Dunsky to Develop British Columbia PACE Retrofit Financing Roadmap

Dunsky is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the mandate to develop a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Roadmap for British Columbia’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. PACE is an innovative financing tool that allows property owners to borrow money to undertake a broad spectrum of clean energy improvements to their homes or buildings, with the loan paid back on the property’s tax bill.

PACE is one of several financing tools that Dunsky is evaluating for the province to accelerate retrofits in residential and commercial buildings across the province. Retrofits are a key tool for governments to address climate change by reducing GHG emissions from their jurisdiction’s existing building stock, and for property owners to secure long-term savings through greater efficiency. “The retrofit financing program is expected to receive significant interest from municipalities across the province as they look not only to address climate change but spur local economic growth, from sectors ranging from construction to manufacturing to retail,” said Patricia Lightburn, Senior Consultant at Dunsky and the firm’s Western lead.

Dunsky will provide the province with an assessment of PACE and related financing programs rooted in B.C.’s local context. The firm will engage with key B.C. stakeholders on program and policy design, assess best practices and lessons learned elsewhere, and develop a roadmap for implementation, including recommendations for a pilot program.

“We look forward to bringing our energy efficiency financing expertise to support BC’s drive to reduce emissions at lowest cost. Our team brings over a decade of experience with similar innovative financing mechanisms for governments, utilities and municipalities across Canada and the U.S.,” said Philippe Dunsky, President and Founder of Dunsky. “With first-hand knowledge of what works and what doesn’t, coupled with our long track record of work in British Columbia, we are focused on designing a strategy that will work for B.C.’s unique context.”

Dunsky’s clean energy financing team is led by Alex Hill, and features a diverse group of experts including Aaron Berg (co-founder of Oregon’s Clean Energy Works) and Monica Curtis (former CEO of Energy Efficiency Alberta). RDH Building Science and FRESCo Building Efficiency will bring additional key insights to this project. The Roadmap is part of the BC Government’s CleanBC Plan to create a more prosperous, balanced, and sustainable future for the province.

Dunsky’s track record on innovative finance spans more than a decade and includes the recent design of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)’s flagship, $300M Community Efficiency Financing (CEF) program. Dunsky’s track record in British Columbia spans nearly 15 years, and includes an array of projects for governments, utilities and municipalities focused on accelerating energy efficiency, growing electric vehicle adoption, and planning renewable energy in remote communities.

Founded in 2004, Dunsky supports leading governments, utilities and others with their most complex clean energy initiatives. Dunsky provides strategic analysis and counsel across the buildings, renewable energy and clean mobility sectors. We support our clients through three key services: we assess opportunities (technical, economic, market); design strategies (programs, plans, policies); and evaluate performance (with a view to continuous improvement).