The Purpose Retrofit Accelerator

Canada’s path to net-zero buildings is clear; investors and tenants are increasingly expecting progress on this path, and dedicated funding is now available to help private-sector owners take action.

Experts in Low-Carbon Retrofit Solutions

Purpose Building is Canada’s only private-sector pure-play sustainability advisor selected by NRCan as a Retrofit Accelerator under their Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI). Purpose is an employee-owned firm delivering practical, low-carbon solutions tailored to your strategy for each portfolio.

“The Canadian market does not yet have the necessary drivers to make deep carbon building retrofits happen at scale. The Purpose Retrofit Accelerator program applies DRAI funding to enable forward-thinking owners to make the business case for future-proofing their assets today. Their leadership is needed to accelerate more widespread adoption.”

Peter Halsall, Principal P.Eng., MASc

Eligibility

  • Asset Classes: Offices. Multi-unit residential (MURBs). Warehouses. Retail. Many others.

  • Regions: Canada.

  • Activities: Tailored to you. See examples below.

Funding Support

We help you identify the funding that generates the greatest value for every project and guide you through the process with confidence. Where publicly available funding programs do not fit your project or deliver comparable value, the Purpose Retrofit Accelerator can provide an option. Our program:

  • Covers up to 50% of pre-tax fixed fees for retrofit planning, design, and delivery support (capital costs not included).

  • Is highly flexible—no prescriptive scope.

  • Is available until March 2027 or until annual allotments are claimed.

Full-Service Decarbonization Support

We provide funding and technical expertise across the entire retrofit lifecycle. Examples of tailored support we are regularly providing:

  • Create a portfolio plan that prioritize investments across assets, and set up organizational processes that drives effective decision making.

  • Pilot a new software, process, technology or supply chain and evaluate/verify impacts.

  • Develop asset zero-carbon transition strategies.

  • Optimize asset CapEx & OpEx.

  • Build the business case to secure internal project approval.

  • Organize and procure design services.

  • Manage design and implementation end to end.

  • Track progress, verify and improve post-retrofit outcomes.

Why Purpose?

We accelerate to planet-positive by inspiring confidence in teams to go farther, faster and close the performance gap between business-as-usual and what is needed. In the first year of the Purpose Retrofit Accelerator program, we helped clients uncover over 350,000 tonnes of annual GHG reduction potential across 1,300+ buildings.

We won’t lose sight of your goals
We’re an employee-owned company that is big enough to know but small enough to care.

We get you over the hurdles
Sustainability acceleration is all we do. We excel at bringing teams from vision to reality.

We draw out the best from everyone:
We combine deep technical expertise with great collaboration skills to synthesize insights from the whole team.

350kt
GHG/yr

1,300+
Buildings

178M sq.ft.
Sq.ft.

Let’s Connect

Discover how the Purpose Retrofit Accelerator program can help you reduce emissions, enhance asset value, and stay compliant with regulations.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada, through NRCan’s Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative.