Learn about Deep Retrofits
A Deep Retrofit can make a building 70 per cent more efficient and reduce CO2 emissions up to 400 tonnes a year.
When combined with renewable energy and energy-efficient technology, like solar and heat pumps, a deep retrofit can make a home net-zero.
The Retrofit Roadmap
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Retrofit Roadmap webinar, co-hosted with Enbix
On March 18, 2026, Enbix hosted a webinar where Peter Amerongen, Director of Retrofit Canada, presented the Retrofit Roadmap. Description Deep retrofits are essential to reaching net-zero, but they remain complex, costly, and difficult to coordinate. Retrofit Canada’s Retrofit Roadmap aims to change that. In this webinar, Peter Amerongen will walk participants through the Retrofit…
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Deep Retrofits
Making Existing Homes Net-Zero About one-third of greenhouse gases come from the buildings we use today, and by 2050, 70 per cent of these buildings will still be standing. We can’t address climate change just by constructing new net-zero homes; we need solutions to make the 15 million homes Canadians live in right now net-zero…
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What is the Retrofit Roadmap?
The Retrofit Roadmap is a guide for navigating the barriers and complexities that make retrofitting existing buildings so expensive and rare. Planning a retrofit starts with the end in mind – a near net-zero building – and steers clear of blind alleys like partial solutions that block so many attempts to get to net zero.…
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Deep Retrofits 101
Start by assuming that the building will be net-zero or net-zero-ready by 2050 or sooner. The only way to get there affordably, without expensive missteps and rework, is to start with that end in mind. Dial in the best 2050-ready, most cost-effective version of that building, considering how it is today and make a comprehensive…
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Challenges & Considerations
Ask any builder whether building new or doing a renovation is more challenging, and you’ll get a clear answer – renovations are harder and more complex. A deep retrofit is a renovation intended to make a building net-zero-ready. The following are some challenges and considerations of deep retrofits. The Retrofit Road Map aims to equip…
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The Retrofit Roadmap
An Introduction to the Roadmap About one-third of greenhouse gases come from the buildings we use today, and by 2050, 70 per cent of these buildings will still be standing. We can’t address climate change just by building all new buildings net-zero. We need to make the 15 million homes Canadians live in right now…
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Step 1: Get a ballpark estimate
Home and building owners often hesitate to invest in consultation services to determine the feasibility of a deep retrofit. Without some indication of affordability, the uncertainty can be daunting. Typically, preliminary costing for construction projects comes from estimates provided by experienced practitioners. However, since the deep retrofit market is still in its early stages, reliable…
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Step 2: Choose a project team
After deciding to proceed with planning a deep retrofit, the owner will likely need assistance. The nature of that assistance will depend on the scope and complexity of the project and the availability of contractors and advisors with deep retrofit experience. For simpler projects, a reputable, experienced contractor supported by an Energy Adviser may be…
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Step 3: Gather information
Establish the owner’s goals The project team’s first task is to collaborate with the owner to establish the project goals. While these goals may evolve during the project, it is essential to inform the owner about the various possibilities to ensure that opportunities for co-benefits are not missed. These objectives may include: Evaluate the building …
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Step 4: Dial in the plan to get to net-zero-ready
The objective is to use the energy model to dial in the most practical, cost-effective, near-net-zero version of the building while taking into account the findings of the building condition assessment and the owner’s goals. The optimization process Start by dialing the envelope component specifications in the energy model — walls, windows, roof, etc. —…
Other Articles
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“I didn’t know it was possible to put a sweater around a building”: Canadian Society for Civil Engineering – Hosts Retrofit Canada webinar, tour
In October 2021, Retrofit Canada’s Peter Amerongen presented information about Butterwick Project’s approach to Deep Energy Retrofits to the Edmonton Section of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering. Following the presentation, section members had the opportunity to tour the Sundance project. The presentation had some great questions about how realistic is it to scale up…
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What is a panelized deep retrofit?
What happens when you mix expertise in green building design and construction, drones, hard work and a commitment to addressing climate change? You get the makings for a Deep Retrofit that can make an existing building airtight, way more comfortable and net-zero. A panelized retrofit is one approach. It uses cutting-edge imaging technology to design…
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That’s a net-zero wrap
For Immediate Release Edmonton, AB (December 14, 2023) – The first three panelized deep retrofits of single-family homes in North America have finished, and the results are conclusive – panelized retrofits can transform old houses into net-zero-ready buildings. The three homes, all located in Edmonton, Alberta, were retrofitted with a cutting-edge technique inspired by EnergieSprong, a method developed…
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Nearly 100 attend Retrofit Canada’s first webinar
“There’s no path to a stable climate without industrial scale deep energy retrofits to existing building.” With that opener, Peter Amerongen launched Retrofit Canada’s first webinar ever. The free workshop had almost 100 attendees from across Canada and the U.S., a remarkable number that shows just how much interest there is in the deep energy retrofit…
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What the heck is photogrammetry?
If you want to do an energiesprong-type panelized deep energy retrofit to make your home energy efficient and net-zero ready, you need to get accurate measurements of the outside of the building. Photogrammetry – using pictures of a building to “model” its dimensions – is one way to do this. 3D Software Developer and friend…
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What are the different types of retrofits?
