Grant: Alliance Grants

Over 70% of the existing Canadian building stock was constructed prior to the development of the building energy code, leaving significant opportunity for performance improvement via retrofit of the homes that exhibit high energy use, poor occupant comfort, and extensive need for repair. At present, there is a disconnect between theoretical energy retrofit solutions, and the realized energy and non-energy benefits (e.g., occupants' health and well-being) of said retrofits. The proposed research project targets the existing gaps through a multi-objective assessment of retrofits that will simultaneously evaluate impacts on energy and occupant health and wellbeing, with the overarching objective of conducting a sociotechnical assessment of medium-depth retrofits. EnviroCentre - an environmental not-for-profit, based in Ottawa, whose mission is to scope, design, deliver and scale practical approaches to reduce climate emissions - has been mandated by Gloucester Housing Corporation - a social housing provider in Ottawa - to coordinate and oversee the addition of air sealing and attic insulation, and installation of heat pump water heaters, heat pumps, and heat recovery ventilators into 110 townhouse units. The project team will recruit occupants and use social and technical measurements to measure energy consumption and occupants' health and well-being, and experiences of the retrofit processes. The project works towards supporting the uptake of knowledge and potential for action in making high quality and comfortable housing available and suited to lower-income Canadians. It is the team's goal to generate outputs that allow stakeholders to draw from the projects' results easily and accessibly in future decision-making, such that building retrofits not only to minimize building energy consumption and emissions, but also promote occupant comfort and well-being. In this way, the project aims to have a tangible socioeconomic and environmental impact across the country.