Regional Energy Coach

The Community Housing Transformation Centre is working with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to support a new initiative: the Regional Energy Coach pilot program.

The REC program seeks to improve your ability, as an affordable-housing provider, to launch, build and operate projects that reduce your environmental footprint. The coaches will help you to increase your understanding of “sustainable housing” and to apply for funding and financing that can help you achieve your goals.

Regional Energy Coaches (RECs) can support your organization in three ways:

1. By providing coaching on energy-smart ideas and opportunities 

Regional Energy Coaches will provide clear, plain-language information about energy efficiency. We understand that it is easy to be overwhelmed by the volume of information about sustainable building: our RECs are here to walk you through the basics. 

2. By guiding you in how to identify and evaluate the feasibility of energy-efficient retrofits 

RECs will provide virtual walk-through energy assessments—free of charge—to community housing providers. They will “accompany” you on a tour of your building to compile information about energy-saving opportunities. From there, your coach will direct you to appropriate resources and suggest follow-up steps, such as funding and incentive programs. 

3. By assisting you in applying for and accessing funding and financing opportunities, particularly the Federation’s Sustainable Affordable Housing fund 

The SAH fund is a new initiative that offers both grants and loans to municipal, not-for-profit and co-operative housing providers to retrofit existing affordable housing units, or to construct new, energy-efficient builds. This represents an opportunity for your organization to access funding for construction. RECs will guide you through the application process to ensure that you are as prepared as possible with your submission.

The Centre currently has Regional Energy Coaches located in three regions of the country. For more information about the REC pilot program or the Sustainable Affordable Housing fund, please reach out to our program managers at info@centre.support

Two ways the Centre can help you go greener

1 – SUSTAINABLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FUND

Looking to access capital funding for your affordable housing project while reducing future operating costs? Check out the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Sustainable Affordable Housing fund. Learn more here

2 – WALK-THROUGH ENERGY ASSESSMENT

We understand that it is easy to be overwhelmed by the volume of information about sustainable building. Start small—contact a Regional Energy Coach to lead you on a “walk-through” energy assessment. Together, we may find simple changes that can lead to big savings! Learn more here