Vancouver, BC – We are proud to announce that the Pembina Institute’s Reframed Initiative has been recognized as a finalist for the 2024 Land Awards. The awards, presented yesterday by the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC), recognize outstanding projects and leaders across five categories in sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use and real estate.
Since 2010, the Land Awards have celebrated projects and leaders that protect lands and waters and foster the development of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities. The Reframed Initiative has been recognized for its innovative approach to deep retrofits in the residential housing sector, aiming to deliver significant carbon emissions reductions while enhancing beyond-energy benefits like occupant health and climate resilience.
We're proud to be considered alongside other exceptional finalists in the Built Environment category including BC Transit, Climate Caucus, and Kambo Energy Group. Congratulations to NUQO Modular & Squamish Nation for their win in this category, and for their outstanding contribution to creating more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities.
Nominations for the project awards were evaluated by committees of community leaders and subject-matter experts. Judges considered factors such as innovation, impact, collaboration, engagement, sustainability, equity, social justice, Indigenous self-determination and reconciliation, and climate mitigation and adaptation.
Our Reframed Initiative is a landmark project that demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of deep retrofits in six multi-unit residential buildings, home to seniors, low-income households and people living with mental health, addiction, and physical challenges. The initiative brought together over 70 professionals as part of six design teams to participate in the Reframed Lab. The Lab helped teams reimagine the retrofits of buildings that target substantial energy and carbon emissions reductions while prioritizing beyond-energy benefits such as climate adaptation and resilience, and occupant health and well-being.
The Pembina Institute is grateful for the opportunity to work with Reframed Initiative partners, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, City of Vancouver, and Metro Vancouver Housing, and with BC Housing and FortisBC, who supported the Lab. Report recommendations include introducing standards, leveraging public procurement, closing the retrofit cost gap, educating owners, and investing in workforce development and supply chain growth.
Quotes
“We’re honoured to be recognized as a finalist among leaders who are dedicated to creating healthy, inclusive, and resilient communities. The Reframed Lab design teams proved how deep retrofits can cut energy use and emissions by up to 90%—underscoring the generational opportunity deep retrofits present for driving down energy demand, lowering emissions, and cutting utility costs during an affordability crisis.”
— Betsy Agar, Director, Buildings, Pembina Institute
“In sharing success stories from leaders across BC, we hope to build bridges and inspire lasting change for our communities. We’re excited to celebrate remarkable leaders and organizations, such as the Reframed Initiative, forging better relationships between lands, waters, and people.”
— Mark Gifford, CEO, Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC)
“Congratulations to Pembina and the recognition it is getting for its Reframed Initiative, which is reducing carbon emissions and energy use, while making rental homes in buildings safer, and more resilient to extreme weather events. As part of tackling climate change in B.C., we need to look at innovative ways to renovate residential buildings so they are sustainable for the future.”
— Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing
“As a proud partner of the Reframed Initiative, Metro Vancouver is pleased to see the project recognized as a finalist for the REFBC 2024 Land Awards. Our work with the Reframed Lab has demonstrated that significant energy and carbon emissions reductions are possible through residential building retrofits, providing many social and environmental benefits for tenants. This recognition will help advance solutions that lead to more energy-efficient, comfortable, and greener homes for the region.”
— George V. Harvie, Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Board of Directors
“The City of Vancouver is proud to partner with the Pembina Institute on the Reframed Initiative and to see it recognized as a finalist for the 2024 Land Awards. This initiative is a testament to the power of collaboration in driving deep retrofits and advancing sustainability. We are committed to continuing our joint efforts to create greener, more resilient communities for all Vancouver residents.”
— Sean Pander, Manager, Green and Resilient Buildings, City of Vancouver
“Through the Reframed Lab, participating teams showed how major energy and carbon emissions reductions are possible in buildings providing multiple social and environmental benefits for tenants. We’re pleased to see this recognition that will help advance solutions leading to more energy-efficient, more comfortable, and greener homes for residents of affordable housing.”
— Ian Cullis, Director of Asset Management, BC Non-Profit Housing Association
Quick facts
- Canada’s buildings sector is the third-largest contributor to the country’s emissions at 87 Mt CO2e (13% of the total).
- 80% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 are already built. Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) typically expects deep retrofits to achieve reductions in energy consumption by at least 50% to 70% and greenhouse gas emissions by 80% to 100%.
- To meet Canada's 2050 net zero emission goals, we need to retrofit approximately 600,000 homes each year.
About the Reframed Lab
Design proposals demonstrated that for low-rise, multi-unit residential buildings:
- Aging housing presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to introduce benefits beyond energy efficiency and carbon reductions that improve occupant quality of life and resilience.
- 58-93% heating energy reductions and 68-99% carbon emission reductions are feasible.
- While replacing like-for-like baseline retrofits can be up to half the cost of a deep retrofit, a wholistic retrofit approach can deliver over 90% more in utility bill savings, reduce the risk of losses from extreme weather events and maintenance costs, increase building value for the owner, and improve occupant experience.
- Embodied carbon could be reduced by 30-60% with the right design decisions.
Key learnings
- Low- and no-cost capital is needed until we reach economies of scale and cost compression.
- A cultural shift is needed to value beyond-energy benefits and define an alternate business model.
- Regulations that drive demand are needed to provide investor confidence.
- Deep retrofits start with holistic planning starting with procurement and following through design and construction.
- Solution providers need a strong signal and supports to scale up supply chain and build workforce capacity.
- Many systemic barriers remain in the way of scaling up building decarbonization.
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Contact
Sarah Snowdon
Senior Comms Lead, Pembina Institute
416-838-3423
Background
Event: 2024 Land Awards
Report: Reframed Initiative: Outcomes and analysis -- A study of six best in class deep retrofit schematic designs.
