Retrofit Assist Program Design

To avoid the very worst impacts of climate change, communities will need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the operation of buildings by 2030, and effectively eliminate them by 2050. To achieve these goals, building owners and managers retire or replace gas- and oil-fired hot water- and space-heating equipment, with clean, efficient, and low/zero-emissions alternatives, such as electric heat pumps.

A high-performance, energy-efficient building with a heat pump saves residents and businesses money on utility bills, and provide more comfortable, healthy spaces to live, work, and learn. Such buildings more effectively manage temperature and fresh air supply, keeping them cooler in summer and warmer in winter. They’re also more durable and resilient in the face of extreme weather events.

With a clear vision of the future, the collaboration of CEA, City of New Westminster, District of Squamish and Resort Municipality of Whistler endeavored to create a program that could help homeowners fuel-switch to an electric air source heat pumps. As electricity in B.C. is >98% renewable and therefore almost zero emissions, fuel-switching will help communities achieve their 2030 and beyond GHG emission reduction targets.

A Concierge service is proposed to overcome the logistical hurdles homeowners can encounter when seeking to install a heat pump, specifically identification of high-quality contractors and completing the work while maintaining eligibility for the plethora of municipal, provincial and federal rebates currently available.

The project teams’ approach to Concierge service design included gap assessments, stakeholder engagement and GHG goals/targets opportunity analysis. The research identifies considerations such as noise bylaws, heat pump performance metrics, and perceived local barriers that must be considered for the Concierge service design. Key barriers include high equipment and installation costs, lack of financial means (i.e., financing), lack of time and priority, and shortage of contractors.

For now, the scope of the project is focused on single family and semi-detached homes, which represent 16% of homes in New Westminster, 55% in Squamish and 38% in Whistler. The program is targeting homes with current fossil-fueled heating systems approaching end of life. It is calculated that approximately 152 homes in New Westminster, 139 homes in Squamish and 56 homes in Whistler can be fuel-switched annually with heat pumps, resulting in 7,100, 8,100 and 4,500 t CO2e/year in emissions reductions.

Extensive research and engagement informed the creation of the Concierge service.

The Concierge service requires collaboration across a suite of stakeholders: contractors, homeowners, industry associations, multiple levels of government, program administrators, energy advisor, equipment manufacturers and utilities. As well as integration with the many resources already in place in the project area (e.g., contractor qualification programs, rebate application processes). Performance monitoring and management are essential for success, as is a thorough and robust communications and marketing campaign. This work was used to create a Customer Experience Journey Map, which is overviewed in the figure below:

The final results of detailed program design are summarized in this report

The Concierge service detailed in the report is currently operating as a pilot program for residents in District of Squamish and Resort Municipality of Whistler. Visit www.retrofitassist.ca to learn more.