Phius Senior Policy Analyst Isaac Elnecave details a pair of incentive program offering sponsorship for Phius Certified Builder training and incentives for Phius Certification in Colorado.
Xcel Energy is currently implementing two critically important incentive programs related to Phius in Colorado. These two incentive programs should drive an increase in Phius Certified Builders as well as Phius Certified projects in the region.
The first incentive relates to the Phius builder training. Xcel Energy has partnered with Phius to provide a 90% sponsorship for the Phius Certified Builder (CPHB) training for builders and architects who build in Xcel’s Colorado electric service territory and successfully complete the course. The training consists of 8 hours of self-paced study followed by eight 3-hour online live instruction sessions, after which attendees are provided the Phius Certified Builder exam to receive their CPHB credential.
The second incentive relates to residential new home construction and is designed to support all-electric new homes in Colorado. There are three tiers of rebates, the highest level being Tier 3. Achieving a Phius Certification is one way to obtain the Tier 3 rebate, which totals $25,000.
Beyond the Phius certification, the project must be certified to the Energy Star v6.1 using an air source heat pump or Energy Star v3.2 with a ground source heat pump. In addition, the new home must install: a heat pump water heater, all-electric cooking, an infiltration rate less than 1.0 ACH50, balanced ventilation and continuous insulation around the exterior envelope (Note: all of these items typically are part of a Phius Certified project). Importantly, the project must be permitted before Dec. 31, 2025 to qualify.
To learn more about accessing these programs, contact Isaac Elnecave at Phius (ielnecave@phius.org).
