Incentives and Assistance

Find financial resources and technical assistance to help you incorporate green features into your home and community. Incentive and assistance categories include:

• Get Single-Family Incentives
• Energy Conservation & Renewable Energy
• Water Conservation
• Materials Conservation and Waste Reduction
• Multiple Resource Conservation
• Site & Landscape
• Community Building
• Transportation

NOTE:  Eligibility requirements vary, so be sure to check with program staff for details. 

 Energy Conservation & Renewable Energy

• Twist & Save: Seattle City Light's program, you'll find many Energy Star® CFLs for under $1 each.
• Low-Cost, Energy-Efficient Fixtures: To find stores in the Seattle area that sell discounted, energy-efficient products visit Seattle City Light
• Renewable Energy Tax Credits: You can receive 30% of cost with no upper limit in federal tax credits for installing photovoltaic (solar electric) and solar hot water systems or small wind turbines on your home through December 31, 2016. Additionally, photovoltaic systems sold in Washington state are exempt from sales tax. See the Energy Star website.
• Renewable Energy Production Incentive: Seattle City Light customers who generate electricity using solar or other technologies can now receive an annual incentive payment based on the amount of electricity they produce. The baseline incentive rate is 15 cents per kilowatt-hour ($0.15/kWh) with a maximum annual payment of $2,000 per owner. Note that this incentive is based on all the power produced by the renewable energy system, not just excess energy fed back into the utility's grid. See the Renewable Energy Production Incentive for details on the incentive and assistance provided by Seattle City Light to help your home generate its own power. Program is available through June 30, 2014.
• Energy Efficiency: The federal government is providing up to 30% of cost up to $1500 in tax credits to homeowners for various energy-enhancing home improvements, such as high-performance windows & doors, adding insulation, roof replacement, water heaters, biomass stoves and HVAC systems through December 31, 2010. Also provided is a tax credit of 30% of cost with no upper limit through December 31, 2016 for geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines and solar energy systems. Lastly for fuel cells, tax credit of 30% of the cost, up to $500 per .5kW of power capacity is available through December 31, 2016. For a good description of the various credits, see the Energy Star website.
• Puget Sound Energy Rebates: Puget Sound Energy offers rebates and special offers to its customers as well, for products from windows to water heaters. Check their website for current offerings.
• Northwest Energy Star: Visit program website

 Water Conservation

• EcoCool Remodel Tool: This King County resource provides information on strategies that can save water in their EcoCool Remodel Tool.
• Resource-Efficient Clothes Washer Rebate: Greater Seattle area residents may qualify for a rebate through the WashWise program when purchasing a resource-efficient clothes washer.
• Multifamily new construction incentives for projects of four or more units are available from Seattle Public Utilities (multifamily is defined as projects being developed under the same permit number). Incentives are available for water-efficient clothes, toilets, irrigation systems, showerheads and aerators, as well as innovative technologies with proven water savings.  Details.
• See Site & Landscape section below for additional resources.

 Materials Conservation & Waste Reduction

• Construction Recycling & Waste Prevention: For sample specifications, a construction recycling database, and plenty of additional information related to recycling and waste reduction, visit the Resource Venture website
• Building Material Reuse Every Saturday from 10am to 3pm, Seattle Public Utilities and The ReStore accept reusable building materials at 1350 North 34th Street, just east of the North Transfer Station in Fremont. The ReStore accepts a variety of items, from flooring and cabinets to shelving and non hollow-core doors. For a complete list of acceptable items, visit www.re-store.org/ballard.htm.
• Building Material Donations You might consider donating building materials to local reuse stores. Visit www.nbsnonline.org.
• Incentives for Historic Properties: Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods can help projects that utilize historic properties in Seattle access information on building and zoning code relief and other federal, state, and local incentive programs.

 Multiple Resource Conservation 

• The HOMEWISE Program: A Seattle's Office of Housing program that offers low interest loans to qualifying Seattle residents to insulate, weatherize, repair and retrofit their homes.  These measure save money on utility bills and create safer, energy efficient, and more accessible homes. Details 
• Neighborhood Power Project: One Seattle neighborhood per year is targeted by City Light to receive special environmental and resource conservation assistance. Assistance often includes special home improvement offers. Details

 Site & Landscape

• Water efficient irrigation incentives: Receive rebates for upgrading existing automatic underground sprinkler systems or installing a new system. Details
• Personalized assistance with water-wise landscaping strategies: Homeowners can receive custom information on saving water and minimizing the use of pesticides and fertilizers from the Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline by calling (206) 633-0224 or emailing.
• Salmon-friendly and water-wise landscaping practices: Extensive information available from savingwater.org.
• Rain Barrel Discounts: Seattle residents can purchase low-cost rain barrels from Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle Conservation Corps.

 Community Building

• Neighborhood Matching Fund Program: Neighborhood groups, businesses and individuals can receive over $3 million a year from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods for a variety of neighborhood improvement projects. Neighborhood- and community-based organizations and ad-hoc neighborhood groups are eligible to apply. Types of projects include both physical and non-physical improvements and community organizing. Overview 
  • Large Projects Fund - for projects that request more than $15,000 (up to $100,000) and can be completed within a 12-month timeframe
  • Small and Simple Projects Fund - for projects seeking awards of $15,000 or less and can be completed in 6 months or less
  • Tree Fund - neighborhood groups can apply for trees for planting along residential planting strips
  • Neighborhood Outreach and Development Fund - makes awards for projects that involve new people in neighborhood organizations or activities

• Location Efficient Mortgages for Homebuyers: You can actually qualify for a larger loan amount if you select a home in an area that reduces your need to use a vehicle. This program benefits virtually anyone looking to buy within the Seattle city limits. Details
• Way to Go, Seattle!: Receive a challenge grant to reduce car commute trips in your neighborhood by encouraging non-automobile forms of travel. Details
• Zipcar: When the cost of a car, fuel, and insurance is taken into account, not to mention the impact on the local and global environment, cars are expensive! This service helps reduce the need for a second vehicle, or in some cases, any vehicle at all. Details