Case study: Bridging energy efficiency and equity in Bridgewater

Summary

The Town of Bridgewater, in the heart of Nova Scotia, has pioneered a three-pronged approach that reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while tackling energy poverty. Winner of a Sustainable Communities Award 2024, the Energize Bridgewater project combines leading-edge energy monitoring technology, an innovative client-oriented  navigation program, and comprehensive social support services that address housing insecurity and homelessness.  

Background

Home to approximately 8,790 residents, Bridgewater is the largest town in the province’s South Shore region. Bridgewater made a commitment to reducing GHG emissions when its town council  passed a Community Energy Investment Plan in 2018.

After applying for and receiving Smart Cities funding— a national innovation program to which the Town pitched its ambitious proposal to tackle energy poverty  —the town then spent several years studying and testing solutions to the barriers that prevent broad adoption of deep home-energy upgrades.

Challenge

Bridgewater set an ambitious goal of achieving an 81 percent reduction in community GHG emissions by 2050 compared to its 2011 emission levels. At the same time, the town had to address the fact that 38 percent of Bridgewater residents were struggling to afford and access heating, cooling, and other essential energy services—a prevalent issue throughout the Atlantic provinces. Bridgewater therefore committed to reduce the town’s energy poverty rate by 20 percent, but needed a multi-pronged approach that would address both climate and social challenges simultaneously.

The Energize Bridgewater project set out to address two critical and interconnected needs: reducing energy poverty and improving energy efficiency. It focuses on helping residents—particularly those struggling with high energy costs—by offering tailored support to reduce their energy consumption, lower costs of upgrades and improve their living conditions.

Throughout its implementation, there were significant changes to the available funding and incentives for home energy upgrades. While in many cases these ultimately proved advantageous, they required flexibility and the coordination of more complex deep energy upgrades. Additionally, given the relatively small size of the town, limited contractor and trades capacity resulted in slower implementation of the Home Upgrades program.  

Approach

Energize Bridgewater consists of three interconnected services, designed through a holistic approach that recognises the day-to-day challenges faced by people living in energy poverty.

“Energy poverty looks different in rural areas versus cities, and the spectrum of energy poverty is broad. That’s why we wanted to cast as wide of a net as possible within the scope of Energize Bridgewater.”

– Leon de Vreede, Senior Policy & Program Planner

1. Energy management information system: This unique, municipally-developed technology combines energy monitoring and indoor air quality monitoring for residents . The software then generates personalized suggestions on how to save on energy costs and improve air quality  based on their unique data.  
2. Home Upgrades Program: A navigator that guides homeowners and landlords to the best technical and financial  options for energy efficient improvements. The program also provides support in selecting the most effective upgrades for their homes. Eligible upgrades may include heat pumps, insulation, draft proofing, and more. This program is delivered in partnership with Efficiency Nova Scotia  and Clean Foundation.
3. Coordinated Access system: Recognising that energy poverty is connected to other social factors like housing insecurity and health, this program provides wrap-around community support services to Bridgewater residents experiencing energy poverty, housing insecurity, and homelessness. This central access point connects individuals and families to the programs that best meet their unique needs, ensuring they receive the right support at the right time.

Benefits and results

Environmental:  

• As energy upgrades progress, participating homes are expected to cut their GHG emissions by an average of 51%.
• 183 home energy efficiency upgrades like heat pumps and draft proofing were in progress or complete by July 31, 2024.  
• The first single-unit homes retrofitted through the Home Upgrades program have reduced their GHG emissions by 22-39% .  
• Two retrofitted multi-unit buildings are cutting GHG emissions by up to 48%.  
• Project participants are experiencing improved indoor air quality and comfort.

Economic:  

• The Energize Bridgewater program is expected to stimulate over $10M in local and regional economic activity.  
• Homes in the program are expected to save an average of 52% on their energy bills.

Social:  

• The project’s focus on energy poverty has helped bring this challenging issue into the public discourse, accelerating both media interest and political action.
• Over 600 households have received social support through the Coordinated Access system, improving their health and wellbeing.

Lessons learned

• Bridgewater can’t be a “smart city” on its own. Local and regional partnerships and service relationships are the key to a successful sustainability project.
• High-quality data can help inform home-energy efficiency solutions that create more sustainable, prosperous, and equitable communities.
• Gaining a deeper understanding of residents' unique circumstances is essential for offering the right support and implementing deep home energy upgrades.

“We’re trying to take a trauma-informed, accessible approach to meeting people where they’re at. We really aim to make the process of retrofitting and energy monitoring as human, simple and straightforward as possible.”

– Josie Rudderham, Energize Program Navigator

Next steps

Bridgewater is exploring opportunities to work with Efficiency Nova Scotia and the Province of Nova Scotia to scale its home upgrade services province-wide. The energy management information system  technology developed for Energize Bridgewater also has the potential to be applied more broadly, allowing other municipalities to gather and leverage their own energy and indoor air quality data.

Should the project ultimately be able to scale across all homes in Bridgewater, there could be a community-wide reduction of over 25 kilotonnes in GHG emissions per year.