SAH - The Sundance Housing Co-operative Deep Energy Retrofit in Edmonton, Alberta.

Sundance Housing Cooperative (est. 1978) is an affordable housing provider that serves a community of young families, singles and seniors in the City of Edmonton. In addition to a small number of duplexes and seniors housing, the provider’s 78-unit portfolio primarily consists of a townhouse complex of 59 units built in the late 1970s, the latter of which will undergo a deep energy retrofit. A preliminary pilot stage tested the installation of prefabricated panels on top of existing materials in two of the 59 units.  After successfully verifying airtightness and hydrothermal performance of the new envelope, results informed a larger second stage retrofit on the remaining 57 units. A feasibility study also identified a strong business case for the costs, construction and final outcomes of the project. With the study and pilot in hand, the scaled version will include a new roof installation and the addition of R50 insulation. These upgrades, along with the future addition of solar panels, will help put the townhouse complex on a path to net zero energy. The approach for this project follows the Dutch ENERGIESPRONG® model that successfully retrofitted over 1,000 buildings in the Netherlands to net zero. Innovative aspect(s) • This panelized deep energy retrofit will be the first of its kind for a co-operativehousing provider in Canada. The simple application of new onto existing materials means that disruption is minimized as theresidents remain on site during the  renovations. • Due in part to its ambitious and innovative nature, this project participated inNRCan’s innovation and building infrastructure program  Replicability This deep energy retrofit has the potential to make thetownhouse complex net-zero energy ready and inspire other providers across the country to undertake less disruptive yet more ambitious retrofit projects and achieve significant social, economic and environmental benefits.  Affordability  • With no tenant displacement, there will be little to no disruption in rental revenues and cashflow to the provider. The entire townhome complex rents below 80% of median market rent (MMR) for the area, surpassing FCM’s minimum requirement of at least 30% of the units renting at or below 80% of MMR.  • The retrofit will eliminate all natural gas use and associated costs. According to GMF’s analysis, this could result in a total energy cost savings of up to $59,000 per year to the provider.  • The retrofit will result in a total building energy use reduction of up to 71%. With the addition of the solar PV system, the total net energy reduction may reach 94%. The resulting cost savings could range from $45,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on the impact of electric heat pumps and rising utility costs. (Project description from original funding application)