Green Multiple Unit Residential Buildings

Do you want to make your home more environmentally friendly and save energy, but live in an apartment or condo?  Don't worry there are programs available to help.  The following programs are currently available for multi-unit residential buildings (including rentals, strata's, and non-profit housing) to support building retrofits and electric vehicle charging.

Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator (RARA) Program

Building owners of rental apartments in British Columbia can access a suite of energy efficiency and decarbonization retrofit planning support services through Landlord BC's Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator program.  Eligible buildings can access:

Flexible planning and implementation support for building retrofits. Depending on the retrofit planning stage and participant needs, support may include:

• Coaching support to advance the retrofit project
• Energy benchmarking
• Retrofit opportunity assessment (including CleanBC)
• Feasibility study, including detailed business case
• Retrofit implementation support

Support in accessing financial incentives covering all available rebates, pilots, grants, financing, tax credits, tax exemptions, and programs — including the CleanBC MURB Retrofit Program will also be available.

Provincial and BC Hydro Rebate Multi-unit Residential Building Offers

New rebates and supports were introduced for multi-unit residential buildings in September 2024 through the Multi-Unit Residential Building Retrofit Program, offered in partnership by BC Hydro and the Government of BC.  Offers include the following:

• Opportunity Assessment: up to $5,000 for a consultant to complete a high-level assessment of your building to identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency, reduce reliance of fossil fuels, and more.
• Feasibility Study: funding up to $30,000 for a consultant to conduct an in-depth analysis of a specific system in your building to prepare for a retrofit project.
• Equipment upgrade rebates:  reduce the cost of energy-efficient, whole-building upgrades. Includes heat pumps, windows, lighting, water heating, and more.
• Solar panel and battery rebates: rebates to purchase and install solar panels and/or battery energy storage to increase your building’s energy independence.  Note rebate streams are available for both multiple-family and low-density/single-family housing types.

• Electric vehicle charging rebates:rebates to purchase and install electric vehicle (EV) chargers at your building, and for the electrical upgrades needed to make your building EV Ready.  Note the City of Nanaimo offers additional EV charging rebates.  

Learn more about all the rebates and offers for multiple-family housing available from the Province and BC Hydro.

Strata Energy Advisor

Strata Councils ready to upgrade their building can access the new Strata Energy Advisor program, which provides in-depth support to implement energy-saving solutions, reduce emissions, and boost comfort.

From identifying retrofit opportunities aligned with major capital renewals, navigating technology and financing options, and supporting implementation, the Strata Energy Advisor Program is here to help, and free! Visit StrataEnergyAdvisorBC.ca.  

Building Benchmarking

A free program that helps you monitor the energy and GHG data from your building and enables you to compare its performance against similar properties. By signing up you can:

• Receive support and training in setting up and using Energy Star Portfolio Manager, Canada’s free online energy management software
• Get insights on your building’s energy and GHG performance and help in identifying ways to reduce energy and costs
• Demonstrate leadership and choose to publicly disclose your building’s performance
• Earn recognition for your participation, no matter what your performance is

Learn more or sign up today: buildingbenchmarkbc.ca

Electric Vehicle Charging

In addition to the BC Hydro Rebate, the City of Nanaimo offers rebates for apartment and condo buildings to support the creation and implementation of an EV Ready Plan.  Rebates are also available for installing electrical infrastructure needed to support the EV Ready Plan.  Learn more about the City's EV charging rebates for multiple-family buildings.