Efficiency NB provides financial incentives to help you retrofit your existing commercial building to its maximum energy efficiency potential
Program Description: The Energy Smart Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program provides financial incentives of up to $3,000 towards an evaluation to determine the potential for energy efficiency upgrades in a commercial building and a maximum of $75,000 towards the energy retrofitting project costs.
In order to qualify for incentives, please ensure your Energy Management Service Provider has met, and will meet, the Energy Smart Program requirements.
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Eligible Buildings:
All existing commercial buildings located in the province of New Brunswick.
Some examples of eligible buildings are:
Note: If your commercial/non-residential building is
less than 6458 square feet in size and does
not contain commercial equipment such as commercial freezers, laundry units or commercial kitchens it may be eligible for the Residential Energy Efficiency Program (REEP). Examples of such buildings would include: small offices such as town or village halls, doctor’s offices and legions. The Residential Energy Efficiency Program begins with an energy assessment.
Click here to see details on the program and information on how to get started.
For questions, please contact Efficiency NB.
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Incentives vary by building category as outlined below. | | Building Categories |
| | Class 1 (Small) | Class II (Medium) | Class III (Large) |
| Building Size | Up to 15,000 square feet or 1,394 square metres | 15,000 to 75,000 square feet or 1,394 to 6,968 square metres | 75,000 square feet and larger or 6,968 square metres and larger |
Audit Incentive
(audit determines potential for energy efficiency upgrades)
| 50% of energy audit cost up to $1,000 | 50% of energy audit cost up to $2,000 | 50% of energy audit cost up to $3,000 |
| Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP): 50% of energy audit cost up to $2,000 regardless of building size + 50% of energy audit cost up to $1,000 for all associated Pumping Station |
Retrofit Incentive
(based on estimated annual energy savings determined by audit) | $30/GJ saved (up to a maximum of $75,000) |
| Waste Water Treatment Plants (WWTP) and associated Pumping Stations: $30/GJ saved (up to a maximum of $75,000 regardless of building size) |
Participants are eligible for the adjusted incentive of 30$/GJ if an energy audit has been completed and meets the requirements outlined in the ENB Energy Smart guidelines and if energy efficient measures outlined in the audit report are completed after April 1st, 2011 (based on invoices sent in to ENB with the request for payment forms). Participants who completed prior to April 1st, 2011 will receive the agreed upon incentive outlined in the original Program Agreement. A gigajoule (GJ) is a metric term used for measuring energy use. For example, 1 GJ is equivalent to the amount of energy available from either:
- 277.8 kWh of electricity, or
- 26.1 m3 of natural gas, or
- 25.8 litres of heating oil
Determine the energy use and intensity of your facility by clicking here: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/commercial/technical-info/tools/gigajoule.cfm?attr=20
Back to topConditions: - Projects with payback periods of less than one year when bundled with complementary incentives will not qualify for funding under this program.
- You must provide a minimum of 12 months of historical utility data for your building.
- You must have an energy audit conducted by an Energy Management Service Provider registered with Natural Resources Canada. (Please refer to the directory of energy management service providers listed below.)
- You cannot begin any project work prior to conducting an energy audit and receiving pre-approval from Efficiency NB.
- You must agree to grant Efficiency NB permission to access future utility data upon written request.
Back to topAcceptable qualifications for service providers: Unless you have someone in your organization with the required qualifications and experience in evaluating the energy efficiency in buildings described below, you will need to retain an outside service provider or energy auditor at your expense.
It is your responsibility as the applicant to ensure that the professional you select has the necessary training, credentials and experience. Retaining the services of a competent energy professional throughout your project will help you realize the estimated energy savings.
For all buildings
Either a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.), a Professional Technologist (PTech), a Certified Engineering Technologist (CET), an Architect or a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) must perform the pre-project energy audit; this individual must have at least two years of experience evaluating energy systems in buildings;
An Engineer-in-Training (EIT) under the supervision of a P.Eng., a PTech or a CET is acceptable, but the qualified and experienced supervisor must certify and sign the Application Form and audit report.
Download Questions to ask an EMSP [PDF]
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