Program Announcements from 4/26/2024 to 5/9/2024

Programs: EmPower+, Residential Energy Assessments, Comfort Home
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Monthly Contractor Update
Contact with Questions: Empower.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

NYSERDA Single Family Programs Update

Friday,  May 3, 2024

8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. ET

Webinar number 2538 275 6538

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.

Programs: EmPower+
To: Contractors
Summary: Webinar: Overview on the upcoming Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offering

Join the Single Family Residential Team on the May 3, 2024, Contractor Webinar, where Program will be providing an overview on the upcoming Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offering. It is expected that the funding through the IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) Program will be available in late May; however, these dates are tentative. 

 During the webinar, Program will be covering the following topics: 

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

There are important EmPower+ Program changes related to IRA funding so it is essential to attend the webinar to hear about these Program updates and the IRA changes. During May, NYSERDA will be updating Program Materials, webpages, marketing materials and the NY Home Energy Portal (NYHEP) in preparation of the IRA funding. NYHEP training, office hours, and other important deadlines will be announced soon. We look forward to seeing you on May 3. For additional information please visit NYSERDA’s IRA website.  

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 support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov 

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 support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov. 

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.

No Announcements

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

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

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

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

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

Program: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Reminder about knob-and-tube wiring
Contact with Questions:  1-888-406-4009 or Comforthome@nyserda.ny.gov

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

No Announcements

Program: EmPower+ and REA
To: EmPower+ and REA Contractors
Summary: NYHEP Updates
Contact with Questions: If you experience any issues reaching the contractor support team by phone, please send an email to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

The following NYHEP changes will go live April 25. Knowledge Base articles with be updated to reflect these changes.

All Users:  

• Display a warning box with a 10-minute countdown prior to automatically being logged out due to inactivity.   
• Single sign-on enabled.  Users logged into Salesforce can also log into NYHEP without entering credentials. 
• Search feature enhancement.  Users may use the search bar to locate a project using Enrollment Number, Reference Number, or Customer Last Name 
• Project Acceptance Extension. System configuration aligned with extension policy announced in December 2023 
• “Application Processor” label changed to “Community Hub” 
• Forgot Your Password” dialog box updated to ask for “user ID” 
  • Numerous back-end data exchange enhancements, other bug fixes, and performance improvements