Envelope Features Net Zero News
Ottawa pilot project will retrofit 4-unit community townhouse to net zero

October 6, 2021 – Ottawa is investing $547,500 in Ottawa Community Housing Corp. (OCHC) for a pilot project that aims to retrofit a four-unit townhome in Ottawa to become net zero homes.

OCHC is matching federal funding, for a project total over $1 million.

The retrofits include a new roof, windows, prefab exterior panels and an array of solar panels to increase energy efficiency and reduce the building’s carbon footprint. The renovations will be performed without having to relocate tenants. Upon completion, the project is expected to cut the building’s energy use by 55%.

Federal funding is provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficiency for Buildings Program, which supports the “development and implementation of building codes for existing buildings and new net zero-energy-ready (NZER) buildings through research, development and demonstration projects”.

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

Stéphane Giguère, OCHC’s CEO, said “innovative partnerships allow us to meet the diverse needs of 32,000 tenants and increase access to affordable housing”.

“The PEER project is important as it allows us to bring the expertise and research from Natural Resources Canada to life,” added Giguère.