Low-rise Residential New Construction Program

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) through its Low-Rise Residential New Construction program (PON 2309) provides financial incentives to the builders and the Home Energy Rating Providers to support construction of certified New York ENERGY STAR homes as well as New York Energy $mart designation homes for eligible gut rehabilitation projects. The program provides both financial and technical assistance to participating buildings and developers, as well as to the Residential Energy Service Network (RESNET) Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Providers and Home Energy Raters.

Eligibility

Incentives are available for projects located within the service territory of an electric or natural gas utility that collects the System Benefits Charge (SBC) or the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (EEPS) surcharge. The utility service territories that currently meet this requirement are as follows: Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, National Fuel, National Grid, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., PSEG Long Island, and Rochester Gas & Electric Corporation.

Program Description

Low-rise residential new construction includes ground-up new construction of dwelling units contained within residential buildings of not more than three stories in height. Buildings taller than this requirement that are eligible to participate in the EPA's ENERGY STAR Certified Homes programs will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Gut rehabilitation projects will be evaluated by NYSERDA for eligibility on a case-by-case basis. 

The incentive amounts offered to Partner-Builders are classified into different “Tiers”. An additional incentive is available to low moderate income customers if their income meets the programs affordable housing guidelines.  The Builders must first execute a Partnership Agreement with the EPA's ENERGY STAR Certified Homes programs and then with NYSERDA to participate in the program. The Home Energy Raters must be affiliated with a RESNET Accredited Home Energy Rating Provider. The builder must maintain service of qualified Home Energy Rater to verify the dwelling unit's compliance with the energy requirements of the program. 

The applicants must submit the incentive application to NYSERDA's program implementation contractor within sixty days of Rater's confirmed Home Energy Rating. Applications for the RESNET raters and cooperative advertising incentives is available on the program website. 

NYSERDA has contracted the CLEARResult to implement the program. Any project specific or questions related to the incentives must be submitted to the NYSERDA contact listed below.