Heat Pump Rebates for Your Home
If you are looking for a convenient way to heat and cool your home, consider a heat pump. Heat pumps can efficiently heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer—while lowering your household’s carbon emissions.
CMLP and the Sponsors of Mass Save® are making the purchase and installation of energy-efficient heat pumps affordable for Concord residents. Your primary heating fuel determines which agency provides you with heat pump rebates.
Oil, Electric and Propane Heating ↓ See below to learn more and apply. |
Whole-Home Rebate: CMLP offers $10,000 rebates to customers who install heat pumps for whole-home heating and cooling in existing homes. Customers must submit a completed and signed Whole Home Heat Pump Verification Form as part of their rebate claim. CMLP highly recommends submission of the Optional Pre-Approval Form to confirm whole home rebate eligibility. See the "Eligibility Criteria for All Heat Pump Projects" section below for link to form.
Partial Home/Supplemental Rebate: CMLP offers rebates based on equipment size (tons of cooling capacity) to customers who install air source heat pumps to supplement an existing heating system or in just a small section of their existing home. To quality for rebates on supplemental (or partial-home) heat pumps, integrated controls must be installed in homes with oil or propane back-up.
Outbuilding Rebate: CMLP offers rebates based on equipment size (tons of cooling capacity) to customers who install air-source heat pumps in an outbuilding on their property.
For whole-home, partial home and outbuilding rebates, please refer to the eligibility sections below for further requirements, including post-installation quality assurance requirements.
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Pre-Existing Primary Fuel Type Equipment Type Rebate Type Rebate Amount Special Requirements Equipment Eligibility Criteria Oil, Propane, Electric Resistance, Heat Pumps, or ETS Ground Source
Heat Pumps (GSHPs)Partial Home $2,000 per ton* up to $15,000
per home per yearMust be on both ENERGY STAR and AHRI-Certified Lists Whole Home $15,000 per home See Note below** Air Source
Heat Pumps (ASHPs)Partial Home $1,250 per ton* up to $10,000
per home per yearIntegrated controls required if supplemental heating system uses oil or propane. Refer to Mass Save Integrated Controls Product List at MassSave.com/ICPQL Mass Save Heat Pump Qualified Product List at MassSave.com/HPQPL Whole Home $10,000 per home See Note below** Outbuilding $1,250 per ton* up to $2,500 per outbuilding per year Oil, Propane, Heat Pumps, or ETS Air to Water
Heat Pumps (AWHPs)Whole Home $10,000 per home See Note below** * Tons are calculated based on AHRI cooling capacity divided by 12,000 BTUs.
**Heat pumps must be capable of being the sole source of heating for the residence. Whole-home heat pump verification form must be signed and submitted with rebate application.
Rebate Caps:
Rebate not to exceed project cost.
A customer is eligible for the following maximum rebate per service address per calendar year for equipment installed in that calendar year. A service address is the physical address at which electricity is provided. The equipment installation date is the latter of the Concord Building Department's electrical inspection approval date or sheet metal inspection approval date (applicable if the project requires sheet metal ducting work that goes beyond minor repairs).
- $10,000 in air source heat pump or air-to-water heat pump rebates or
- $15,000 in ground source heat pump rebates or
- $15,000 in rebates if a combination of air source and ground source heat pumps are installed
If a property is sold, the new account holder’s cap resets at $10,000 (ASHP or AWHP) or $15,000 (GSHP) per service address per calendar year, regardless of rebates awarded to previous account holders.
Rebate cannot be combined with a National Grid/Mass Save rebate for the same equipment.
Rebate Eligibility for Multi-Unit Properties
Multi-unit properties include:
- residential condominium complexes
- single family homes with informal apartments
- 2 or 3 family homes
- Multiple houses on one parcel
- Properties with outbuildings, where heat pump is to be installed in the outbuilding
- Apartment buildings with 4 or more units
- Transient or non-transient group quarters
The way in which CMLP applies its heat pump rebate policy to different types of multi-unit properties is based upon:- Property type classification codes known as “Use Codes,” that are displayed in the “Land Use” section of each property record in the Concord Assessor’s database.
- Electric service addresses in CMLP’s billing system.
Click here to see how CMLP’s heat pump rebate policies apply to each of the multi-unit property types listed above.
Rebate Eligibility for New Construction
See the next section: "Eligibility Criteria for All Heat Pump Projects," for information on rebate eligibility for new construction.
Rebate Eligibility for Ground Source Heat Pumps that Share a Geothermal Well
A ground source heat pump sharing a geothermal well with another ground source heat pump serving a different building is not eligible for a rebate from CMLP.
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Applicable Building Stock
CMLP’s heat pump rebates are available for heat pumps installed in existing buildings, and/or newly constructed additions to existing buildings. They are not available for heat pumps installed before the date a Permanent Certificate of Occupancy was issued for a newly constructed home or before the date a building inspection approval was issued for a newly constructed outbuilding.
Equipment must be used to supplement or replace oil, propane, electric baseboard (resistance) or pre-existing heat pumps as the primary heating system. Households whose primary heating fuel is natural gas are not eligible for CMLP’s heat pump rebates, but may apply for similar rebates through Mass Save.
Home Energy Assessment Requirement
If a home was built before 2008, a no-cost home energy assessment within the last three years or scheduled within six months after project completion is required. Outbuildings listed in the “Outbuildings” section of the property record in the Town of Concord’s online assessment database are exempt from the home energy assessment requirement.
Completed Home Energy Assessment: If you believe you had an assessment in the last three years through CMLP, but do not know the date, contact Energy New England, CMLP’s assessment provider, at 1-888-772-4242 or hea@ene.org for assistance.
Scheduling a No-Cost Home Energy Assessment: Visit our Home Energy Assessments webpage for instructions on scheduling an assessment.
CMLP strongly recommends that priority weatherization recommendations from the home energy assessment be implemented before, or in coordination with, the installation of the heat pump. A tight, well-insulated home optimizes heat pump performance, and may allow for a smaller heat pump to be installed, saving you money upfront and on your monthly utility bills. CMLP’s weatherization rebates help you increase your home’s efficiency and prepare for a new heating system.
Optional Project Pre-Approval
Homeowners and contractors who wish to verify rebate eligibility prior to system installation may opt into submitting an optional rebate pre-approval form. CMLP strongly suggests taking advantage of this opportunity to verify a project's rebate eligibility, preferably before a contract is signed, and especially if the customer is expecting a whole home heat pump rebate. Contractors can submit the optional pre-approval form online with details on the proposed equipment at the links below for air-source or for ground-source heat pump projects. Abode Energy Management will review the project to verify whether it qualifies for CMLP's rebates, and whether a whole home or a partial home heat pump rebate applies. Both the customer and contractor will receive an email confirmation once pre-approved. If equipment changes from pre-approval to installation, Abode and CMLP cannot guarantee rebate eligibility. The optional pre-approval does not exempt the project from the required post-installation quality assurance review described in the following paragraph.
Quality Assurance Review Requirement
Once installation is complete, contractors must submit an online post-installation quality assurance form to Abode Energy Management at the links below for air-source or for ground-source heat pump projects. The form requires photos of all exterior and interior units, outlines installation best practices and requests that the installer confirm that best practices were followed. Abode Energy Management will review the completed form, follow up with the contractor regarding any deficiencies, conduct an on-site inspection if necessary, and notify CMLP when the quality assurance process is complete. The contractor and customer will also receive an email confirmation once the installed heat pump project is reviewed and approved.
Town Building Department Permit and Inspection Requirements
The project electrician must apply for a Town electrical permit before work begins and schedule an electrical inspection after the work is done. CMLP will not award rebates until projects have passed an electrical inspection by Concord's Building Department.
If the project requires sheet metal ducting work that goes beyond minor repairs, a sheet metal permit must be obtained for the project. Examples of projects that require a sheet metal permit include installation of new ducting or replacement, significant repairs or changes to existing ducting. The Town of Concord's inspector must have inspected and approved the sheet metal work.
CMLP will verify that the project has passed the necessary inspections. Find out more details about permits and inspections in the Quality Assurance section on this page. The Building Department's contact information and hours are here.
