Starting an Efficiency Project
Ready to lower bills and boost home energy efficiency? MCEC offers programs and resources, including the Clean Energy Advantage (CEA) Loan Program and incentive finders, to make upgrades affordable and accessible. Explore how we can help you save money and contribute to a greener future.
Assess & Explore
Start your clean energy project by understanding your current usage and your energy objectives.
- Assess Your Current Use: A home energy assessment or audit is a good place to start in evaluating opportunities to upgrade or improve your energy efficiency.
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- Energy Saver 101 Infographic: The Department of Energy’s Energy Saver 101 home energy assessment infographic illustrates what energy assessors look for and the special tools they use to determine where a home is wasting energy.
- Invest in Efficiency: Whether it’s changing your behavior around your energy use, small home projects to improve energy efficiency, or upgrading appliances to more energy efficient models.
- Explore Energy Supplier Options: Either through a different energy supplier or through the installation of renewable energy technology in your home.
- Consider Personal Energy Objectives: There are many options for expanding your use of clean energy and energy efficiency. Outlining your personal and budget goals can help you prioritize which projects to tackle first.
Finalize the Idea
Once you have gathered the necessary information about how you currently use energy, how you would like to change your usage, and your investment priorities, it’s time to formalize the project concept. With this information in hand, you will be able to identify the resources to bring your project to completion.
Plan & Prioritize
If you are ready to make your home more energy-efficient, start by planning your projects. Tackle the easy, inexpensive measures first, including behavior changes, then focus on improvements that will have the biggest impact on your energy use and comfort, like upgrading insulation, windows, and HVAC systems.
Explore Financing & Incentives
The State and Maryland-serving utilities offer rebates, tax credits, and loan programs to help with the cost of energy-efficient upgrades. Our list of financial programs has you covered.
You can also look into programs like the Clean Energy Advantage Loan Program (CEA) to make your project more affordable. Federal, state, and local incentives are also available, and can reduce project costs. Participating contractors are available for Baltimore Gas & Electric, Delmarva Power, Pepco, Potomac Edison, SMECO, and Washington Gas service territories, and can help you take advantage of the following program benefits:
- No interest for the first 24 months
- Fixed interest rates (currently below market rates) for the length of the loan. Choose from 3-, 5- or 10-year loan terms
- Combine loans with utility rebates and can include other state and federal incentives
- No program fees paid by the homeowner or contractor
Hire Qualified Professionals
When hiring contractors for your project, check reviews, ask for references, and get multiple quotes to find a reputable professional. The CEA Loan Program provides a database of qualified contractors and can be filtered by utility.