Sep 22nd, 2022

News release: OCHC wins National Energy of the Year Project for PEER Pilot

Sept. 22, 2022, OTTAWA, ON – Ottawa Community Housing Corporation is proud to announce that our Prefabricated Exterior Energy Retrofit (PEER) project in Overbrook was selected as the Energy of the Year Project for the Canada region as part of the Association of Energy Engineers world conference from Sept. 21-23.  

The awards celebrate leaders in sustainable design from around the world.  

The innovative PEER project was completed in 2021 and was the first of its kind in Canada. This retrofit involved the installation of prefabricated, insulated panels to the exterior of the home without the need to relocate tenants. To complete the work, the staff constructed a workshop dedicated to the creation of panels and brought the research to life with their innovation and hard work. It was completed with the help of a partnership between Ottawa Community Housing and Natural Resources Canada. 

As a result of the pilot, tenants in the Overbrook community received new exterior walls, roofs, windows doors and heating and cooling systems. The makeover also helped reduce the energy used to heat the homes by 90 percent, and a bank of solar arrays produces 40,000 kWh annually – enough to power four average homes yearly.   

What’s next? 

Ottawa Community Housing has used the lessons learned from this project to create a long-term capital plan that aligns with the City of Ottawa’s Climate Change Master Plan. Thanks to $300 million in funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) for capital repairs – a portion of which is reserved for projects that improve energy efficiency – OCH is currently working with consultants and contractors to scale the work that has taken place at Presland into Deep Energy Retrofit for high-rise buildings and large townhome communities. 

“It is with great honour that we have received this award, for us it goes beyond this project to innovation that helps improve the comfort of tenants.  Community housing is more than just the fixing and building of homes. It is considering a holistic view of affordability, including aspects such as the monthly electricity bill.”Stéphane Giguère, Chief Executive Officer, OCHC

“The lessons learned from the PEER pilot were an important step in improving the energy efficiency of OCHC’s existing homes. We are honoured to have received recognition for this crucial project.” Cliff Youdale, Chief Development Officer, OCHC

About Ottawa Community Housing Corporation
Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to about 32,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCHC houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCHC is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second-largest in Ontario. OCHC was selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. 

Media contact:
Jennifer McIntosh
Communications and Marketing Specialist
Ottawa Community Housing
media@och.ca 
613-914-9953

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