Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program Demonstration Projects Call for Proposals Applicants’ Guide

Status: Closed to applications

Call objectives

This second call for proposals under the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP or “the Program”), referred to as the GNPP-Demo call, will support up to six Energiesprong-inspired aggregated deep energy retrofit projects in communities across the country. The GNPP-Demo call aims to:

• Validate the technical and economic feasibility of Energiesprong-style deep energy retrofit approaches in multiple regions across Canada;
• Explore innovative approaches to deep energy retrofits in Canada; and,
• Build capacity and a business case for various aggregated deep energy retrofit approaches.

Eligibility

Note: In this section of the guide, some terms are defined in Appendix A.

Applicant eligibility

The GNPP-Demo call is open to the following applicants:

1. Legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada, including:
   • Not-for-profit organizations, including social/affordable housing providers or housing cooperatives;
   • Community groups;
2. Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies, where applicable;
3. Indigenous applicants:
   • Indigenous communities;
   • For-profit and not-for-profit businesses and organizations that clearly demonstrate ownership and controlling interests by Indigenous groups;
   • First Nations (bands or councils under the Indian Act);
   • Tribal councils;
   • Inuit organizations.
   The term “Indigenous” is understood to include Inuit, Métis, First Nations, Status Indian, and non-Status Indian individuals or any combination thereof.
4. Academic institutions are not eligible to apply to the GNPP-Demo call;
5. Proposals may be submitted by a for-profit third party, such as a consulting company, on behalf of an eligible applicant. However, the entity that will sign a contribution agreement with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), must be the owner of the project assets (i.e., the housing provider).

Project scope eligibility

The GNPP-Demo call is open to demonstration projects undertaking Energiesprong-style aggregated deep energy retrofits in the housing sector. Projects may include the following as part of the demonstration project: a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study, design costs, as well as the construction costs for the full-scale retrofit of homes or housing units, and costs related post-construction project performance monitoring and reporting.

To be considered for funding, proposals must describe how a proposed project aligns with the following mandatory criteria (see definitions in Appendix A):

• Projects must undertake Deep Energy Retrofits of at least 100 homes or housing units in the same Portfolio, to demonstrate the benefits of deploying retrofit solutions at scale;
• Projects must focus on Community Housing homes or housing units;
• Proposed Deep Energy Retrofits must target achieving at least 50% annual Energy Use Reduction and at least 80% annual GHG emissions reduction in each home or building. Retrofits must involve a whole-building approach including, at a minimum, envelope and mechanical system upgrades. A project must satisfy the definition of a Deep Energy Retrofit as provided in Appendix A;
• Projects must provide a whole-building Deep Energy Retrofit solution that is cost-effective compared to traditional, non-aggregated retrofits involving fewer housing units and must apply a Total Cost of Building Ownership analysis as a measure of return on investment (simple payback calculations will not be accepted)^{Footnote 1};
• Projects must demonstrate the use of whole-building energy analysis (model) in identifying the Deep Energy Retrofit measures. The proposal must explain the modelling approach that will be used during the project, and how it will demonstrate and calculate the Energy Use Reduction and GHG emissions reduction ^{Footnote 1};
• Projects must undertake Deep Energy Retrofits on one or more of the following Community Housing archetypes in Canada:
  • Single-Detached Houses
  • Semi-Detached Houses
  • Townhouses
  • Row Houses
  • Low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (up to and including four storeys)^{Footnote 1} the archetypes listed above are defined in Appendix A;
• Projects must plan to collect at least one year of pre-retrofit baseline data (e.g., utility bills), and at least one year of post-retrofit monitoring data of key energy metrics;
• Proposed Deep Energy Retrofit solutions must be replicable across their Region (see definition in Appendix A);
• Buildings selected for retrofit must be representative of an applicant’s building Portfolio and/or typical regional archetypes;
• Projects must include a knowledge dissemination plan to share key findings (design information, technical and/or techno-economic data, lessons learned) with key stakeholders and receptors.

Additional points will be awarded in the evaluation of proposed projects that align to one or more of the following criteria:

• Projects that include innovative or transformative envelope retrofits, beyond doors and windows replacement, such as those utilizing prefabricated exterior panels;
• Projects that undertake Deep Energy Retrofits of more homes or housing units in the same Portfolio;
• Projects that target at least 70% annual Energy Use Reduction;
• Projects that target 100% annual GHG emissions reduction;
• Projects that use an Integrated Design Process and/or design charrettes to identify the Deep Energy Retrofit measures;
• Projects that address the needs of Indigenous people and communities.

