Focus on Energy is a statewide program in Wisconsin that offers information, services and financial incentives to help residents and businesses select and install cost-effective solutions that save energy and money. It’s funded by the utilities that provide the energy we use. Therefore it’s funded indirectly by us.
What is a Focus on Energy (FOE) Home Energy Assessment? ExpandA FOE Home Energy Assessment is a comprehensive, whole-house analysis of your home focused on locating energy inefficiencies. Then those inefficiencies are computer analyzed and recommendations made for improvements via a report of findings and recommendations.
First, the initial assessment or pre-assessment is completed at your home and can take between 1 1/2-3 hours. During this assessment, we will gather the information needed to create a computer model of your home.
Next, back at our office, we’ll spend 1-2 hours studying and analyzing the data collected, modeling in our computer software will identify the most effective improvement measure, taking into consideration the information you provided us in the survey and in conversation. Then put those recommendations into a report for you, identifying the priorities based on a savings to investment ratio.
We’ll also provide a report to the FOE Trade Ally contractor of your choice with contractor’s notes and air-sealing data that help guide them right to the energy inefficiencies uncovered.
Once retrofit work is completed, a post-work inspection should be scheduled at your home. You can use our online scheduling to set this up at your convenience. During this hour-long visit, we will visually inspect the completed work and re-run some of the testing to ensure your vented appliances are still operating safely, that all the measures were completed within the standards set by Focus on Energy, and confirm the improvements produced the savings that were predicted.
Finally, we’ll spend another hour or so at the office confirming the modeling, obtaining a final energy score from the Department of Energy, submit an inspection report to the Insulation Contractor, and submitting all the required paperwork to Focus on Energy which secures the cash incentives you receive from them. We will send both you and the insulation contractor a post-work inspection report. See “Service Comparison” for more details and CLICK HERE to look at a sample report.
What is a Healthy Homes Assessment? ExpandMonitoring the indoor Air Quality or IAQ of you home can reveal invisible issues that may be effecting you short and long term health.
To watch a short informational video in IAQ CLICK HERE.
To view an IAQ Flash Report (30 minute sampling) CLICK HERE.
How much do services cost? Expand The base costs are:There may be additional costs for “add-on services” such as extended travel, larger homes, and multiple heating or water heating units. If applicable, those will be calculated and disclosed upfront when the appointment is set up.
See “Compare Our Services” for more details.
See “How can I pay for my services?” to see options.
Beyond the value of these services, and the payback in energy savings and health, Focus on Energy cash incentives, IRA Federal Incentives, and Federal Tax credits will erase the assessment investment and offset some or all of the investment for energy-efficient upgrades. See “Do I Qualify for Cash Incentives”.
How can I pay for my services? ExpandWe accept cash, checks, or all major CCs.
We also have a pay-over-time option with Affirm, where you can pay for services over a few weeks or a few months. It must be set up prior to your appointment time, so please contact us after you have made your appointment for instructions on using this option.
Payment is due at the end of the initial appointment, If for any reason we are unable to collect payment at the end of the assessment, data is not processed or reports released until payment has been received.
What incentives are available for Energy Improvment Projects at my home? Expand2023 WI Focus on Energy and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Incentives Summary 2023 Focus on Energy Incentives building shell measures will be increased by 50% (see chart below). Income – “Qualified” are based on the Focus on Energy test for the occupant (owner or tenant). More information can be found on income-qualification by clicking HERE.
IN ADDITION – The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will also provide lump-sum incentives based on a percentage of improvement, homes that are improved 20% to 34% will receive a $2000 incentive, and homes that realize improvements greater than 35% will receive a $4000 incentive.
For homes where the occupants (owner or tenant) meet an income requirement of < 80% of the local median income, the incentive will be doubled. Improvement percentages must be verified by computer modeling which is included in the Assessment.
Finally, Federal Income tax credits of up to 30% will be available for homeowners on amounts they contribute beyond the incentives. You can find more information about the tax credits HERE. I hope this helps to answer your questions. If you would like to discuss details further, please request a phone consultation through our website contact page, call or email the office and ask to set up a phone consultation.
