Browse CEA's case studies
District of Hudson’s Hope benefitting from solar panels on municipal facilities
Hudson’s Hope attracted nearly $1.3 million in grant funding to install solar panels on all of its large municipal facilities in 2018 and now saves approximately $63,000 per year on electricity costs.
How the District of Mackenzie’s failing arena floor led to a whole new solar-powered energy system
The need to replace a failing arena floor in the local rec centre prompted the District of Mackenzie to source external funding that allowed the new arena floor to incorporate a heat recovery system powered by solar panels that is dramatically reducing energy and water consumption, reducing operating costs, and contributing to the longevity of this critical piece of civic infrastructure.
Fort St. John North Peace Museum is saving on energy to invest in programming
The North Peace Historical Society installed solar panels on the roof of the museum in Fort St. John as part of a strategic effort to reduce operating costs and channel the annual savings into additional local capacity in support of the organization’s mission.
Saulteau First Nations’ Community-Wide Residential Solar Program
The Saulteau First Nations is installing solar panels on nearly all of the homes in their community, bringing benefits ranging from cost-savings to community capacity and skill development, all in a region with cold and dark winters.
Electric scooters serving high density, transit-oriented areas in City of Coquitlam
Electric kick scooters are connecting transit riders to the first and last kilometer of their commute in the City of Coquitlam.
How the City of Kelowna welcomed electric kick scooters to its streets
After joining BC’s electric kick scooter pilot program in 2021, Kelowna now has the highest per capita micro-mobility ridership in Canada.
Tax exemption fuels push for climate-friendly retrofits in Saanich and Victoria
A novel use of municipal revitalization tax exemption is incentivizing heat pumps in Victoria and Saanich apartments and condos.
Penticton deep energy retrofit builds comfort, savings, and safety.
Okanagan College professor Brian Rippy retrofitted his own 1950s single-family home to build a safer, more comfortable living space for him and his family. And as an expert in sustainable building technology, he also turned it into a research project.
Shared, regional service enhances climate efforts on Vancouver Island
The Capital Regional District’s Climate Action and Adaptation Service highlights how local governments can successfully pool resources, share expertise, and coordinate efforts to overcome the capacity and resource limitations of individual municipalities.
Northwest Energy Retrofit Forum: Learnings from a Regional Approach
This forum demonstrated how capacity-building can be initiated by a First Nation with the involvement of local governments and the private sector, leading to the establishment of a self-identified community of practitioners committed to realizing improved housing and economic benefits for the region.
Reducing emissions from hotels in Whistler starts with engagement and collaboration
The Resort Municipality of Whistler aims to reduce natural gas use in commercial buildings by 40% by 2030. Partnering with Prism Engineering and BC Hydro, they hosted a series of “Carbon Reduction at Your Hotel” workshops for general managers from Whistler’s largest hotels. These workshops are helping hotels better understand their emissions and identify real opportunities to reduce them, one step at a time, in the spirit of collaboration and progress.
3 lessons from hybrid heat pump retrofit in Fernie home
Natasha and Cameron found a hybrid heat pump was the right choice for their 1970s home in Fernie, BC. Learn how they made the switch.
Northern BC achieves electric vehicle milestones
Charge North electric vehicle charging stations have now enabled 1 million km of emission-free travel in north-central BC.
Cutting the uncertainty in retrofit costs
The cost of a community-scale home energy retrofit program can be estimated more realistically, thanks to a recent workshop held in northwest BC with the Community Energy Association, Nisga’a Nation’s Housing Committee and Natural Resources Canada.
EV charger installation at Heddleston Village
A 24-unit residential development in the West Kootenays is now EV ready—and the number of electric vehicles has tripled—thanks to rebates to support infrastructure upgrades and some pro bono contributions from innovative residents.
Achieving low-cost net-zero homes
Stattonrock Design+Build's back-to-basics approach builds net-zero homes without a price premium.
Net-zero lessons learned at −40 °C
Home builder Bruce Murdoch found opportunity in 2023's frigid temperatures, by revisiting Cranbrook BC's first net-zero home to check on its cold-weather performance.
Future-proofing the family home
“Basically, we're trying to make a 100 year old house, a passive house,” says David Claus, whose Prince George home retrofit is expected to exceed the requirements of a brand-new Step 5 house, dropping energy use by 63%.
An affordable, cold-climate, northern, net-zero ready home
They say it can’t be done: an affordable, high-performance home in the unforgiving climate of northern BC. Maybe the naysayers have just been proven wrong by a longtime builder in Quesnel.
Charging ahead: rural communities and the transition to zero-emission vehicles
Rural charging infrastructure gives locals the confidence to switch to electric vehicles and can bring in adventurous tourists from Vancouver. CEA's experience supporting rural BC local governments roll out EV chargers shows how regional collaboration can result in an expanded network, using local knowledge to meet the needs of residents and tourists alike.
