Market transformation

Improving energy performance in windows, space heating and water heating equipment

Federal, provincial and territorial governments, in partnership with stakeholders, have a plan to bring new equipment technologies to market and encourage their wider adoption, with the goal of improving energy performance in the building sector.

Market transformation is an important part of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and Canada’s transition to a low carbon economy. The Framework outlines a strategy to improve energy performance in buildings, since residential and commercial buildings currently account for 17% of total greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

Governments are focusing collaborative efforts on market transformation in three equipment areas, based on their current energy use and potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Windows, space heating and water heating offer significant opportunities when next generation technologies are installed.

• Residential windows – can account for up to 35% of heat loss by a home during the heating season.
• Space heating – is the largest source of energy consumption in Canada’s residential and building sectors. It accounts for 64% energy used in homes and 56% of energy used in commercial buildings.
• Water heating – is the second largest source of energy consumption in Canada’s building sector. It accounts for 19% of energy used in homes and 8% of energy used in commercial buildings.

The road map for market transformation was unveiled at the 2018 Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference. Paving the Road to 2030 and Beyond: Market transformation road maps for energy efficient equipment in the building sector (PDF, 3.44 MB) is a plan to create broad market adoption of next-generation, clean technologies needed for a low carbon building sector. Governments will play a lead role in many of the initiatives, with support from players in the marketplace such as utilities, manufacturers, builders, contractors and others. This joint plan will establish a more competitive building sector and a cleaner future.

Here’s a quick overview of the market transformation road map.

(PDF, 3.44 MB)

The aspirational goals for energy performance that guide the road map were announced at the 2017 Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference. Market transformation strategies for energy-using equipment in the building sector: Supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy (PDF, 1.13 MB) lays out the federal, provincial and territorial governments’ goals over the short-, medium- and long-term for energy performance in windows, space heating and water heating equipment. The report also identifies key barriers to market adoption for each equipment area and possible measures to overcome them.

(PDF, 1.13 MB)