Program Announcements from 3/27/2026 to 4/9/2026
Events, Training Opportunities and Conferences
NYSERDA Home Modernization Monthly Contractor Webinar
Program/s: EmPower+, Virtual Energy Assessments, Comfort Home
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Monthly Contractor Update
Contact with Questions: residential.programs@nyserda.ny.gov
NYSERDA Home Modernization Monthly Contractor Webinar
Friday, April 3, 2026
8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET
Webinar number: 2533 537 7149
Event password: Energy1
All attendees must register prior to joining the event. This process will allow you to add the meeting to your calendar and provides each individual with a custom link to join the meeting. Please do not share your link with anyone. To register, please click here.
All webinars are recorded and links to the recordings are available on the Contractor Support site.
EmPower+
EmPower+ Eligible Measures
Program/s: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: EmPower+ Eligible Measures
Questions: If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support
The Low- to Moderate-Income (LMI) Energy Efficiency and Beneficial Electrification (EE/BE) Order was issued by the Public Service Commission in May 2025. This order covers funding for NYSERDA’s LMI single and multifamily programs for 2026-2030. As part of the order, there were changes included to the New York State Technical Resource Manual (TRM) impacting certain EmPower+ measures. Savings for loan only measures will continue to count towards Project Level Cost Effectiveness (PLCE). These changes require system updates and are planned for release in April 2026. EmPower+ will provide an updated Program Announcement once a date has been finalized.
Below are the changes impacting EmPower+ Measures
| Measure | Change |
|---|---|
| Air Purifiers | Now available only as a Health and Safety measure |
| Dehumidifier | Now available only as a Health and Safety measure |
| Advanced Power Strips | No Longer an Eligible Measure |
| Indirect Water Heater | No Longer an Eligible Measure |
| Air Conditioner – Central | Available as Loan-Only |
| Air Conditioner – Room | Available as Loan-Only |
| Programmable Thermostat | Available as Loan-Only |
If there are any questions, please reach out to contractor support to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or (800)- 284-9069.
IRA Data Entering Reminder
Program/s: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: IRA Data Entering Reminder
Questions: If there are any questions, please contact Contractor Support
When entering measures in NYHEP, all contractors should be providing a total cost and a material cost per the below. The NYHEP field “Cost” and “Material Cost” within a measure should reflect the associated costs for each.
- “Cost” = Full cost of installing the measure, including labor and materials
- “Material Cost” = Cost of the product/unit being installed, and/or the materials required to properly install the measure.
The material cost and the total cost should not be the same value.
Below is a screenshot of NYHEP with the proper cost and material cost breakouts.
Splitting out the measures costs is required, especially for IRA HEAR funded projects. NYSERDA is required to complete monthly IRA reporting which includes providing equipment and labor cost for each IRA HEAR funded measure. In the event a contractor fails to capture the installation costs, the project will need to be reopened in NYHEP to allow for the contractor to update the measure costs appropriately.
If there are any questions, please reach out to contractor support to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or (800)- 284-9069.
Virtual Energy Assessments
No Announcements
Comfort Home
NEW Updated Program Manual Published
Program/s: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Updated Program Manual Published
Contact with Questions: keith.bohling@nyserda.ny.gov
On March 18, 2026, NYSERDA published an update to the Comfort Home Pilot Program Manual. It is available for download from the Comfort Home Resources page of the Contractor Support Site (https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/program-resources/comfort-home-resources/).
The March 18, 2026 version includes the following updates:
- Section 4.1 (Air Sealing) added to clarify requirements
- Section 4.2 (Envelope/Load Reduction Requirements) updated to add infiltration specifications
- Section 4.2 updated to explicitly define program requirements If there are multiple foundation types in a home.
- Section 4.4 (Photo Requirements) added. No new requirements were introduced. This section documents requirements introduced with program announcements
- Section 5.1.1 (Eligibility) clarified, option for former income-eligible customers to participate in Comfort Home added.
NEW Updated Quality Assurance Follow-Up Process
Program/s: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Updated Quality Assurance Follow-Up Process
Contact with Questions: keith.bohling@nyserda.ny.gov
As of March 13, 2026, the Comfort Home Quality Assurance (QA) inspection follow-up processes have transitioned to CLEAResult. To make the process smoother, the Comfort Home SharePoint Contractor Document Libraries will no longer be used. Contractors will continue to receive a copy of the report via email for each completed QA inspection.
To inquire about an inspection result or provide updates for a failed inspection, send an email to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov with the subject line of ‘Comfort Home QA – [enrollment #]’. When non-conformances have been resolved, attach photos of the resolution to your email.
