§ 7C-4. Program requirements.

A. 

Green Homes Initiative.

(1) 

Only single-family, owner-occupied residential homes shall be eligible for funding under the Green Homes Initiative. Residential property that has the benefit of an accessory apartment at the time of entering into a contract with the Town of Brookhaven pursuant to Subsection A(6) of this section, and residential property that is the subject of a violation of the Brookhaven Town Code shall not be eligible for funding.

(2) 

An application for consideration in the Green Homes Initiative shall be submitted either through the Town of Brookhaven website or to the Town Clerk's office on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, and shall include no less than two years of monthly usage data from the applicant's utility provider for electric, gas and/or oil service. Utility usage figures must be submitted prior to final approval for financing.

(3) 

Review of the Green Homes Initiative applications shall be on a first-come, first-served basis as determined by time of receipt of applications into the Town Clerk's office, and shall be subject to availability of funds.

(4) 

Homeowners granted preliminary acceptance into the Green Homes Initiative shall be required to schedule a home performance evaluation for the subject premises within 30 days of the Town of Brookhaven issuing notice to the homeowner of such preliminary acceptance. The home performance evaluation shall be conducted either by National Grid or LIPA, or their successor agencies if any, or by a Town of Brookhaven approved Building Performance Institute (BPI) accredited energy auditor. If the homeowner utilizes a Town of Brookhaven approved, BPI accredited energy auditor, then a fee of $200 shall be charged to the homeowner, payable to the energy auditor. This fee shall be nonrefundable, and shall not be deemed a credit towards the repayment of the principal amount due to the Town of Brookhaven under the Green Homes Initiative.

(5) 

(a) 

Final acceptance into the Green Homes Initiative shall be conditioned upon the homeowner meeting or superseding a minimum savings-to-investment ratio (SIR), as established by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance. The retrofit work that will be considered for financing shall include:

[1] 

HVAC controls;

[2] 

Boiler and furnace replacement;

[3] 

Hot water improvements, including solar thermal applications;

[4] 

Condenser and air handler replacement;

[5] 

Basement insulation and air sealing;

[6] 

Attic insulation and air sealing;

[7] 

Wall insulation to fill an empty cavity;

[8] 

High-efficiency lighting;

[9] 

Differential cost for high-efficiency window replacement; and

[10] 

Other construction that the Commissioner of the Department of Finance deems to meet or exceed a minimum SIR and which furthers the spirit and intent of the Green Homes Initiative.

(b) 

The cost of each item that will be financed under the Green Homes Initiative shall be determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, but in no event shall total project funding exceed $10,000 per single-family, owner-occupied residential property.

(6) 

In order to receive financing under the Green Homes Initiative, the homeowner shall enter into contracts with the Town of Brookhaven, prior to the commencement of any work at the subject premises. Said contract shall be on a form as prescribed by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, and shall incorporate all of the rights and responsibilities of the homeowner under the Green Homes Initiative.

(7) 

The principal amount due to the Town of Brookhaven under the Green Homes Initiative shall constitute a lien upon the benefited premises, and shall be repaid in accordance with § 7C-6 of this chapter.

B. 

Go Solar Initiative.

(1) 

Only single-family, owner-occupied residential homes shall be eligible for funding under the Go Solar Initiative. Residential property that has the benefit of an accessory apartment at the time of entering into a contract with the Town of Brookhaven pursuant to Subsection B(6) of this section, and residential property that is the subject of a violation of the Brookhaven Town Code shall not be eligible for funding.

(2) 

An application for consideration in the Go Solar Initiative shall be submitted to the Town of Brookhaven's independent certified public accountant on a form prescribed by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance. Selection shall be based upon a lottery drawing, at such time and location to be determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance.

(3) 

Eligibility in the Go Solar Initiative shall be based upon compliance with the following criteria:

(a) 

The homeowner must have had a home performance evaluation completed on the subject premises by a BPI accredited energy auditor within three years of applying for the Go Solar Initiative;

(b) 

The subject premises must maintain a maximum of 12 air changes per hour, as determined by such a home energy performance evaluation or minimum energy efficiency or maximum building shell leakage as determined by guidelines promulgated by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance;

(c) 

The age of the roof at the subject premises shall not be more than 10 years, unless determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance to meet the Go Solar Initiative program guidelines despite being more than 10 years old.

(d) 

Sufficient installable area and composition and sufficient unobstructed southern exposure of the roof of the subject premises, as determined by guidelines promulgated by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance; and

(4) 

Homeowners initially selected for the Go Solar Initiative, but who do not meet the criteria outlined in Subsection B(3) above, may utilize a Town of Brookhaven approved, BPI accredited energy auditor to conduct a home energy performance evaluation in order to determine whether the subject premises is in conformity with the maximum of 12 air changes per hour. If the homeowner does utilize a Town of Brookhaven approved, BPI accredited energy auditor, then a fee of $200 shall be charged to the homeowner, payable to the energy auditor. This fee shall be nonrefundable, and shall not be deemed a credit towards the repayment of the principal amount due to the Town of Brookhaven under the Go Solar Initiative. The homeowner shall be responsible for all other modifications, if any, to the subject premises in order to bring the subject premises into compliance with the criteria for eligibility outlined in Subsection B(3) above.

(5) 

Following a determination of eligibility of the homeowner in the Go Solar Initiative, the homeowner shall enter into contracts with the Town of Brookhaven, prior to the commencement of any work at the subject premises. Said contract shall be on a form as prescribed by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, and shall incorporate all of the rights and responsibilities of the homeowner under the Go Solar Initiative.

(6) 

The principal amount due to the Town of Brookhaven under the Go Solar Initiative shall constitute a lien upon the benefited premises, and shall be repaid in accordance with § 7C-6 of this chapter.

C. 

Retrofit ramp-up.

[Added 5-7-2015 by L.L. No. 6-2015, effective 5-15-2015]

(1) 

All Town-owned buildings and Town-owned ancillary infrastructure shall be eligible for energy-efficient upgrades, in final amounts to be determined by the Commissioner of the Department of Finance, pursuant to § 7C-3 of this chapter.