Housing Retrofit

Location: City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

Partners:

City of Kawartha Lakes, Enbridge Gas, NRCan, and local contractors

Summary:

A collaborative effort to upgrade public housing energy efficiency through incentives and rebates funded by Enbridge and federal grants, with implementation by local tradespeople.

Impact:

Lower energy costs for low-income residents, job creation, and environmental benefits.

Project:

Energy-efficient upgrades to social housing

Overview:

Retrofitting public housing with modern energy-efficient technologies to reduce utility costs and emissions.

Participants & Stakeholders:

Public Sector: City of Kawartha Lakes

Private Sector: Enbridge Gas (utility rebates), local contractors (HVAC, insulation, electrical)

Federal Agencies: Natural Resources Canada (funding, technical standards)

Leadership: Municipal housing authority and energy program officers

Consulting Vendors: Energy auditors, retrofit engineers

Value Contributions:

City: Tenant engagement, oversight

Enbridge/NRCan: Technical support, incentives

Contractors: Physical implementation

Consultants: Energy savings analysis and project validation

Goal:

Improve energy efficiency and comfort in municipal housing

Roadmap & Results:

Discovery & Design-

Success Factor: Energy audits conducted for 100+ aging units

Planning & Configuration-

Result: $2.5M project leveraging Enbridge rebates and NRCan grants

Pilot & Test-

Result: Demonstrated 25–30% reduction in utility costs in pilot units

Execution-

Result: 280+ housing units retrofitted with LED, insulation, HVAC upgrades

Governance & Innovation-

Impact: 20% increase in tenant satisfaction; estimated 12-year ROI

Four value framework lenses:

B2B (Business-to-Business): Value created between private sector actors.

B2C (Business-to-Consumer): Value created from businesses or service providers to individual citizens.

G2B (Government-to-Business): Value delivered from public sector to business ecosystems.

G2C (Government-to-Citizen): Value delivered directly to citizens by government programs or PPPs.

B2B:

Local trades and retrofit vendors gained predictable contracts and workforce development opportunities.

Enbridge and NRCan supported ecosystem activation through incentives.

B2C:

Tenants benefited from better indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and lower bills.

G2B:

Government enabled housing asset life extension, reducing capital costs.

Training and vendor programs supported by municipal procurement policies.

G2C:

Low-income families directly received more livable and sustainable housing.

Long-term energy savings translated into more disposable income.

Value Framework Dimensions:

Economic Value (EV):

25–30% reduction in energy bills; capital asset preservation.
Functional Value (FV):

24/7 mobile health access, chronic condition monitoring.Better insulation, lighting, and climate control.

Experiential Value (XV):

Improved resident comfort, reduced energy stress.
Social/Public Value (SV):

Support for vulnerable populations; climate action goals.

Strategic/Ecosystem Value (ESV):

Created skilled retrofit ecosystem with local labor.