Programs for large building retrofits in Alberta
The Alberta Ecotrust Retrofit Accelerator is one of many programs in Alberta that supports building owners interested in deep retrofitting their building to reduce its energy consumption, operating costs and emissions. Our program works collaboratively with others across the province to ensure building owners have the proper support to undertake deep retrofits on their buildings. This blog highlights other Alberta programs that, like ours, aim to improve building energy efficiency, expand access to retrofits, and strengthen climate resilience.
Alberta Ecotrust Retrofit Accelerator is funded by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) through their Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI). This initiative is designed to increase the number of deep retrofits that are undertaken in Alberta’s large buildings through free coaching services
What is a deep retrofit?
A deep retrofit targets a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 50 per cent or more by 2050, and usually includes some or all of the following:
Improving the building envelope (e.g. roof, walls, windows and doors).
Increasing the efficiency and electrifying the heating and cooling systems.
Installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system.
Our program offers free services to support deep retrofit projects, including coaching, benchmarking, high-level energy assessments (also known as desktop assessments), financial opportunity screening and business case development. The program also provides partial funding for deep retrofit studies.
Alberta programs overview
The programs offered by other organizations, which we discuss below, fall into two separate categories:
- Programs that offer funding and services to reduce emissions in buildings which are eligible to be used alongside funding through our program.
- Alternative DRAI programs in Alberta, which are funded by the same NRCan initiative as ours. These are additional resources you can check out, but they are not eligible to be stacked with our funding.
Programs eligible with Alberta Ecotrust Retrofit Accelerator
These programs support energy efficiency, retrofits and climate resilience in buildings. They all operate in Alberta.
Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI)
Delivered by Emissions Reduction Alberta, SEMI supports energy management in Alberta’s industrial and manufacturing facilities. The program provides knowledge, expertise and training, and offers support for energy assessments and audits, energy management information systems, strategic energy management training, and capital retrofits.
Climate Ready Infrastructure Service (CRIS)
This is a free service for local governments and communities across Canada. By registering your project, qualified experts are matched to meet your needs. To be eligible, your community must have a population of less than 30,000, and your project can be anything related to climate mitigation or resilience for public infrastructure.
Green Municipal Fund (GMF)
Administered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), GMF funds studies and offers capital grants for energy-efficiency and emissions reduction projects in municipalities, community organizations and affordable housing sectors.
Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC)
MCCAC has several programs to help municipalities in Alberta reduce emissions and become climate leaders, including capital grants, peer networking and mentorship, and a roving energy manager program.
Canadian Greener Affordable Housing Program
Offered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, this program delivers low-interest, repayable and forgivable loans to affordable housing providers. It supports deep energy retrofit planning and implementation in multi-unit affordable housing buildings, helping to reduce operating costs and GHG emissions.
Founded in 2021, SOFIAC is a $200 million financing platform dedicated to decarbonization projects. It offers advanced expertise in both financing and technical solutions, and its innovative business model allows clients to immediately benefit from the savings generated by reduced energy consumption, with no up-front investment required.
*SOFIAC also received funding from DRAI; however, this does not prevent organizations from working with both our Retrofit Accelerator and SOFIAC.
Alternative programs in Alberta
In addition to the Alberta Ecotrust Retrofit Accelerator, there are many other DRAI programs operating in Alberta. These are not eligible to be used with our program, but each is unique with its own benefits. Here’s a brief overview:
Four Winds & Associates' Indigenous Retrofit Accelerator
This program is designed to build capacity within Indigenous organizations to support energy retrofit projects. The program provides Indigenous communities and organizations with fully funded services for all their commercial and community buildings, which includes energy audits, energy and community management software, and custom engineering projects.
Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources Energy InSites
This team collaborates with Indigenous partners to conduct energy assessments on community buildings. They work to understand the community's energy consumption and emissions profile, identify retrofit opportunities, and assist in the funding identification and application process. The main goal of the program is to create healthy and prosperous communities by supporting them to independently create more efficient buildings and homes with lower operating costs, improved occupant comfort and reduced emissions. Through capacity-building support, Energy InSites helps establish local energy champions to increase energy and emissions knowledge throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories.
BOMA Canada’s Enspire Program is a national deep retrofit accelerator tailored for mid-tier commercial properties across Canada. The program equips building owners and managers with tools, funding support and capacity building workshops to unlock energy saving opportunities.
Graham’s retrofit program offers building owners across Canada a complete solution that includes feasibility studies, access to subsidized financing and grants, project development and construction management. With expertise in green building for sectors such as education, health care, commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential, Graham’s program aims to help owners reduce emissions, improve efficiency and extend the life of their buildings while minimizing project risk.
A private-sector, employee-owned consultancy firm, Purpose Building delivers practical, low-carbon solutions tailored to their client’s strategy for each portfolio. They accelerate deep retrofits by providing funding and technical expertise across the entire retrofit lifecycle. Building owners can receive up to 50 per cent reduction of pre-tax fixed fees for retrofit planning, design and delivery support (capital costs not included).
At a glance
To help you identify which programs you're eligible for, the figure below is arranged by type of building owner.
Figure 1 - Program by Building Owner Type
There are many more programs, funding and financing opportunities that we couldn’t fit into this list. There is also the inherent challenge of sharing resource lists when we know that they can become out of date. With that in mind, we encourage you to contact our retrofit coaches here to get the latest information on our Retrofit Accelerator and other programs for which you may be eligible.
