Tag: EmPower+

Program/s: EmPower+
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors, Energy Hubs
Summary: Audit Only Contractors
Contact with Questions: matthew.houle@nyserda.ny.gov

Beginning on January 1, 2027, EmPower+ will start monitoring the number of assessment only projects submitted by contractors.  After this date,  standalone home energy assessments should only be completed for a small percentage of a contractor’s completed projects. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) expects contractors to complete comprehensive work scopes whenever possible.

Additional guidance for Participating EmPower+ Contractors:

• Assessment -only projects are still allowed in limited circumstances. For example, if there is a health and safety issue beyond the scope of EmPower+, the contractor can submit the assessment through the program for reimbursement.  
• If a contractor is submitting an assessment-only project, notes must be provided on why a comprehensive work scope cannot be completed.
• A comprehensive work scope can be accomplished by the participating contractor completing the home energy assessment and installing energy efficiency measurements themselves or by working with a sub-contractor to install the energy efficiency measurements.
• There should only be one work scope submitted for enrollments. Enrollments should include the home energy assessment and the energy efficiency measurements.
• A comprehensive work scope should include one of the following, air sealing, attic wall, rim joist insulation or an upgraded HVAC system.
• Assessment only projects will not count towards a contractor’s annual minimum production requirements of 20 projects per year.

NYSERDA understands that there are a few situations where a contractor will only complete a home energy assessment; however, this should not be large percentage of a contractor’s overall projects.

Please reach out to Matt Houle matthew.houle@nyserda.ny.gov with questions or concerns.

Program/s: EmPower+ 
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors & Hubs
Summary: EmPower+ IRA Changes
Questions: support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

Effective for projects with new work scopes submitted after midnight on August 31, 2026, the EmPower+ program changes, outlined below, will be implemented to accommodate new guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Energy for the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) funding. Work scopes submitted on or before August 31, 2026, will follow current program rules. ​

Incentive Strategy:

• Electrification: If a project has a heat pump or heat pump water heater, the program will use Sustainable Futures Program (SFP) funds to cover the heat pump water heater, heat pump, panel box, wiring up grade. SFP incentives can be stacked on top of the current EmPower+ project incentive caps.​
• Insulation Projects: If a project does not have a heat pump, heat pump water heater, panel box, or wiring upgrade, EmPower+ will continue to offer up to $1,600 HEAR incentives for insulation, air sealing, and ventilation measures. HEAR funding will be applied first and no longer needs to reach an incentive threshold to be applied.  
• DAC Incentives will no longer be available.
• Tier 1 and Tier 3 projects will have the same incentive caps for SFP funded measures, which may be stacked with the standard EmPower+ incentive caps of $12,000/$14,000  for low-income and $6,000/$7,000 for moderate- income households.  
• HEAR and SFP funding are not available on the same project.

Measure Changes:

The following measures will remain HEAR.

The following measures will be moved to SFP funding after August 31.

The change in funding from HEAR to SFP, has provided EmPower+ with an opportunity to revisit certain measure incentive caps. The table below provides a breakdown of the IRA incentive caps and the new caps for SFP incentives for work scope submissions received after August 31.

The webinar outlining the changes referenced above may be found at the following link Home Modernization Program Update July 10, 2026.

 If there are any questions, please contact support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov. 

Program/s: EmPower+ 
To: EmPower+ Participating Contractors
Summary: Quarterly Certification Audit – Find-A-Contractor Site
Questions: support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

To ensure our records are current, we are conducting a quarterly review of EmPower+ Participating Contractor certifications and service territories. We ask that you take a moment to review your information on the EmPower+ site on behalf of your company, and respond with any changes by August 17^th .

Per Section 5.5 of the Program Manual:

“The participating contractor shall provide NYSERDA written documentation identifying each certified individual and copies of their certifications. This is inclusive of staff who will be onsite in a customer’s home and not office staff or other support staff not at project locations. As an ongoing requirement, the participating contractor shall immediately inform the Program of any change to the list of certified staff.”

Project referrals and project assignments are determined in part by a participating contractor’s self-identified service territory. To ensure projects are assigned correctly please review the Find-A-Contractor page and verify your service territory is accurate. For additional information on contractor service territories please refer to section 5.23.5.

If there are any questions or if you need to provide updated certification or service territory information, please contact support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov.  

Program/s: EmPower+
To: Participating Contractors
Summary: Correct Project Type Selection in NYHEP
Contact with Questions: If there are any questions please email support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov

Effective August 31, 2026, contractors will be required to select the correct Project Type (Full Comprehensive, Audit Install) in NYHEP that aligns with the work being performed in the home. NYHEP will be enforcing this requirement at Final Project Submission based on the measures selected.

Enrollments with a Full Comprehensive selected for the Project Type with only assessment and direct install measures completed will need to be rolled backed to Workscope Submission and updated.

How to Return an Enrollment from Final Project Submission to Workscope Submission

At Final Project Submission at the top select Outcome = Cancel and Reason = Modify workscope submission. Click Save and Process the enrollment back to Workscope Submission.

How to Adjust Proposed Measures

Project Type selection is adjusted at Workscope Submission >> Applicant Information tab >> Additional Applicant Information section. Select Project Type = Audit Install. The list of measures available adjusts based on the selection.

• On the Measures tab, all proposed Full Comprehensive measures will need to be adjusted to a Quantity = 0.
• Click on Add Measures and select the completed assessment and direct install measures. The Audit Install measures will end in “_AI”. Upon resubmission, the project will advance directly to Final Project Review.

If there are any questions, please reach out to contractor support to support.residential@nyserda.ny.gov or (800)- 284-9069.