Retrofit of affordable seniors’ residence aims for deep decarbonization

The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) are pleased to announce a deep, multi-measure retrofit of 575 Danforth Road, a seniors’ home with 16 units in Toronto’s Birchmount Park neighbourhood.

Built in 1958, this low-rise building retrofit is the most ambitious project undertaken by TAF or TCHC to date, targeting an 80 per cent reduction in carbon intensity. Goals for the building include EnerPHIT certification, which is the Passive House standard for retrofits. The innovative design plan includes fuel-switching to electric heat pumps for efficient heating and cooling as well as the installation of prefabricated envelope overcladding. The overcladding approach adds insulation to the outside of the building, improving efficiency while reducing disruption to residents.

Planned upgrades will create a healthier, more comfortable indoor environment for seniors, including the addition of cooling with individual temperature controls as a resilience measure against Toronto’s increasingly extreme heat during the summer. The retrofit is expected to generate utility savings and 191 job years of local employment, establishing a model for other deep retrofits of similar buildings in TCHC’s portfolio and beyond that can be easily replicated.

This project is funded in part by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund through its Sustainable Affordable Housing program, TCHC, and TAF. The building is owned by TCHC and managed by the Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC).

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund is funded through an endowment by the Government of Canada.

Quotes

“TAF has partnered with TCHC to retrofit hundreds of homes, and this is our most ambitious to date,” said Julia Langer, Chief Executive Officer at TAF. “It’s another example that it’s possible to achieve value for housing providers, residents, the local economy, and the environment. Buildings are responsible for over half of urban carbon emissions, and we need to accelerate the pace of deep retrofits like this in multi-family buildings across Canada.”

"We're proud of our ongoing partnership with TAF because it enables TCHC—and our tenants—to take action in the face of climate change,” said Sean Baird, President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Housing. “Through this work, TCHC will reduce emissions and become more energy efficient in the operation of our portfolio, while giving tenants the ability to stay safe and comfortable during increased summer temperatures.”

“We are delighted to work with TAF, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and Toronto Community Housing to launch this initiative at 575 Danforth and help to improve the living environment for tenants,” said Tom Hunter, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation. “Investing in low-carbon solutions not only benefits TSHC tenants, but also reduces our collective carbon footprint as a city.”

About The Atmospheric Fund

The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) is a regional climate agency that invests in low-carbon solutions for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and helps scale them up for broad implementation. We’re particularly interested in ideas that offer benefits in addition to carbon reduction such as improving people’s health, creating local jobs, boosting urban resiliency, and contributing to a fair society.

About Toronto Seniors Housing

Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) provides subsidized rental housing in a state of good repair for approximately 15,000 low- and moderate-income seniors in 83 buildings across the city.