Building Envelope Improvements
Window Film or Solar Screen - $0.75/sq ft of window film or screen ($55 max per room)
Installing solar window films on pre-existing buildings can help reflect the heat during hot summer days and retain heat on cool winter days. Your cooling and heating unit(s) will become more efficient.
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to commercial improvements projects.
- Shading Coefficient (SC) of film or screen must be 0.5 or less.
Ceiling Insulation Upgrade - $100 plus $0.07 /sq ft above 1,500 sq ft
Adding insulation can increase your building’s resistance to heat loss and gain. It can help lower your energy costs and keep your business comfortable through all seasons.
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to commercial improvements projects.
- Final insulation level must be R-19 or higher.
Cool / Reflective Roof - $0.10 /sq ft up to $15,000
A cool/reflective roof reflects the sun's rays helping lower roof surface temperature and increasing roof life. It helps lower your energy bill during the summer by preventing heat absorption.
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to commercial improvements and new construction projects.
- The cool roof product must be certified and approved by the ENERGY STAR® Roof Products program and have an initial Solar Reflectance greater than or equal to 0.70 (see www.energystar.gov).
OUC Building Commerical Improvements Brochure [PDF]
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Duct Repair / Replacement - Up to $150
Duct leaks can cause a significant increase in air conditioning energy use thus increasing your energy bill. Properly sealed ducts will lower your energy bill and improve the efficiency and performance of your central heating and cooling systems.
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to commercial improvement projects.
- Must have an existing central air conditioning system and must be 5.5 tons or less (66,000 BTUs).
- Ducts must be sealed with mastic and Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved duct tape
Heat Pump - SEER 14 = $100/SEER 15 = $200/SEER 16+ = $300
Older central air units can be very costly to operate and maintain. New units are more efficient and use less energy while lowering your electric bill. Annual energy savings for a 15 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) or greater unit could be up to 30 percent when compared to a 12 SEER unit.
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to commercial improvements and new construction projects.
- Valid on units from 18,000 to 66,000 BTU/h.
- New DX Package units and/or Package Terminal Heat Pump systems must have a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) of 14 or higher.
- Provide copy of Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) certified efficiency data form.
- Provide copy of invoices and model numbers for both the condenser and air handler units.
OUC Commercial Improvement Cooling & Heating Brochure [PDF]
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Gold Ring - Up to $700
Reduce your energy bill by keeping your new home cool in the summer and warm in the winter with OUC's energy-efficient Gold Ring program. Gold Ring homes are designed and built according to ENERGY STAR® efficiency standards. Features can include higher efficiency heat pumps, heat recovery water heaters, R-30 attic insulation, interior air ducts, window shading and more.
For more information on the ENERGY STAR® certification process go to: www.energystar.gov
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to new construction projects..
- A copy of the ENERGY STAR® certification must be submitted with the application.
Florida Water Star - $300
The Florida Water Star program is an initiative started by the St. Johns River Water Management District. Installation of water efficient appliances, plumbing fixtures, irrigation systems and landscapes in your new house could reduce indoor water use by more than 20 percent and outdoor use by 40 percent or more.
For more information on the Florida Water Star certification process go to: www.floridawaterstar.com
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to new construction projects.
- Applicable to OUC Orlando water customers only.
- A copy of the Florida Water Star Certification must be submitted with the application.
OUC Commercial Improvement Gold Ring and Florida Water Star [PDF]
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Cisterns are water tanks that collect and store rainwater from your roof. They are typically installed above or below ground and are used to supplement or replace the water supply for landscape irrigation. A cistern storage capacity ranges from 200 to 10,000 gallons. They also are typically equipped with an electric pump to facilitate pressurized distribution to an automated landscape irrigation system. Cisterns are constructed of durable material, such as concrete, plastic, polyethylene or metal.
Rebate Information
Install a rain water cistern at your home or business and receive a rebate of $0.10 per gallon up to $1,000.
Benefits
Using a cistern to store and reuse rainwater reduces or eliminates storm water runoff from the site. It conserves water and reduces your monthly irrigation bill.
Incentive Requirements:
- Applicable to residential and commercial improvement projects, and new construction projects.
- Applicable to OUC Orlando water customers only.
- Rebates applies to cistern only, no labor costs.