Funding

The GNPP-Demo call is open to demonstration projects that request between $1,000,000 and $10,000,000 (comprising up to 50% of total project costs).

The GNPP provides non-repayable contributions.

Note: Indigenous applicants, as defined under paragraph 3 of the Applicant eligibility subsection of this guide, can request a contribution comprising up to 100% of total project costs, subject to the same maximum dollar amount indicated in the following table.

Projects must be completed by March 31, 2028.

Minimum Program Contributions $	Maximum Program Contributions $	Maximum Program Contribution as % of Total Project Costs
$1,000,000	$10,000,000	50%

Eligible project expenditures can accrue^{Footnote 2} once the applicant has been notified in writing by NRCan that the project has been selected for funding under the GNPP.

For more information on eligible expenditures and non-permissible costs, see Appendix B.

Proponents are required to disclose all sources of funding on individual projects prior to signing contribution agreements. They are also required to update this information on an annual basis throughout the project and upon its completion. This includes, but is not limited to, contributions from other federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as well as private sources.

Leveraging resources from other sources in the project budget, as either cash or in-kind contributions, is strongly encouraged, and will be evaluated during project selection. Additional points will be awarded in the evaluation of proposed projects that align to one or more of the following criteria:

• Projects that leverage funding from non-government sources;
• Projects that have a greater portion of co-funding in cash versus in-kind.

Note that the above do not apply to Indigenous applicants, as they are eligible for a contribution of up to 100% of total project costs.

Stacking limit

Stacking of funding (i.e., total government support for a project) will be supported to a maximum of 100% of eligible expenditures.

How to apply

The intake period for this call is now closed.

Next steps and timelines

The following timelines are anticipated for the call. NRCan reserves the right to modify these anticipated timelines at its sole discretion.

Projects must be completed by March 31, 2028.

Steps	Dates
Open for Proposals	June 13, 2023
Deadline for Proposals	September 14, 2023 11:59 p.m. PT
Project Selection/Notification	Fall 2023 (TBD)
Due Diligence Process	Winter 2024 (TBD)
Negotiation and Signing of Contribution Agreements	Spring 2024 (TBD)

Due diligence assessment

All applicants selected for funding will undergo a due diligence assessment, which will include an evaluation of the project’s finances, technical risk, and team strengths, as well as legal and regulatory considerations. NRCan may request additional information to support the due diligence assessment.

Applicants will be notified whether their project passes the due diligence assessment. Successful applicants will be invited to work with NRCan to draft, sign, and execute a contribution agreement.

Contribution agreement

Any funding under the call will be contingent upon the execution of a contribution agreement. Until such an agreement is signed by both parties, no commitment or obligation exists on the part of NRCan to make a financial contribution to any project, including any expenditure incurred or paid for prior to the signing.

More information on NRCan contribution agreements will be made available to successful applicants following notification of funding decisions.

Regulatory, reporting, and other requirements

Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA)

NRCan recognizes the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce for the resilience of Canada’s economy and the benefit of Canadian society. To better understand applicants’ approaches to creating more equitable and inclusive workplaces and policies, NRCan is collecting voluntary information that will be aggregated and anonymous. This information will be used to inform future outreach, program development, and efforts to promote IDEA in the clean energy sector.

As the sections on IDEA are optional, responses will not be evaluated or scored as part of the application but may be considered as part of the final selection process.

Duty to consult

NRCan has a legal duty to consult with Indigenous groups when a contemplated Crown conduct, such as providing funding, may have adverse impacts on existing or potential Aboriginal or treaty rights. Federal departments and agencies are responsible for understanding how and when an activity could have an adverse impact on Aboriginal or treaty rights. Consultation should occur prior to the federal government taking any action.

Applicants will be required to report if they have already conducted consultation or engagement activities in relation to the project proposal or as part of their ongoing operations or corporate commitments.

Impact Assessment Act

As per the Impact Assessment Act, NRCan is required to assess whether projects carried out, in whole or in part, on federal lands are likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Applicants will be asked to indicate whether the project will be carried out in whole or in part on federal lands. If so, an impact assessment may be required during the due diligence assessment for successful applicants.

