Canada Invests in Energy Efficiency for Buildings in Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia

HALIFAX, NS, Nov. 16, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Homes and buildings across Canada are where we work, live and play. But they are also Canada's third-largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Decarbonizing Canada's buildings is critical to combating climate change and achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.

Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada, announced an investment of $526,785 to RSI Projects Inc. in support of the ReCover Initiative, which will enable energy efficiency transformations in buildings across Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia.

The federal investment will support six front-end engineering design studies of deep energy retrofits for six municipally owned buildings. The project will identify and share replicable, cost-effective pathways to achieve significant energy reductions through panelized retrofits; de-risk future investment for other building owners; and grow confidence and experience in deep energy retrofits among municipalities and industry stakeholders.

Federal funding is being provided through Natural Resources Canada's Green Infrastructure ? Energy Efficient Buildings Program. This program supports improvements to the design, renovation and construction of our homes and buildings.

The government is advancing the development and implementation of building codes for existing buildings and new net-zero-energy?ready buildings through research, development and demonstration projects across the nation.

Programs such as this one have contributed to the objectives of the upcoming Canada Green Buildings Strategy. Minister Wilkinson launched consultations on the Strategy on August 17, 2022, which will seek to accelerate deep energy retrofits, transform space and water heating, and build net-zero and climate-resilient buildings from the start. Canadians can have their say in the drafting of the Strategy here.

Quotes

"Canada's buildings represent 18 percent of our emissions. To fight climate change and reduce emissions, we must ensure increased energy efficiency in communities right across Canada. Through today's announcement, we are helping municipalities in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia lower emissions, save money on monthly bills and create good, sustainable jobs."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Natural Resources

"Even if we build every new construction to net-zero starting today, Canada still has to find a way to make its existing building stock net-zero, with as small a carbon footprint as possible. ReCover is excited to partner with NRCan, the province of Nova Scotia, QUEST, the Atmospheric Fund, Efficiency Nova Scotia, the Ecology Action Centre and six municipalities across Canada to develop a deep retrofit solution that is scalable at the speed required by the climate crisis."

Nick Rudnicki
Technical Director of the ReCover Initiative and Chief Executive Officer of RSI Projects

Quick Facts

• Buildings and homes contribute approximately 18 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.
• The $48.4-million Energy-Efficient Buildings Program is part of the $180-billion Investing in Canada Plan, supporting the reduction of buildings emissions nationally.
• The Canada Green Buildings Strategy will seek to mobilize national action to reduce emissions by 37 percent from 2005 by 2030 and to create a net-zero-emissions buildings sector by 2050. The Strategy will focus on increasing the rate of building retrofits, ensuring buildings are resilient and net-zero from the start, and transforming space and water heating. It will be backed by $150 million, as committed to in Canada's Emissions Reduction Plan.

Related Links

• Green Infrastructure ? Energy Efficient Buildings Program
• The Canada Green Buildings Strategy
• 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy
• ReCover Initiative: Panelized Deep Energy Retrofits of Municipal Buildings
• ReCover Initiative
• Province of Nova Scotia

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SOURCE Natural Resources Canada