Heating and Cooling | BGE Smart Energy

Heating and air conditioning make up to 50% of the energy you use at home.* A properly installed and maintained heating and cooling system can reduce your energy use, improve comfort and help you save money.

If your equipment is more than 10 years old, it may be time to replace it.

Why choose high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment?

Get rebates: Rebates plus additional incentives could be available for customers switching from natural gas, oil or propane. Check with an HVAC contractor to determine eligibility.
Save energy: High-efficiency HVAC systems are designed and installed to optimize performance and lower utility bills—saving you energy and money year after year. Depending on where you live, replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with high-efficiency equipment can cut your annual energy bill by nearly $140.*
Boost comfort: These systems provide excellent “zone” space conditioning, so you can control the level of heating or cooling in different rooms (or zones) in your home.
Improve eco-friendliness: Choosing energy-efficient products can lower your home’s carbon footprint. If just one in 10 households bought high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, we would prevent 13 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions—equal to the emissions of 1.2 million cars—every year.*

Making New Equipment More Affordable

Check with a participating HVAC contractor. You may qualify for rebates to help upgrade your system, plus additional incentives for switching from natural gas, oil or propane to electric.
Access grants up to $3,000 for installing new geothermal systems (not applicable for the replacement of existing geothermal systems) from the Maryland Energy Administration. Grant funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Click here to learn about the Maryland Clean Energy Advantage Loan Program, which offers financing available at 0% interest for 24 months.
Some counties and municipalities offer additional incentives. Learn more.

Choose a Participating Contractor.
Work with your Participating Contractor to determine what high-efficiency heating and cooling systems will work best for your home.
After the Participating Contractor completes the installation of your new system, you’ll see the rebates reflected in the contract price.
Learn more about how to select an HVAC contractor.

High Efficiency HVAC Equipment

Electric air source heat pumps move heat between the inside and outside to keep your home a comfortable temperature year-round. High-efficiency models are more efficient for both heating and cooling than standard models.

This highly efficient technology delivers warm or cool air directly into different zones or rooms of your home. Because it requires no ducts, it avoids the energy loss associated with ductwork in central forced-air systems.

Instead of relying on outside air, geothermal systems use the stable temperature underground to heat and cool your home. This approach offers several benefits:

High efficiency by using up to 45% less energy than standard models.
Long lifespan with systems that can last 20+ years.
Durability by having fewer moving parts and being protected indoors.
Potential payback with lower utility costs, depending on climate, system features, financing and available tax credits, which may help offset your initial investment in as little as 2 years.**

Qualifying HVAC Equipment Specifications:

Equipment^†	System Type	Tier	SEER2	HSPF2
Air Source Heat Pumps	Single Package	1	15.2	6.7
	Split System	1	15.2	7.5
	Single Package	2	16.9	6.7
	Split System	2	16.9	7.5
Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps	Single Package or Split System	1 or 2	15.2	8.1
Ductless Heat Pump	Multi-Zone	N/A	15.5	7.5
Ductless Heat Pump	Single Zone	N/A	18	7.5
Geothermal Heat Pump**	Closed Loop	N/A	17.1 EER, 3.6 COP
Smart Thermostat		N/A	ENERGY STAR^® Certified

*http://energystar.gov

**Geothermal products installed at new construction homes that are not participating in the ENERGY STAR for New Homes Program are eligible for a rebate.

†All equipment must be AHRI rated, with the exception of smart thermostats.