Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, in cooperation with National Grid and NSTAR, has announced a new program to reduce the cost of energy efficiency improvements in two- and three-family homes through the Mass Save Home Energy Services Program. 

Menino’s Renew Boston Whole Building Incentive program announcement was part of Boston 500: Challenge to Save Energy, a citywide day of action with the goal to register 500 Bostonians for a Renew Boston no-cost home energy assessment. 

"Renew Boston’s partnership with Mass Save has been a phenomenal success over the past few years saving money and energy for residents," Menino said in the statement.  "But there are homes that have challenges in participation, and the whole building incentive will help reach this population."

The Renew Boston Whole Building Incentive, which is sponsored by National Grid and NSTAR through Mass Save, addresses the split incentive between landlord and renter for making energy-efficiency improvements. The program offers participants 90 percent off insulation improvements up to $3,000 per unit where all eligible units are weatherized and also provides incentives to remediate common pre-weatherization barriers, such as up to $250 for dryer venting replacement, repair and installation and up to $300 for combustion safety evaluation and repair.

These new measures are in addition to what the existing Mass Save Home Energy Services program already offers to all participants through Renew Boston, including no-cost energy assessment, no-cost air sealing and 75 percent or up to $2,000 off insulation improvements.