Resources

Net Zero

On June 5, 2024 the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) introduced the latest version of its Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) Design Standard. In accordance with the requirements set by the CAGBC, all buildings in Canada seeking the ZCB-Design Standard certification must register and certify the design of their building under the new ZCB-Design Standard V4.

Therefore, all applications for new build projects under the GICB program's third scheduled intake will be required to submit, as part of the application, an attestation letter indicating that the building is designed to meet the ZCB-Design Standard V4.

Exceptions to this requirement will be considered if you registered your project with CAGBC's ZCB-Design Standard V3 prior to the September 30, 2024 deadline for V3. In order to be considered, you must provide proof of registration with your application.

If you have any questions concerning the new standard, please contact CAGBC at zerocarbon@cagbc.org.

RETScreen

You can complete a RETScreen assessment by first downloading the RETScreen software package and installing it on your computer. This tool is free to use for applicants to this program. A software key for access to RETScreen Expert Professional mode (required for the program's full functionality and to save files) will be provided to program applicants.

Using the RETScreen Expert software, you will need to create a new profile for your building/asset, comparing the “base case” (current energy and emissions profile of the building/facility) with the “proposed case” (the expected energy and emissions profile of the building, post-retrofit. The analysis will require your building's current energy consumption, which can be inputted into the software from your utility bills.
Once completed, your RETScreen Assessment will provide you with an overview of your project's estimated energy savings, and GHG emission reductions.
Using the software, you will need to upload your RETScreen file (.retx) in the application. The report will be used by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada as part of the assessment of your application.

Please note:

If you have previously used the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager or EnergyCAP to establish baseline energy efficiency measures for your building or asset, you may use these as part of the RETScreen assessment when prompted.
Retrofit projects that will not, according to the RETScreen assessment, achieve a minimum energy savings of at least 10% are not eligible for funding.

All retrofit projects are required to submit their building's energy profile, and GHG emissions using the RETScreen Expert software. The software is free to download.

RETScreen additional resources

Consulting Indigenous Peoples

The duty to consult with Indigenous Peoples is an obligation that rests with the Crown. However, Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) will expect funding applicants to carry out certain procedural aspects of consultation on a proposed project, where appropriate. These could include, but are not limited to, providing notification letters and organizing consultation sessions with Indigenous communities that will be affected by the proposed project.

Detailed information and factsheets on Consulting Indigenous Peoples are available on the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) provides guidance and advice in their draft Consultation and Accommodation Advice for Proponents guidance document.

For more information on Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada's consultation policy and resources, please review:

For additional information on Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada's approach to consulting with Canada's Indigenous Peoples or for additional information on Indigenous consultation analysis, please contact: EAIC-EECA@infc.gc.ca.

Environmental Assessment

Project funding by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) is contingent upon Canada ensuring the respect of federal environmental statutory requirements. Projects submitted to HICC may be subject to the Impact Assessment Act, Northern Regulatory Regimes, and/or other federal environmental statutory requirements such as the Fisheries Act, the Canadian Navigable Waters Act, and the Species at Risk Act that are administered by other federal government departments.

Funding applicants are responsible for providing detailed project information to assist HICC to determine whether their project may be subject to federal environmental statutory requirements. Consult the Operational Guide on Designating a Project under the Impact Assessment Act.

For environmental assessment requirements, please consult the appropriate provincial or territorial government and the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada's (IAAC's) website for the basics of federal IAA requirements.

Keyhole Markup Language (KML) Files

KML is a file format used to display geographic data in an Earth browser such as Google Earth. Applicants must include a KML file as part of the completed Environmental Assessment and Indigenous Consultation questionnaires. Having a KML file that provides an accurate project location is essential to determine if there are environmental assessment requirements.

For more information on KML files, please see an overview by Natural Resources Canada, or contact us at EAIC-EECA@infc.gc.ca.

Climate Resilience

Applicants for retrofit projects must demonstrate that they have considered future potential climate impacts on their project, and the current resilience of the asset to those potential impacts. New building projects must demonstrate that they have conducted a climate risk assessment and identify measures mitigating all medium and high risks.

The application refers to different types of resilience measures:

Building Materials: This refers to the use of building materials that will enhance the overall resilience of your structure - for example using fire resistant materials for roofing or siding to mitigate against increased risk of wildland fire.
Design Consideration: This refers to any action taken to the design of the structure such as designing for passive heating and cooling, or moving electrical equipment above ground to mitigate against flooding.
Operations & Maintenance: This refers to any management strategies and/or policies to address climate risks, such as a wildland fire risk management strategy.
Natural/Green Infrastructure: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada generally defines natural infrastructure as the use of naturally occurring resources or engineered use of natural resources to provide adaptation or mitigation services to the gradual and/or sudden impacts of climate change or natural hazards. This could include using rain gardens to mitigate against extreme precipitation and flooding, or the use of shade trees to address heat waves and increasing temperatures.

For standards-based guidance options, you are encouraged to consider climate resiliency codes and standards summarized at Developing climate resilient standards and codes. For a detailed list you can consult Codes, Standards and Guidance for Climate Resilience on our website.

For guidance and advice on the climate-related requirements of the GICB program, please contact our new Climate Toolkit Helpdesk.

Accessibility

As specified in the Applicant Guide, new construction projects are expected to, at a minimum, meet the highest published accessibility standard(s) as defined in the Canadian Standards Association's Technical Standard Accessible Design for the Built Environment (CAN/CSA B651:23),or its most recent version, or relevant provincial/territorial building codes, or municipal by-laws.

Class Estimates

Class estimates are cost estimates for your project that are provided at different steps of the design process. Class D estimates are generally estimates provided early in the design process, whereas Class A estimates can only be provided after all construction documents are verified and complete.

Class estimates are defined as:

Class A: Estimates made after bids for a project have been received, evaluated, verified and once a contract is ready to be signed. Budgets for projects at this stage usually include a contingency of 5% to 10%.

Class B: Estimates made at the “Detailed Design” stage when the project is ready for tendering. Budgets for projects at this stage usually include a contingency of 11% to 15%.

Class C: Estimates at the “Preliminary Design” stage and may be referred to as pre-tendering estimated. Budgets for projects at this stage usually include a contingency of 16% to 20%.

Class D: Estimates at the “Conceptual Design” stage. Budgets for projects at this stage usually include a contingency of 21% to 30%.

Total vs. Eligible Costs

Federal Share and Applicant Share of funds are important concepts to understand and consider to ensure the success of your project. The maximum Federal Share of the costs of your project under the Green and Inclusive Buildings Program is determined by your total eligible project costs, not by your total project costs. All ineligible costs are part of the Applicant Share. These are your responsibility and will not be eligible for federal reimbursement.

Note: Any cost increases or cost overruns will not be covered by Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. It is therefore important that you include in your budget all contingency amounts according to the stage of your project (conceptual, preliminary design, detailed design and ready to tender).

For example, a project could include the following costs, which includes contingency costs:

$1.5M for design contracts costs
$3.5M for construction contracts costs
$1M for land acquisition for proposed building expansion
$500K for salaries within your organization

Under this Program, only the design and construction contracts are eligible costs ($5M). The remaining costs are ineligible ($1.5M). The total project cost is the sum of the total eligible costs and the ineligible costs ($5M + $1.5M = $6.5M).

If the Federal Share is 80% of eligible costs (80%*$5M=$4M), then the Applicant Share is the balance of funds that needs to be secured by your organization ($6.5M - $4M = $2.5M).

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Date modified:: 2024-07-17

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