NEW March 2026 Version of the Utility Release Form
Program/s: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: March 2026 Version of the Utility Release Form
Contact with Questions: keith.bohling@nyserda.ny.gov
Comfort Home has released the March 2026 version of the Utility Release Form, which updates the designation for account and POD numbers. The change aligns the form with the NYHEP changes made in late 2025 where the same fields are required. Account numbers are always required and POD numbers are also required when the customer’s electric provider is NYSEG, RG&E, or Central Hudson. The new form can be identified with a version date of “3/2026” in the footer at the bottom of page 2.
Contractors should use the new form for customer signatures going forward. Customers who already signed the old form do not need to sign the new form. For signatures already obtained, a new signature on the new form is not required.
Green Jobs – Green New York Residential Financing Announcements
No Announcements
General Announcements
Funding through NYSERDA’s On-the-Job Training Program
Program/s: All NYSERDA Residential Programs
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Funding through NYSERDA’s On-the-Job Training Program
Contact with Questions: PONOJT@nyserda.ny.gov
NYSERDA’s On-the-Job Training Program (PON 3982) was updated earlier this year and is accepting new applications. Businesses can receive wage subsidies to reduce the financial risk of hiring and training new workers and earn incentives for industry certifications their new hire earns. Funding of up to $11,000 per new hire is available when hiring residents of disadvantaged communities or members of priority populations. Funding of up to $8,500 per new hire is available for hiring other eligible individuals. A summary of revisions outlining changes from the prior version of the On-the-Job Training Program can be found on the solicitation page.
For more information about the On-the-Job Training Program, please visit NYSERDA’s webpage.
Questions about the On-the-Job Program requirements or steps to participate? NYSERDA holds monthly virtual office hours for program participants and those interested in learning more about the program.
Office Hours: Third Thursday of each month, 2:00-3:00 PM ET. Register: https://forms.office.com/g/0vW7FChZtK
The Energy Affordability Guarantee Pilot
Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors, Clean Energy Hubs and Stakeholders
Summary: The Energy Affordability Guarantee Pilot
Contact with Questions: Please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069 with any questions
The Energy Affordability Guarantee (EAG) is a Pilot being run by the New York State Department of Public Service (DPS) that will provide homes that have been, or will be, electrified through the EmPower+ Program with a utility bill subsidy to ensure the homes energy burden is not greater than 6%.
The goal for the Pilot is to serve at least 100 EmPower+ Tier 1 (Low-Income) households in each of the utility areas. Based on current program production, additional projects are needed in the following areas:
- Central Hudson
- Consolidated Edison
- Orange and Rockland
- Rochester Gas and Electric
Homes that have had projects completed on or after May 1, 2023, will be eligible.
Pilot Guidelines
- Only homes in the following electric territories will be eligible: Central Hudson, Consolidated Edison, Orange and Rockland, and Rochester Gas and Electric.
- Households with Municipal Electric are not eligible.
- This pilot is only available to Tier 1 / low-income customers.
- Homes that are served by all fuel sources (including natural gas) will be eligible.
- The maximum allowable ACH50 for homes will be increased to 10.
- The home’s existing heating systems must be removed, and the heat pump should be sized to cover the full heating load.
- The water heating system must be a HPWH.
- Projects participating in the pilot will have priority at provisional approval.
- Contractor may return to a home that has a heat pump installed to install a HPWH, to qualify for the pilot.
- Homes will have energy monitors installed on the electrical panel boxes.
Pilot Process for New EmPower+ Projects
- A Pilot application will be available on the contractor support site. This application must be filled out and submitted to Matt Houle matthew.houle@nyserda.ny.gov . Matt will review the application to ensure it meets program requirements and notify the contractor that they can proceed to submit the work scope.
- CLEAResult will identify the project in NYHEP as eligible for the pilot.
- The work scope will be submitted per the normal EmPower+ Program processes and given priority at provisional approval.
- After the project is complete, NYSERDA will provide the data for the project to the Implementation Contractor at DPS so they can contact and enroll the customer.
- NYSERDA will be hiring a contractor to supervise the installation of energy monitors.
- NYSERDA will provide a tracker on the contractor support site indicating how many projects will be eligible in each utility territory.
- The information from this pilot will be used to determine future utility bill subsidies and the viability of a gas to heat pump conversions in certain markets.
- The goal of the pilot is to have the remaining projects completed by December 31, 2025.
The EAG Pilot was covered on the July 11, 2025, Home Modernization Monthly Contractor Call. If there are any questions, please reach out to Contractor Support at 1-800-284-9069.