Is Your Property Eligible for Free Smart Thermostats?
Free ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat upgrades are available for qualifying multifamily properties — but not every property qualifies, and spots are limited. Here is exactly what you need to know.
Eligibility Requirements
Your property must meet all four of the following criteria to qualify for free smart thermostat upgrades:
Within a Participating Utility Territory
Your property must be located in an area where Oncor or AEP Texas delivers electricity. Together, these utilities serve hundreds of communities across Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Waco, Tyler, Midland-Odessa, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, Abilene, and many more. Your TDU (Transmission and Distribution Utility) delivers the electricity regardless of which Retail Electric Provider (REP) you or your tenants choose.
Individually Metered
Each unit must have its own electric meter. Tenants must have individual utility accounts and receive their own electricity bills. Master-metered properties, where the building owner pays one bulk utility bill, do not qualify for this program.
Individual AC / Electric Heat
Each unit must have its own central air conditioning and/or electric heat system controlled by a thermostat. This is the standard setup in most Texas apartments — a wall-mounted thermostat controlling a central HVAC system. Window units and portable heaters do not qualify.
Existing Multifamily Property
The property must be an existing multifamily building — apartments, condominiums, townhomes, or other multitenant residential buildings. The property must already be built and have existing HVAC systems in place. New construction is not eligible.
What Does NOT Qualify
Master-Metered Properties
Properties where the owner receives one bulk electric bill and distributes costs to tenants. Individual meters per unit are required.
Single-Family Homes
The program is exclusively for multifamily properties. Single-family homes, duplexes, and small rental properties are not eligible for this specific program.
New Construction
Properties currently under construction or not yet occupied are not eligible. The program is for retrofitting existing buildings with smart thermostats.
Outside Our Service Territories
Properties served by other Texas utilities (CenterPoint, TNMP, etc.) are not currently eligible through our service — but may qualify for other Texas thermostat programs.
Window / Portable Units
Units cooled or heated exclusively by window AC units, portable heaters, or baseboard heating do not have a thermostat to replace and are not eligible.
Commercial Properties
This program is for residential multifamily properties only. Office buildings, retail spaces, and other commercial properties have separate energy efficiency programs.
Our Texas Service Territories
We operate across two major Texas utility service territories, giving us one of the broadest coverage areas in the state for multifamily smart thermostat programs.
Your TDU (Transmission and Distribution Utility) is the company that owns the power lines and delivers electricity to your property. Your Retail Electric Provider (REP) — the company you pay your bill to — may be different (TXU Energy, Reliant, etc.), but the TDU determines which energy efficiency programs you qualify for. If Oncor or AEP Texas is your TDU, you may be eligible.
Oncor Territory — Major Cities
AEP Texas Territory — Major Cities
These are partial lists. Not sure if your city qualifies? Contact us and we will check for you.
Quick Eligibility Checklist
Answer “yes” to all four questions and your property likely qualifies:
Is your property a multifamily building (apartments, condos, townhomes)?
Is your property located in Oncor or AEP Texas service territory?
Does each unit have its own electric meter (individually metered)?
Does each unit have its own central AC and/or electric heat with a thermostat?
Not sure about any of these? No problem — we will verify your eligibility at no cost or obligation.
Check My EligibilityOr call us directly at (214) 555-0100
Eligibility Questions
No. We operate across both Oncor and AEP Texas service territories. Oncor covers 98 counties and over 400 communities including Dallas-Fort Worth, Waco, Tyler, and Midland-Odessa. AEP Texas covers South and West Texas including Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, and Abilene. If your property receives electricity delivered by either utility, you likely qualify regardless of which city you are in.
Individually metered means each apartment unit has its own electric meter and its own utility account. Each tenant receives their own electricity bill. This is the opposite of master-metered, where the property owner pays one bulk electric bill for the entire building and tenants pay a flat fee or proportional share.
Properties with window AC units do not qualify. The program requires individually metered units with individual central AC and/or electric heat systems — typically a central HVAC system with a thermostat controlling it. The smart thermostat replaces the existing thermostat connected to this system.
No. These programs are specifically for existing multifamily properties. New construction projects are not eligible. The property must already be built and occupied (or ready for occupancy) with existing thermostat-controlled HVAC systems.
Yes. If your current thermostats are basic programmable models (non-Wi-Fi, non-smart), you can upgrade to ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats through the program. However, if units already have qualifying smart thermostats installed, those specific units would not be eligible for a second upgrade.
The easiest way is to check your property's electric bill — the Transmission and Distribution Utility (TDU) listed on the bill determines your eligibility. If Oncor or AEP Texas is listed as your TDU, your property is in a qualifying territory. You can also visit Oncor's or AEP Texas's website to search by city or zip code. Alternatively, contact us and we will verify your eligibility for free.
The program is designed for multifamily properties, so your property must have multiple units. The program is most practical and cost-effective for properties with 20 or more units. Contact us to discuss your property regardless of size — we can evaluate your situation.
Units must have individual AC and/or electric heat controlled by a thermostat. If some units qualify and others do not (for example, if some have gas heat with no electric thermostat control), we can still enroll the qualifying units. You do not need 100% of units to qualify — partial installations are possible.
Not Sure If You Qualify? Let Us Check.
Submit your property details and we will confirm your eligibility within one business day — no cost, no obligation.