November 2024. TAF commissioned WSP to review and evaluate prefabricated overcladding technologies across North America. This report summarizes these solutions’ market innovation and identifies related manufacturers, fabricators, and contractors. Prefabricated overcladding refers to insulated panels that are usually built off-site and attached to the outside of existing buildings. They are important decarbonization and adaptation tools […]
Issue: Buildings
Low Carbon Considerations for Maximum Temperature Bylaws
August 2024. City of Toronto. Addressing extreme heat exposure has become a priority for cities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Like many across North America, some cities are exploring or implementing maximum temperature bylaws as a solution. Maximum temperature bylaws are local regulations that set an upper limit on indoor temperatures in […]
How Cities Can Reward Green Development
August 2024. City of Toronto. Dozens of municipalities in Ontario have green development standards in place to reduce carbon emissions from new construction projects and meet local climate and economic goals. However, few developers are meeting higher tiers voluntarily, slowing progress on much-needed decarbonization. Municipal policymakers are uniquely positioned to implement financial and non-financial incentives […]
Home heating and hot water savings from midrise apartment retrofit
January 2024. City of Toronto. In April 2021, TAF joined project partners to retrofit a nine storey 1963 apartment building in Toronto. The objectives were to reduce electricity consumption by 23% by introducing the Innova 2.0 heat pump system into the living room spaces. The project also aimed to reduce gas consumption by 53% by […]
Building Performance Standards
October 2023. Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Existing building performance standards (BPS) are a key policy tool used to improve environmental performance of buildings, with targets that become stricter over time. They are taking root in cities across North America to address climate change and economic, health, and housing priorities. This policy primer explores the […]
Recommendations for Municipalities: Mandatory Building Performance Standards
September 2023. Government of Ontario. This report by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), commissioned by TAF, outlines the legal authority of Ontario municipalities to implement Mandatory Building Performance Standards. The report provides definitions, recommendations, case studies, and insights on compliance and enforcement, and equity considerations.
Housing Accelerator Fund – Ideas and Resources for Municipalities
Ideas and resources for municipalities to integrate low carbon strategies into affordable housing The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a $4 billion federal funding program for Canadian municipalities and Indigenous governments, with applications due in the summer of 2023. The primary purpose of the HAF is to create more supply of housing at a faster pace, and […]
Scaling Heat Pump Retrofits through Aggregation and Bulk Procurement
April 2023. Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. TAF commissioned Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors to conduct a bulk procurement study to assess the barriers, opportunities, and trade-offs to scaling up heat pump retrofits through aggregation and bulk procurement. Key Takeaways Report findings suggest cost savings have some potential, but the best value of bulk purchasing […]
Heat Pumps Add Cooling for Toronto Community Housing Residents
April 2023. City of Toronto. In May of 2019, TAF joined project partners to retrofit a 1987 townhouse complex in Toronto’s east end. We aimed to reduce site-wide energy consumption by 20% by introducing cold climate air source heat pumps (CC-ASHP) into each suite, investigating the opportunity for air source domestic hot water (DHW) heat […]
Stepwise apartment retrofit for savings and comfort
March 2023. City of Mississauga. In August 2020, TAF’s Retrofit Accelerator team joined project partners to retrofit a 12-storey 1965 apartment building in Mississauga, Ontario. The building had recently completed an LED lighting system upgrade, and we aimed to further reduce energy consumption and emissions by introducing energy-efficient heating and cooling, leading to a 27% […]
