Los Angeles City Councilman Bob Blumenfield, 3rd District, is calling for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to create a new incentive program to help ratepayers lower their bills and reduce energy usage.

The new “AC tune-up” program would include maintenance efficiency checks for residential and commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at no cost to ratepayers, as well as incentives of up to $150 toward the purchase and installation of programmable thermostats.

For those who take advantage of the proposed incentive package, savings will help to mitigate, and may fully offset, increases stemming from the proposed power rate increase, Blumenfield said.

“For those of us in the Valley, where relief from extreme heat is often a question of health, air conditioning is a necessity, not a luxury,” said Blumenfield, who is vice-chair of the council’s Energy and Environment Committee. “As the city evaluates a potential increase in the cost of energy, we need to ensure that we are doing everything we can to provide residents with common-sense tools to lower their energy consumption and bills. I want my constituents to end up with a net lower bill.”

Heating and cooling use the most energy in residences and businesses, and most heating and cooling systems operate at suboptimal levels. The system checks would include air filter replacements, outdoor coil and air flow adjustments, along with an HVAC replacement incentive.

Programmable thermostats help customers automatically reduce heating or cooling when it’s needed least to further reduce bills. The proposed energy efficiency incentive package has the potential to reduce cooling and heating costs by approximately 20-30 percent and can extend the operating life of air conditioning units. Any new energy incentive program would include an outreach effort, andworkshops throughout the city, Blumenfield added.

The motion, seconded by Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson, 10th District, will be reviewed by the city council on Feb. 16.