Research and reports
Our publications bring together evidence-based analysis, on-the-ground insights, and international best practices to build a shared vision for Canada’s building sector. We focus on practical solutions, transparent assumptions, and informed discourse—and we welcome your feedback on our analysis.
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OverviewTo support Powering Canada Strong, Ottawa is putting $2 billion into a National Heat Pump Rebate, maintaining existing Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) and Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) financing to support apartment retrofits, and investing $110 million to renew the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI).The heat pump rebate design gets the hard parts right: 24-hour approval for new installations, no energy audits, a larger rebate of up to $10,000 f…
This is the first post in Current Thinking, a series of what-if questions providing new perspectives on Canada's building sector in the energy transition. Each instalment explores an emerging idea or approach with the power to spark important conversations and unlock the potential of modern, electrified buildings.As Canada moves towards a more electrified economy, buildings will increasingly become active participants in the energy system. As electricity demand grows from bui…
Space and water heating are the largest sources of end-use energy demand in Canada’s buildings, and one of the highest leverage areas for decarbonizing the sector. But are we on track to lay the foundations for an electrified economy? Our 2026 State of Play shows the state of electrification across Canada in one condensed slide deck, providing a clear snapshot of heat pump adoption as it stands today. It also looks at the pace of progress for electrification: where it’s on tr…
The national electricity strategy provides the vision. The Building Decarbonization Alliance is already at work on the demand-side implementation.When Prime Minister Mark Carney committed to doubling Canada's electricity system in the new National Strategy for an Electrified Economy, he emphasized something the Building Decarbonization Alliance has noted for some time: electrification is economic strategy, not a climate compliance exercise.At our Forum in Ottawa last November…
Electrified end-use technologies are reshaping how the global economy consumes energy. In Canada, that shift must be informed by our unique conditions: our climate means winter heating already drives peak demand in most provinces, with the rest soon to follow. How we electrify heating will influence grid investment for decades. Geothermal heating is a key grid-compatible solution that leverages stable subsurface temperatures to remain efficient through both winter cold snaps …
The Building Decarbonization Alliance is pleased to release a suite of tools to support the development of Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) in Canada. Developed in partnership with Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors and East Coast Environmental Law, these resources are designed to support policymakers at all levels of government along with utilities, developers, and other stakeholders in navigating potential TENs projects including site selection, development, and necessary enabl…
Canada’s building heating sector is in a moment of transition. Momentum is growing to unlock the benefits of clean, electrified buildings across Canada, but we are far from where we need to be. Delivering this scale of change efficiently, affordably, and at the pace required for our electrified future calls for coordination that goes beyond individual action. A successful transition to carbon-neutral buildings requires a comprehensive market transformation driven by:Effective…
National Building Decarbonization Forum develops new vision for the future of Canada’s built environment OTTAWA (November 27, 2025)—More than 250 people assembled at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre this week for the second National Building Decarbonization Forum, the only event in Canada bringing together voices from across the building sector to prepare for the electrified future economy. “The expertise needed to shape Canada’s building transition is not somewhere out there… I…
Reports:
The benefits of decarbonization go beyond energy savings. Rental premiums and lower vacancy rates can act as “green premiums” for buildings that invest in eliminating their emissions. But without a consistent way of calculating the value of those green premiums, the real estate sector will struggle to include this effect in their business cases. In Unlocking Value in Commercial Real Estate: The Economic Benefits of a Decarbonized Building, the Building Decarbonization A…
How a heat pump is sized and programmed strongly affects its performance over its lifetime. Sizing it correctly can increase energy and emissions savings, reduce operating costs, and improve customer satisfaction. Current industry practices, often relying on outdated rules of thumb or overly conservative models, can result in oversized systems that compromise performance, increase costs, and erode public trust. Additionally, hybrid heat pumps may be programmed in ways that fa…
Reports:
Thermal Energy Networks (TENs) are a promising part of Canada's decarbonization toolkit. Flexible and efficient, modern fourth- and fifth-generation TENs can help reduce emissions, improve energy resilience, and create local economic opportunities when used strategically, often at a lower cost than other low-carbon alternatives. Despite this promise and growing momentum, TENs serve only 3% of Canada’s heating demand. Co-authored with Dunsky Energy + Climate Adviso…