Outcome reporting

Proponents of successfully funded projects must report to NRCan quarterly and annually to ensure that targets and objectives are being met.

Because some outcomes may be achieved only after funding has ended, ongoing data collection and assessment will be required for five years following the project’s completion date.

Permission to share information

During the application process, applicants will be asked if they give NRCan permission to share their application with other relevant funding organizations. For projects that may not obtain funding under the Program, this will allow the Program to provide the opportunity for maximum exposure and guidance through other funding programs or providers.

Clean Growth Hub

The Clean Growth Hub is a whole-of-government focal point for clean technology focused on supporting companies and projects, coordinating programs, and tracking results.

The Clean Growth Hub is an interdepartmental organization whose member departments and agencies include:

• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Natural Resources Canada
• Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Transport Canada
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Global Affairs Canada
• Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada
• National Research Council
• Business Development Bank of Canada
• Export Development Canada
• Sustainable Development Technology Canada

If applicants consent, the information they provide may be shared across federal departments and agencies. These agencies include but are not limited to the departments and agencies represented in the Clean Growth Hub, with a view to helping applicants determine which federal programs and supports best suit their needs. Pursuant to Paragraph 20(1) of the Access to Information Act, the Clean Growth Hub will not publicly disclose any information without permission.

Trusted Partners

To facilitate co-funding with provincial, territorial, and industry funders, NRCan collaborates with a network of funding organizations across Canada. By giving NRCan the authority to share their proposals with our Trusted Partners (TP), applicants allow NRCan to explore co-funding opportunities, referrals, or follow-on funding opportunities.

Note that NRCan will share these applications only with TPs that have a non-disclosure agreement with NRCan and for the purposes of referring proposals for funding consideration or exploring the possibility of co-funding.

Contact us

For questions regarding the GNPP–Demo call or the GNPP more broadly, please contact NRCan at: gnpp-ppqv@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca. During regular operations, NRCan strives to respond within two business days.

Appendix A – Definitions

Community Housing – Community housing (sometimes referred to as social, affordable, or co-operative housing) is housing that is offered at below-market rates so that it is more affordable. Community housing is typically provided by organizations whose mandates are to offer affordable housing, including housing owned and operated by non-profit housing corporations, housing cooperatives, and municipal governments or district social services administration boards. Rents are typically subsidized by public sources (be they federal, provincial/territorial, or municipal) so that rents can be maintained at a level that is affordable to the tenants.

Deep Energy Retrofit – Under the GNPP, a deep energy retrofit is defined as a major building renovation project which must target at least 50% annual Energy Use Reduction (see definition below), while targeting at least 80% annual GHG emissions reduction. A deep energy retrofit requires a whole-building analysis approach, meaning that the building is considered as a single, integrated system rather than as a collection of standalone systems, such as the building envelope, the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and building operations. The whole-building analysis approach facilitates the identification of synergistic relationships between the component systems. The key to whole-building analysis is the use of an Integrated Design Process (see definition below).

Energy Use Reduction – For the purposes of the GNPP, energy use refers to a home or building unit’s energy consumption for space heating, space cooling, domestic hot water heating, lighting, and plug loads for building operation. Energy use reduction is defined as a reduction in energy needs from building operations through energy demand reduction, electrification, and other energy conservation measures, but does not include the impact of renewable energy use or generation.

Integrated Design Process (IDP) – is a method for realizing high performance buildings that contribute to sustainable communities. It is a collaborative process that:

• is designed to allow the client and other stakeholders to develop and realize clearly defined and challenging functional, environmental, and economic goals and objectives;
• includes a multidisciplinary design team that has or acquires the skills required to address all design issues flowing from the objectives;
• focuses on the design, construction, operation, and occupancy of a building over its complete life cycle;
• proceeds from whole-building system strategies working through increasing levels of specificity to achieve more optimally integrated solutions.

Low-rise multi-unit residential building (low-rise MURB) – A low-rise MURB is a building used exclusively for residential purposes that consists of a set of separate stacked residential units, with each residential unit having a private entrance either from the exterior of the building or from a common hall, lobby, vestibule, or stairway inside the building. A low-rise MURB consists of at least two vertically stacked residential units, stands at least two storeys above finished grade, and does not exceed three storeys. In the context of GNPP and the applicability of the Energiesprong approach, four-storey MURBs are considered as an eligible housing archetype.

