Energy Saver Helps Homeowner Upgrade 19th Century Home

After paying some hefty bills to heat her Chelmsford home in the winter of 2024, Rebecca decided to act on her long-standing goal to make her house more energy efficient and cost effective.

"That last heating season we had was outrageous for (natural) gas prices. We had always wanted to do solar panels, and we started to look into it," she said.

Rebecca said she began gathering quotes and "went down a Google rabbit hole" to see what renovation options, tax incentives and rebate programs were available to help her significantly upgrade her home, which was built in 1884.

During that research, Rebecca "stumbled" upon MassHousing's Energy Saver Home Loan Program (ESHLP), which offered her 20-year financing with just 2 percent interest to replace her roof, add solar panels and install a heat pump for heating and air-conditioning. Her improvements are estimated to reduce her energy use by 74 percent and her CO2 emissions by nine tons annually, the equivalent of removing 1.8 cars from the road for a year.

The ESHLP, powered through the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank (MCCB) and MassHousing, helps eligible Massachusetts homeowners cut their energy use and reduce or eliminate their reliance on fossil fuels. It provides 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.

After obtaining a loan from a MassHousing lending partner, ESHLP participants make their monthly payments to MassHousing, which manages the disbursement of funds.

Energy Saver Home Loans are made in partnership with Concierge Service Providers (CSPs), who will guide homeowners through all aspects of the home energy improvement process. Rebecca contacted the Center for Eco Technology (CET), the CSP covering her area.

"At CET, we're proud to support homeowners like Rebecca in making their homes more comfortable and energy efficient. Our high-touch approach allows us to truly understand each customer's needs and guide them through every step of the journey, from initial intake to loan closing. We're here to make the process clear, accessible, and successful," said CET Project Manager Simon Siher.

After determining Rebecca would qualify for an ESHLP loan, she was referred to Abode Energy Management, the Energy Service Provider for the ESHLP. Joe Fisher, a Decarbonization Consultant from Abode, conducted a no cost assessment of her home and provided Rebecca with a detailed report of solutions that would reduce her energy usage by an estimated 74 percent.

"Abode was fantastic," said Rebecca. "They were great at answering questions. Joe helped guide us with equipment choices with the contractors. We found three contractors for each project then Joe did apples-to-apples comparisons of the estimates, which was super helpful. We went with one company – United Better Homes – that did all three projects, which was great."

Rebecca supplemented her ESHLP projects with insulation and a rebate for the heat pump through Mass Save.

"We are reducing the gas bill but increasing the electric bill a lot by adding the heat pump," said Rebecca. "But the heat pump is being offset by the solar."

"Rebecca has an amazing piece of historical architecture she is lucky to call home. Working with her through the ESHLP was a fantastic experience tactfully upgrading her legacy building systems while maintaining the unique character of her home," said Abode's Joe Fisher.

"Rebecca's project beautifully illustrates how thoughtful decarbonization can coexist with the preservation of a 19th century home. Through the ESHLP, she was able to access low-cost financing that made it possible to upgrade aging systems without compromising the architectural integrity of her home. This kind of support empowers homeowners to take meaningful climate action - even in older buildings - by making deep energy improvements both feasible and financially accessible," added Christopher Haringa, Vice President of Programs at Abode.

Rebecca obtained her ESHLP loan through BankFive.

"BankFive, they were great," she said. "I had just refinanced the first mortgage, and I had all the paperwork for the ESHLP loan already prepped. It was easy to turn it around."

Rebecca worked with Banking Officer, Lending Specialist Renee Roberts, who was highly proficient in guiding her through the loan and project process.

"The thing that really sold me on the ESHLP loan was the amount we could borrow with just 2 percent interest," said Rebecca. "This let us future-proof the house. We will never have to do this again."

BankFive's Renee Roberts said, "BankFive has deep experience with the ESHLP program and a strong partnership with MassHousing. Our goal is always to make the process easy and convenient for our customers. Rebecca was great to work with; she was well-informed and ready to move forward."

Being one of the program's first customers, the contractors who worked with Rebecca were unaware of the program and glad they became certified to participate in ESHLP.

"The solar guys were still charging 8 percent for financing," said Rebecca. "The person on the solar side of our (ESHLP) contractor was shocked. He said, you are getting a steal with 2 percent interest."

With an older house built with outdated balloon construction and steam radiator heating, Rebecca's upgrades have made the house far more energy efficient.

"I was super pumped to see what we added," she said. "I think because of the older homes in the area that is one of the things this program is so useful for. It was a huge plus to not only do the decarbonization but to also do those fixes that are impossible to finance these days."

As with most home projects, finding the best contractor was the "most painful part" of obtaining her ESHLP loan.

But Rebecca credits Joe Fisher and the program's other touchpoints with successfully guiding her through the entire process.

"I am a big proponent of the program, and I expect awareness of it to grow over time," said Rebecca. "It was helpful to have people walk you through the steps. The house looks great. I would totally recommend it to people who are thinking of making similar improvements. Being able to get a 2 percent loan is impressive."

The Massachusetts Community Climate Bank, 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.

"We are really excited to be supporting homeowners like Rebecca who are dramatically reducing their energy use while making their homes more comfortable, more affordable and more climate-resistant over the long term. That is core to our mission," said Maggie Super Church, MCCB Director of Policies and Programs.

I think because of the older homes in the area, that is one of the things this program is so useful for. It was a huge plus to not only do the decarbonization, but to also do those fixes that are impossible to finance these days." - Rebecca