Thrive Energy Inc.

05/05/2026

Heads up for mortgage brokers and realtors.

CMHC Eco Plus gives homeowners a 25% refund on their mortgage loan insurance. Most clients don't know about it. For BC new builds since May 2023, Step Code already gets the home over the qualifying threshold. Usually all that's missing is the EnerGuide label.

On a $625K home with 10% down, that's about $4,359 back to your client.

Full breakdown on the blog.

A guide for Okanagan mortgage brokers and realtors: how the CMHC Eco Plus and Eco Improvement programs work, who qualifies, and why bringing them up wins deals.

04/23/2026

Mortgage brokers: many of your CMHC-insured clients qualify for a 25% refund on their mortgage insurance premium, and nobody’s telling them about it.

On an $800,000 home with 10% down, that’s roughly $5,580 back in your client’s pocket. On bigger mortgages, more. The refund is issued directly by CMHC, not through the lender, so your client sees it as found money that they wouldn’t have known about without you.

Two programs cover it:

Eco Plus is for buyers of newly built, energy-efficient homes. Most BC new construction since 2023 already qualifies under Step Code, so it applies to more of your new-build deals than you’d think, including condos. If they already have an EnerGuide label, that’s all they need.

Eco Improvement is for clients with an existing CMHC mortgage doing $20,000+ in qualifying upgrades. Heat pump installs, insulation, windows, solar, DHW, and more.

Why flag it with your clients:

Referrals and repeat business. Clients remember the broker who saved them thousands they didn’t know about.

Differentiation in a competitive market. Most brokers aren’t talking about this. You can be.

Applies to closings up to 24 months ago. Past clients from the last two years who bought new construction or have done major upgrades are still in the window.

We handle the energy advisor side. EnerGuide evaluations, documentation, and guidance through the CMHC application. You flag it, we do the technical work, your client submits. Other mortgage insurance companies offer similar programs too - not just CMHC.

If you’ve got buyers or past clients who might qualify, send them our way. DM us or reach out directly.

04/22/2026

Renovators, your next major reno client could be sitting on up to $8,800 in CleanBC rebate money and they probably don’t know it.

The rebates only unlock if a pre-retrofit EnerGuide evaluation is on file BEFORE work begins. No evaluation, no rebate. And if your client finds out after the fact, it’s the contractor who looks like the one who dropped the ball.

We just modeled a 1960s Okanagan home for a whole-home retrofit. The full upgrade package included attic, walls, basement, crawlspace, high-efficiency DHW, dual fuel heat pump, HRV, and a 10 kW rooftop solar array. Pre-upgrade EnerGuide rating: 172 GJ/year. Post-upgrade target: 14 GJ/year. That’s a 92% energy reduction.

Important to note: that’s what was modeled for this specific client, not what your client has to do to qualify. A minimum of 3 qualifying upgrades unlocks the Home Energy Improvement Bonus, and insulation rebates stack individually. The solar array was this homeowner’s choice, not a rebate requirement. Every scope is different and we tailor the strategy to whatever your client is actually planning.

Rebate breakdown on this file: Home Renovation Rebate Program insulation rebates: up to $6,500 Two-upgrade bonus: $300 Home Energy Improvement Bonus: up to $2,000 Total potential: approximately $8,800

If you’re running major renovations in the Okanagan, let’s talk. We handle the EnerGuide evaluations and rebate paperwork. You run the job. Your client gets thousands back.

DM us or visit thriveenergyinc.com.

EnergyRebates EnerGuide HomeRenovation BCRebates BCEnergyStepCode EnergyEfficiency HeatPump HomeRetrofit GreenBuilding OkanaganBuilders

04/21/2026

A quiet mismatch on most new builds in the Okanagan right now: tight, well-insulated envelopes paired with furnaces sized for homes that no longer exist. Here's what the F280 numbers are actually showing.

An F280 heat load calculation stops the 3x to 5x HVAC oversizing common in Okanagan new builds. Get the right target before mechanical goes to tender.

04/15/2026

This week on the blog, we got into the details that matter for builders when it comes to air sealing details. Check it out here

Air barrier details that actually pass blower door testing for BC builders. Rim joist, window, and attic hatch sealing techniques.

04/02/2026

There's nothing better than hearing from the people you've worked hard for.
We put together this short video with some of the builders and homeowners we've had the privilege of working with at Thrive Energy. From BC Energy Step Code compliance to EnerGuide evaluations and rebate documentation, we're here to make the process straightforward from start to finish.
If you're planning a new build or renovation in BC and want to know where energy compliance, testing fits in, send us a message. We're always happy to chat.

03/31/2026

Building or Renovating in BC?

Choosing the right energy advisor can make or break your project.

From Step Code compliance to real-world comfort, not all advisors approach things the same way, and the wrong choice can lead to delays, missed targets, and costly fixes.

At Thrive Energy, we work alongside builders and homeowners to simplify the process and get it right the first time.

✔ Step Code guidance
✔ EnerGuide evaluations
✔ Real-world building science support

👉 Have questions? Send us a message or comment “ENERGY”

03/18/2026

Proud to be a Registered CHBA Net Zero Energy Advisor.

So what does that actually mean?

As a Net Zero EA through the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, I’m trained to model, test, and verify homes to some of the highest performance standards in Canada, helping projects achieve Net Zero or Net Zero Ready certification. These homes are designed to produce as much energy as they consume, while delivering superior comfort, durability, and indoor air quality.

Behind the scenes, that means detailed energy modelling, air tightness testing, and working closely with builders to optimize everything from the building envelope to mechanical systems.

Why does it matter? Because better-performing homes don’t just reduce energy bills, they create healthier living environments and play a key role in reducing our overall environmental impact.

High-performance building isn’t the future, it’s already here.

01/26/2026

https://thriveenergyinc.com/embodied-carbon-residential-construction/

Embodied carbon in homes matters as much as energy efficiency. Learn how material choices affect emissions as well as indoor air quality.