Energy Upgrade California™

Energy Upgrade California™ is an unprecedented alliance among California counties, cities, non-profit organizations, the state's investor-owned utilities (Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company), and publicly owned utilities. Funding for this effort comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, also known as federal stimulus funds), California utility ratepayers, and private contributions. Energy upgrade rebates are administered by participating utilities.

The goals of this statewide effort are four-fold:

Help residential and commercial consumers and the building industry become knowledgeable about the many energy and water efficiency programs and financing options that will be available during the next several years including the State Energy Programs, utility company home upgrade programs, local rebates, appliance and renewable energy rebates, and energy financing programs.
Provide a consistent and clear message regarding how consumers can choose the best energy-efficient measures and the right contractors to provide those services.
Drive consumers and contractors to a central resource that provides educational information that links all the state energy efficiency upgrade, rebates, and incentive programs.
Educate the building trades and home improvement industry on jobs, training, and required certifications.

This program may be modified or terminated without prior notice and rebates are provided to qualified customers on a first-come, first-served basis until program funds are no longer available. Pacific Gas and Electric, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, and San Diego Gas & Electric Company are not responsible for any goods or services selected by the customer.

Becoming a Participating Contractor

Energy Upgrade California is an opportunity for local contractors to expand their skills and build new business. The program offers tangible benefits for building professionals, including:

Training in the latest home performance standards
Listing on an online contractor directory
Connection to clients looking for services
Marketing support and outreach materials

Participation and certification

All contractors participating in the state-wide Energy Upgrade California program must have: a valid California contractor's license appropriate to the scope of work, appropriate bonding, completion of mandatory orientation session workshops, obtain insurance to utility minimums, a signed Contractor Participation Agreement, and building permits on all work as required by local jurisdiction requirements.

Basic Upgrade Contractors

Contractors interested in offering the Basic Upgrade Package must attend a two-hour orientation about the program and a free, three-day building science basic training about the building envelope elements (insulation, duct sealing, combustion testing, etc.). Please note that each participating utility may have additional requirements.

Advanced Upgrade Contractors

Contractors interested in offering the Advanced Upgrade Package may have Building Performance Institute (BPI) Accreditation, or at a minimum employ staff that holds a BPI Building Analyst (BA) certification. In addition, they must attend a two-hour orientation on the program itself. Please note that each participating utility may have additional requirements.

Green Certified Contractors

Contractors interested in providing Green Upgrade Options must possess green building certification in addition to meeting the qualifications for either the Basic or Advanced Upgrade Package. Currently, the required certification is Build It Green’s (BIG) Certified Green Building Professional (CGBP), or an approved equivalent.

By June 2011, contractors must obtain BIG’s GreenPoint Rated Existing Home (Single Family) certification in order to continue to be identified as providing the Green Upgrade Option.

Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Raters

The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) was originally developed to promote energy efficiency in new homes. Whole-House HERS (“Phase II”) raters are now certified for assessing the energy efficiency in existing homes through third-party assessment and verification. Whole-House HERS raters provide California homeowners with information about the energy efficiency of the homes they live in or homes and provide evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of options to achieve greater energy efficiency in those homes. A Whole-House HERS rater must be certified by CalCERTS.

Solar Contractors

Contractors providing solar services are identified by Go Solar California!, a joint effort of the California Energy Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission. Companies must first be signed up with the Solar Registered Retailers, Installers, and Contractors Database at http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/installers/installer.php

Training classes for contractors

For utility-specific information on how to participate and for orientation sessions, click on a link below.

Certification programs

Workforce development

NOTE: Neither this program, the participating utilities nor any other public or private party associated with the Energy Upgrade Program, including but not limited to the State of California or the California Energy Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, or San Diego Gas & Electric® is: (a) endorsing, recommending or referring any specific contractor, (b) making any representation or warranty regarding the qualifications, licensing, products, or workmanship of any contractor, (c) making any warranty regarding the contractor’s work or products purchased from contractors provided, or (d) accepting any liability that may be alleged to arise from the work of any listed contractor on a customer project or from any reliance on any claims, statements or other descriptions regarding a contractor’s certifications, licenses, qualifications or products. Such claims, statements and other descriptions are made solely by the contractor.

The participating utilities cannot guarantee to participating contractors that a homeowner will select a participating contractor to perform services under the Energy Upgrade Program. Neither the State of California nor the utilities participating in the Energy Upgrade Program have made and do not hereby make any representation or warranty with respect to the number of homeowners that may select a participating contractor to perform work in connection with the Energy Upgrade Program. Each participating contractor acknowledges that the purchase of home repair services is speculative and agrees that the State of California’s judgment with regard to any matter affecting the Energy Upgrade Program (as well as each utility’s decision to market and promote its own “whole house programs” alone and/or in connection with the Energy Upgrade Program) is within the sole discretion of the State of California and each utility, respectively.