The City of Windsor has teamed up with a regional utility company to help residents cut energy costs.
Enbridge Gas has brought its Home Energy Retrofit Program to Windsor residents and the city is meeting with the utility to review a variety of energy programs and put a variety of programs before city council.
Mayor Drew Dilkens met with Pillette Avenue resident Nick Bibic on Thursday to discuss the kind of investment Bibic put into his home.
"The programs offered by Enbridge Gas can help residents create a more comfortable living space, improve the value of your home, and save Windsor families money on their energy bills. That’s a win-win-win," said Dilkens in a media release.
Bibic took advantage of the retrofit program and received a $5,000 rebate to put toward improvements that would lower his energy costs.
"With the cost of building materials constantly rising, this is an excellent way to help ensure I got the best quality products installed to maximize my home’s energy savings, all while lowering my home's carbon footprint," said Bibic.
The retrofit program allows homeowners to upgrade their insulation, heating systems, windows and doors to reduce heat loss and reduce energy bills by up to 50 per cent. In Bibic's case, however, the upgrades gave him 58 per cent in savings or $1,150 per year.
To qualify for rebates, the homeowner must agree to an energy assessment before and after renovations are done.
The city said since 2017, 1,500 homes per year have participated in various Enbridge programs. Windsor's building stock is one of the oldest in Ontario and uses about 35 per cent more energy than the provincial average.
To learn more about rebates offered by Enbridge, visit its official website.