The energy efficiency revolution is here in Canada, where governments and organizations are encouraging deep retrofits in mid-tier commercial buildings in pursuit of lower emissions – but have building owners and operators bought in?

Whether it’s upgrading an office building or a small retail plaza, there are common barriers that impede the retrofit customer journey.

Undergoing a deep retrofit can be an overwhelmingly complex project, and staring into a future filled with expensive and interruptive construction and isn’t easy to digest – especially when there may be limited short-term paybacks.

To move forward with a retrofit, building owners and operators need a clear understanding of what to expect, where to find reliable information, and how to access incentives and funding. They also need to see the real benefits of going through the whole rigamarole, like cost savings, improved asset value and environmental sustainability.

Access to information

Mid-tier building owners and operators frequently lack the technical knowledge to identify the need for a retrofit, making access to information the most prominent barrier to proceeding with energy efficiency projects.

Some Class B and C building owners and managers may be real estate professionals, but most are not, and even less are energy efficiency specialists. One study from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) found that 74 per cent of managers thought their building’s energy performance was at or above average, when in reality, it was below.

The same study found that while most operators were concerned about utility costs, few had reliable benchmarking data to measure inefficiencies as they developed over time, or to compare against other similar buildings.

Many operators who identify the need for a retrofit do so by participating in initiatives like Ontario’s Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking regulation, which requires buildings to track utility use and costs to submit annually to the province.

However, once they have detected an inefficiency, shifting codes, standards and regulations around energy performance may cause owners to hesitate to take action as they await clarity on future regulations or incentives.

Financial and time constraints

Who controls the building – an owner, property manager, or tenants? Office buildings may have complex ownership arrangements, leading to fractured, difficult and drawn-out decision-making processes.

Moreso than Class A buildings, Class B and C typically have budget constraints that create competing priorities between decision makers and other stakeholders like tenants.

While there are utility and government rebate programs available to back deep retrofits, application processes can feel complicated and often require upfront expenses like energy audits. Mid-tier owners may not have the time, capacity, or know-how to navigate these systems to access incentives and financing.

Hired external consultants can scope, plan, or prioritize retrofit measures to help owners and managers. However, the cost of attaining these services can further delay decision-making.

BOMA Enspire is improving accessibility to retrofits for mid-tier buildings

Owners and property managers pursuing deep retrofits in mid-tier buildings must often make long-term decisions with short-term tools and fragmented support.

Building retrofits can be complex , but they can also have long-term payoffs in the form of utility savings and increased value to the building itself.

The IESO study mentioned above identified that 82 per cent of building managers surveyed expressed an interest in learning how to navigate deep retrofit projects by participating in energy efficiency webinars, workshop clinics and other events.

That’s where programs like BOMA ENSPIRE come in.

BOMA Enspire has been developed specifically to support mid-tier buildings and identify and address their pain points. The program’s aim is to break barriers through free education, resources, expert guidance and a series of funding initiatives to overcome the daunting task of getting started – incentivizing these buildings to take action!

BOMA Enspire does this by providing the tools, resources and expert guidance owners and operators need to get started on their retrofit journey and, ultimately, see it through to fruition.