When Meredith moved into her first home a year ago in western Massachusetts, she took stock of what she had in place and what she might need.

She quickly realized that the electric baseboard heating her home was expensive.

"I thought if I could supply all of my own power, that would help reduce that cost and help the environment along the way," she said.

Meredith began looking into solar power and consulted with Mass Save. During that conversation, she learned about the Energy Saver Home Loan Program (ESHLP) through MassHousing and the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank (MCCB).

The ESHLP helps eligible Massachusetts homeowners cut their energy use by at least 20 percent and reduce or eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels. It provides 20-year low-interest rate second-mortgage loans that support a variety of energy-related home improvements. Another benefit of the program is that participants receive guidance on available incentives and tax credits to lower the cost of their home energy projects.

"She mentioned this loan program and that I might not have to pay up front and also be able to do some additional work that would improve my energy usage," said Meredith. "I got very excited about that. I put the work on solar panels on hold until I researched it."

Meredith realized that with the ESHLP, she could not only afford to install solar panels to offset her electric costs, but could also replace her electric baseboards with heat pumps that would also cool her home in the summer. The heat pumps would reduce her winter heating bill compared to the electric resistance heat, allowing her to better utilize the annual production of her solar array.

Energy Saver Home Loans are made in partnership with Concierge Service Providers (CSPs), who guide participating homeowners through all aspects of the home energy improvement process. The CSP covering Meredith's community is Center for Eco Technology (CET).

"I found out I was eligible for the loan, but not only that, I was eligible for a 0.5 percent interest rate over 20 years," said Meredith. "I was deeply grateful for that interest rate. I wouldn't have been able to do all the  work I did without that. I'm grateful to have found that program."

"At CET, nothing makes us happier than helping customers like Meredith improve their home's efficiency and comfort. By upgrading from electric baseboards to heat pumps, she'll enjoy better comfort all year long, and adding solar will help keep her electric bills low. Thanks to a 0.5 percent interest rate and a 20-year loan term, this transformation became a smart and accessible investment," said CET Value Stream Manager Simon Siher Bentolila.

After consulting with CET and starting the process to obtain her loan, Meredith was referred to Abode Energy Management, the Energy Service Provider for the ESHLP. Meredith received a no-cost decarbonization assessment before Abode Decarbonization Consultant Joe Fisher sent her a detailed report identifying solutions that would reduce the home's energy usage by an estimated 80.6 percent and reduce its CO2 emissions by five tons a year.

"Meredith was great to work with throughout the ESHLP process. She was incredibly organized and brought a focused vision and clear set of goals to her project that helped immensely in our work crafting her plan for a clean energy future together," said Joe Fisher.

Meredith got her ESHLP loan through Avidia Bank.

"I think (the ESHLP) worked pretty darn well given that it's fairly new," said Meredith. "Everyone involved was kind and informative and wanted me to achieve my goals and I was happy with that."

Meredith is still struck by the amount of improvements the ESHLP can fund with a low interest rate over 20 years.

"It's incredible," she said. "It enables you to make these improvements to your home that will reduce your energy usage and make the stress on the environment better. (The loan) could enable so many people that might not otherwise have access to these (improvement) options in their financial range."

With her system in place, Meredith is excited about having a cleaner way to power her home with the benefit of helping the environment.

"I'm hoping to be in this house for many decades to come and I will be able to power my own home with clean means. I like that thought and know I'm doing my little bit for myself and the world," she said.

"I've told everybody and their sister about the loan and I hope this helps get the message out," she added.

The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank at MassHousing, with resources like the ESHLP, is working to accelerate investments to decarbonize the building sector in Massachusetts. As the Commonwealth transitions to a net zero future, MCCB promotes an equitable transition to clean energy by addressing the needs of low- and moderate-income households and environmental justice communities. 

"The Energy Saver Home Loan Program is designed to put customers first. It's wonderful to see homeowners like Meredith using the program to achieve their goals for energy affordability, environmental impact and long-term comfort. Everyone deserves access to the benefits of energy efficiency and clean energy, and the ESHLP is making it possible." said Maggie Super Church, MCCB Director of Policies and Programs.