Cash for Green: State Offers Efficiency Grants ALBANY, NY (WXXI) - There will soon be a new pot of money for homeowners who want to make their houses more "green." Recently passed legislation creates grants for homeowners to renovate or build homes that are more energy efficient. And that funding could start going out to homeowners as early as January 2010.

Judith Enck is the deputy secretary for the environment in Governor David Paterson's administration. She says the agreement will give homeowners money to renovate their homes and apply energy saving devices.

"For the first time ever, New York will have a residential green buildings program. We have existing financial incentives for commercial buildings like office towers and restaurants and schools. But now, ordinary New Yorkers who want to build green buildings will have a financial incentive, so we can see more of this construction taking place in New York."

The kinds of green improvements that will be eligible for grant funding include modifying the type of energy used in the home, improving water efficiency, improving indoor environmental quality, using green resources in the home, and minimizing waste in the construction process. Enck says it's significant that this program isn't just for new builds. She says it includes renovation because the majority of homeowners are upgrading their own home, rather than starting from scratch.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) will determine what improvements will be eligible for grants; regulations are due by the end of the year. NYSERDA's website will offer instructions on how to apply for the funds.

The amount of the grants has already been determined: for a one or two family home, grants up to $7,500 could be awarded; for an apartment building with six units or more, the grants could climb to $15,000. For NYSERDA to cut a check for the funds, homeowners will have to provide written verification that green construction actually took place. Enck says that will likely be part of the Certificate of Occupancy process.

The funds are coming as grant money, rather than tax credits, because the state wanted to make the benefits more tangible for homeowners, according to Enck. She says the cash won't fully fund renovations, but instead will help the energy efficiency measures to pay for themselves more quickly. With improvements like weatherizing, Enck says the pay-off is coming increasingly quickly, in the high fuel cost environment.

It's unclear how much money the program will ultimately have to distribute, though Enck says the state is hoping the pot will grow. It's being funded with money that's coming from auctioning the right to emit nitrogen oxide off to companies. That auction process is being set up by the northeastern states as part of the federal Clean Air Act, and its proceeds are designated for projects that benefit the environment.

The grants are one part of an overall state effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, by reducing energy consumption 15 percent from projected levels, by 2015. © Copyright 2010, WXXI