Toolkit: Navigating energy efficient affordable housing projects

The Housing Providers’ Toolkit equips Canadian non-profit housing organizations, municipal providers, and housing co-ops with the tools they need to effectively navigate the opportunities for enhancing energy efficiency in affordable housing. This comprehensive resource includes everything from understanding the intrinsic advantages of energy-efficient buildings, to the practical steps of implementation and applying for funding.

Each component below is crafted to support both retrofits of existing units and new builds. Whether you're aiming to transform your current infrastructure or embark on innovative new projects, this toolkit is your guide, ensuring that you have what you need to make informed and impactful decisions.

Sustainable affordable housing funding roadmap

Learn about the Sustainable affordable housing funding roadmap process with this resource. It outlines the process to assess your building’s energy efficiency needs and opportunities with GMF’S Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative. Gain clarity on the various project stages, the associated timeline for completion and tools that simplify the approval process.

Download the roadmap.

Project cash flow calculator and Energy benchmarking tool

The Project cash flow calculator and Energy benchmarking tool are designed to help housing providers understand how much energy their buildings use and assess and quantify the associated costs with potential retrofits or new builds. It includes a set of parameters and performance metrics, including capital cost, savings, inflation rate, simple payback and net present value to determine the financial feasibility and the energy savings associated with a project. This tool will help housing providers make informed decisions, leveraging accurate data to assess the viability of a potential project.

Open the calculator and energy benchmarking tool.

Funders list for sustainable affordable housing

Energy efficient affordable housing projects are expensive to undertake. We’ve compiled a list of potential funders from across the country to help you easily identify partners to support your project. Catering to both provincial and national levels, many of the organizations on this list support both retrofits and new build projects.

Search the funders list.

Case study: Pine Tree Park Estates—a blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing 

New Dawn Enterprises transformed Pine Tree Park Estates, previously a military radar base, into Cape Breton's first net-zero energy community. This ambitious project, stretching from 2018 to 2023, highlights the step-by-step process of converting a brownfield into a sustainable, affordable housing model. With the support of diverse funding sources—including GMF’s Sustainable Affordable Housing (SAH) initiative—this project showcases a replicable blueprint for sustainable, affordable housing.

Read the case study.