Save energy and money with efficient home upgrades

Fall is almost here. Now is a good time to prepare your home for cooler weather and explore ways to lower your energy bills. Small changes can help you stay comfortable and save energy without turning up the heat. They will also help to make Mississauga a more climate-friendly city.

In 2024, residential buildings across Mississauga produced roughly 15 per cent of the city’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Homeowners can help reduce emissions by making their homes more energy efficient.

Understand your home’s energy use

If you need help getting started, sign up for a home energy coaching session. For example, the Centre for Community Energy Transformation (CCET), a non-profit organization serving Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, provides a coaching session for free. An energy coach can help you understand your options and create a plan. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) also offers a free one-on-one consultation through its Climate Ready Homes Program, where residents will receive resources to help them save energy and water, reduce waste, create sustainable gardens and improve the comfort of their homes.

In addition to these free coaching services, homeowners can also get a more detailed home energy assessment to see where their home is losing energy. This is a paid service offered by independent energy auditors. After the assessment is complete, the auditor will provide the homeowner with a personalized report that identifies upgrades that could help save money and energy.

Upgrade your home

Home upgrades, also called retrofits, can help your home use less energy, lower utility bills and reduce GHG emissions.

One example is a heat pump. A heat pump warms your home in winter and cools it in summer using less energy than other traditional systems.

Other energy-saving upgrades include:

• Sealing cracks and gaps around windows and doors to stop warm or cool air from escaping.
• Installing a smart thermostat that can adjust temperature automatically.
• Adding attic insulation to keep heat inside during winter and outside during summer.
• Installing solar panels and battery storage to produce clean energy at home.
• Replacing old appliances with ENERGY STAR® models that use less energy.

Connect with the City’s Climate Change team

Have questions about climate action, energy efficiency or home retrofit programs?

Meet the City’s Climate Change team at a free Energy Savings Workshop hosted by TRCA, in collaboration with the City of Mississauga, and delivered by Kambo Energy’s Empower Me on Tuesday, September 22, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Malton Community Centre.

Workshop participants will learn:

• How to reduce energy use at home.
• Which home upgrades can save money on your utility bills.
• What financial support programs are available.

Sessions will be offered in English and Punjabi. The event is free, family-friendly and open to everyone. Snacks and door prizes will be available. Registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.

Free services and rebate programs

These programs can help you with your energy-saving upgrades:

• Home Renovation Savings Program: Rebates for eligible energy-efficiency upgrades.
• Energy Affordability Program: Free home energy upgrades for eligible low-income households.
• Peak Perks Program: Participants agree that their thermostats can be automatically adjusted when energy use is at its highest. Participants receive a $75 gift card for enrolling and a $20 gift card for each year they stay enrolled in the program.
• Home Solar Accelerator Service: Free advice for homeowners interested in installing solar in their homes.
• Home Energy Coach Service: Free guidance from CCET on planning home energy upgrades.
• Peel Climate Ready Homes: Free one-on-one consultations and resources to help residents save energy and water, reduce waste, create sustainable gardens and improve the comfort of their homes. Free practical incentives are available to program participants to support their home upgrades.

Climate Change Action Plan update

The City is updating its Climate Change Action Plan with stronger goals to reduce GHG emissions. The City is investing in actions such as zero-emission vehicles and electric vehicle charging stations and energy-efficient buildings.

Learn more about the City’s Climate Change Action Plan at: https://www.mississauga.ca/publication/climate-change-action-plan/.

Tags

• Climate Change