Portfolio – the homes and buildings owned by a single housing provider or organization.

Region – an area sharing a single climate zone and climatic conditions, in which a deep energy retrofit solution or construction approach would be commonly applicable.

Row House or Townhouse – Three or more dwelling units joined side by side, side to back, or, in the case of stacked townhouses, the dwelling units may be arranged with upper and lower units.

Semi-Detached House – Two dwelling units attached side-by-side (or back-to-back) to each other, but not to any other dwelling or structure (except its own garage). A semi-detached house has no dwellings either above or below it, and both units have open space on all sides.

Single-Detached House – A single dwelling not attached to any other dwelling or structure (except its own garage).

Total Cost of Building Ownership (TCBO) – a life cycle cost analysis of a building based on all major operating, renewal, and maintenance costs. A TCBO analysis quantifies variables over a fixed timeframe (e.g., 60 years) and takes into account factors such as capital cost, energy consumption and cost, GHG emissions, useful life, current age, annual maintenance cost, replacement cost escalation, improvement in energy efficiency at replacement, and cost of capital.

Appendix B – Eligible expenditures and non-permissible costs

Eligible Expenditures

The Program will provide for Eligible Expenditures as described below.

Eligible Expenditures for an approved project under the Program must be directly related to, and necessary for, the implementation and conduct of a project, and include:

• Salaries and benefits for employees on the proponent’s payroll, for actual time spent by the employees on the project;
• Professional, scientific, technical, and contracting services;
• Reasonable travel costs, including meals and accommodation, based on National Joint Council Rates;
• Capital expenditures such as the purchase, installation, testing, and commissioning of qualifying equipment, materials, and products, including diagnostic and testing tools and instruments and the Original Equipment Manufacturer warranty (including extended warranties where deemed appropriate to mitigate risk and lack of capacity);
• Other expenses including:

  • Laboratory and field supplies, and materials;

  • Printing services and translation;

  • Data collection services, including processing, analysis, and management;

  • Facility costs for seminars, conference room rentals, etc.;

  • Licence fees and permits;

  • Capacity building and training; and,

  • Field testing services.

    For Indigenous proponents, other expenses may include:

    • Costs associated with an Indigenous ceremony (excluding hospitality); and,
    • Honoraria for Elders.
• Overhead expenses, provided they are directly related to the conduct of the project and can be attributed to it. Overhead costs will be negotiated and agreed to on an individual basis with project proponents before signing a contribution agreement. They may not exceed 15% of Eligible Expenditures.

Ineligible Expenditures

Costs ineligible for reimbursement under the Program (but permitted as part of the proponent’s contribution to the total project costs) are as follows:

• All costs incurred within the Total Project Cost period but outside the Eligible Expenditure Period are considered as Ineligible Expenditures;
• Overhead expenses exceeding 15% of Eligible Expenditures may be included as Ineligible Expenditures and count towards the proponent’s portion of the total project costs provided that the sum of overhead expenses (Eligible plus Ineligible) does not exceed 15% of the Total Project Costs;
• The reimbursable portion of federal and provincial taxes;
• In-kind costs*

* In-kind support must be verifiable, directly support the project, and fall into the same cost categories as identified for Eligible Expenditures.

From time to time, the Program may determine that some of the proponent’s project costs are not eligible for reimbursement, but may be included towards the proponent’s contribution to the total project costs. These costs will be considered Ineligible Expenditures and will be shown in the Ineligible Expenditures section of the budget. The Program will provide guidance to the proponent as required.

Non-Permissible Costs

Costs associated with the purchase of land are considered non-permissible, meaning they are ineligible for reimbursement or inclusion as part of the total project costs. From time to time, the Program may consider other costs to be non-permissible. The Program will provide guidance to the proponent as required.

