Calgary homeowner turns to solar to power her home and future
HOME ENERGY AND RESILIENCE UPGRADES
Home-energy upgrade financing program
Alberta
When Zeynin Juma and her husband bought their bungalow in southwest Calgary in 2021, they knew it was the right fit for their family’s future. Nestled in a quiet crescent, the 1958 home offered space, privacy, and even the occasional deer in the yard. But moving in also came with new needs: a major fireplace installation, added air conditioning, and higher electricity use than expected. To keep their home comfortable and future-proof while managing costs, Zeynin turned to solar power. “Our place gets so much sun—it just made sense,” she says. “Solar was really the only option that could offset the added energy load.”
From Greener Homes to Calgary’s CEIP
Zeynin first accessed the federal Greener Homes program in 2021. Through it, she received a $5,000 grant and a $25,000 loan to cover her initial rooftop solar system, installed on her detached garage by a local contractor. But the new electric fireplace drew far more energy than expected, leaving Zeynin with both a monthly electricity bill and the solar loan repayment. When she tried to apply for a second Greener Homes loan in 2022, she learned that homeowners were only eligible once.
“That’s when our contractor told me about the City of Calgary’s Residential Clean Energy Improvement Program (CEIP),” Zeynin recalls. “It was a lifesaver.” Through the City of Calgary, she secured another $17,000 to expand the solar system. The loan was added to her property taxes, spreading repayments over 20 years at a low interest rate. “It only added about 50 dollars a month. That made it doable,” she says
White-glove support
Zeynin describes Calgary’s process as “white glove” compared to her earlier experience. With Greener Homes, she had to pay contractors upfront, raise her credit card limit, and wait for reimbursement. “CEIP took care of everything. They dealt directly with the installer, managed payments, collected serial numbers—things I didn’t even understand. I just paid a couple hundred dollars for the energy assessment and that was it,” Zeynin explains. “It was easy, stress-free, and made sense on paper.”
Comfort, food and joy
The impact goes beyond bills. The upgraded solar system has made the home more comfortable, especially in the basement, which now maintains a steady, livable temperature. It has also fueled Zeynin’s passion for gardening. With reliable, affordable electricity, she and her husband started an indoor garden. “We routinely grow fresh lettuce, cilantro, fennel, and even beets in the basement—even when it’s snowing outside,” she says. “You can’t really put a price tag on that joy.” Looking ahead, Zeynin is considering how solar could support an electric vehicle, as well as future upgrades on her rental duplex. The City of Calgary has already approved both sides of the property for financing, opening the door to lower costs and healthier homes for her tenants.
Advice to others
Zeynin encourages other homeowners to act quickly and not get hung up on the upfront numbers. “Do it now. Don’t wait. It might not look like it makes sense on paper in the first few months, but by year one you really see the benefits,” she says. “And if it doesn’t cover everything the first time, you can always go back. There are programs to help you get it right.” For Zeynin, the decision was both practical and personal. “Solar brings me huge joy,” she says. “Living in Calgary, with so much sun, it just makes sense.”
Calgary's Clean Energy Improvement Program is funded by the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), a program of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
Related Resources
See All
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Rossland Yards: Building stability and a sense of home
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Aspen Heights: Finding stability and comfort in Saskatoon
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Aspen Heights: A comfortable home for a sustainable future
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Priscilla's Place: Peace of mind and a place to call home in Banff
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Priscilla's Place: A bright place to call home in Banff
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Priscilla's Place: A place to breathe and belong in Banff
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
How energy-efficient affordable housing is improving the lives of Canadians: Article series
Discover the inspiring stories of six Canadians who are living comfortably and saving money thanks to energy-efficient affordable housing supported by GMF's Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative.
Tool
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Small towns, big impacts: GMF in small and rural communities
Success stories and resources to inspire your next sustainability project in small and rural communities.
