The Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative
The Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI) provides Indigenous Communities with a range of 100% funded community engagement, capacity building, educational, and technical support services related to community-owned buildings. The DRAI program for Indigenous communities is intended to assist in developing and implementing the community’s unique goals and targets within the context of the program.
This program allows eligible participants, 100% funded, beneficial services including, but not limited to energy efficiency assessments, deep retrofit opportunity assessments and project planning, funding research, funding application support, and project management services.
Technical Services for Indigenous Communities
The LEAP Group is dedicated to partnering with Indigenous Communities across Canada to help them achieve their energy security goals. Our approach begins with meaningful collaboration with community leaders to understand the unique challenges and priorities within their communities. We then assess community-owned buildings and work with them to develop a long-term vision for energy conservation, renewable energy generation, energy storage, and energy independence. This vision also encompasses broader goals like economic development and capacity building for future generations.
As partners in this journey, we provide comprehensive technical services that include identifying energy opportunities, deep retrofit planning, securing capital funding, and managing projects from start to finish. We are committed to being active participants in economic reconciliation, environmental stewardship, and climate change adaptation.
Relationships
As an authorized Deep Retrofit Accelerator Technical Services provider, we prioritize building strong relationships with your community's leaders, members, and elders. We begin by sharing our background, values, and commitment to your community’s success, and we take the time to fully understand your unique needs and circumstances. Our approach—‘slow is smooth and smooth is fast’—ensures that we establish a solid foundation from which to identify the best actions to support your goals. Our primary mission is to help communities accelerate their journey towards a Net Zero future, with a focus on energy security, self-sufficiency, and sustainability.
Energy Profiling
Once we’ve built a strong working relationship, we begin delivering technical services to the community. Our process starts by identifying key industrial, commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential buildings within the community and establishing a baseline of their current operations. This involves analyzing historical data, such as electricity, gas, and water consumption, and conducting on-site tours to create a comprehensive "energy profile" of each building. This profile includes key elements like the building envelope, windows and doors, HVAC and mechanical systems, lighting, and more. Understanding this baseline is essential for developing effective plans and strategies for future improvements.
Planning
Once we've established an understanding of the entire community portfolio of buildings and their current state of affairs, including general condition and consumption, we can begin planning for potential deep retrofits. So, what exactly is a deep retrofit? Though every project is unique, a deep retrofit is a repeatable process of taking an existing building or group of buildings and making it/them more energy efficient, comfortable, safe, and resilient. This is typically accomplished by combining multiple building technologies and solutions in a holistic way to achieve dramatic results, such as GHG reductions of 50-100%.
Capital Funding
Service offerings to include funding research and support services. While we're not a financial institution or direct funder, our team is driven by a passion for uncovering funding opportunities that align with your projects and helping you apply for them. Whether it's Federal, Provincial, Corporate, or Philanthropic sources, Canada offers numerous programs that your community might benefit from. If you already have a grant writer, we can provide supplementary support. If you don't, we are fully equipped to guide you from the initial stages to completion. Our commitment involves identifying potential funding programs, outlining your options, and assisting you through the application and management process.
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