Please note the Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Program is currently in the construction and evaluation phase and is now closed to new participants.
Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing buildings plays a key role in helping B.C. meet its climate action goals. We developed the Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Program to improve the building envelopes and mechanical systems of 20 homes and four multi-unit residential buildings across the province. The goal of this pilot is to reduce their energy use and associated GHG emissions by at least 50 per cent.
What’s a deep energy retrofit?
A deep energy retrofit aims to improve the energy performance of existing homes and buildings using a holistic approach that targets improvements in two major areas:
- the building envelope (including walls, windows, doors, and insulation)
- mechanical systems (heating, hot water and ventilation)
Deep energy retrofits help make the whole building more airtight and well-insulated as well as upgrading mechanical systems to high efficiency. The goal is to reduce whole-building energy use by at least 50 per cent.
Why are deep energy retrofits a priority now?
Many existing homes and buildings in B.C. were not built for optimal energy efficiency, especially those built before the adoption of the National Energy Code for Buildings in the 1990s. These thousands of homes and buildings are expected to be occupied and used for years to come. And in response to climate change, we need to not only reduce their energy use and GHG emissions but also make them more comfortable and safer to live in through more frequent extremes of hot and cold weather.
Communities need to significantly lower GHG emissions from existing buildings to achieve net-zero climate action goals, and deep energy retrofits are a way to do that.
Customers who choose to sign up for renewable and low-carbon gases1 such as Renewable Natural Gas2 can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions even further.
Deep energy retrofit pilot participants
The deep energy retrofit pilot involves 20 single-family homes and four multi-unit residential buildings across B.C., including the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Okanagan and Kootenays. The pilot aims to:
- demonstrate a variety of energy reduction approaches and technologies
- verify energy use and emissions reductions
- identify any issues with implementation or customer acceptance in real-world, lived-in homes and buildings
We hope the information gathered through this pilot supports the development of a larger-scale deep energy retrofit program for all of our customers.
Please note the Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Program is currently in the construction and evaluation phase and is now closed to new participants.
Of the four multi-unit residential buildings in the pilot, two are rental apartment buildings and two are non-profit housing buildings, and all were built in the 1970s. Each building undergoes detailed energy evaluations to determine which upgrades will be installed, as well as measurement and verification of energy savings after installation.
Project partners and implementation consultants are working together to help minimize disruptions to people who live in these buildings during the retrofit process.
Learn more about how an energy-efficiency reno helps breathe new life into an old building in our blog.
Pendrellis
Location: Vancouver
Building type: concrete high-rise, non-profit housing
Project partners: Pendrellis Society, Terra Property Management, City of Vancouver, BC Housing, BC Non-Profit Housing Association
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Forte
Location: Vancouver
Building type: concrete high-rise, rental apartments
Project partners: Bentall Green Oak
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Manor House
Location: North Vancouver
Building type: low-rise, non-profit housing
Project partners: Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation, Pembina Institute
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Viscount Villa
Location: Kamloops
Building type: low-rise, rental apartments
Project partners: Kelson Group, Landlord BC
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