A pending blitz for deep retrofit readiness aims to furnish owners/managers of Class B and C buildings with workable strategies and skilled expertise for attaining energy savings and cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada is now inviting pre-registrations for its new support and incentive program, to be known as Enspire, funded through the Canadian government’s Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative.

“With advancements in building technology and the launch of this initiative, it’s the perfect opportunity for mid-tier buildings to invest in deep retrofits,” says Benjamin Shinewald, BOMA Canada’s president and chief executive officer. “Our team is thrilled about this new program.”

Under the program’s rules, government funding will be channelled to capacity building, to ease pre-project planning, financing and regulatory approvals, and procurement of supplies and services. BOMA Canada plans to leverage its extensive network to connect project proponents with a wide range of resources needed to devise and implement deep retrofits.

Targeted projects are those that can deliver at least a 50 per cent reduction in energy use and/or at least an 80 per cent reduction in GHG emissions from a building. That’s expected to entail a combination of measures to improve energy and water efficiency, enhance indoor air quality and potentially bolster climate resilience, which could include smart technologies, analytics and recommissioning.

BOMA Canada is currently choosing a program administrator and moving to finalize program details ahead of its expected launch in January 2025. Pre-registered enrollees are promised progress updates and early access.