Appendix C – Proposal eligibility summary and evaluated questions

Proposal eligibility summary

Sections	Eligibility criteria
Eligible Applicants	The GNPP-Demo call is open to the following applicants: Legal entities incorporated or registered in Canada, including: Not-for-profit organizations, including social/affordable housing providers or housing cooperatives; Community groups. Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies, where applicable. Indigenous applicants: Indigenous communities; For-profit and not-for-profit businesses and organizations that clearly demonstrate ownership and controlling interests by Indigenous groups; First Nations (bands or councils under the Indian Act); Tribal councils; Inuit organizations. The term “Indigenous” is understood to include Inuit, Métis, First Nations, Status Indian, and non-Status Indian individuals or any combination thereof.
Eligible Projects	The GNPP-Demo call is open to demonstration projects undertaking Energiesprong-style aggregated deep energy retrofits in the housing sector. Projects may include the following as part of the demonstration project: a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study, design costs, as well as the construction costs for the full-scale retrofit of homes or housing units, and costs related to post-construction project performance monitoring and reporting. Housing Archetypes Projects must undertake Deep Energy Retrofits on one or more of the following Community Housing archetypes in Canada, as defined in Appendix A: Single-Detached Houses; Semi-Detached Houses; Townhouses; Row Houses; Low-rise multi-unit residential buildings (up to and including four storeys). Project Scale Projects must undertake Deep Energy Retrofits of at least 100 Community Housing homes or housing units in the same Portfolio to demonstrate the benefits of deploying retrofit solutions at scale. Replicability Proposed Deep Energy Retrofit solutions must be replicable across their Region (see definition in Appendix A). Buildings selected for retrofit must be representative of an applicant’s building Portfolio and/or typical regional archetypes. Minimum Performance Proposed Deep Energy Retrofits must target achieving at least 50% annual Energy Use Reduction and at least 80% annual GHG emissions reduction in each home or building. Retrofits must involve a whole-building approach including, at a minimum, envelope and mechanical system upgrades. A project must satisfy the definition of a Deep Energy Retrofit as provided in Appendix A. Projects must demonstrate the use of whole-building energy analysis (model) in identifying the Deep Energy Retrofit measures. The proposal must explain the modelling approach that will be used during the project, and how it will demonstrate and calculate the Energy Use Reduction and GHG emissions reduction. Projects must plan to collect at least one year of pre-retrofit baseline data (e.g., utility bills), and at least one year of post-retrofit monitoring data of key energy metrics. Cost Effectiveness Projects must provide a whole-building Deep Energy Retrofit solution that is cost-effective compared to traditional, non-aggregated retrofits involving fewer housing units and must apply a Total Cost of Building Ownership analysis as a measure of return on investment (simple payback calculations will not be accepted). Knowledge Dissemination Plan Projects must include a knowledge dissemination plan to share key findings (design information, technical and/or techno-economic data, lessons learned) with key stakeholders and receptors.
Eligible Funding	Applicants are eligible to request between $1,000,000 and $10,000,000 (comprising up to 50% of total eligible project costs) for projects ending no later than March 31, 2028. Eligible project expenditures can accrue once the applicant has been notified in writing by NRCan that the project has been selected for funding under the GNPP, subject to a percentage of costs within a retroactivity period which will be communicated to applicants of the selected projects. Note: Indigenous applicants, as defined under paragraph 3 of the Applicant eligibility subsection of this guide, can request a contribution comprising up to 100% of total project costs, subject to the same maximum dollar amounts listed in this table.
Stacking Limit	Stacking of public funding (i.e., total government support for a project) will be supported to a maximum of 100% of total eligible expenditures.

Evaluated proposal questions

Sections	Eligibility criteria
Project Pitch (63.8%)	Alignment to eligible scope, program objectives, and expected outcomes Description of DER approach Project impacts and benefits (technical, environmental, economic, and social) Uptake & replicability Knowledge dissemination
Team and Partners (11.6%)	Organization’s background and relevant experience Project team capabilities Project organizations and their capabilities
Implementation and Risk (24.6%)	Performance metrics Project risk management Budget (attachment) Quality of the project plan and Statement of Work (attachment)

NRCan reserves the right to apply the following additional criteria during the final project selection:

• Projects that support departmental priorities such as regional balance in Canada, advancing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) in the natural resources sector, and socio-economic considerations.

Frequently asked questions for the GNPP Demonstrations Call

• Eligibility

  Q. What kinds of applicants and projects does this call aim to support?
  A. A summary of the eligibility criteria for applicants and projects can be found in Appendix C of the Applicants’ Guide. Appendix A of the Applicants’ Guide contains definitions for elements of project eligibility such as “Deep Energy Retrofit” and “Community Housing”.

