Taking the Guesswork Out of Home Energy Retrofits

Grant Award: $45,000

For many homeowners, the biggest challenge isn’t deciding to make a home retrofit. It’s figuring out where to start. With support from HCi3, Thinkwell Shift and UK-based Snugg are adapting a proven interactive web application for the Canadian market. This app will help guide homeowners through the retrofit process from first questions to completed projects.

Using info about a home’s age, size, and heating system, the app will create personalized retrofit plans, estimate costs and potential energy savings. It will also identify available rebates and financing, as well as connecting homeowners with qualified contractors. During this phase of the project, the team will test and refine the Canadian version with Nova Scotia homeowners to ensure it is able to meet local needs. By making the process simpler to navigate, the project aims to help more people take the next step toward lower-carbon homes.

Sometimes the biggest step toward a lower-carbon home is simply making the first step easier.