OUC Commercial Improvement Water Cistern for Irrigation [PDF]
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The customer installs a Solar PV, Solar Thermal, or both systems on his or her home, and signs an agreement allowing OUC to retain the rights to the environmental benefits or attributes. In exchange, OUC will provide a monthly production credit on the customer's utility bill for the energy the systems produce. Any excess electricity generated by the PV systems back to OUC’s electric grid will be credited at the full applicable standard retail rate.
The Solar PV systems will be metered in kilowatt-hours (kwh). The Solar Thermal systems will be metered in British Thermal Units (BTU’s) and converted to kwh. For reference, an average 2 kilowatt solar PV system and a typical residential solar thermal system will each produce about 2,800 kilowatt-hours a year. The customer not only saves on his normal electric consumption but also receives a monthly credit for the kwh production of the solar systems. The monthly production credit is $0.03 and $0.05 for each equivalent kwh produced for solar thermal and PV systems respectively.
Low Interest Loans
For residential customers, OUC has partnered with Orlando Federal Credit Union to provide low interest loan options for solar installations to help keep the net monthly cost low for our customers.
Additionally, there are Florida state rebates and federal tax credits available to help minimize the cost.
How Do I Sign Up?
Download the Solar Information Packets, which contain a step-by-step customer checklist, loan information for residential customers, state rebate and federal tax credit information, a list of solar contractors, the solar service and interconnection agreements, and the tariff credit riders.
Residential Solar Information Packet [PDF]
Commercial Solar Information Packet [PDF]
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Federal Tax Credits
Homebuilders who want to receive tax benefits for building homes that are energy efficient can take advantage of some federal tax incentives. Homebuilders are eligible for a $2,000 tax credit for a new energy-efficient home. A tax deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot is available to owners or designers of new or existing commercial buildings that save at least 50% of the heating and cooling energy of a building that meets ASHRAE standard 90.1-2001.
More Information Regarding Federal Tax Incentives Efficiency Incentives
Below are the incentives OUC offers for both Commercial Improvements (CI) and New Construction (NC) applications. This program covers products purchased and installed on or after January 1, 2009.
| Efficiency Measure | Applies To | Your Incentive |
1 ENERGY STAR® rated (see www.energystar.gov)
2 From 18,000 to 66,000 BTU/h
3 SEER: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating
4 ENERGY STAR® rated (see www.energystar.gov
5 St. Johns River Water Management District Certification Program (see www.floridawaterstar.com)
6 Availability of state rebates and federal tax credits should be verified prior to installation of a solar system |
| Building Envelope Improvements | CI | NC |
|
Ceiling Insulation Upgrade
Final insulation level must be R-19 or higher | + |
| $100 plus $0.07/sq ft above 1,500 sq ft |
Window Film or Solar Screen
Shading Coefficient of 0.5 or less | + |
| $0.75 /sq ft of window film or screen ($55 Max per room) |
| Cool/Reflective Roof 1 | + | + | $0.10 /sq ft up to $15,000 |
| Cooling/Heating |
Heat Pumps2
DX Package Units must be rated 14 SEER3 or higher | + | + | up to $300 |
| Packaged Terminal Heat Pump2 Must be rated 14 SEER3 or higher | + | + | up to $300 |
| Duct Repair / Replacement HVAC systems must be 5.5 tons or less (66,000 BTUs) | + |
| up to $150 |
| Other Programs |
Gold Ring Program 4
Applies to Residential Single Family Homes & Townhomes |
| + | up to $700 |
| Florida Water StarSM 5 Applies to Residential Single Family Homes |
| + | $300 |
| Water Cistern for Irrigation | + | + | $0.10 per gallon up to $1,000 |
| Renewable Energy |
| Solar Thermal Hot Water | + | + | $250 plus $0.03 per KWH produced |
| Solar Photovoltaic (PV) | + | + | $0.05 per KWH produced |
OUC Energy & Water Efficiency Incentives Quick Reference Guide [PDF]
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Important Notes for Eligibility
Commercial energy and water efficiency programs are only available to OUC electric and water customers respectively. Proof of purchase and all necessary documentation are required to obtain any rebate. All receipts / invoices must be dated and submitted by not more than six months from the date of work performed. Rebates will be awarded as a credit on your OUC bill (Please allow 6-8 weeks for processing).