Business - Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator

The Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator offers a comprehensive suite of free support services to help you at every stage of your retrofit journey. These include:

• One-on-one coaching with expert energy advisors
• Help benchmarking your building and mapping your emissions
• Guidance on goal setting and strategic planning
• Technical support for applications, quotes, and documentation
• Help identifying available incentives and funding
• Long-term support to track progress, pursue certifications, and plan future projects

Energy advisors are technical experts who offer personalized guidance throughout your retrofit journey. They help you:

• Understand your energy use and identify opportunities
• Benchmark performance and organize emissions data
• Navigate incentive programs and eligibility
• Prepare applications and business cases
• Troubleshoot technical and project risks
• Stay on track from planning through implementation

Yes. All advisory services — including one-on-one consultations, data support, program navigation, and technical coaching — are provided free of charge for eligible buildings through the Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator.

Energy advisors don’t sell you anything. Their role is to guide and support you — not deliver a specific solution or push a vendor. Think of them as your retrofit coach: neutral, trusted, and there to make your life easier.

Great! Your advisor can help interpret existing reports and integrate them into your retrofit strategy. You may still be eligible for additional support or funding depending on your building’s readiness and goals.

Yes, but each application must be submitted for a single property. If you manage multiple buildings, indicate this in your application, and our team will reach out to coordinate.

Mixed-use buildings are assessed based on the primary use of floor space (>50 per cent).

Example: A building that is 70 per cent retail and 30 per cent industrial would be eligible.
Contact us if you are unsure. We can help determine eligibility - [email protected] | 613-738-5474

While the program does not provide direct funding for retrofits, Hydro Ottawa offers funding for:

• Carbon pathway studies
• Design, engineering, and business case development for near-term implementation
• Retro-commissioning assessments

This funding helps bridge the gap between planning and implementation. If you’ve completed a carbon pathway or ASHRAE LII audit, this support covers:

• Detailed design and technical analysis
• Business case development
• Guidance for moving from plan to implementation

The Ottawa Retrofit Accelerator references the CanmetENERGY Recommissioning Guide (1st Edition) to define recommissioning and retro-commissioning:

• Retrocommissioning (ReCx) is a commissioning process that applies to existing buildings that were not commissioned originally. It seeks to improve how building equipment and systems function together. It often resolves problems that occurred during building design or construction, or addresses problems that have developed during the building’s life. The ReCx inspection, diagnostic and repair process ensures building equipment and systems are operating optimally to meet current occupant needs.
• Recommissioning (RCx) is a re-optimization process for existing buildings that have already been either commissioned or retrocommissioned. It ensures building equipment and systems are operating optimally to meet current occupant needs. It provides a rigorous investigation approach to identify problems and integration issues. The RCx primary focus is on identifying “low cost/no cost” operational improvements given the building’s current usage to obtain comfort and energy savings. It may be done alone or in concert with a retrofit project.
   

Funding is available for:

• Existing building systems assessment
• Functional performance testing
• Equipment and system recommissioning
• Low-cost, high-impact system adjustments
• Extending equipment life and reducing operational costs

A carbon pathway study maps out your building’s emissions reduction strategy — helping you understand opportunities, costs, timelines, and available funding. It serves as a roadmap for renewing your building equipment and systems over time through end of life replacement with high efficiency and low carbon options.

Each funded carbon pathway study must follow a standard scope of work. This includes:

• Utility and emissions data review and benchmarking
• EnergyStar Portfolio Manager data entry
• Infrastructure assessments and DER feasibility
• Short-, medium-, and long-term decarbonization pathways
• Cost, savings, and certification analysis
• Guidance on capital planning and incentive opportunities

To qualify:

• Your building must meet the general eligibility criteria above
• Be at least 20,000 sq. ft.
• Be located within Hydro Ottawa’s service area
   

Items may be excluded only with written justification that is acceptable to Hydro Ottawa. We reserve the right to reject studies that do not adequately meet our minimum requirements.