Local climate leaders are working to make buildings part of the solution to the climate crisis by improving energy performance and cutting emissions. The Halifax Climate Investment, Innovation and Impact Fund (HCi3) helped kickstart a region-wide program focused on deep retrofits—major building upgrades that reduce energy use and improve performance—both by providing early financing and helping shape and deliver the work.
Jumpstarting deep retrofits with early investment
Buildings are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions in Atlantic Canada, contributing nearly 11 percent of the region’s total, excluding electricity. Since many of these buildings will still be in use after 2050, improving their energy performance is a top priority.
With a $500,000 investment, HCi3 helped launch the Deep Retrofit Accelerator, a multi-partner program led by the ReCover Initiative. It’s also a program delivery partner, helping building owners and managers access financing by identifying gaps, sharing knowledge and building stronger links to funding partners.
As part of this work, HCi3 convened the core partnership behind a successful and transformative $16.5 million funding application to Natural Resources Canada. This federal support marked a major milestone for ReCover, helping transform a small Halifax-based organization into a national retrofit leader. The Deep Retrofit Accelerator was recently recognized with a 2025 Clean50 award for its innovative, collaborative approach to accelerating building retrofits across Atlantic Canada.
HCi3 also played a key role in establishing one of the program’s main partners: the Building to Zero Exchange, a new non-profit dedicated to advancing low-carbon building solutions. HCi3’s contribution provided vital working capital,unlocked $1.8 million in additional philanthropic funding, and helped get the program off the ground. The core partnership also includes the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq, who are focused on making retrofit solutions work in the five Mi’kmaw communities in Cape Breton.
Setting the stage for scale
The Deep Retrofit Accelerator is designed to take on some of the biggest roadblocks to large-scale retrofits: financing gaps, skilled labour shortages, complex policies and regulations, technical challenges, and gaps in knowledge and experience. With a focus on commercial, institutional and mid- or high-rise residential buildings, including housing in Indigenous communities, the program aims to drive a wave of deep retrofits that cut energy use, reduce emissions and extend the life of existing infrastructure.
In its first year of the program, HCi3 focused on engaging with building owners, managers and retrofit professionals. Through interviews and consultations, the team began to uncover key barriers and new ways to get retrofit projects off the ground.
The program was officially launched in fall 2024, when events were held in all four Atlantic provinces. These gatherings included workshops and networking opportunities, bringing together industry professionals, policymakers and community leaders. They helped connect key players in each province and showcased the benefits of deep retrofits—better performance, lower energy use and long-term value.
A data-driven Atlantic Canadian Retrofit Roadmap is now in development to support scalable, replicable retrofit strategies. Alongside this, a Building Transformation Program has begun offering expert guidance and financial support for feasibility studies to help building owners plan and execute deep retrofits.
Clearing a path for progress
Early learnings point to a few key areas that could guide faster progress on retrofit projects:
- Expanding access to financing: More flexible, innovative funding models can help building owners overcome high upfront costs and move retrofit projects forward. Stakeholders have stressed the need for funding that fits the scale and challenge of deep retrofits.
- Filling knowledge gaps: Better information about retrofit technologies, costs, benefits and long-term savings can help all stakeholders make confident, informed decisions. Many are asking for clearer data on long-term energy savings and building performance.
- Strengthening collaboration: Stronger connections among building owners, professionals, policymakers and communities can support more coordinated, effective retrofit projects. Early outreach has shown that working together across roles can close gaps and keep progress on track.
- Improving policies and incentives: Simpler grant processes and stronger incentives can help make retrofit projects easier to plan and carry out. The program has highlighted the need for policies that reduce administrative burden and offer clearer pathways to funding.
Better buildings, broader benefits
Retrofitting existing buildings is one of the most cost-effective and sustainable ways to cut emissions and extend the life of valuable infrastructure. It also brings big wins for communities, including lower energy bills, cleaner indoor air, more local jobs and better protection against extreme weather.
Through the program, ReCover and its partners are working to extend these benefits to more communities across Atlantic Canada. HCi3 continues to support this work by improving access to financing, helping build partnerships and infrastructure to support long-term change, and helping innovative solutions reach more communities. This contribution goes beyond funding — it’s part of a shared push to strengthen local industries, support retrofit innovation and help shape a future where better buildings benefit everyone.
From one retrofit to many
This kind of practical, community-led work is just the kind of effort the LC3 Network was created to support. By investing in building retrofits and other climate solutions, HCi3 and other LC3 Centres are helping local organizations and communities take the lead on climate action and shaping ideas that can grow across the country.
Projects like this one are setting change in motion for stronger, more resilient communities, starting with the buildings we depend on every day.
Learn more about how LC3 is supporting local climate leadership.