The City of Toronto announced it has launched the Deep Retrofit Challenge aimed at accelerating the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing buildings. Ultimately, 10 to 16 privately-owned buildings will qualify to receive funding to support “deeper-than-planned” energy retrofits. with the goal of accelerating emissions reductions and identifying pathways to net zero that can be replicated in other buildings.

Funded through a $5 million investment provided by Natural Resources Canada’s Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficient Buildings Program, projects will be selected through a competition-style process. A design charrette organized by the City will bring together a variety of building specialists to identify energy and environmental improvements that may be achieved, and opportunities to advance the design to maximize emissions reductions. Selected projects will receive a grant equal to 25 per cent of their total project costs up to a maximum of $500,000 (depending on gross floor area) to offset the incremental design and construction costs required to achieve maximum emissions reductions.

Participants may also apply to the City’s Energy Retrofit Loan program and High-Rise Retrofit Improvement Support program to assist in funding their projects, and may also use incentives available from other sources.

Eligible buildings include:

• Multi-unit residential (more than six units or three storeys)
• Residential condominiums (more than six units or three storeys)
• Commercial office buildings
• Mixed-use buildings
• Residential over commercial (more than six units)

Eligible projects must involve a deep retrofit of an existing, occupied building in Toronto and be aligned with the objectives of the City’s Net Zero Existing Buildings Strategy. Additionally, all projects must reduce GHG emissions and energy by at least 50 per cent; use a replicable approach that could be adapated by other similar buildings;  provide a whole-building energy model for pre- and post-retrofit case studies; meet a 20 year payback period (or better); and aim to be operational by January 1, 2025.

“Our city has a goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2040 – 10 years earlier than anticipated,” said Mayor John Tory. “In order to do that, we must accelerate and introduce programs and initiatives that aim to help reduce our carbon footprint and work to make Toronto cleaner and greener. We know buildings omit some of the highest emissions and we need to work together along with the other governments and the private sector to address this issue. The retrofits funded through this Challenge will go a long way to proving that we can reduce building emissions using existing technologies. I encourage building owners across Toronto to take up the Challenge and help lead the way to cleaner, greener, more sustainable buildings. Thank you to the federal government for their support of this important initiative.”

The retrofits funded through the Deep Retrofit Challenge are expected to result in approximately 1,750 tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) per year in emissions reductions starting in 2025, once the projects are complete. They will demonstrate deep retrofit pathways that building owners across Toronto can undertake to reduce emissions from their own buildings.

More information  is available at the City’s Better Buildings Partnership webpage.