INNOVATION November-December 2018

F E A T U R E

AFTER

NON-PROFIT HOUSING RETROFITS

BC’s non-profit housing sector, comprising about 3,100 housing complexes, is facing a critical backlog of retrofit projects and the pressing need to reduce energy consumption and related costs. Non-profit housing societies—many of which are run by volunteer boards—often lack the financial resources, technical expertise, and procurement experience to oversee these projects. But a new collaboration between utility providers and government is ensuring engineering support is available to help guide these retrofits towards quality, efficiency, and sustainability.

MIKE GAMBLE, P.ENG.

F or years, the non-proÅt housing sector has been facing an urgent need for asset upgrades and building retroÅts. Volunteer boards that run the societies oËen lack the Ånancial resources and technical expertise to evaluate project plans, cost projections, and equipment for complex building upgrades and retroÅts. When these housing societies undertake projects without professional support, the result falls much short of their hopes and expectations.

But now, a new partnership between utility providers and government has made funding available for societies to retain professional engineering support, in the hope of completing projects that are more eÆcient, more sustainable, and ultimately a marked improvement for the most vulnerable in our society. THE LANDSCAPE OF NON-PROFIT HOUSING Non-profit housing can be defined as rental housing that is owned and operated by community-based non-profit societies.

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I N N O V A T I O N