Do-It-Yourself Heat Pump Installations
Do-it-yourself (DIY) heat pump installations are eligible for rebates under the following conditions:
-- A licensed electrician obtains an electrical permit and does the wiring. The installation must pass a Concord Building Department electrical inspection.
-- If the project involves sheet metal work beyond minor repairs, a tradesperson qualified to obtain a sheet metal permit must do so. The sheet metal work must pass a Concord Building Department inspection.
-- When applicable, refrigerant lines must be charged, sealed, and tested by a licensed professional to adhere to EPA regulations (some self-install systems are pre-charged and pre-sealed). If an existing HVAC system is being decommissioned, existing refrigerant must be properly recaptured.
-- The rebate cannot exceed the cost of the project, which is documented by invoices and/or receipts. Therefore DIY labor does not count towards the cost of the project.
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CMLP highly recommends submission of the Optional Pre-Approval Form to confirm whole home rebate eligibility before an installation contract is signed. See the "Eligibility Criteria for All Heat Pump Projects" section above for links to pre-approval forms for air-source heat pump projects and for ground-source heat pumps projects.
In addition to the requirements for all heat pump projects, the following are requirements for CMLP's whole home heat pump rebate:
- Heat pumps must be new and sized to be capable of being the sole source of heating in the home (i.e. sized to meet 90 - 120% of the total heating load at an 8°F outdoor design temperature, per ASHRAE 2017 Design Conditions, throughout 100% of the conditioned space. Each condenser must be able to heat its zone down to 8°F. Conditioned space is defined as the space designated as living area in the Assessor’s database.).
- Homes may maintain emergency heating capacity from a wood or pellet stove, an existing fossil fuel system or an electrical resistance heating strip installed in the heat pump. Homes may use supplemental heat from electric baseboard (resistance) units, electric thermal storage (ETS) or existing heat pumps, as long as the new heat pump is sized to meet 90% - 120% of the home's heat load.
- CMLP reserves the right to issue rebates for heat pumps sized to meet more than 120% of the total heating load, at its discretion.
- Project must either include the removal or disconnection of the pre-existing heating system, or the homeowner must not use the pre-existing heating system unless there is an emergency or unless the pre-existing heating system is the source of hot water for domestic uses. An emergency is defined as heat pump maintenance down-time or if the heat pump is not able to heat the home during an extreme weather event.
- A customer and their installer must sign the whole home heat pump verification form and submit it with the heat pump rebate application.
- The installer must submit a Manual J heat load calculation with the online post-installation quality assurance (QA) form to Abode Energy Management for heat pump projects. Click for the air-source heat pump QA form or for the ground-source heat pump QA form.
- Because the heat pump system for which the rebate is being sought must be sized to be capable of being the sole source of heat in the home:
- a customer installing more heat pumps to supplement existing heat pumps is eligible for a partial home heat pump rebate, not a whole home heat pump rebate, if the new heat pumps are sized to meet less than 90% of the heating load.
- a heat pump sized for whole home AC but inadequate for whole home heating is eligible for a partial home heat pump rebate but not for a whole home heat pump rebate.
- A customer installing a new heat pump system to replace existing heat pumps is eligible for a whole home heat pump rebate if the new heat pump system is sized to be capable of being the sole source of heating in the home, as defined above.
Whole Home Rebate Eligibility for Multi-Unit Properties
Multi-unit properties include:
- residential condominium complexes
- single family homes with informal apartments
- 2 or 3 family homes
- Multiple houses on one parcel
- Properties with outbuildings, where heat pump is to be installed in the outbuilding
- Apartment buildings with 4 or more units
- Transient or non-transient group quarters
The way in which CMLP applies its whole home heat pump rebate policy to different types of multi-unit properties is based upon:- Property type classification codes known as “Use Codes,” that are displayed in the “Land Use” section of each property record in the Concord Assessor’s database.
- Electric service addresses in CMLP’s billing system.
Click here to see how CMLP’s whole home heat pump rebate policies apply to each of the multi-unit property types listed above.
