Home Energy Assessment FAQs

Mass Save® is a collaborative of Massachusetts’ electric and natural gas utilities and energy efficiency service providers that encourages residents and businesses to make energy efficient upgrades by offering a wide range of services, rebates, incentives, trainings, and information.

To make these resources more accessible to the public and to historically underserved populations, Mass Save launched the Community First Partnership (CFP) Program. This initiative engages renters, landlords, income-eligible households, first language other than English households, and small businesses in participating communities to ensure the benefits of energy efficiency are more equitably distributed.

The City of Watertown participates in the CFP program, which enables us to have a full-time Energy Advocate on staff to personally assist residents and small businesses with accessing Mass Save incentive programs. It also allows us to contract a Home Performance Contractor to help increase energy efficiency in your home and potentially save you money. While the City of Watertown feels this program provides meaningful benefits for its residents, it is completely voluntary to participate.

See below FAQs to learn more about the program, Watertown’s contractor, and the possibilities.

Contractor & Program Questions

Question
What is a Home Performance Contractor (HPC)?

Answer An HPC offers residential customers turnkey services, from performing Home Energy Assessments to installing program-approved weatherization...

Question
Who is HomeWorks Energy?

Answer HomeWorks is a Massachusetts-based residential energy efficiency company that is certified as a Home Performance Contractor to provide Mass...

Question
Why did Watertown decide to partner with HomeWorks?

Answer The City chose to work with HomeWorks as an HPC to increase its capacity to reach residents directly and to make it simpler for residents to...

Question
What other cities and towns does HomeWorks partner with?

Answer HomeWorks has similar HPC agreements with Arlington, Canton, Malden, Gloucester, Lexington, and many more communities. They also partner with...

Question
How does this program relate to Watertown’s climate goals?

Answer Resident participation in the Mass Save program aligns with Watertown’s climate goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings,...

Services Questions

Question
What services is HomeWorks conducting as part of this partnership?

Answer The scope of Watertown’s agreement with HomeWorks is limited to Home Energy Assessments (see below question for more details),...

Question
What is a Home Energy Assessment (HEA)?

Answer The Home Energy Assessment provided through the Mass Save program is a no-cost service available to Massachusetts residents, including...

Question
What are heat pumps?

Answer A heat pump is a highly efficient heating and cooling system that moves heat rather than generating it. In the winter, it extracts heat from...

Outreach Questions

Question
Why were two different letters sent to homeowners and landlords this past spring (2025)?

Answer Getting an HEA makes sense for a wide range of property owners in Watertown, but for slightly different reasons. For homeowners, taking...

Question
I’m a homeowner- what’s in it for me?

Answer Homeowners can benefit from the Mass Save program through a wide range of no-cost services, generous rebates, incentives, and low-interest...

Question
I’m a renter – would a Home Energy Assessment benefit me?

Answer Yes, renters can benefit from the Mass Save program in several ways. They can receive a no-cost Home Energy Assessment (HEA), during which a...

Question
I’m a landlord – what’s in it for me?

Answer Landlords can benefit from the Mass Save program by accessing generous rebates, incentives, and no-cost upgrades that improve the energy...

Question
If I have questions about this program, who do I contact?

Answer For more information or to schedule a no-cost Home Energy Assessment, you can contact Watertown’s Energy Advocate, Fangxue Zheng, via email...