Tool
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Supporting local success stories across the Canadian Prairies
Discover how GMF funding is helping communities with unique local contexts reach their economic, social and climate goals.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Webinar recording: Building for the future with better community housing
Watch the discussion to learn about an award-winning sustainable affordable housing project.
Guide
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Creating inclusive energy retrofit programs
Our Integrating equity principles within community efficiency financing programs: A guide for Canadian municipalities and partners is designed to help municipalities create home energy retrofit financing programs that work for everyone.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Webinar recording: How housing providers can help residents during energy retrofits
Watch the discussion on how to take advantage of the Housing Providers’ Toolkit.
Webinar recording
Local energy generation
Energy
Local energy generation
Energy
Webinar recording: New GMF funding and support to accelerate community energy systems
Watch our webinar to explore GMF’s new funded learning offer: Accelerating Community Energy Systems. Discover best practices, funding insights and strategies for your municipality.
Report
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Unlocking the potential of PACE financing: A comprehensive report on Canadian legislation
Read our informative report to discover an overview of PACE legislation in Canada and learn how a PACE initiative can benefit your community.
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Aspen Heights: Redefining affordable housing in Saskatoon
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Heartland Housing Foundation: Building a sustainable future in Fort Saskatchewan
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Building a better future: CABN’s net-zero affordable housing pilot
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Pine Tree Park: Transforming affordable housing with energy efficiency and solar power
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Rossland Yards: Transforming affordable housing in Rossland, BC
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Transforming communities with Sustainable Affordable Housing: Article series
In a series of six articles, we highlight impactful projects funded by GMF's Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative, demonstrating how energy-efficient, community-centered housing can foster resilience and well-being.
Case Study
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
YWCA Banff: Building stability and community through affordable housing
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Regional Energy Coach list
Get in touch with a Regional Energy Coach in your region and start your energy efficiency journey
Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Webinar recording: Accelerate your community’s net-zero transformation with new GMF funding
Watch our webinar to discover how GMF’s new funding can help you upgrade infrastructure and reduce local GHG emissions.
Webinar recording
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Webinar recording: The real impact of home-energy efficiency financing
Watch our webinar to discover how you can achieve your climate goals by implementing a home-energy efficiency financing program in your community
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Project cash flow calculator
Our energy project calculator is designed to aid housing providers in quantifying the associated costs of sustainable, affordable housing projects. Use the calculator to understand the viability of a potential project and make informed decisions.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Funders list for sustainable affordable housing
Access additional funding sources from across Canada to support your next affordable housing project.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Toolkit: Navigating energy-efficient affordable housing projects
Discover a toolkit designed for affordable housing providers aiming to prioritize energy efficiency. This toolkit offers insights into the benefits of energy-efficient housing, addresses unique challenges, and provides practical tools to identify solutions.
Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Webinar recording: How to start reducing GHG emissions in community buildings
Watch the discussion on how to create a GHG reduction pathway for community buildings.
Webinar recording
Municipal and community buildings
Energy | Housing
Municipal and community buildings
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: How to get a project started, tips for small francophone communities
If you’re a small francophone municipality looking to develop sustainability projects and access funding, watch this webinar to learn how others overcame common challenges.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Durham Region, ON launches novel financing model
A video showcasing innovative and accessible financing options for home-energy upgrades.
Guide
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Community Efficiency Financing market guide
Guide to help Canadian municipalities assess potential home energy upgrade programs
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Affordable housing providers’ impact on energy poverty
The webinar will feature a housing project helping moderate income households while achieving high environmental standards.
Guide
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy
Understanding energy efficiency: A guide for affordable housing providers
This guide is for affordable housing providers, such as municipalities or housing cooperatives, interested in improving energy efficiency in their buildings.
Tool
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Municipal and community buildings
Energy
Resource library: Community Buildings Retrofit
Find practical case studies and guidance for planning your local community building retrofit.