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In addition to the requirements for all heat pump projects:
- new heat pumps sized to meet less than 90% of the total home heating load at the outdoor design temperature, per ASHRAE 2017 Design Conditions, are eligible for partial home heat pump rebates if they are supplementing or replacing oil, propane, electric resistance, ETS or existing heat pumps, or if they are replacing natural gas as a secondary source of heating.
- integrated controls must be installed in homes with oil or propane backup to qualify for rebates on partial-home air-source or air-to-water heat pumps.
- Integrated controls are not required if the backup heating system is heat pumps, electric resistance or ETS.
- Integrated controls are not required if the heat pump meets 100% of the heating needs for a distinct zone in a home, meaning that there is no other heating equipment serving that zone with which to integrate the heat pump.
- Integrated controls are not required for partial-home ground-source heat pumps.
- Integrated controls are not required in condo units in residential 5+ unit complexes, including 1-4 unit buildings that are part of larger complexes, which are not eligible for whole-home rebates but are eligible for the partial-home rebate amounts, as long as the heat pumps are sized to meet 90% - 120% of the total home heating load at the outdoor design temperature, per ASHRAE 2017 Design Conditions throughout 100% of the conditioned space.
- integrated controls must be set at or below these maximum switchover temperatures:
Pre-Existing Heating Fuel Maximum Switch-Over Temperature Propane ≤ 15°F Oil ≤ 30°F - A heat pump sized for whole home AC, but inadequate for whole home heating is eligible for a partial-home heat pump rebate. Integrated controls are required for air-source or air-to-water heat pumps, and installers must design the system to be able to meet the home's heating needs at the defined maximum switch-over temperature above, so that the new heat pump system is heating-ready.
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Preliminary Step 1: To be eligible for a rebate, heat pump projects require a quality assurance (QA) check by Abode Energy Management. After the installation is complete, your contractor must submit the online Installation Quality Assurance (QA) Form to Abode, found at the following links for air-source or ground-source heat pumps. The quality assurance check may include an on-site inspection, if necessary. Once the project has received its quality assurance approval, Abode will submit the QA documentation to CMLP on your behalf, and will send an email confirmation to you and your contractor.
Ground-Source Heat Pump Installation Quality Assurance (QA) Form Preliminary Step 2: CMLP’s rebate application requires you to provide the date that the heat pump installation has passed a Town of Concord Building Department electrical inspection and, if applicable, a sheet meal inspection. Ensure that the following steps have been taken before you apply for a heat pump rebate.
- The project electrician must apply for a Town electrical permit before work begins, and schedule an electrical inspection after the work is done. The Town of Concord electrical inspector must have inspected and approved the heat pump installation.
- If the project requires sheet metal ducting work that goes beyond minor repairs, a sheet metal permit must be obtained for the project. Examples of projects that require a sheet metal permit include installation of new ducting or replacement, significant repairs or changes to existing ducting. The Town of Concord's inspector must have inspected and approved the sheet metal work.
Payment of rebates is contingent upon verification by CMLP that Town records show the appropriate inspection approvals for the project. Find out more about permits and inspections in the Quality Assurance section on this page. The Building Department's contact information and hours are here.
Rebate Application Step: Access the rebate application at the button below, and complete it with assistance from your installer or CMLP Energy Specialist Pamela Cady (pcady@concordma.gov or 978-318-3149). If you are working with a heating/cooling coach, they may be able to help you as well. Upload the following documents with the rebate application.
- invoice from a heat pump installer showing:
- installation address
- installer company name
- outdoor and indoor equipment model numbers
- integrated control model numbers, if applicable.
- Whole-home heat pump verification form signed by you and your installer, if the heat pump system is sized to be the sole source of heating in the residence and there are fewer than 5 living units on the property. Note that individual living units in residential 5+ unit complexes on common property, including 1-4 unit buildings that are part of larger complexes on common property, are not eligible for whole home rebates, but are eligible for partial home rebates. The whole-home heat pump verification form is not required for partial home rebate applications.
CMLP's 90-day rebate application window begins on the latest of the Concord Building Department's:
- electrical inspection approval date or
- sheet metal inspection approval date (applicable if the project requires sheet metal ducting work that goes beyond minor repairs)
Projects for which CMLP does not receive a rebate application within the 90-day window are not eligible for a rebate.
If an application received by CMLP is incomplete or has not met all of the rebate requirements (e.g. scheduled home energy assessment, approved quality assurance form, approved electrical inspection and (if needed) approved sheet metal inspection), CMLP will reach out once to the installer and to the customer by both phone and email. If outstanding issues are not resolved within 30 days of the communication, the project will no longer be eligible for a rebate. If a quality assurance form needs to be completed, it must be submitted to Abode Energy Management within 25 days of the communication, to ensure that Abode has time to review it and to notify CMLP before the 30 day deadline as to whether it is approved.
The Town of Concord assumes no liability for any equipment, installation or damages.
The Town may inspect equipment to verify the above information up to 1 year after receiving the rebate application.
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All projects must go through a post-installation quality assurance process overseen by Abode Energy Management to qualify for a rebate. Once the installation is complete, your installer must submit Abode's Quality Assurance (QA) Form, found at the following links for air-source or ground-source heat pumps. The form requires photos of all exterior and interior units, outlines installation best practices and requests that the installer confirm that best practices were followed. Abode Energy Management will review the completed form, follow up with the installer regarding any deficiencies, conduct an on-site inspection if necessary, and notify CMLP when the quality assurance process is complete.
Town of Concord Building Department Permits and Inspections
In addition, the project's electrician must obtain a Town electrical permit and schedule an electrical inspection. CMLP will not award rebates until projects have passed electrical inspection by Concord's Building Department. If sheet metal duct work beyond minor repairs is also part of your installation, your installer must also obtain a sheet metal permit. Contact information and hours for the Building Department are here.
Getting an Electrical Permit
The permit should be obtained before work begins. Concord has online permitting, so the electrician does not have to go into the Building Department office in person to obtain a permit. The electrician can upload their liability insurance certificate and license and can pay online.
Getting an Electrical Inspection
Electrical inspections are done on weekdays and can usually be completed within 5 to 7 days of the request. The homeowner cannot schedule the inspection. The electrician schedules it by calling the Electrical Inspector at 978-318-3235 between 7am and 9am Monday through Friday with the permit number and the desired inspection date and time. Messages left for the Electrical Inspector after 9am will be returned the next morning. An adult (who does not need to be the electrician – a homeowner, family member, or builder is fine) needs to be there to let the inspector into the house. The inspector knows what to look for once he is in the house and can phone the electrician if there is a question about the project while he’s on site.
The electrical inspector notifies CMLP of all approved electrical inspections on the next business day.
Sheet Metal Permits and Inspections
Sheet metal permits and inspections are required whenever duct work beyond minor repairs are part of an ASHP installation, such as installing new ducts or re-routing existing ducts. The process for getting permits follows the same process outlined above. The sheet metal contractor or the homeowner may call the Building Dept. to schedule sheet metal inspections at (978) 318-3280.
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Rebates will not be issued until projects have passed the Concord Building Department's electrical inspection. If sheet metal duct work beyond minor repairs was also part of the project, it must also have passed a sheet metal inspection. Find out more details about permits and inspections in the Quality Assurance section on this page. Contact information and hours for the Building Department are here.
All rebates of $750 or less are issued as a credit on your electric bill.
Any customer in good standing may choose to receive a rebate over $750 as either a bill credit or a check from the Town. Indicate your preference on your rebate application. If a customer requesting a check has been in arrears frequently in the past two years, CMLP may apply all or part of the rebate as a bill credit rather than as a check.
A rebate check will arrive 4 to 6 weeks after rebate approval.
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CMLP offers the R-7 “Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW” rate for heat pump users. This special winter rate is designed to prevent an unintended spike in electricity charges for electric heating customers as a result of CMLP’s tiered rate structure. This rate may benefit you if you already use more than 657 kilowatt-hours in some winter months, or if you expect to do so once your heat pump is installed.
