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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2023
MEDIA CONTACT
Brant DeLarme, Communications and Marketing Project Administrator
bdelarme@redmond.gov, 425-556-2165
Incentives Program Launches to Help Eastside ‘Make the Switch’ to Heat Pumps
REDMOND, WA - To encourage homeowners to replace their gas furnaces with energy-efficient heat pumps, Eastside cities have launched a campaign that makes it possible to save up to $6,400 when people “make the switch.”
Households from Redmond, Bellevue, Issaquah, Mercer Island, and Kirkland can get started making the switch to a heat pump today by visiting EnergySmartEastside.org/MakeTheSwitch. Heat pumps provide sustainable heating and cooling, replacing furnaces and air conditioners.
“Heat pumps are a vital part of increased energy efficiency in our community and key to creating a more climate-resilient city,” said Redmond Mayor Angela Birney. “Improved technologies, like heat pumps, along with this program, are an important step in making the switch more realistic for households and will help us achieve our climate goals.”
The Make the Switch campaign connects households from any of the five Eastside cities to contractors trained to help residents stack rebates from Puget Sound Energy and heat pump manufacturer Mitsubishi, with tax credits available through the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Households earning $190,000 or less annually may also qualify for a $1,500 rebate from Energy Smart Eastside, a partnership of the cities of Bellevue, Issaquah, Kirkland, Mercer Island, and Redmond.
After a summer of extreme global climate impacts, including an unusually dry summer in the region, Energy Smart Eastside is a catalyst to accelerate the transition to fully electrified households.
Because they are highly energy-efficient, heat pumps are a critical part of electrifying homes, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, which helps communities limit and prepare for climate impacts. Heat pumps can also help households that currently use electric baseboard heaters, electric furnaces, or portable air conditioners save on monthly energy bill.
For additional information about Energy Smart Eastside, contact Environmental Sustainability Program Manager Jenny Lybeck at jlybeck@redmond.gov or visit energysmarteastside.org.
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