Reframed Initiative

Whole-building retrofits for emissions reduction and resilience

The Pembina Institute’s Reframed Initiative is a research and convening platform focused on identifying whole‑building retrofit solutions and scaling retrofit activity. The Reframed Initiative brings together expertise from the construction industry, building owners, policymakers, and the financial sector to chart a clear path toward accelerating whole‑building retrofits.

Reframed is an initiative led by the Pembina Institute, Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, and the City of Vancouver.

Key Research & Analysis

Buildings

April 28, 2026

Publication

Landmark Reframed Initiative demonstrates how deep building retrofits are doable and necessary

Designs include energy and carbon reductions plus beyond-energy benefits making homes healthier, safer, climate resilient and more affordable to heat and cool

Buildings

June 14, 2024

Media Release

Reframed Initiative recognized as finalist for REFBC 2024 Land Awards

BC leaders in sustainable, equitable, and socially just land use to be honoured

Buildings

July 11, 2022

Op-ed

When it comes to home resiliency, Canada can’t afford to wait

As Canada begins consultation on the National Adaptation Strategy, Canadians must demand governments invest in making our existing housing net-zero.

cover for Canada's renovation wave with workers renovating older building

Buildings

July 14, 2021

Publication

Canada’s Renovation Wave

A plan for jobs and climate

Reframed Lab

Working in partnership with BC Housing, the Pembina Institute hosted the Reframed Lab, a landmark step towards transforming Canada’s retrofit sector. The Lab aimed to transform how designers approach retrofitting multi-unit residential buildings to reduce emissions and energy waste, improve health and safety, and increase resilience to severe weather events.

Our research signals a shift away from business-as-usual upgrades to deep retrofits as the primary pathway to reducing emissions.

Results of the Reframed Lab

The Reframed design teams estimate deep retrofits can cut energy use by up to 90%, which underscores the comprehensive opportunity deep retrofits present for driving down energy demand and cutting utility costs during an affordability crisis.

The design teams also proposed operational carbon emissions reductions ranging between 68% and 99%, a remarkable shift from the standard 3% to 55% reduction achieved when building owners replace systems at end-of-life, further highlighting the transformative potential of deep retrofits.

Read the results

Next Steps

The Pembina Institute will work with the building owners, their teams, and municipalities to generate case studies for each of the six buildings. The case studies will be standardized to facilitate replicability and highlight replicable aspects even within bespoke solution bundles to streamline future retrofits.

The scope of the scalability of the work that is being undertaken through the Reframed Initiative is significant given that 40% of homes in B.C. and Canada are low-rise MURBs. The schematic designs confirmed that energy savings alone cannot pay for the cost of deep retrofits, so through these case studies the Pembina Institute will continue to identify the non-energy benefits, such as building occupant health and insurance cost savings, to provide alternate financing streams.

Photo of people at the 2025 Manor House Tour

Reframed Tech Webinar Series

In 2020 the Pembina Institute presented the Reframed Tech Series — webinars on evolving deep retrofit solutions.

Webinar topics

Embodied carbon & deep retrofits
Solar panels & deep retrofits
Climate resilience & deep retrofits
Heat pumps & deep retrofits
Prefabricated panels & deep retrofits

Watch the webinar recordings and access other materials.

Reframed Tech Series banner with window retrofit

Reframed in the News

Officials launch innovative program to address lack of affordable housing: 'Key priorities'
The Cool Down
September 2025

FortisBC completes deep energy retrofit of Manor House in North Vancouver, the first under Reframed Initiative
Energy Manager Canada
August 2025

Need An Air Conditioner? Buy A Heat Pump
Chatelaine
July 2025

Canada’s retrofit momentum hinges on more than just heat pumps
Canada's National Observer
June 2025

From $2,600 to $775: how social housing in Metro Vancouver is changing lives — and fighting climate change
The Narwhal
June 2025

A meta-analysis of the schematic design process of deep retrofit projects
ScienceDirect
December 2024

Floods, fires, hail: Making Canada’s buildings climate-resilient
The Globe and Mail
August 27, 2024

Rising temperatures will require billions to cool aging apartments in Metro Vancouver
Vancouver Sun
August 22, 2024

“

Our team decided to participate in the Reframed Initiative as it presents the unique opportunity for consultants to collaboratively tackle the pressing problem of decarbonizing existing buildings. This approach promotes a collective problem solving and exploratory pursuit, which is not common to traditional projects." ~ Laurence Kao, Williams Engineering (Crown Manor, New Westminster)