to [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support of the EmPower New York Program. If you have any questions regarding any program policies or procedures, please contact your Account Manager or email NYSERDA directly at [email protected].

To: All Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower & AHPwES
Summary: ACH Requirements for heat pump installations in manufactured/mobile homes
Contact: [email protected]

After careful consideration, the Program team has determined that the current Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) requirement for heat pump installation in manufactured/mobile homes is increased from 7 ACH to 12 ACH. This is an interim solution while NYSERDA does additional research to determine insulation levels and air tightness parameters for a variety of housing types in New York’s different climate zones.

Participating Contractors who had previous manufactured/mobile home projects denied because they could not meet the 7 ACH threshold are encouraged to resubmit those projects for reconsideration if they can meet the 12 ACH requirement. Please note, to be approved, these projects will need show utility bill savings for the household.

For questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact [email protected].

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: Contractor Support website redesigned and launched.
Contact: Reach out to your Account Manager or contact Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or [email protected].

The Contractor Support website was redesigned and launched with the following improvements:

1. Easier Navigation
   • Two menus; one along the top and another on the left side of page
   • Top menu contains links to external sites and who to contact
   • Left menu has simplified list and limited sub-sections
2. Better Search functionality
   • Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT)
   • Search by Tag – posts are tagged with key words for single click searches
3. Forms page
   • All forms hyperlinked and listed on a single page, categorized by project submission stage
4. Calendar subscription
   • Sync the Contractor Support calendar to your company/personal calendar app

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: New Participation Agreement and Required Application-ACTION REQUIRED!
Contact:[email protected]

The current Participation Agreement for the EmPower NY (EmPower), Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® (AHP) and Comfort Home programs expires on September 30, 2022. The new Participation Agreement and Contractor Application is available now and must be submitted by September 30, 2022, to ensure seamless participation in NYSERDA’s programs.

As announced previously, there is now one Residential Contractor Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement/PA) that is applicable to all of NYSERDA’s residential energy efficiency programs. This allows for a single document outlining the terms and conditions of NYSERDA program participation. Specific rules, procedures and policies for each individual program are available in program specific manual, which continue to be separate documents.

Please note, this updated PA is not applicable for EmPower NY Appliance Vendors. The existing process remains in place for Appliance Vendors and an updated Vendor Agreement will be available in the upcoming weeks.

To Reapply for EmPower/AHP:

• For current Participating Contractors, make sure to select that you are a “New Applicant” on the Contractor Application (see red box below). Please note, failure to follow these instructions will result in your application being delayed.
• Please select all programs you are applying for – regardless of your existing participation status

For EmPower and AHP Participating Contractors, the Program Manual is available for contractors on the HPwES Contractor Support Site.

With the new Participation Agreement, eligibility for participation in Comfort Home is now open to all contractors. If you wish to enroll in Comfort Home, review the Comfort Home Pilot Manual and select that option when you submit your new application.

When reapplying for EmPower and AHP, current contractors will need to provide the following documentation:

• Completed and signed Contractor Application
• Current Certificate of Insurance w/ NYSERDA and the State of New York named as additional insured and NYSERDA and the State of New York as the Certificate Holder per the below. Please note, NYSERDA requires updated insurance certificate submissions, regardless of any documents currently on file.

Optional: Submit a Supplemental Information Form found in Section 2 of the Program Manual if you need to update staff or contact information.

Once completed, Contractor Application and supporting documents can be sent to:

For questions, please contact [email protected] or reach out to your account manager.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal.
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be address with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if a project can’t be completed within the timeframe.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: All Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower & AHPwES
Summary: ACH Requirements for heat pump installations in manufactured/mobile homes
Contact: [email protected]

After careful consideration, the Program team has determined that the current Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) requirement for heat pump installation in manufactured/mobile homes is increased from 7 ACH to 12 ACH. This is an interim solution while NYSERDA does additional research to determine insulation levels and air tightness parameters for a variety of housing types in New York’s different climate zones.

Participating Contractors who had previous manufactured/mobile home projects denied because they could not meet the 7 ACH threshold are encouraged to resubmit those projects for reconsideration if they can meet the 12 ACH requirement. Please note, to be approved, these projects will need show utility bill savings for the household.

For questions, please reach out to your account manager or contact [email protected].

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: Contractor Support website redesigned and launched.
Contact: Reach out to your Account Manager or contact Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or [email protected].

The Contractor Support website was redesigned and launched with the following improvements:

1. Easier Navigation
   • Two menus; one along the top and another on the left side of page
   • Top menu contains links to external sites and who to contact
   • Left menu has simplified list and limited sub-sections
2. Better Search functionality
   • Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT)
   • Search by Tag – posts are tagged with key words for single click searches
3. Forms page
   • All forms hyperlinked and listed on a single page, categorized by project submission stage
4. Calendar subscription
   • Sync the Contractor Support calendar to your company/personal calendar app

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: New Participation Agreement and Required Application-ACTION REQUIRED!
Contact:[email protected]

The current Participation Agreement for the EmPower NY (EmPower), Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® (AHP) and Comfort Home programs expires on September 30, 2022. The new Participation Agreement and Contractor Application is available now and must be submitted by September 30, 2022, to ensure seamless participation in NYSERDA’s programs.

As announced previously, there is one Residential Contractor Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement/PA) that is applicable to all of NYSERDA’s residential energy efficiency programs. This allows for a single document outlining the terms and conditions of NYSERDA program participation. Specific rules, procedures and policies for each individual program are available in program specific manual, which continue to be separate documents.

Please note, this updated PA is not applicable for EmPower NY Appliance Vendors. The existing process remains in place for Appliance Vendors and an updated Vendor Agreement will be available in the upcoming weeks.

To Re-apply for EmPower/AHP:

• For current Participating Contractors, make sure to select that you are a “New Applicant” on the Contractor Application (see red box below). Please note, failure to follow these instructions will result in your application being delayed.
• Please select all programs you are applying for – regardless of your existing participation status

• The new Participation Agreement opens up participation in the Comfort Home to all contractors. If you wish to enroll in Comfort Home, review the Comfort Home Pilot Manual and select that option when you submit your new application.
• When reapplying for EmPower and AHP, current contractors will need to provide the following documentation:
  • Completed and signed Contractor Application
  • Current Certificate of Insurance w/ NYSERDA and the State of New York named as additional insured and NYSERDA and the State of New York as the Certificate Holder per the below. Please note, NYSERDA requires updated insurance certificate submissions, regardless of any documents currently on file.

• Optional: Submit a Supplemental Information Form found in Section 2 of the Program Manual if you need to update staff or contact information.

Once completed, Contractor Application and supporting documents can be sent to:

For EmPower and AHP Participating Contractors, the Program Manual is available for contractors on the HPwES Contractor Support Site.

For questions, please contact [email protected] or reach out to your account manager.

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: AHP and EmPower New York
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day completion goal
Contact: [email protected]; Questions can also be address with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the 120-day period used in the past.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if a project can’t be completed within the timeframe.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: All Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower & AHPwES
Summary: ARPA Funding Deadline
Contact:[email protected]

Applications for project receiving ARPA funding must be approved by September 15, 2022

This is a reminder that all projects wishing to receive ARPA funding of up to $20,00 per project must be approved by the program by September 15th. Applications must be submitted to the Combined Application portal no later than September 13 to ensure they will be processed in time. If you have questions about the application process or other aspects of this funding please use this link: OTDA-Heat-Pump-Funding-FAQ

To: EmPower and Assisted Home Performance Contractors
Regarding Programs:EmPower New York
Summary: Increase in dense pack sidewall pricing for exterior walls above the first story
Contact: Reach out to your Account Manager or contact Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or [email protected]

Program understands that additional costs can be incurred when dense packing sidewalls above the first story and has increased the EmPower pricing. Effective for projects submitted using EmPCalc v8.3 or later the new pricing for dense packed sidewalls on the second story or above is 1.5 times that of the first story dense pack sidewall price. This does not apply to walls being dense packed from the interior.

Incentive Structure

Workscope Submission

In EmPCalc v8.3, when proposing to dense pack sidewalls on a building with more than one story, split the proposed sidewall insulation square footage into two separate measures: First story and Second + story. The Story input only appears if the dwelling has more than one Stories Above Grade and the Wall is selected as the Insulation Location.

If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please reach out to your Account Manager or contact Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or [email protected]

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: Mandatory EmPCalc Updated to v8.3 by October 1, 2022.
Contact: Earl Hicks ([email protected]), Steve Smith ([email protected])or Contractor Support: [email protected]

EmPCalc version 8.3 is available for download on the Contractor Support website. This is a mandatory update to EmPCalc v8.3. New projects submitted after October 1, 2022, using version 8.3 or earlier will be returned for resubmission. Approved in-progress projects may continue through project completion using the EmPCalc version of the initial submission.

The following updates and enhancements were made based on program updates, contractor feedback and subsequent bug fixes:

• Energy Efficiency Upgrades tab
  • Added Story input to identify when second story or above dense pack sidewall insulation proposed
  • Updated sidewall pricing for second story and above
  • Updated measure incentive caps for furnaces and boilers for inoperable heating systems
  • Added Movable Window Insulation measure
• Non-Energy Upgrades tab
  • Added Distribution Improvements measure
  • Added Ventilation Fans measure

For the best experience, it is important to use the latest version directly from the Contractor Support website and remember to keep Microsoft Excel updated.

We welcome your constructive feedback to make the tool better. Feedback should be sent to Earl Hicks ([email protected]) and Steve Smith ([email protected]) with the following information:

• Contractor Name
• Project ID
• EmPCalc version being used
• Explanation of issue
• Screenshots as applicable
• EmPCalc file with customer information removed

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: Contractor Support website redesigned and launched.
Contact: Reach out to your Account Manager or contact Contractor Support at 800-284-9069 or [email protected].

The Contractor Support website was redesigned and launched with the following improvements:

1. Easier Navigation
   • Two menus; one along the top and another on the left side of page
   • Top menu contains links to external sites and who to contact
   • Left menu has simplified list and limited sub-sections
2. Better Search functionality
   • Boolean operators (AND, OR and NOT)
   • Search by Tag – posts are tagged with key words for single click searches
3. Forms page
   • All forms hyperlinked and listed on a single page, categorized by project submission stage
4. Calendar subscription
   • Sync the Contractor Support calendar to your company/personal calendar app

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs:  EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: Project Acceptance Reminder
Contact: [email protected].

When logging into the Uplight system to accept projects, please make sure you are reviewing all newly assigned tasks. If you intend to move forward with working on the project, make sure you accept the project within the 10 days allotted.

If you do not accept the project within this timeframe, it will automatically be sent back to Program for reassignment. After this occurring twice, the project will be assigned to a new contractor available in the customers area.

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs:  EmPower NY, Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Reminder to provide customer contact information
Contact: [email protected]

When applying on behalf of a customer, please provide us with all contact information. This includes the customers email, home phone and cell phone number when possible. Providing this additional information will assist Program as well as appliance vendors in having the best opportunity of reaching the customer for follow up.

To: All Participating Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower NY and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR
Summary: New Participation Agreement and Required Application-ACTION REQUIRED!
Contact:[email protected]

The current Participation Agreement for the EmPower NY (EmPower), Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® (AHP) and Comfort Home programs expires on September 30, 2022. The new Participation Agreement and Contractor Application is available now and must be submitted by September 30, 2022, to ensure seamless participation in NYSERDA’s programs.

As announced previously, there is now one Residential Contractor Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement/PA) that is applicable to all of NYSERDA’s residential energy efficiency programs. This allows for a single document outlining the terms and conditions of NYSERDA program participation. Specific rules, procedures and policies for each individual program are available in program specific manual, which continue to be separate documents.

Please note, this updated PA is not applicable for EmPower NY Appliance Vendors. The existing process remains in place for Appliance Vendors and an updated Vendor Agreement will be available in the upcoming weeks.

To Reapply for EmPower/AHP:

• For current Participating Contractors, make sure to select that you are a “New Applicant” on the Contractor Application (see red box below). Please note, failure to follow these instructions will result in your application being delayed.
• Please select all programs you are applying for – regardless of your existing participation status

For EmPower and AHP Participating Contractors, the Program Manual is available for contractors on the HPwES Contractor Support Site.

With the new Participation Agreement, eligibility for participation in Comfort Home is now open to all contractors. If you wish to enroll in Comfort Home, review the Comfort Home Pilot Manual and select that option when you submit your new application.

When reapplying for EmPower and AHP, current contractors will need to provide the following documentation:

• Completed and signed Contractor Application
• Current Certificate of Insurance w/ NYSERDA and the State of New York named as additional insured and NYSERDA and the State of New York as the Certificate Holder per the below. Please note, NYSERDA requires updated insurance certificate submissions, regardless of any documents currently on file.

Optional: Submit a Supplemental Information Form found in Section 2 of the Program Manual if you need to update staff or contact information.

Once completed, Contractor Application and supporting documents can be sent to:

For questions, please contact [email protected] or reach out to your account manager.

No Announcements

No Announcements

To: Participating Contractors, CEAs
Regarding Programs: EmPower and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: Additional translations of the Combined Residential Application are now available. 
Contact: [email protected]

NYSERDA is pleased to announce the release of several new translations of the Combined Residential Application. Languages available are listed below:

• Arabic (عربى)
• Bengali ( বাঙালি )
• Chinese (中文)
• Haitian-Creole (Kreyòlayisyen)
• Italian (Italiano)
• Russian (Русскийy)
• Spanish (español)
• Korean (한국어)
• Polish (Polski)
• Yiddish (יידיש)

These versions are available as PDF downloads on the Contractor Support site in Section 3.2 of the Program Manual. NYSERDA has also updated the Combined Residential Application webpage and the Apply for EmPower NY webpage with downloadable files of these translations.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected]. To suggest additional language translations please email [email protected] .

Links

https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/ny/ahp-empower

https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/EmPower-New-York/EmPower-Application

To: Participating AHP and EmPower Contractors
Regarding Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: NYSERDA will be reinstating the 120-day project completion goal
Contact: [email protected] or Questions can also be address with your account manager

In March of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and the statewide work pause, NYSERDA suspended Program project deadlines. Following the return to work, contractors still faced scheduling conflicts and supply chain issues, so NYSERDA kept the completion deadline suspension in place. NYSERDA is looking to gradually reinstate project completion deadlines to ensure projects are closed out in a timely manner. Related to this, CLEAResult has been reaching out contractors to have them prioritize their work in progress projects and close out any old projects that won’t be moving forward.

Starting January 1, 2023, the Program will reinstate the 120-day project completion goal. Please review the following dates for Project completion submission:

• Projects started before January 1, 2022, will need to be completed by January 1, 2023.
• Projects started before January 1, 2023, will need to be completed by May 1, 2023.
• Projects started after January 1, 2023, should be completed within the standard 120-day period.

We understand that there may be instances where a project cannot be completed within the timeframes referenced above. Contractors should document in the project notes in Uplight if a project can’t be completed within the timeframe.

For any questions, please reach out to your account manager or [email protected].

To: EmPower, AHP, Contractors offering NYSERDA Loan
Regarding Programs:EmPower New York, Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®, NYSERDA Loan
Summary: Completion Certificate
Contact: [email protected]

Additional details, training materials and dates will be available shortly. 

If you have any questions about the Residential Energy Audit program changes, please contact Laura Geel at [email protected] or 518-862-1090 ext. 3446.

Full Announcement:

All projects utilizing the Green Jobs – Green New York (GJGNY) Residential Financing Loan program must submit a completion certificate signed by both the contractor and the customer.

The completion certificates can be found on the Resources for Participating Contractors webpage and should be submitted directly to Slipstream.

• EmPower New York or the Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® (AHP) customers using a GJGNY loan:
  • The Post Install Measures Report must be completed and submitted. The Post Install Measures Report is generated from EmPCalc, and should be submitted to Slipstream as long as both the contractor and customer have signed it. Please note that the Post Install Measures Report is not the same as the Certificate of Completion – Audit & Direct Install Report.  The Audit & Direct Install Report will not be accepted by Slipstream for GJGNY loans.
• Market Rate (customers not using EmPower or AHP) customers using a GJGNY loan:
  • The Certificate of Completion – GJGNY Residential Financing must be completed.

If you have any question, 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.

To: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance Contractors
Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance 
Summary: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance Blower Door Policy Updates
Contact: [email protected]

This is a reminder that projects with a post March 28, 2022, application date that contain insulation or air sealing measures are required to be accompanied by blower door assisted air sealing per BPI and program guidelines per Section 5.15 of the Contractor Resource Manual.

If a blower door test cannot be completed due to a health and safety concern detailed notes should be provided at project submission.

If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please reach out to your Account Manager, Contractor Support, or call 800-284-9069.

To: All Participating Contractors
Programs: EmPower New York & Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®
Summary: REMINDER: Audit & Direct Install Requirements
Contact: [email protected]

REMINDER: With the Program changes initiated on March 28, 2022, the only audit type available in both EmPower New York (Tier 1) and Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® (Tier 3) Programs is the Comprehensive Home Assessment (CHA). All other audit types (i.e., Electric Reduction) were discontinued. Program expects that CHAs are required to conform to BPI standards and consist of the following:

• Completion of appropriate signoffs and permissions
  • Such as Homeowner’s Agreement, Rental Property Energy Efficiency Services Agreement, Appliance Exchange Agreement, Audit & DI Certificate of Completion
• Energy education, with a goal of identifying energy-saving actions which the household will commit to completing
• Installation of Direct Install measures
• Test of the ambient air for CO if a combustion appliance is present or if the building has an attached garage
• Evaluation of refrigerators or freezers for replacement
  • Other household-specific opportunities for elimination of high-energy consumption, such as removal of electric space heaters
• Blower door test, unless there is a health and safety concern noted
• Testing of combustion appliances as required by BPI standards. Notes are required if unable to complete
• An audit report is required to be given to all Tier 3-Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® customers
  • This can be generated in EmPCalc

If you have any questions regarding this requirement, please reach out to your Account Manager, Contractor Support, or call 800-284-9069.