Are there trip charges for my assessment? ExpandOur standard fee includes homes within a 20-mile radius of our office. For extended travel fees, see “What are Add on Services?”
What is a Home Energy Score? ExpandImagine you are in the market to buy a car and comparing your options. You are weighing a number of factors in your purchasing decision, including performance, cost, size, and appearance. When you ask the salesperson what the miles-per-gallon rating for each car is, they shrug and say, “I don’t know.” Even if fuel efficiency is not the only factor you are considering, this would probably concern you as a prospective buyer.
And yet, this is how most people make decisions when buying or renting a home: without any information about how much energy the home is expected to use, how much this will cost them, or how to cost-effectively lower energy expenses.
Developed by Department of Energy (DOE) and its national laboratories, the Home Energy Score provides homeowners, buyers, and renters directly comparable and credible information about a home’s energy use. Like a miles-per-gallon rating for a car, the Home Energy Score is based on a standard assessment of energy-related assets to easily compare energy use across the housing market. For more information about Home Energy Score, CLICK HERE.
Can I get a Home Energy Score without a full energy assessment? ExpandYes, you can get a Home Energy Score without the full FOE Energy Assessment at a cost of $200. However, the only way to be eligible for the FOE cash incentives is with an Energy Assessment. If you schedule a Home Energy Score and later decide to do a full Energy Assessment, only 1/2 of the HES fee is credited to the Assessment.
Why should I use an independent assessor? ExpandAs an independent assessor, my focus is to provide you with as much information and knowledge as I can to help you make the most energy efficiency improvements to your home. I am not a salesman nor do I have a financial interest with any insulation contractors. I can provide unbiased recommendations and post-work inspections.
Let’s face it, an insulation company that assesses your home as advises you on the products and services they provide and then inspects their own work afterward has the potential and motivation to be a bit biased. I’m not saying they are, but if they were, how would you know?
What are my assessor’s credentials? ExpandI hold both a Building Analyst and Health Homes Assessor credentials through the national Building Performance Institute (BPI). My initial training in 2008 was through a curriculum and program of building science classroom training and practical field evaluations at the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation. The Wisconsin Focus on Energy Program adopts the BPI Energy Assessment standards and requires its assessors to maintain the BPI Certification. BPI requires continuous training credits and re-qualifies its assessors annually.
What are “Add on Services? ExpandThere may be some small additional fees for:
1) larger homes, (in excess of 4000 SF home footprint)Focus on Energy (FOE) Trade Allies are valuable contractors and service providers who partner with FOE to deliver energy efficiency and renewable energy products and expertise directly to Wisconsin residents and businesses.
How long does it take at my home? ExpandThe initial “inspection” takes 1 1/2 – 2 man hours., the “assessment” 2 – 3 man hours, and the post-work inspection, 1 – 1 1/2 hours at your home on average.
The Healthy Homes Assessment adds an additional 2-3 hours to the initial visit.
With 2 inspectors, we will be completed in about 1/2 the man hours listed.
How is Focus on Energy funded? ExpandFocus on Energy is a State program, funded by the utility companies that do business in Wisconsin. Not by choice, but by mandate for most of the larger utilities. The utilities then pass that cost on to us, their consumers. So indirectly, WE fund Focus on Energy. The program purpose is two-fold:
1) To help keep money in the State. In Wisconsin, we import the direct energy or the fuel to produce energy, about 98% of what we consume. That’s allot of $ leaving Wisconsin. Improving the efficiency of homes & buildings helps reduce our fuel demand and therefore keeps the dollars in Wisconsin, where we can buy, cheese, packer tickets, etc. to better support the Wisconsin economy.
2) By having a more efficient housing market, it bolsters our efforts to attract new businesses and residents to Wisconsin. The word is out, “Wisconsin winters are cold,” so folks moving here from other climates can be assured they will stay warm and it won’t cost them “an arm & a leg” to do so.