UCAIR Smart Thermostat Program
Kindly Sponsored By
With support from Maverik and Big West Oil, the UCAIR Smart Thermostat Program has provided hundreds of Google Nest E smart thermostats to low- to moderate-income households.
Check back soon for details on the 2025 initiative to help families save money and improve air quality. Reducing energy use through smart thermostats, efficient lighting, or better insulation lowers demand on power plants resulting in fewer emissions and cleaner air for our communities.
Why Smart Thermostats?
The customizable settings on smart thermostats ensure that your heating and cooling only turn on when necessary. The “smart” features of these devices adjust the temperature for different factors such as humidity, whether the home is occupied or empty, and time of day. By intelligently managing our homes’ heating and cooling systems, smart thermostats reduce energy waste, leading to lower utility bills and reduced household emissions.
Better for your wallet
Smart thermostats can reduce heating bills by 10-12% and cooling bills by up to 15%, saving households an average of $131 to $145 a year.
Better for our air
Smart thermostats help to reduce total energy consumption, which lowers emissions associated with natural gas combustion for heating and electricity generation for cooling.
Other Utah households interested in switching to a smart thermostat to save energy and improve Utah’s air quality can find rebate programs through energy providers like Rocky Mountain Power’s Wattsmart program or Enbridge’s ThermWise Program.
About Housing Connect
Our partnership with Housing Connect enabled the installation of smart thermostats in 2024 in multifamily housing units across Salt Lake County, along with accessible guidance to help residents use them for maximum energy savings. This resource greatly benefits the low-income households served by Housing Connect, where the average annual income is $13,707.
Founded in 1970 as the Housing Authority of the County of Salt Lake, Housing Connect was created to ensure access to safe, affordable housing in Salt Lake County. Today, that mission continues through the agency’s commitment to connecting individuals and families to quality housing opportunities while supporting self-sufficiency and neighborhood revitalization.
To learn more about Housing Connect and its range of housing programs, visit housingconnect.org.
How to Participate
- Register: Complete the registration form provided below to indicate your interest in the program. Do not recycle your leaf blower or visit a metal recycler until your registration has been confirmed by UCAIR.
- Check Your Email: Wait for an email from UCAIR approving your participation in the exchange and providing further instructions. Please allow 3-5 business days for this email to arrive in your inbox.
- Recycle: Visit one of the participating metal recyclers, listed below, to recycle your current gas-powered leaf blower.
- You must remove gas & oil before recycling. Used oil can be taken to auto shops such as AutoZone or O’Reilly. Leftover gas must be disposed of at a landfill or household hazardous waste location. Your gas-powered leaf blower will not be accepted for recycling with gas and/or oil.
- Receive Recycling Ticket: Upon recycling, ask for a UCAIR recycling ticket. This ticket will be marked with a unique identification number. Keep this safe!
- Claim Voucher: Scan the QR code on your recycling ticket or click here to access the Voucher Request Form. Enter your unique ticket number to claim your new leaf blower.
- Await Confirmation: Once your voucher is processed, you’ll receive an email with details on when and where to pick up your new battery-powered leaf blower.
- Collect Your New Leaf Blower: Visit the specified distribution location during one of the provided time windows in your confirmation email to collect your new leaf blower.
- Enjoy: Power up your new battery-powered leaf blower and experience a cleaner lawn care experience!
Please Note: Leaf blowers for this year’s exchange will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis to the first 500 eligible participants who register and recycle their current gas-powered leaf blower. This program is limited to one exchange per household. Do not take your gas-powered leaf blower to a landfill or you will not receive a voucher for a new leaf blower.