City of Davis Home Energy Score Pilot Update — Applications Closed

The City of Davis Home Energy Score (HES) Pilot Program has closed its application period after receiving more than 100 applications. The pilot will provide 50 free Home Energy Score assessments to selected households within the city.

Applicants were notified of next steps, including those who are not selected for a free assessment. Homes were selected to represent a range of building types, square footage, and locations across Davis, supporting the pilot’s goal of testing the program across diverse housing conditions.

About the Home Energy Score Pilot

The pilot was launched by the City of Davis in partnership with Cool Davis to evaluate how a standardized home energy assessment can support local energy efficiency efforts and inform future program design.

The Home Energy Score is a nationally recognized assessment developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. It assigns homes a score from 1 to 10 based on overall energy efficiency, similar to a fuel-economy rating for vehicles. Participating households receive a report that includes estimates of energy use, energy costs, and greenhouse gas emissions, along with recommended improvements to increase efficiency and comfort and information on available rebates and incentives.

The assessor, Advanced Lower Home Energy, had this to say about the Pilot:

Home Energy Score is helping homeowners, real estate professionals, and builders by providing practical advice with clear real-world tips.

I have scored hundreds of homes all around the Bay Area and now in Davis. It has been a pleasure meeting people in my community to share my experiences and gather information from the many different floor plans provided in this pilot program. The process is simply allowing me 1 hour in your home to gather the efficiencies of the water heater, furnace and AC. I will also gather information about the stove & oven, dryer, attic insulation types and R-values in the attic, subfloor, and walls. Windows and skylights will also be recorded along with any photovoltaic systems.   While onsite a conversation with the homeowner can provide valuable information about the history of the home and concerns. If you are interested in getting a Home Energy Score or improving your current score please reach out.

—  Advanced Lower Home Energy, LLC

Acting on Energy Upgrades Now

For residents considering home energy upgrades, rebate availability is changing quickly. As of January 7, 2026, HEEHRA rebates for single-family home retrofits in Central California and Southern California are fully reserved.

All reservation requests for projects in the Central and Southern regions that couldn’t be processed and approved prior to the regional budgets becoming fully reserved will be put on a waitlist in case budget becomes available again in the future. Northern California is expected to be fully reserved in January 2026.

At this time, the CA Energy Smart Homes program is one of the strongest rebate options available for whole-home electrification projects. Homeowners planning upgrades may wish to explore this program while funds remain available, particularly if they are considering comprehensive improvements rather than single equipment replacements.

Home Energy Score assessments—whether through this pilot or a future program—can help homeowners prioritize upgrades and better align projects with available incentives.

Regional and Statewide Opportunities

Residents in unincorporated Yolo County who are interested in receiving a Home Energy Score may apply through the Yolo Energy Partnership Home Energy Score Program, which operates independently of the City of Davis pilot.

Apply to the Yolo County Home Energy Score Program here!

Looking ahead, a voluntary statewide Home Energy Score Program is expected to launch in 2026. Applicants to the Davis pilot will be notified when the State program begins accepting applications. Residents who did not apply to the pilot but are interested in participating can sign up for updates through the Home Energy Score Interest Survey. Information collected through the survey will be used only to notify residents of the State program launch or to share local resources related to home energy upgrades.

Take the Home Energy Score Interest Survey here!

The City of Davis and Cool Davis appreciate the strong community interest in the Home Energy Score Pilot Program and thanks residents for their participation. Insights from this pilot will help inform future local efforts to support home energy efficiency and electrification.