Your project.
Our expertise.
Your money back.

True North Energy Advisors works alongside property owners, engineers, and contractors across Illinois to recover money from utility incentive programs and tax credits on energy efficiency projects. We handle all the paperwork — you keep the savings.

How It Works Our Programs

Find out what your next project
could qualify for.

We'll talk through your project, your building, and every dollar of incentive funding available to you. No cost, no obligation.

Contact Us Today →

Opens your email app  ·  Free consultation  ·  No commitment

Planning an upgrade? You need to apply before the work starts.

Utility programs require a funding reservation before any equipment is ordered, removed, or installed. Most people find out too late and lose the incentive entirely. If you have a project coming up — even months away — reach out now.

Talk to Us First →

We handle every step. You collect the check.

  1. Walk the Property

    We come out, look at what you have, and figure out what programs apply to your situation. No jargon, no pressure — just a straight answer on what's available and what it's worth. This has to happen before any work begins.

    Step one — before anything else

  2. File the Applications

    We handle all the paperwork — utility applications, program submissions, and funding reservations. We coordinate directly with ComEd, Nicor, and any other agencies involved. You don't have to deal with any of it.

  3. Your Crew Does the Work

    Once funding is locked in, your contractors install the equipment as planned. We stay in the background managing documentation, tracking requirements, and making sure nothing falls through the cracks.

  4. Get Paid

    We submit the final paperwork to the utility, confirm everything checks out, and get your incentive payment processed. You receive the check. We keep the files. Done.

Do you see yourself here?

We work with a wide range of people involved in commercial and industrial buildings across Illinois. Select your role below to see how we work with you.

How we help ownership & management:

Recover real money on every
upgrade you were already planning.

Energy is one of your biggest controllable expenses. We recover money from utility programs and tax credits to offset the cost of upgrades — and we make the entire process invisible to you. You approve the project. We handle the rest.

  • We identify what every available program will pay toward your next project before you commit to a budget.
  • You approve the project. We file the paperwork, manage the utility, and track the payment.
  • For portfolio owners, we build an incentive strategy across all your properties so nothing gets missed year to year.
  • We engage early — before contractors are selected — so funding shapes the project, not the other way around.
How we help engineering & facilities:

Give you the number that gets
the project approved.

We quantify the available incentive funding up front so you can walk into the budget conversation with a real number — not a rough estimate. We turn "maybe next year" into a project with a justifiable cost and a clear return.

  • We calculate exactly what's available for your specific equipment and scope — not a ballpark, a real number.
  • We speak your language: equipment specs, efficiency ratings, useful life, installation sequencing.
  • We identify which aging systems qualify for the most money and recommend the right order to tackle them.
  • We stay involved through installation so specs don't drift and the incentive doesn't get jeopardized.
How we help finance & sustainability:

Turn incentives into a budget line item,
not a rebate you chase later.

Every dollar we recover is documented, traceable, and reportable. Incentive funding is identified and locked in before the project is approved — so it becomes part of the pro forma from day one, not a pleasant surprise at the end.

  • Incentive funding is identified and locked in before the project is approved — it becomes part of the pro forma.
  • All recovered funds are fully documented for ESG reporting, board presentations, and audit purposes.
  • We help prioritize which projects deliver the best ROI when incentives are factored in alongside operating savings.
  • Federal tax credits (179D, 45L) can stack on top of utility incentives — we coordinate both simultaneously.
How we help construction & contracting:

Add $50K–$200K in available incentives
to your next proposal.

Being able to tell a client their project comes with real funding on the table changes the conversation at bid time. We handle the utility side entirely — certifications, paperwork, submissions. You stay focused on delivering the project.

  • We plug into your preconstruction process so applications are filed before work begins — funding is protected.
  • We work directly with your client on the incentive side so it doesn't add to your project management load.
  • ICC certification requirements, spec sheet documentation, and utility submissions are all on us.
  • We're available on a project-by-project or ongoing basis — no long-term commitment required to get started.
Are you a trade firm or contractor? See how we partner with trade firms ↓

We make your work
more valuable.

HVAC firms, electrical contractors, engineers, and general contractors bring us in as a partner — not a competitor. When you can tell a client their project comes with $50K–$200K in available incentives, you win more work. We handle the utility side. You focus on the install.

Want to add incentive consulting to your next proposal?

We work with trade partners across Illinois on a project-by-project or ongoing basis. Let's talk about how we can make your next bid stronger.

Let's Partner Up →

The best time to call us is
before the budget is set.

Most incentive money is lost before the application process ever starts. By the time a project is approved, equipment is specified, and contractors are selected, the window to shape the scope around maximum funding has already closed.

When True North is involved during planning, incentive funding becomes part of the project budget from day one — not a scramble at the end.

Bring Us In Early →
Map Available Funding Before Budget Lock

We identify every applicable program and calculate the total funding available — so your team has a real number to build around before the project is approved.

Guide Scope to Maximize What You Qualify For

Small decisions — which equipment, which contractor, which installation method — can make or break eligibility. We advise before those choices are locked in.

File for Funding Before Work Begins

We submit the application and lock in the funding reservation while the project is still in planning — so there's no risk of losing it once work starts.

Portfolio-Wide Planning Available

Managing multiple properties or a multi-year capital plan? We build an incentive roadmap across your whole portfolio so nothing falls through the cracks year to year.

Done right, energy efficiency pays for itself — and then some.

Programs we manage on your behalf.

  • ComEd

    Custom Incentives

  • ComEd

    Standard & Prescriptive

  • Nicor Gas · Ameren

    Gas Efficiency Programs

  • Illinois DCEO

    Energy Efficiency Grants

  • Federal IRA

    179D & 45L Tax Credits

  • Federal IRA

    Commercial Clean Energy Credits

Not sure where to start?

We'll find every dollar
you qualify for.

Most people don't know which programs apply to their building or project. We do. Tell us what you're working on and we'll map out everything available — at no cost to you.

Free Assessment →