The federal government has announced an investment of more than $2 million to three organizations that are advancing energy efficiency in buildings in Ontario.

Chief among the projects is an investment of $1.3 million to London’s Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology to retrofit the 25-year-old Kestrel Court Student Residence into a net zero-energy facility. Fanshawe College also contributed $1.25 million, bringing the combined project cost to more than $2.5 million.

"This project offers a unique opportunity to provide a transformative model to reduce carbon emissions from existing low-rise housing throughout Canada,” said Alison Ewart, dean of the college’s Centre for Research and Innovation. “Fanshawe aims to demonstrate the savings to homeowners, industry representatives, building officials, code authorities and policymakers of sustainable retrofit practices."

In Woodstock, the government has provided $365,000 to supportive housing agency Indwell to help with the construction of a 34-unit, high-performing multi-unit residential building using the BuildSMART prefabricated envelope technology. The project is also being funded by the Canada Green Building Council, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Oxford County and Passive House Canada for a total cost of more than $7.3 million.

Finally, $350,000 is being provided to Markham’s Enwave Energy Corporation to support the development of a community energy system that will supply low-carbon geothermal heating and cooling to 300 residential homes. That project also received financial support from the City of Markham, Mattamy Homes and The Atmospheric Fund for a total project cost of $818,367.

The federal funding is being provided through Natural Resources Canada's Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficient Buildings Program, which supports improvements to the design, renovation and construction of homes and buildings.

"Reducing emissions from buildings is a key part of our efforts to combat climate change. Our government is pleased to support today's investment in energy efficiency in Ontario, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower costs to residents and improve building resilience for folks in London, Woodstock and Markham,” said Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson.

The Government of Canada is also developing a Green Buildings Strategy, which will create local jobs and help Canada move toward a net-zero emissions buildings sector by 2050. The Strategy will be focused on increasing the rate of building retrofits, ensuring buildings are resilient and net-zero ready from the start, and supporting systems change for the buildings sector of the future.

Buildings and homes contribute approximately 18 percent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.