Webinar recording
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Webinar recording: Introduction to local home-energy financing programs
Learn the basics on delivering local financing programs for home-energy upgrades.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Saskatoon delivers Saskatchewan’s first local home-energy financing program
Learn how the City of Saskatoon designed its Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) to help residents retrofit their homes and reduce GHG emissions.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing
Video: Nelson scales up local program to support home-energy upgrades
In this video, Carmen Proctor, Climate & Energy Manager at the City of Nelson, tells the story of the program’s success to date, shares key lessons learned from running the program, and highlights their next steps to scale up the program.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Asset management and energy conservation
Learn how the non-profit housing sector can integrate energy management into asset management to reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Tool
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Resources: Community Efficiency Financing
Read guidebooks and case studies to see how municipalities are designing home upgrade financing programs.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Kingston supports homeowners with financing program for energy upgrades
Hear from Julie Salter-Keane, Manager of Climate Leadership at the City of Kingston, as she discusses the City’s program implementation and their approach to designing a strong local program.
Video
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Video: 5 keys for sustainable social housing success
This video walks through the key sections of a successful business case: Needs Assessment, Organizational Readiness, Project Vision and Financials.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: New municipal financing program removes barriers to energy-efficiency upgrades for homeowners
Marie-Pierre Paquette discusses how the municipalities of Plessisville, Varennes and Verchères banded together to launch a joint pilot project that would bring energy-efficient home renovations within reach for more homeowners.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: Introduction to home energy upgrade programs
Watch this video to learn more about home energy upgrade programs and how they can help municipalities to tackle climate change, save money, and invest in the local economy.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Resources: Sustainable Affordable Housing
Learn how to retrofit existing housing for energy-efficiency and plan new builds for higher performance.
Video
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Video: New municipal financing program removes barriers to energy-efficiency upgrades for homeowners
Marie-Pierre Paquette discusses how the municipalities of Plessisville, Varennes and Verchères banded together to launch a joint pilot project that would bring energy-efficient home renovations within reach for more homeowners.
Webinar recording
Energy | Housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Take your project from study to capital
Watch this webinar recording and discover how others have successfully converted studies into a capital project that provides social, economic and environmental benefits.
Webinar recording
Energy
Energy
Webinar recording: The 5 keys to a green municipal project business case
Watch this webinar recording and discover the five critical focus areas you need to address to get your project started, from financing and partnerships to integrating a triple-bottom-line approach.
Video
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Video: 1,500 Toronto residents benefit from retrofit initiative
Bryan Purcell, of The Atmospheric Fund, tells the story of how an initiative to perform energy efficiency retrofits of 7 community housing buildings in Toronto achieved so much more.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Making affordable housing sustainable
Watch this webinar recording to learn about the various forms of grant, loan and capacity building support we offer to help you retrofit existing units or build new ones.
Webinar recording
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Webinar recording: How to create an efficiency financing program for your community
An overview of the funding options, eligibility and application details of GMF’s Community Efficiency Financing program.
Tool
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy
Factsheets: Community Efficiency Financing
Learn how to design, deliver and market a home upgrade financing program for your community.
Tool
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Factsheets: Sustainable Affordable Housing
Learn how to retrofit existing housing for energy-efficiency and plan new builds for higher performance.
Webinar recording
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Sustainable affordable housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: Apply for GMF’s Sustainable Affordable Housing funding
Watch this joint webinar hosted by the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA to learn how to apply for FCM’s newest funding initiative – Sustainable Affordable Housing.
Webinar recording
Energy | Housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recordings: Best practices in municipal sustainability
How are cities and communities of all sizes tackling their environmental challenges? Find out from our five-part webinar series on innovations and opportunities in municipal energy, waste, water, transportation and land use initiatives.
Webinar recording
Energy | Housing
Energy | Housing
Webinar recording: How to prepare a GMF capital project application
Need advice for preparing your GMF capital project funding application? Watch our webinar recording to hear tips from our staff and find out what reviewers are looking for.
Related Projects
See All
Home energy and resilience upgrades
Energy | Housing