Home Energy Retrofit Open House offers energy-saving insights

HOLLAND — The first day of winter is nearly upon us.

For bright-eyed and cold-hardy winter enthusiasts, this time of year brings anticipation of snowmen in the front yard, pond hockey and powdery slopes.

For others, the snowy season signals cold drafts under windows and doors, dangerous icicles hanging from poorly insulated roof lines, high heating bills and fear of the old furnace not making it through another cold season.

Luckily, for those belonging to the latter crowd, the city of Holland is hosting a Home Energy Retrofit Open House from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 1, at the Holland Civic Center Place, 150 W. Eighth St. 

Are you interested in improving the comfort, efficiency, and value of your home? Curious how you can save on energy bills? Looking for ways to support the Community Energy Plan? Come learn about the HER Program, chat with program facilitators, ask contractors what a retrofit could look like for you and hear from neighbors who have used the program in their own homes. 

The Home Energy Retrofit program helps homeowners in Holland to make energy efficiency improvements through a 20 percent rebate grant.

To qualify, applicants must own a home in the city of Holland, schedule a free whole-house energy assessment with an authorized contractor and spend at least $10,000 on improvements listed in the Michigan Energy Measures Database. To help manage upfront costs, participants may enroll in on-bill financing through the Holland Board of Public Works.