General EEUP & IQEEUP FAQs

What sectors of our community are supported by NWCPUD’s Energy Efficiency Upgrade Programs (EEUPs)?
  • EEUP for Commercial and Industrial Projects
    • Commercial and Industrial LED Lighting – Retail businesses and restaurants, warehouses, churches, schools, etc.
    • Commercial HVAC – Ducted and ductless mini-split heat pumps, air-source heat pumps (ASHP), advanced rooftop unit controls, and packaged terminal heat pumps (PTHP) for lodging and residential care buildings
    • Custom Commercial and Industrial Projects – Large and small scale projects in cooperation with BPA engineers and NWCPUD Energy Management team members
  • Traditional and Income Qualified (IQ) EEUPs for Homeowners feature the following measures:
    • Weatherization – Insulation in attics, floors, exterior walls, windows, exterior doors, and ductwork
    • Prescriptive Duct Sealing – Sealing leaky ductwork and plenum of your existing duct system.
    • Ducted and Ductless Heat Pumps – Ducted variable-speed heat pump (VSHP) systems, and single or multi-zone ducted & ductless mini-split heat pump (DHP) systems
    • Water Heaters – Hybrid electric heat pump water heaters (HPWH)
    • Appliances – Energy Star clothes washers, clothes dryers, and refrigerators
    • Advanced Smart Thermostats – with features like wi-fi and occupancy sensors
  • IQEEUP for Tenants and Landlords (for a building with four or fewer dwelling units within the same structure that is no more than two stories high) features all Traditional EEUP measures listed above but with double the Traditional EEUP rebates for landlords and property owners.
  • Traditional and Income Qualified EEUPs for Multifamily Residences (for a building with five or more dwelling units within the same structure that is no more than three stories high) feature all Traditional EEUP measures available above, but with additional multi-family measures and increased rebate payments.
  • Simply put… It pays to upgrade your home, business, or rental! Our EEUPs help to increase the value of your property while also receiving support through NWCPUD’s rebate programs and reducing your monthly power bills. There’s no time better to start your journey to savings than right now!
Why should I participate in an EEUP?
  • An EEUP will make your home more energy efficient by using less energy to produce the same or better results.
  • EEUPs help to make the home or business safer and healthier, providing increased comfort and well-being for the occupants.
  • An EEUP can reduce drafts and heat loss and increase resistance to extreme temperature differences. Your home will retain warmth in the winter, and stay cooler longer in the summer.
  • Many of our EEUPs improve the efficiency of your existing heating and distribution system = longer unit life expectancy and lower bills.
  • Simply put… It pays to weatherize and insulate your home! Our EEUPs help to increase the value of your home while also reimbursing our customers through rebates and incentives.
What are the differences between a Traditional EEUP and an Income-Qualified EEUP?

The main differences between our EEUP and IQEEUP programs are rebate amounts and the eligibility process. ALL customers in NWCPUD service territory currently living in electrically heated homes are eligible for the Traditional EEUP rebates.

ONLY customers seeking eligibility for an IQEEUP must be verified as an income-qualified household.

Where do I start (EEUP)?

After reviewing the information and rebate application forms on the website, please contact one of our Energy Management Team members if you have further questions or if you would like to schedule a required Virtual or In-Person Rebate Eligibility Assessment (VREA or REA) to determine eligibility of your home for our EEUP for Homeowners weatherization program.

Where do I start (IQEEUP)?

After reviewing the general information posted on our website, the next step is to contact one of our Energy Management Team members at the PUD office.

Once your questions are answered and you are verified as a qualifying household, we can schedule an IQEEUP Rebate Eligibility Assessment to determine which energy efficiency upgrade measures your residence needs.

What is a Rebate Eligibility Assessment (REA) and what do I need to do to prepare?

When attempting to determine the eligibility of your home for our EEUP for Weatherization and prior to performing measures on your home, it is necessary to schedule either a Virtual or In-Person REA with a member of our Energy Management team. This short visit over will allow us to determine the existing conditions of your home and which measures qualify for rebates.

To prepare for this appointment, please have as much information about your home on hand as possible, including insulation levels in the floor, walls, and attic areas, as well as the type of heating system is used to heat the home. You will then receive an assessment report that details eligible measures and rebate amounts to begin planning your upgrades. An assessment report is required for all weatherization measures and is considered pre-approval for future insulation, window, exterior door, and duct sealing rebates.

What if I live in a multi-family setting, such as an apartment building or complex?

Our expanded rebate offerings now include multi-family buildings, defined as five (5) or more dwelling units within the same structure that are no more than three stories high. We are working with local landlords and property owners to bring increased rebates for participants in the Traditional EEUP for Multi-Family Residences.

Great news! We are also including the increased rebate schedule for multi-family building occupants that are verified as income-qualified. If at least 50% of the tenants in the building are verified for the IQEEUP for Multi-Family Buildings, The rebate schedule for this new program covers significant amounts of the project costs, depending on the measures completed.

After reviewing the general EEUP information posted on our website, the next step is to contact one of our Energy Management Team members at the PUD office to schedule an eligibility assessment.

Do I need to be pre-approved to receive EEUP rebates?

Funding for all EEUP rebates is provided by NWCPUD and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), and is limited. For this reason, most EEUP rebates require some sort of contact with our department prior to requesting inspections for rebates.

For weatherization measures, an assessment report is required to create your customer workbook where we record existing conditions, photos, contractor notes and invoices, etc. This will be your official entry into our EEUP for Weatherization.

For HVAC measures, you must complete the pre-approval portions of the rebate application and submit them prior to installing the unit. This will ensure you are installing a qualifying model and will receive the full rebate amount available.

Failure to contact Energy Management for pre-approval may effect a completed measure’s eligibility for rebates.

What is an NWCPUD In-Person Rebate Inspection or Virtual Rebate Inspection (VRI) and what can I expect?

During any rebate inspection, you can expect to be asked to take photos or video of different aspects of the installation including, but not limited to: upgraded insulation levels (inches or R-Value), window and door NFRC stickers, manufacturer tags, water heater installation areas and electrical panels.

While VRIs can work for most measures, we will require In-Person inspections by a team member for other more involved measures such as HVAC and Weatherization upgrades.