Programs and Initiatives

Through the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative, the Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) works to improve energy conservation and energy efficiency in every sector of the Canadian economy. The OEE offers grants and incentives and other resources, including workshops for professionals, statistics and analysis, awards and hundreds of free publications.

Office of Energy Efficiency Programs

• ecoENERGY Retrofit
• ecoENERGY for Buildings and Houses
• ecoENERGY Efficiency – Regulations
• ecoENERGY for Industry
• ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles
• ecoENERGY for Fleets
• Transportation (manufacturers, federal and alternative fuels)

ecoENERGY Retrofit

ecoENERGY Retrofit provides grants to homeowners and financial incentives to small and medium-sized businesses, and to industry and public institutions to help them invest in energy and pollution-saving upgrades.

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ecoENERGY for Buildings and Houses

Energy efficiency makes for healthy workplaces and living spaces, increases comfort and saves money. Take steps to improve energy efficiency and you can also help create a healthier environment by reducing smog pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Commercial and Institutional Buildings

Use our publications, training, tools and other technical information to help choose energy efficiency measures and practices for your existing buildings. If you own small or medium-sized buildings, you may be eligible for our ecoENERGY Retrofit financial incentive.

To promote energy-efficient design of new buildings, we offer a number tools and activities including simulation software, training, information and access to stakeholder networks.

We are working with other levels of government to encourage the adoption of more stringent energy codes and to update the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. We are also consulting with experts to develop a rating and labelling system for new and existing buildings.

For buildings owned by the Government of Canada, we offer the Federal Buildings Initiative, a proven, turn-key solution that enables federal departments and agencies to retrofit their buildings without necessarily using their own capital funds.

Existing Homes

For information on existing homes, please see the ecoENERGY Retrofit page.

Newly Built Homes

When you build or buy a new home, you want the best product on the market – one that's as energy efficient as possible and that will keep your energy bills under control for years to come. 

This is why we have developed the R-2000^* Standard as a training and building standard and the EnerGuide rating system as an energy rating tool.  

The R-2000 Standard and EnerGuide rating system have prepared the market for regional energy efficiency initiatives such as ENERGY STAR for New Homes to advance energy efficient home building in Canada.

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ecoENERGY Efficiency – Regulations

The OEE is working to improve the energy efficiency of consumer products and equipment in Canada by amending Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations

Energy-Efficient Equipment

The OEE helps Canadians make energy-efficient choices when buying, selling or manufacturing energy-using equipment. By prescribing minimum energy efficiency performance levels, inefficient energy-using equipment is eliminated from the Canadian market.

• EnerGuide for Equipment  rates and labels the energy efficiency of major household electrical appliances and heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. The EnerGuide label shows how much energy major appliances use so you can easily compare models of the same size and class.
  
  
• The international ENERGY STAR® symbol identifies the most energy-efficient products in their class. Products that carry the ENERGY STAR symbol meet premium levels of energy efficiency – most are 10 to 50 percent more efficient than the minimum regulated standard in Canada.

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ecoENERGY for Industry

The industrial sector is Canada's largest energy user, but it has become much more energy efficient over the years. The OEE works hand-in-hand with industry to encourage the sector to invest in, develop and use methods and industrial processes that are more energy efficient.

To encourage early action from all industry, the OEE is here to:

• Help companies assess their capacity to reduce energy use
• Train managers in energy efficiency and conservation
• Identify least-cost options for companies taking steps to reduce greenhouse gases and other emissions
• Provide a forum for sharing information on new technologies and best practices.

The Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC) is an industry-government partnership that helps Canada's industries improve their energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. It is a voluntary program that brings together industry associations and companies that represent more than 98 percent of all industrial energy use in Canada.

Small and medium-sized industrial facilities can also apply for our ecoENERGY Retrofit financial incentive.

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ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles

The Personal Vehicles program provides Canadian motorists with helpful tips on buying, driving and maintaining their vehicles to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Reducing fuel consumption means saving money and, more importantly, helping the environment.

The new ecoAUTO rebate program makes it easier for you to buy a fuel-efficient vehicle.

NEW – For information on the new Excise Tax (Green Levy) on Fuel Inefficient Vehicles, contact: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/agency/budget/2007/excise-e.html.

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ecoENERGY for Fleets

ecoENERGY for Fleets – Benefiting trucking companies and other commercial fleet operations by helping them cut fuel costs and reduce harmful emissions. The ecoEnergy for Fleets Initiative will emphasize information-sharing, workshops and training to help fleets increase their fuel efficiency.

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Transportation (manufacturers, federal and alternative fuels)

The transportation sector is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. We can all make a big difference by making energy-efficient choices.

Vehicle Efficiency: A voluntary initiative with vehicle manufacturers aimed at promoting improvements in motor vehicle fuel efficiency, including introduction of fuel efficiency technologies in new vehicles.

Federal Vehicles: The Federal Vehicles Initiative aims at helping Government of Canada departments cut costs by increasing the efficiency of their fleets and helping reduce the environmental impact of operating them.

Alternative Fuels: Vehicle fuel choices that we make today can greatly impact greenhouse gas emissions resulting from transportation. Our initiatives inform the public and encourage the production and end-use of alternative fuels such as biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas and hydrogen as well as cleaner conventional fuels such as low-sulphur diesel and reformulated gasoline.

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