Deep Retrofit Accelerators in Canada: Five Opportunities to Increase Impact

July 29, 2025

January 2025 marked the midway point of the first four years of the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI), a federal initiative that funds organizations and other projects supporting the development of deep retrofits in commercial, institutional, and mid- or high-rise multi-unit residential buildings. These Accelerators’ aim to boost the depth and pace of retrofits in their targeted market segments, helping address the sector’s shortfall in meeting emission reduction targets.

To coincide with the midpoint of the initiative, this report highlights the innovation happening within the Accelerators through an inventory of over 70 tools either recently developed or in progress, and provides five opportunities to increase the Accelerator’s impact. By taking advantage of increased collaboration between Accelerators, these entities—already vital enablers for commercial retrofits—can help shape a retrofit ecosystem that is more integrated, resilient, and ready to meet the scale of the retrofit challenge.

About the Authors

Tom-Pierre Frappé-Sénéclauze

Owner and Principal, GinkoLab Consulting

GinkoLab is a boutique consultancy providing strategy and facilitation services to support
the collaborative stewardship of the commons: climate, health, housing, land, language.

Mathieu Poirier

Director of Policy

Matt prides himself on translating research findings into actionable solutions to support the clean energy transition. He brings more than a decade of experience working to decarbonize the built environment via positions in—and engagements with—governments, utilities, and industry. Before joining the Building Decarbonization Alliance, Matt held consulting roles at Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors and Deloitte, and worked in industry and non-profit organizations focusing on green building design and legal analysis. He holds degrees in mechanical engineering and psychology from the University of Waterloo, and a law degree from Dalhousie University. He also earned an MBA from Saint Mary’s University. Matt also co-authored The Case for Building Electrification in Canada, our foundational position paper.

Citations

Cite as: Frappé-Sénéclauze, T.P., Poirier, M. (2025). Deep Retrofit Accelerators in Canada: Five Opportunities to Increase Impact, June 2025. Building Decarbonization Alliance. Version 1.