However, in order to take advantage of this rate, you must request that a separate meter be installed by CMLP. This meter will record the electric usage of your heat pump. Electricity use recorded on this meter from October 1st through April 30th will be billed exclusively at the lowest (tier 1) rate of at $0.19120 per kWh. From May 1st through September 30th, the use through this meter will be billed under the regular R-1 Rate, which ranges from the tier 1 rate of $0.19120 to the tier 3 rate of $0.22719 per kWh, depending on how much electricity your household has used that month.
CMLP will supply and install the separate meter at no cost to you. However, you will need to pay an electrician to install a meter socket for the new meter. An additional electrical panel is typically needed as well. Costs for a meter socket/electrical panel can range from $1,000 to $4,000. The time it will take you to recoup the cost of the new meter socket/panel through electricity cost savings depends on several factors:
- the socket/panel installation cost;
- the extent to which your electric usage exceeds 657 kWh per month once your heat pump is installed and
- how long the tiered rate structure and the Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW rate remain in effect. CMLP plans to upgrade all meters beginning in 2023. The CMLP Light Board intends to replace tiered rates with a time of use rate structure once these meters are installed. At that point, the Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems / DHW rate may be discontinued. In that case, it is unlikely that you would recoup your investment in a new meter socket and electrical panel through electricity cost savings.
Please note also that customers who have a solar array usually expect that solar electricity will lower the portion of their electric bill attributable to the electricity needed to power their heat pump during the winter. However, if a heat pump is separately metered so that a customer can receive the Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW rate for winter usage, CMLP is unable to offset the winter usage measured by the separate meter with solar electricity generated by the array. Therefore, having a solar array will not lower a customer’s winter bill for heat pump electricity usage if the Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW rate is in effect. However, during the summer, when the Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW rate does not apply, solar electricity will offset the portion of an electricity bill due to a heat pump being used for air conditioning, even if the heat pump is separately metered.
In addition, heat pump customers with solar would need to locate the second meter on the line (street) side of the existing house meter in order for the solar electricity powering the heat pump to be accounted for properly. This can require longer wire runs that increase the cost of the meter socket installation.
Please consider these factors when deciding whether to invest in a separate meter/electric panel. If you have further questions about the Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW rate, please contact Laura Scott, Power Supply and Rates Administrator, at (978) 318-3102 or LScott@concordma.gov.
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If you currently use ETS (Electric Thermal Storage) heating, and plan to switch partially or fully to heat pump heating, you will want to choose among the following electric panel configuration/electric rate options:
- If you wish to continue using ETS heating on the ETS rate, you must ensure that the breaker for your new heat pump system is not installed in the electric panel that feeds your ETS equipment.
- If you plan to stop using ETS heating altogether, you may repurpose the electric panel feeding your ETS equipment to supply electricity to your heat pump system instead. However, you must notify CMLP's meter division supervisor, Ann Breitenwischer (abreitenwischer@concordma.gov) so that the ETS switch can be removed. You may request that the meter division assign the R-7 “Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW” rate to the meter that formerly measured your ETS electricity usage and now will measure your heat pump electricity usage. This special winter rate is designed to prevent an unintended spike in electricity charges for electric heating customers as a result of CMLP’s tiered rate structure.
- You may install the heat pump breaker in the ETS electric panel and continue using your ETS heating system as well, but not at the ETS rate. CMLP will remove the ETS switch, and change the rate on the meter measuring electricity use by that electric panel to the R-7 Electric Resistance & Heat Pump Heating Systems/DHW rate, which will be applied to both your ETS and heat pump usage.
You are not required to choose one of these options in order to be eligible for a rebate. The information above is provided so that you may make an informed choice among your electric panel configuration and electric rate options.
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Home improvements can be financed by leveraging the equity in your home. There are different ways of doing this. The Federal Trade Commission describes the pros and cons of loans and lines of credit in this article. It also explains how to watch for disreputable service.
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Contact Pamela Cady, CMLP’s Energy Specialist, at pcady@concordma.gov or 978-318-3149.
The heat pump project electrician must apply for a Town electrical permit and schedule an inspection. CMLP will not award rebates until projects have passed electrical inspection by Concord's Building Department. If sheet metal duct work beyond minor repairs is also part of your installation, your installer must also obtain a sheet metal permit and the sheet metal work must pass a Building Department inspection. Contact information and hours for the Building Department are here.