WHITEHORSE, YT, Dec. 19,
2024 /CNW/ - Canada's buildings sector is the
third-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions across the
country. By increasing the scale and pace of building retrofits, we
can make homes and buildings more energy-efficient, leading to
lower utility bills and lower emissions.
Today, Member of Parliament Brendan Hanley, on behalf of the
Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources (NRCan), announced $1
million in funding through the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot
Program (GNPP) to Earthrise Building Services Inc.
As one of the market development teams (MDTs) supported by GNPP,
Earthrise will develop a roadmap for deep energy retrofits in the
Yukon and build regional capacity.
This model, based on the Dutch Energiesprong initiative,
accelerates the pace and scale of retrofits by grouping similar
homes and buildings into a single, large-scale project. This allows
the project to benefit from bulk demand for energy-saving upgrades
and the incorporation of prefabricated building assemblies, which
can further reduce construction time — leading to more retrofits
finished sooner.
Quotes
"Energy efficiency means cost savings for Canadians. At a time
when we are facing challenges with affordability and climate
change, affordable energy efficiency projects, like the one
announced today, meet Canadians where they are at and deliver the
action they need at the pace and scale they are demanding. Projects
like Earthrise's Retrofit Accelerator project are helping to
deliver on Canada's first-ever
Green Buildings Strategy, which is a plan to save Canadians money,
create jobs and seize the economic opportunities that a clean and
sustainable economy presents."
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of
Energy and Natural Resources
"Canada's buildings sector is a
major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. This funding will
enable Earthrise Building Services Inc. to develop a comprehensive
roadmap for deep energy retrofits in the Yukon. By grouping similar buildings into
large-scale projects, this initiative accelerates the retrofit
process, facilitating a more efficient transition to sustainable
energy practices and combating climate change. I am excited to see
how the results of this work will benefit housing construction, job
creation and energy cost savings for Yukoners."
Brendan
Hanley
Member of Parliament for Yukon
Quick facts
- A deep energy retrofit is an extensive overhaul of a
building's systems that can generate significant savings in energy
costs, improve comfort and help decarbonize buildings. Measures may
include actions such as replacing the roof, adding insulation in
exterior walls and replacing the heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning system with a more efficient system like an
electric heat pump.
- Buildings and homes are the third-largest source of greenhouse
gas emissions in Canada,
accounting for approximately 13 percent of Canada's emissions.
- Deep energy retrofits typically save at least 50 percent in
energy consumption, reduce emissions by 80 percent and reduce
utility costs and may, in some circumstances, improve resiliency
and adaptation to climate change.
- Since 2016, the federal government has dedicated more than
$10 billion toward decarbonizing
homes and buildings and incenting energy-efficient
retrofits.
- With $35.5 million in total
funding over five years, GNPP is piloting the Energiesprong
deep energy retrofit model in the Canadian market, which
accelerates the pace and scale of retrofits by grouping similar
homes and buildings in a neighbourhood into a large project. This
creates mass demand for deep energy retrofits that can be repeated
across multiple homes.
- The first phase of the GNPP supports regional market
development teams (MDTs) planning for scalable deep energy
retrofits in their communities. This part of the program will build
capacity among local industry actors to participate in more complex
retrofit projects, help to find solutions to regional gaps and
barriers and drive market transformation. The second stage of the
GNPP will support demonstration projects of this large-scale
approach to deep energy retrofits.
Related Information
- Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program
- Canada Green Building Strategy
- 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada
