Net Zero
Ottawa Community Housing aims to retrofit 4-unit townhome for net zero

August 9, 2021 – Ottawa Community Housing Corp. (OCHC) is the recipient of a $547,500 federal investment for a net zero pilot project.

The project aims to retrofit a 4-unit townhome so that, annually, it produces as much energy as it consumes.

OCHC is matching the federal funding, for a project total over $1 million. Federal funding is provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficiency for Buildings Program.

The retrofits include a new roof, windows, prefabricated exterior panels and an array of solar panels, and will be carried out without having to relocate tenants. According to NRCan, the project is expected to cut the building’s energy use by 55%.

CanmetEnergy-Ottawa is collaborating with OCHC to monitor the performance of the retrofit, as well as providing ongoing research on Prefabricated Exterior Energy Retrofits (PEERs).

“The PEER project is a new way to address Ottawa Community Housing’s capital repair needs in aging family homes, while reducing the Corporation’s greenhouse gas emissions, which aligns with the City’s Climate Change Master Plan,” said Mathieu Fleury, chair, Ottawa Community Housing board of directors.