Building envelope upgrades can save you energy & money

Article from Volume 11, Issue Number 2, 2024

Building envelope upgrades can save you energy & money

By Roberto Montanino | Other articles by Roberto Montanino | Feature

Enhance your building's ability to withstand Manitoba's weather

An energy-efficient building envelope — the roof, walls, windows, and doors of a building — is one of the most effective ways to save energy in condominium buildings and reduce energy bills for owners and residents. By separating the outside environment from the inside, the building envelope ensures that occupants can enjoy optimal comfort no matter the season.

Efficiency Manitoba’s Building Envelope Program offers financial incentives to owners who complete energy efficiency upgrades to their commercial buildings. It provides incentives for roof and wall insulation, window and door upgrades, and curtain wall upgrades.

A high-performing building envelope is crucial in any climate. This becomes even more important in regions such as Manitoba, which sees extremes in both heat and cold. In addition to keeping warm air in during the winter and warm air out during the summer, a strong building envelope protects residents from snow, rain, lightning, and strong winds. By reducing condensation and drafts and lowering heating and cooling costs, an upgraded building envelope helps condo building owners and suite owners save energy, money, and the environment.

Building envelope upgrades improve the airtightness of a space. They can improve indoor air quality for residents because the envelope provides a barrier to outdoor pollutants such as dust, smoke, and pollen. Furthermore, residents can enjoy reduced noise since airtightness helps to soundproof a building, something that benefits condo suite owners who may have hundreds of neighbours.

A high-performing building envelope enhances a building’s durability and is able to withstand Manitoba’s varying climate. Building envelope upgrades can also improve building aesthetic and value.

Overall, these benefits lead to improved comfort. Not only will current residents be more inclined to stay, but potential future residents may also be drawn to the energy-efficient and money-saving features of the building.

Efficiency Manitoba’s Building Envelope Program will cover up to 100 per cent of roof and wall insulation material costs, up to 100 per cent of the incremental cost of a punched or in-fill window replacement, and up to 100 per cent of the incremental cost of the glazing on a door replacement. Eligible doors include sliding patio, garden, single-swinging, rolling, and folding style.

For curtain walls, Efficiency Manitoba offers up to $3,000 in energy modelling support, plus incentives for the upgrade or replacement.

Efficiency Manitoba is there to help you along the way, offering free technical support and advice throughout your project. Taking part in the Building Envelope Program saves you money not only in the short term with Efficiency Manitoba’s incentives, but also in the long term, as you’ll see savings year after year on your energy bills.

To qualify for the Building Envelope Program, the building owner must be renovating an existing building that’s heated primarily with electricity or natural gas. Renovations must include energy efficiency upgrades.

A contractor or consultant can assist with the planning and scope of your project. Efficiency Manitoba recommends speaking with and getting estimates from at least three contractors before deciding which is the right fit for your project. Your chosen contractor must be a registered Efficiency Manitoba supplier.

Once you apply, Efficiency Manitoba will review your project and let you know your estimated incentive amount. Efficiency Manitoba needs to approve your project before any work starts.

For insulation projects, a minimum of 1,000 square feet of roof or wall insulation must be installed for each incentive application. For window and door projects, a minimum of 10 square metres of window or door area must be installed for each incentive application.

After your project is complete, submit the completion declaration and invoices to Efficiency Manitoba and it will send you your incentive!

Efficiency Manitoba offers a number of programs for condo building owners and suite owners. Before starting any energy efficiency project, be sure to check Efficiency Manitoba first.

Roberto Montanino is the manager of commercial programs at Efficiency Manitoba and can be reached via email at Roberto.Montanino@efficiencyMB.ca.