  Q. Is the call open to municipalities and academic institutions?
  A. Municipalities are eligible to apply for this call, but academic institutions are not. However, they can be a project partner and contribute to a project led by an eligible applicant. Academic institutions can be well-suited to performing detailed pre- and post-retrofit measurement and verification to validate project performance.  

  Q. a) Will Market Development Teams (MDTs) selected under the previous MDT call be eligible for funding during the Demonstration call?
       b) If not, what are the expectations for their participation with Demonstration projects under the Demonstration call?
  A. a) As was mentioned in Section 1 of the MDT Call Applicants’ Guide, since MDTs are expected to collaborate closely with building owners, to prevent conflict of interest, any organization selected for funding under the MDT call will not be eligible for funding under the Demonstration call as either a proponent or as a project partner.
  b) MDTs may be part of a project team as a partner or collaborator. A regional MDT is ideally placed to disseminate demonstration project results.

  Q. Are projects limited to retrofits only?
  A. Yes. The focus of this call is on Deep Energy Retrofits at scale. A summary of the eligibility criteria for applicants and projects can be found in Appendix C of the Applicants’ Guide.

  Q. How important is the ‘neighborhood’ focus? Can aggregated projects cover a larger geographic area?
  A. Under the Demonstration call, aggregated projects must be located within the same region and under the same ownership portfolio (i.e., all units owned by one entity), not necessarily in the same physical neighbourhood. The intent of the ‘neighbourhood’ focus is to aggregate homes or buildings with similar physical characteristics. Applicants must describe in their proposal how their project aligns to those requirements. See the Applicants’ Guide for related definitions.

  Q. Can a manufacturer or distributor of equipment or products relevant to retrofits (e.g. cladding, insulation, HVAC equipment) be a project partner?
  A. Yes.

  Q. Will <specific equipment> be eligible (e.g. solar PV, gas-fired heat pumps, biomass)?
  A. The Demonstration call is not prescriptive with respect to the particular equipment, materials, or technologies used in the aggregated retrofits. To be considered for funding, applications must describe how their proposed solution (including the specific equipment) aligns to the program definition of a deep energy retrofit including its mandatory performance thresholds, as well as cost-effectiveness and replicability criteria.

  Q. How can we prove in our application that we plan to meet the 80-100% GHG emissions reduction target in our projects? It can be difficult to predict in advance exactly what the GHG reductions will be in any particular retrofit, no matter the measures taken.
  A. As described in the Applicants’ Guide, projects must demonstrate the use of a whole-building energy analysis (modelling) approach to identify the retrofit measures, as well as plan to collect one year of pre- and post-retrofit performance data of key energy metrics. In the proposal form, applicants must describe their project performance target, provide some detail of the deep energy retrofit measures to be taken, and explain how their project aligns to the selection criteria. The energy model does not need to be submitted with the application, though the GHG spreadsheet included in the Proposal Package is required to be completed and submitted with the application.

  Q. Is there a specific type of energy model required?
  A. GNPP does not specify which modeling software must be used. The modeling software must be capable of calculating annual energy use using hourly analysis.

  Q. Is a mixed-rate (market-rate and below-market-rate) development eligible?
  A. Under the Demonstration call, only the portion of the development that aligns to the Community Housing definition given in the Applicants’ Guide would be eligible.

  Q. Is a mixed use (commercial/residential) development eligible?
  A. Under the Demonstration call, only the residential portion of the development that aligns to the eligible housing archetypes given in the Applicants’ Guide would be eligible.

  Example 1: A mixed-use multi-unit residential building has 120 residential units. It would be eligible to apply for GNPP funding related to the residential portion of the retrofit.

  Example 2: A mixed-use multi-unit residential building has 95 residential units and 10 commercial units. It would be ineligible for funding since the residential portion of the building does not meet the 100-unit minimum threshold for GNPP.

  Q. Can multiple housing providers aggregate homes or housing units across their portfolios under a joint application to meet the 100-unit target?
  A. No. For a project to be considered for funding, all housing units to be retrofitted under the Demonstration project must be owned and operated by a single housing provider entity. The project must lead to a single Contribution Agreement, to be signed with the one owner of all the project assets.

