City Utility Rebates
Efficiency Works Rebates,
Explained and Filed
Efficiency Works is the shared efficiency program for four Northern Colorado city utilities. It pays real money for insulation, air sealing, heat pumps, and windows, but only through a listed service provider and, for envelope work, only after a program assessment. PowerHouse performs those assessments and handles the application. Here is what the 2026 program pays.
Eligibility
Who qualifies
Efficiency Works serves residential electric customers of four city utilities. If your electric bill comes from one of these, you are in.
Rates and rules on this page last verified September 2026. We re-confirm at quote time.
Fort Collins Utilities
City electric customers inside Fort Collins. Rental properties here get a double rebate in 2026 (details below).
City of Loveland Utilities
Loveland electric customers, including the lake-adjacent and I-25 corridor neighborhoods.
Longmont Power & Communications
Longmont electric customers.
Estes Park Power and Communications
Estes Park electric customers, mountain properties included.
Existing homes, one year or older
New construction does not qualify. Rebates apply to new equipment and materials only.
Listed service provider
Work must be installed by an Efficiency Works Homes listed service provider, and the home must complete an Efficiency Works assessment before the rebate is applied for.
What It Pays
Insulation and air sealing, 2026
Effective January 1, 2026. Pre and post air leakage testing and a combustion safety test are required for these measures.
| Measure | Incentive | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Attic insulation (flat ceiling) | $0.77 per sq ft | Old attic-floor insulation must be removed for a conditioned-attic rebate |
| Attic knee walls, uninsulated | $1.16 per sq ft | |
| Exterior wall, basement wall, floor over garage, cantilever, cathedral ceiling | $1.16 per sq ft | |
| Conditioned crawl space | $1.16 per sq ft | Vapor/radon barrier, insulated foundation wall, and a sealed and insulated rim joist, all to program spec |
| Air sealing, Tier 1 (more than 15% leakage reduction) | $310 per home | Tiers are measured: reduction in air loss from the initial blower door test |
| Air sealing, Tier 2 (more than 25%) | $460 per home | |
| Air sealing, Tier 3 (more than 33%) | $620 per home | |
| Air sealing, Tier 4 (more than 50%) | $770 per home |
On a typical 2,000 sq ft attic retrofit, the program’s own sheet puts total potential incentives at $3,570 for insulation and $1,770 for air sealing once Xcel Energy gas rebates are stacked on top. We confirm your exact figure at quote time.
What It Pays
Heat pumps and HVAC, 2026
| Measure | Incentive | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted air source heat pump, Tier 1 | $1,500 per unit | Minimum 15.2 SEER2 and 7.8 HSPF2, AHRI matched, sized to the cooling load |
| Ducted air source heat pump, Tier 2 (cold climate) | $2,000 per unit | Minimum 15.2 SEER2 and 8.1 HSPF2, cold-climate certified, sized to the heating load |
| Ductless mini-split heat pump | $500 per ton | Minimum 21.0 SEER2 and 9.5 HSPF2, cold-climate certified |
| Ductless mini-split replacing electric baseboard | $1,000 per ton | Baseboard heat fully removed |
| Ground source heat pump | $3,000 per unit | ENERGY STAR certified, closed loop |
| Heat pump water heater | $400 to $600 per unit | $600 replacing electric or propane, $400 replacing natural gas |
| Smart thermostat | $35 per unit | Maximum $70 per home |
| Energy or heat recovery ventilator | $500 per unit | |
| Service panel upgrade to 200 amp or more | $500 | Tied to a qualifying project such as a heat pump or EV charger |
What It Pays
Windows and doors, 2026
| Measure | Incentive | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Windows and sliding glass doors, Tier 1 | $3.75 per sq ft | ENERGY STAR version 6, Northern climate zone |
| Windows and sliding glass doors, Tier 2 | $5.00 per sq ft | ENERGY STAR version 7, Northern climate zone |
| Exterior doors | $3.75 per sq ft | ENERGY STAR, Northern climate zone |
Bundling bonus: $2,000 in 2026 for an eligible heat pump plus an eligible envelope measure (air sealing Tier 1 or better, windows, or doors) completed within six months of each other. Fort Collins rentals: double the standard rebate with a 12-month lease and pre-approval. Any project with more than $2,500 in incentives needs pre-approval before work starts. Applications go in within 45 days of completion. Funding is limited and the program can change values without notice, which is why we confirm everything at quote time.
Program Documents
The official incentive sheets
The official Efficiency Works program documents, effective January 1, 2026, hosted here so you never have to go hunting.
How We Handle It
What PowerHouse does with this program
Assessment first
We perform the Efficiency Works assessment the envelope rebates require and hand you the report.
Scope to the tier
Air sealing pays by measured leakage reduction, so we design the job to clear the tier it can actually reach.
Pre-approval when it matters
Over $2,500 in incentives needs sign-off before a tool comes out. We get it.
Filed within 45 days
Test results, proof of purchase, and the application, submitted for you.
FAQs
Efficiency Works questions, answered
Do I need an assessment before Efficiency Works will pay for insulation?
Yes. For insulation and air sealing, the home must complete an Efficiency Works assessment before the rebate is applied for. We perform it, and it doubles as the plan for the job.
How do the air sealing tiers work?
A blower door test measures the home’s leakage before and after. Reduce it by more than 15% and you are at Tier 1 ($310); more than 25% is Tier 2 ($460); more than 33% is Tier 3 ($620); more than 50% is Tier 4 ($770). The number is measured, not estimated.
Can Efficiency Works stack with Xcel Energy rebates?
Often, yes. Many Fort Collins, Loveland, and Longmont homes get electricity from the city and natural gas from Xcel, which means both programs can apply to the same insulation or air sealing job. The program’s own sheet shows the combined figures.
What is the $2,000 bundling bonus?
A 2026 bonus for completing an eligible heat pump and an eligible envelope measure (air sealing at Tier 1 or better, windows, or doors) within six months of each other. It cannot exceed the combined project cost, and it does not double for rentals.
I own a rental in Fort Collins. Does that change anything?
Yes, in your favor. In 2026, Fort Collins Utilities rental properties with a 12-month active lease get double the standard retrofit rebate. The project must be pre-approved before work begins and the owner signs a self-attestation.
What if the program runs out of money?
Funding is limited and Efficiency Works can change values without notice. That is exactly why we confirm eligibility and amounts at quote time rather than promising last year’s numbers.
Get Started Today
Find out what Efficiency Works is worth for your home
One free quote confirms which programs your address qualifies for, what they pay right now, and what your project actually costs after we have filed every one of them.
970-825-0950