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After so many high-profile elections recently, we’re putting our votes on local climate action! Join the party and check out news from CEA on retrofits and upcoming meetings with peers. And as the temps dip, it might be the perfect time to learn about cold-climate heat pumps. Read on for more.


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This month:

  • CEA Wins National Award for Retrofit Concierge Program
  • Cold-Climate Heat Pumps: Experiences from Northern BC
  • Welcome new staff
  • CEA Members Meeting
  • Expanded networking possibilities for Albertans
  • Other peer network events
   
   

News & Opportunities

Four women posing with smiles, standing in an older residential neighbhourhood.

CEA Wins National Award for Retrofit Concierge Program


Retrofit Assist, CEA’s program to connect homeowners and contractors and help them both navigate the home retrofit journey, has been recognized with a national Clean50 Award. The Clean50 program annually recognizes individuals and projects that are exemplary in informing and inspiring Canadians.


Since 2022, when Retrofit Assist was launched in Squamish, Whistler, and Rossland, the service has helped 300 homeowners identify and prioritize retrofit projects, and connect them with energy advisors, contractors, and rebates that can often total thousands of dollars. To date, those completing the program report energy savings of 30% on average.


Retrofit Assist will be expanding soon to Kamloops and communities in the Regional District of East Kootenay. Check out the Retrofit Assist website for more information on bringing Retrofit Assist to your community.


Pictured above are members of CEA’s award-winning Retrofit Assist team: Jessica Martin-Thompson, Amber Davis, Mariah Byers, and Amanda Star Evans.

   

Cold-Climate Heat Pumps: Experiences from Northern BC


“There’s still a belief that heat pumps don’t work up here” but a panel made up of HVAC installers from Terrace and Prince George, a builder from Quesnel, and an Energy Advisor from Prince George all shared experiences during a recent webinar that proved that yes, heat pumps do work in cold climates such as northern BC.


The panelists covered the difference between “regular” heat pumps and cold-climate heat pumps, the importance of addressing leakages in the building envelope and existing ductwork prior to heat pump installation, and that sizing a system is critical to its performance and operating cost. In fact, according to mechanical systems expert, Rob Pope, “sizing is as critical as looking out the windshield when you’re driving.”


It was one of CEA’s most popular webinars ever and now you can watch it on YouTube any time.

For more information on training sessions for contractors, sign up for CEA’s High-Performance Building newsletter.

Welcome new staff


Jeremy Johnston is a community planner working in CEA’s Transportation service area. Jeremy is based in Ktunaxa ʔamakʔis, the territory of the Ktunaxa Nation – Fernie, BC.


Terri McConnachie is bringing more than a decade of experience with the Northern BC branch of the Canadian Home Builders Association to deliver training on high-performance building and other northern initiatives. Terri lives on the unceded ancestral lands of the Lheidli T’enneh – Prince George, BC.

CEA Members Meeting


The final member meeting of 2024 will be held via zoom on November 28 at 9:30m Pacific Time. Register today and join the discussion on CEA’s planning and development.

 

CEA has nearly 50 member-organizations which include local governments, Indigenous communities, utilities, businesses, and associations. Not a member….yet? Learn more about CEA membership or email the membership team to learn more.

Expanded networking possibilities for Albertans


CEA and the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre are expanding the offerings for Alberta’s climate leaders.


Last spring, we launched new tools to support municipalities choosing a future that is low carbon and resilient. The Climate Leaders Playbook is the guide for municipalities pursuing effective, realistic and transformative climate action. The Playbook aligns with the Climate Action Explorer, which provides greenhouse gas emissions modeling for every community in Alberta.


Both of these tools are most impactful when users are in conversation and collaboration with others. That’s where Alberta Climate Leaders peer networks come into play. These groups foster innovation and success by bringing together members from municipalities and Indigenous communities to share knowledge, build relationships and develop new skills and capacities.


The Alberta Climate Leaders Staff Peer Network is a new group open to staff from municipalities, as well as Indigenous communities & organizations across Alberta. The kick-off meeting will take place online on Dec. 6, 2024. Get in on the ground floor! Register for the Staff Peer Network meeting today.

The new staff network joins the Alberta Municipal Climate Leadership Council, which has been connecting elected officials in Alberta for nearly two years.

   

OTHER PEER NETWORK EVENTS

   

CEA will convene a variety of peer network meetings in November, mostly for staff in local, regional, and Indigenous governments.


Nov 12 – Building Officials Peer Network: discussion on solar and battery permitting, with considerations for safety, energy efficiency, and Step Code compliance. (Contact us for meeting recording and resources)


Nov 14 – E-mobility Peer Network: rebate updates, medium and heavy-duty fleet and charging infrastructure opportunities, low-carbon fuel credit aggregator services for owners of EV charging infrastructure, and best practices for setting EV charging fees, concluding with a recap of 2024.


Nov 27 – Step Code Peer Network: discussion on advancing higher steps of the BC Energy Step Code and the Zero Carbon Step Code, dual-fuel systems, and updates on policy directions from municipalities.


To attend, please learn how you can join CEA’s topical and regional peer networks.


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