03.3 / Work ExampleEnergy Efficiency Programs

Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator Program (RARA)

Free retrofit Planning and Implementation Support for BC Market Rental Buildings

The LandlordBC Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator (RARA) Program offers FREE retrofit support services valued at up to $60,000 for multi-unit rental apartment buildings across British Columbia. Through this LLBC program, you’ll receive expert guidance from professional engineers throughout every stage of the retrofit process.

What does the Program Offer?

Participants with qualified buildings can receive free:

1. Retrofit Coaching Support: Support throughout the project and assistance with identifying and accessing incentive funding.
2. Identification of Retrofit & Energy Efficiency Opportunities: A screening report and follow-up call from our engineers and energy specialists to discuss potential retrofit & energy efficiency options and available incentives.
3. Energy Benchmarking: Energy and emissions tracking through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Setup included.
4. Options Study: A summary of priority retrofit and energy efficiency opportunities, with estimated energy savings, project costs, and identification of applicable incentives, rebates, and tax credits/exemptions.
5. Feasibility Study: A detailed engineering analysis and pre-design of electrical and mechanical aspects required for the selected retrofit to provide a business case, including detailed costs, savings, and incentives. The study will also provide a general decarbonization plan for the building.
6. Retrofit Implementation Support: Ongoing building retrofit support from experienced professional engineers and project managers through the planning, design and implementation phases.

LandlordBC’s Rental Apartment Retrofit Accelerator (RARA) program is supported with funding from the City of Vancouver, the City of Victoria, the District of Saanich, BC Hydro, the Province of BC and federal funding through the Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC) as part of the BC Retrofit Accelerator (BCRA).  The RARA program is a LandlordBC initiative, administered in partnership with FRESCo Building Efficiency.

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Benefits for Rental Housing Sector

The program may benefit the rental housing sector in the following ways: 

• Reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from buildings. 
• Improve energy efficiency
• Reduce the costs of retrofits by accessing complementary incentive and financing programs.
  
• Provide building owners with the technical and administrative support to implement retrofits.
  
• Improving the rental housing with retrofits that have co-benefits for tenants. 

Who can Apply?

Program eligibility includes:

• Applicants who are LandlordBC members will be given preference wherever possible.
• Buildings must be market rental buildings located in British Columbia.
• Buildings with an active natural gas utility account and gas-fired mechanical equipment interested in replacing with a low-carbon alternative, or
• Or Buildings with an active BC Hydro account.
• For rental properties, no tenants may be evicted or permanently displaced due to improvements completed as part of the Project.

Eligible Retrofits

Eligible Retrofits:  

Participants can receive technical support for a wide range of upgrades, see the list below. Note – financial incentives are not available for all retrofit options.

• Space heating systems
• Domestic hot water systems
• Ventilation systems
• Hybrid systems (can be considered).
• Load management technologies, appliance upgrades, gas pool heater replacements, and onsite renewable energy projects.
• Solar and battery storage
• Complimentary energy efficiency retrofits like new windows, air sealing, lighting, lighting controls, electrical capacity upgrades, variable speed drives, carbon monoxide controls and insulation.

Program Timeline

• Program registration is on a first-come-first-served basis.
• Participant recruitment: Continues until fully subscribed

Register Here