Stock photo courtesy of B.C. Hydro

By Liam Verster

Electric Heat Pumps and Water Tanks, Solar Panels

Local non-profit plans to make hundreds of Vernon homes more energy efficient

Oct 4, 2024 | 2:24 PM

A local non-profit is scaling up its efforts to make homes in Vernon more energy efficient.

The HomeZero Collective said it wants to build off its past success of switching 11 Vernon homes to electric heat pump and hot water tanks and installing solar panels to generate their own energy, by retrofitting 500 homes in the same way over the next three years.

“We’ve learned so much about what’s possible when we do retrofits as a group, and now we have the support to put those learnings and benefits to use on a much larger scale—and take even greater climate action,” Amandeep Singh, founder of HomeZero Collective Society, said.

The first 11 homes that were retrofitted by HomeZero were located in the East Hill and Foothills neighbourhoods

The organization said the transitions were made easy by purchasing the materials in bulk, providing low-interest financing alongside government subsidies and rebates, and having installers move efficiently from one home to another.

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It also noted that owners of homes that were retrofitted will be able to save money, generate clean energy, and reduce carbon emissions by 85 to 100 per cent.

“Aside from all of the future savings on energy and gas bills, we just really wanted to be part of the solution to reduce our carbon footprint,” Kevin O’Brien, the pilot homeowner, stated.

“We have all talked about how we want to make things better for the future and this program gave us that chance.”

Funding for the retrofits was partially supplied by Community Futures North Okanagan, B.C. Hydro, and the Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund.

HomeZero is now looking to retrofit another 500 homes, and stated that the first 100 homeowners to sign up would receive a $5,000 subsidy to help offset the costs. That support will be provided outside of the province’s rebate programs.

People interested in the retrofits can visit open houses at the pilot homes starting October 12.

Anyone interested in the program and making their homes more energy efficient can visit the HomeZero Collective Society’s website.

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