Oklahoma City homeowners who want to save money on their electric and gas bill by making their home more energy efficient can apply for a Green Home Loan offered through the City of Oklahoma City.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible to apply for a Green Home Loan, you must at minimum meet the following criteria:

• Own and occupy a residential property within Oklahoma City; rental properties, either on behalf of the owner or a rental occupant, are not eligible.
• Have not received other Federal weatherization assistance such as Special Assistance for the Eligible (SAFE), Home Exterior Maintenance Program (HEMP), or Emergency Home Repair. 

Additionally, while there is no household income limit, Green Home Loan applicants must provide income verification to qualify.

Additionally, historic homes (residential properties 45years of age or older) are eligible for Green Home Loans but subject to additional review by City staff and the State Historic Preservation Office, which, though required, could lengthen your historic home project's timeline. 

What are the terms?

Residents can have up to 60 months/5 years to pay back their 3% fixed interest rate loan, which can be up to $20,000.

Eligible upgrades 

Some of the upgrades that can be made with a Green Home Loan include (but are not limited):

• Installation of energy-efficient windows or exterior doors;
• Addition of insulation to attic and/or walls;
• Replacement of inefficient window A/C units with central heat and air;
• Installation of new heat pumps;
• Replacement of a dark-colored roof with a lighter-colored roof that reflects the sun;
• Purchase and installation of energy efficient appliances certified by ENERGY STAR;
• Installation of efficient interior or exterior lighting;
• Installation of alternative energy systems including:
  • Private wind energy conversion systems (PWECS) / small-scale wind
• Installation of electric vehicle supply electric/charging stations

Through April 2021 the Green Home Loan program has provided 128 loans totaling $1,069,361.69 to Oklahoma City residents.

Why is this program important for Oklahoma City?

Estimates based on 2016 data by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy indicate residences in Oklahoma City use 30% more electricity than the national average. This high level of consumption due in part to low prices means residents have a higher "energy burden," that is, they use a larger percentage of household income on utilities. Energy burden affects low-income residents more because their homes are less likely to be weatherized. 

How is this program funded?

This program was originally funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Program via the US Department of Energy (US DOE) through an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) in 2009.

Both the City of Oklahoma City’s General Fund and program income from interest generated by loans are currently used to support administration of this program.