Durham Region’s Climate Emergency Response: The Role of the Durham Greener Homes Program and vHEAT

Durham Region has launched the Virtual Home Energy Assessment Tool (vHEAT) as part of the Durham Greener Homes Program. This initiative aims to assist homeowners in understanding their energy consumption and identifying ways to reduce it. According to the official documents, home energy use accounts for over 30% of the region's total annual greenhouse gas emissions. The vHEAT tool utilizes artificial intelligence to generate a digital energy score for homes, providing personalized recommendations for energy retrofits. The Durham Greener Homes Program, in partnership with Windfall Ecology Centre and local municipalities, is a key component of the Region's response to the climate emergency declaration made by the Durham Regional Council. This program also offers financial incentives, including cash back and low-interest loans, to encourage homeowners to undertake energy-efficient renovations. The funding for these initiatives includes a $3.4 million investment from the Community Efficiency Financing initiative, supported by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Government of Canada.