Oregon Department of Energy Launches Energy Efficient Wildfire Rebuilding Incentive

Source: NASEO

The 2020 Labor Day Wildfire caused the destruction of thousands of buildings and more than one million acres of land in Oregon. To assist survivors in rebuilding their homes and businesses, the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) has launched the Energy Efficient Wildfire Rebuilding Incentive Program, which provides rebates for rebuilding to current code, and additional incentives for rebuilding with energy-efficient equipment or to above-code standards.

Incentives are available for both site-built and manufactured dwellings, as well as commercial, public, and multifamily structures destroyed or damaged in the wildfires. Additional funds are available for owners rebuilding to above-code standards such as Oregon’s Residential Reach Codes, participating in a qualifying utility program, or installing a qualifying heat pump system in a manufactured home. The program is funded through HB 5006, passed by the state legislature in 2021, which allocated $10.8 million to ODOE for the purpose of energy-efficient rebuilding.