• Funding

  Q. What is the total funding available for this call and per project?  
  A. As mentioned on the GNPP webpage, NRCan aims to support up to six projects under the Demonstration call. As per the Applicants’ Guide, the maximum contribution per project is $10M and the minimum is $1,000,000.

  Q. Is preference given to applicants that have secured additional funding or are organizations equally competitive regardless of the program contribution amount or percentage asked?
  A. As mentioned on the GNPP webpage, under the Demonstration call, additional points will be awarded during evaluation for applications that leverage additional funding, as well as those where the additional funding has a greater proportion of cash vs in-kind.

• Miscellaneous

  Q. How should an applicant decide which housing archetype(s) to target?
  A. It is solely at the applicant’s discretion to decide which housing archetype(s) to target. More details about eligible housing archetypes under this call can be found in the Applicants’ Guide. We suggest reviewing the Applicants’ Guide and Proposal Form.

  Q. Will the program be having individual meetings with applicants?
  A. To maintain fairness to all applicants, the program does not hold calls with individual organizations about specific projects during the project call period. Any questions can instead be directed to the program mailbox: gnpp-ppqv@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

  Q. How much weight will be given to the level of commitment of a partnership relationship (e.g. Identified, Early Discussions, Negotiating an Agreement, Confirmed)?
  A. Under the Demonstration call, partnerships of direct relevance to the project are considered during evaluation, and additional points will be awarded for applications that include partnerships at a more advanced stage (i.e., letter of support to commit funds) compared to applications with partnerships at a preliminary stage.

  Q. Will there be consideration for regional diversity in the decision-making process?
  A. Yes. During the final project selection, NRCan reserves the right to apply regional balance (among others) as an evaluation criterion. See the Applicants’ Guide for more information on this.
  Q. Are recipients going to be announced publicly?
  A. Yes, once final project selection is complete and finalist applicants sign Contribution Agreements with NRCan, those projects will be publicly announced.

  Q. Our company would like to provide a product or service to eligible projects. Can you put us in touch with applicants?
  A. No, we are unable to provide a list of applicants. However, successful applicants will be publicly announced once final project selection is complete and finalist applicants sign Contribution Agreements with NRCan.

  Q. Can a project also apply for funding to other federal or provincial funding programs such as the Green Municipal Fund's Community retrofit program (CBR) or the CMHC’s Canada Green Affordable Homes program?
  A. Yes, the GNPP demo program allows projects to receive up to 100% total government assistance (Total Government Stacking Limits). Applicants should verify that additional funding programs they intend to access would, reciprocally, allow up to 100% stacking of government assistance. 

  Q. Can you expand on the definition of Total Cost of Building Ownership (TCBO) provided in the Applicants’ Guide?
  A. Preparing a TCBO analysis requires estimating all major operating, renewal, and maintenance costs for a project, and when they are expected to occur within the analysis time frame. These expenses may include, but are not limited to: capital cost, energy cost, annual maintenance cost, replacement cost, taxes, insurance, and borrowing costs. The TCBO also includes the escalation to these costs over the analysis period. Each project is expected to have its own set of building-specific variables used in the TCBO analysis.

  A TCBO analysis quantifies these variables over a fixed timeframe (e.g., 60 years) and provides an estimate of the annual cost of operating the building in each year of the analysis, plus the cumulative cost of owning and operating the building for the chosen duration. The time frame used typically corresponds to the anticipated or planned life of the building. Note that the Applicants’ Guide states that simple payback calculations will not be accepted.

  Performing multiple TCBO analyses based on different upgrade scenarios (e.g., different levels of insulation or different mechanical systems) allows a direct comparison of the business-as-usual case to the upgrades being considered. Energy modeling is a critical component of a TCBO analysis to provide an estimate of the energy consumption and resulting energy cost for the various retrofit scenarios.

  Q. Which tabs are required to be filled out in the GNPP Demo GHG Template spreadsheet?
  A. Please note that there are now two GHG templates available in the GNPP Demo Proposal package (zip folder). The original detailed template and a new simplified, pre-populated version of the (GNPP webpage). Applicants must provide as a minimum data in the yellow-highlighted boxes on Tab 2 (GHG Calculations) and Tab 3 (GHG Summary) of the simplified version.

  Applicants have the choice of using either version of spreadsheet and are not required to complete the additional tabs found in the full version of the GNPP Demo GHG Template.