A Nelson resident has become the first to participant in the city's new Ecosave energy retrofit program.
"There are lots of opportunities with the program," said Jason Boily who was presented as the first Ecosave participant on Monday at City Hall."Initially we thought about upgrading some of the single pane windows and there are also some small insulation things and other projects."
Boily owns a 113 year old heritage home on Victoria Street.
"The greatest thing about this for me is I don't even know a lot of things that can be done," he said. "I want to learn about them and I want to do my part and be a prudent member of our community."
The program is being launched first as a pilot program for 2012 and 2013 and the program co-ordinator Carmen Proctor is hoping to see as many as 200 participants.
"We would be the very first in BC and one of the first in Canada to offer on-bill financing for this type of program," said Proctor on Monday.
The Ecosave program will allow residents to access reduced cost home energy assessments, rebates for energy efficiency improvements to their home and may qualify for a Nelson Hydro on-bill financing program.
"I have a feeling interest in the program is really going to explode," said Proctor. "I know that one of the hardware stores has turned away customers coming to buy insulation and windows saying, 'Wait, there is an exciting program starting up. Watch for it in the newspapers and on the radio.'"
Proctor said that the city is hoping to offer this as a long term program and during the two year pilot program they will work to improve it and modify to "perfect" it.
"I don't think we're going to close the participation at any certain number, but we have a target we'd like to see which is 200 people with at least half of those doing retrofits to their home," she said.
Without even having registration forms printed Proctor said there are already 37 interested home owners.
For more information about the EcoSave program and how to register contact Carmen Proctor at cproctor@nelson.ca or call 250-509-2021.