The Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC) has launched the BC Retrofit Accelerator (BCRA), a three-year $20 million program aimed at kick-starting climate and energy upgrades across hundreds of the province’s commercial and residential buildings.

With funding from Natural Resources Canada, the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, Metro Vancouver, ZEIC, and others contributors, the BCRA will provide hands-on guidance to the owners and managers of larger commercial and residential properties—including strata-owned, rental, non-market, and off-reserve Indigenous housing.

Over the next three years, the BCRA aims to deliver decarbonization plans for 500 large existing buildings, each showing a path to zero emissions by 2050 aligned with major capital renewals.

The program will provide expert coaching for all stages of a retrofit project: such as identifying technology and financing options and support through procurement and implementation. By navigating building owners and managers through the upgrade process, the BCRA aims to spark deep energy retrofits—including the installation of heat pumps or distributed renewable energy systems—in 125 larger properties across the province.

“The climate is changing, and the buildings that we live, work, and play in need to change too. By timing cost-effective energy and climate upgrades with regular building renewals, property owners and managers can deliver healthier, more comfortable homes and workplaces while advancing climate action. It just makes sense,” said ZEIC executive director Melina Scholefield.

Many property owners and managers, including strata councils, want to upgrade and decarbonize their buildings by transitioning to all-electric heating, cooling, ventilation, or water heating. But they grapple with a range of barriers, including low awareness, complexity, and challenges in sourcing financing. This comes at a time where the need for cooling has become a priority due to intensifying heat waves and degraded air quality.