A Deep Retrofit can make a building 70 per cent more efficient and reduce CO2 emissions up to 400 tonnes a year. Retrofit Canada is starting a deep retrofit movement to make existing homes net-zero. There are three different approaches to making your home energy efficient. And in our humble opinion net-zero ready has to be the goal. Net-zero…
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Deep Retrofits: Understanding the Costs
How much does a deep retrofit that makes a home net-zero ready cost? That’s the number one question we get from consumers. So what’s the answer? If you want to make an old house net-zero with a one-shot, all-in deep retrofit, you could be looking at costs of $100,000 to $200,000, but it depends on a…
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Top 5 Reasons to do a Deep Retrofit
Is your home too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter? Do extreme temperatures put your furnace and air conditioner into overdrive? Is your home’s repairs and maintenance to-do list so long and daunting that you’ve “accidentally” lost it under the fridge? Is your asthma worse in the basement? Do you have…
Webinars
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Sundance Housing Co-Op Deep Energy Retrofit
Description On March 19, 2026, Climate Action Partnership hosted a webinar, in which Peter Amerongen of Retrofit Canada was invited to speak about the Sundance Housing Co-op deep energy retrofit. He spoke to the partnership efforts, lessons learned, and how this project was instrumental in the development of a Retrofit Roadmap.
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Retrofit Roadmap webinar, co-hosted with Enbix
On March 18, 2026, Enbix hosted a webinar where Peter Amerongen, Director of Retrofit Canada, presented the Retrofit Roadmap. Description Deep retrofits are essential to reaching net-zero, but they remain complex, costly, and difficult to coordinate. Retrofit Canada’s Retrofit Roadmap aims to change that. In this webinar, Peter Amerongen will walk participants through the Retrofit…
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An intro to residential deep retrofits – Edmonton
December 13, 2024 An Intro to Residential Deep Retrofits – Edmonton Deep retrofit pioneer Peter Amerongen shared his extensive experience designing and executing net-zero retrofits, presenting five case studies and answering audience questions. Ben Hildebrandt from the Green Building Technology Access Centre (GBTAC) at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology explained basic building science principles…
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An Industry Introduction to Deep Energy Retrofits
December 16, 2021 An Industry introduction to Deep Energy Retrofits THIS WEBINAR OCCUR On December 16, 2021, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., Peter Amerongen will present a technical overview of panelized Deep Energy Retrofits Butterwick Projects is undertaking, with support from Smart Sustainable Resilient Infrastructure Association on three, older single family homes in Edmonton, AB, Canada. This webinar will feature a…
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Our Journey to Net-Zero: The Sundance Housing Co-Op Deep Energy Retrofit
May 28, 2022 Our journey to Net-Zero: The Sundance Housing Co-op Deep Energy Retrofit Sundance Housing Cooperative (Edmonton, AB) has been a leader in affordable housing, community living and environmental responsibility for more than 40 years. Now, Sundance is leading the largest panelised deep energy retrofit ever undertaken in Canada. Join Sundance volunteer leaders and…
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Deep Retrofits for Homeowners
July 7, 2022 Deep Retrofits for Homeowners On July 7, 2022, Retrofit Canada’s Peter Amerongen and two homeowners presented an overview of deep retrofits. Attendees will learn about: About Peter:Peter Amerongen has been designing and building energy-efficient houses in and around Edmonton, Alberta, since the 1970s. As a partner in Habitat Studio, he designed and…
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Deep Retrofits for Builders
December 14, 2022 On December 14, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Time, Butterwick Projects’ Peter Amerongen and Solar Homes Inc.’s Peter Darlington will present a webinar about deep retrofits. The webinar will include: – Two deep retrofit case studies-Challenges and opportunities for builders – Why Canada needs to start a deep retrofit movement – Challenges and opportunities…
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Deep Retrofit Discovery Session – Calgary
November 28, 2024 Deep Retrofit Discovery Session – Calgary Join two Calgary-based high-performance building experts, Steve Norris and Peter Darlington, as they present real-world case studies demonstrating net-zero deep retrofit techniques for single- and multi-family residential homes. Discover how these projects integrate cutting-edge sustainable practices to make a home net-zero-ready. This webinar is for anyone…
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“I didn’t know it was possible to put a sweater around a building”: Canadian Society for Civil Engineering – Hosts Retrofit Canada webinar, tour
In October 2021, Retrofit Canada’s Peter Amerongen presented information about Butterwick Project’s approach to Deep Energy Retrofits to the Edmonton Section of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering. Following the presentation, section members had the opportunity to tour the Sundance project. The presentation had some great questions about how realistic is it to scale up…
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Nearly 100 attend Retrofit Canada’s first webinar
“There’s no path to a stable climate without industrial scale deep energy retrofits to existing building.” With that opener, Peter Amerongen launched Retrofit Canada’s first webinar ever. The free workshop had almost 100 attendees from across Canada and the U.S., a remarkable number that shows just how much interest there is in the deep energy retrofit…