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Tag: Announcement

Additional Don’t Be Left Exposed – Spray Foam Training

Program Announcement:
Program/s: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Contractors
Summary: Additional Don’t Be Left Exposed – Spray Foam Training
Contact with Questions: Matthew Houle

Details: Numerous contractors have contacted Program staff regarding the need for an additional Don’t Be Left Exposed training. NYSERDA has scheduled one last live training for September 26th, Part 1 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and Part 2 10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. ET. This training is required for all spray foam contractors as part of the certification requirements.

Please see links below to register for the training. The record version of the training will be added to the program manual soon.

Part 1 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/1852496123200937822
Part 2 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/9142122975425646682

Reminder of Required Spray Foam Training-Due October 2025

Program: EmPower+ and Comfort Home
To: EmPower+ and Comfort Home Participating Contractors
Summary: Reminder of Required Spray Foam Training-Due October 2025
Contact with Questions: Contract Support at (800) 284-9069 or email at support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

This is a reminder for Participating Contractors installing spray foam through EmPower+ or Comfort Home. NYSERDA is requiring training for individuals working on spray foam projects to be completed no later than October 1, 2025. A list of the required training for Field Employees, Applicators, Crew Leaders, and Auditors can be found on the contractor support site at https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/program-resources/sprayfoamresources/.

Contractors are required to keep documentation of the trainings, including the training title, staff names, and dates the training was completed.

Contractors will need to submit a signed attestation verifying their company meets the new training requirements. This attestation form can be found at https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Spray-Foam-Training-Requirements-Contractor-Acknowledgement-Form.pdf. Once completed, contractors can submit it to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.

Information on the Spray Foam Training Requirements was provided as part of the November 1, 2024, Contractor Check-in Webinar, which was recorded and can be found at https://hpwescontractorsupport.com/webinars/.

If you have any questions, please contact Contractor Support at 800- 284–9069 or email at support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.

Vacant Unit Clarifications

Program: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Summary: Vacant Unit Clarifications, Effective Immediately
Contact with Questions: Support at info.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or 1-866-NYSERDA

EmPower+ is providing updated clarification for vacant units in 1-4 family properties. The following has been added to Section 5.19 in the Program Manual:

If there is one vacant unit in the building, the building owner’s income will be used to qualify the vacant unit. If 50% or more of the units are vacant, only the units that are income qualified can be served. IRA funding may only be applied to occupied and income eligible units. If there are any questions, please reach to Support at info.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or 1-866-NYSERDA.

Program Announcements

Program: Comfort Home
To: All Comfort Home Contractors
Summary: Program Announcements
Contact with Questions: Keith Bohling

Details:

  1. Please ask your customer if they’ve participated in another program for weatherization work. Prior participation may lower incentives. Installing Package C (Windows) to a home upgraded in the last year with EmPower+ permits a $1,000 Comfort Home Package C incentive. If that EmPower+ upgrade was over a year ago, the Package C incentive is $2,000.
  2. Customers are eligible for two assessments (or audits) per year, including the $100 blower door test incentive. This can include two Comfort Home assessments, or one assessment each from REA and Comfort Home. If an assessment was delivered through the REA program twice, then NYSERDA will not pay an incentive for a Comfort Home assessment within the same year.
  3. The goal of the assessment is to model the expected project and expected savings. That means that the post-work blower door test “expectation” should be entered. It can be trued up during the installation workflow step, but a best guess should be entered during the Assessment workflow step. The expected post-work blower door test value should be lower than the pre-work value.
  4. NYSERDA is reducing the data collection and data entry requirements for Comfort Home. 30 fields have been removed. This change affects new enrollments immediately. Previously created enrollments that are already in progress will reflect the original field requirements.
  5. A new feature is being added to the Package B functionality: If the improved attic insulation is being installed on the attic roof deck, the Package B will become available and a checkbox to indicate that Package B is being added for attic gable walls will become available. Check that box if the Package B incentive should be applied because attic walls are being insulated and air-sealed.
  6. On the Assessment Report: An issue with % savings on page 1 has been corrected. 
  7. On the Assessment Report: The existing condition stacked bar chart for heating load contributions has been updated to resolve an issue with the ceiling load display. The modeled savings were not previously impacted, this update just resolves a report display issue.
  8. On the Loan ProForma report export: An electric savings calculation issue has been corrected. 
  9. On the Loan ProForma report export: Dollar savings per fuel type is now being calculated and included on the report.

EmPower+ Application Submission Guidance

Program: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors and Hubs
Summary: EmPower+ Application Submission Guidance
Contact with Questions: info.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

With the temporary suspension of an EmPower+ contractor’s ability to submit applications on behalf of a customer, the Program would like to remind Participating Contractors that they should only be sending customers to the Hubs when the customer needs specific assistance offered by that Hub. This can include assistance with a specific language translation, if available from the Hub, or technological assistance if the customer wants to submit an online application and does not have access to a computer or is having difficulty navigating the online platform. Participating Contractors can also connect a customer with TRC, through 1-866-NYSERDA, for assistance with completing an EmPower+ Application.

Contractors should not be sending bulk applications to the Hubs to submit on behalf of the contractor. Contractors can provide a customer with a campaign code that tags the contractor in MyEnergy or furnish them with a paper application that the customer can fill out and mail in. If a contractor needs assistance with campaign codes, they can submit an inquiry to TRC through info.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.

Campaign Codes will be covered in the September 5, 2025 Home Modernization Webinar at 8:30 a.m. ET. If you wish to attend, please register here.

If you have any questions, please contact info.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.