The Digital Home Energy Label Pilot Project Attracts New Partnership

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We had the pleasure of attending the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton’s annual conference & tradeshow this September, along with Alberta Ecotrust Foundation and Lightspark Software Inc., recipients of our 2021 30th Anniversary Legacy Grant.  

This was a fantastic opportunity for Alberta Ecotrust and Lightspark to introduce the project and software to REALTORS®. Digital energy labeling will help REALTORS® and homeowners understand home energy efficiency and identify possible energy efficiency improvements. 

In our 2021 30th Anniversary Stakeholder Engagement sessions, we heard that the Foundation can offer critical support in addressing some of the massive changes the real estate industry is facing such as climate change and home technology advancements. We’re excited to share how we’re responding to what we heard through grants like this one. 

“A home energy label shows how much energy a home uses (energy and carbon) and how that compares to similar homes. This label is like an appliance label on your fridge or a nutrition label on food. It gives homeowners and buyers a deeper understanding of a home’s efficiency that can help inform the buying or selling process.” – Alberta Ecotrust Foundation 

In September, Scotiabank announced its partnership with Lightspark to roll out the Energy Efficiency Concierge platform. We are privileged to fund this innovative work, and see our funding leveraged to help Calgary, Edmonton, and beyond to meet our net-zero emission targets by 2050.  

Learn more about the digital home energy labels pilot project in Calgary and Edmonton. Stay tuned for the launch of the Digital Home Energy Map and registration with the Lightspark Energy Efficiency Concierge platform this fall.  

Celebrating the Civic Commons Catalyst

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The Foundation joined the University of Calgary’s School of Architecture, Landscape and Planning, and the City of Calgary to announce a $350,000 investment by the City to the Civic Commons Catalyst initiative.

The investment will support the researchers as they focus on innovative solutions for economic recovery, downtown reinvention, and impactful investment to transform underutilized public and private spaces in our city’s downtown.

We were thrilled to take part in the event, showcasing the vibrant City of a Thousand Planets Exhibition, featuring the Calgary-centered design research from Phase I and Phase II of the initiative, funded by two grants from the Foundation, totaling $460,000.

Explore the Civic Commons Catalyst: Strategic Interventions Briefing Report

In our 2021 30th Anniversary Stakeholder Engagement sessions, we heard that the Foundation can play a more visible role. We heard that there is value in sharing our unique model to increase access to funding by all stakeholders.

The Civic Commons Catalyst initiative exemplifies our commitment to nimble funding, even taking on the occasional sole-funder role. We thank our team of staff and Governors for recognizing the role and privilege the Foundation has in taking calculated risks to play a key role at a pivotal time in our history – of reimagining downtown assets. The Foundation’s support has propelled the initiative to its next transformational steps. We are proud to see our funding leveraged into new funding and partnerships.

Here at the Foundation, we are excited about the impact we are contributing to for the betterment of the real estate industry, our province, and for Albertans.

Read the news releases from the City of Calgary and Livewire Calgary.

Supporting Diversity through Inclusion in Commercial Real Estate

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Last year in our 30th Anniversary Stakeholder Engagement Sessions, we heard that there is underrepresentation of people of colour in all aspects of the real estate industry. To the credit of our stakeholders, they also acknowledged that this wasn’t strictly an issue of diversity, they recognized that there were issues of equity and a need to understand and address systemic barriers.

Our team of staff and Governors were thrilled to have the opportunity to respond to what we heard and fund the launch of the REET Institute’s first cohort, along with industry sponsors: Altus Group, BOMA Edmonton, Cushman & Wakefield, Edmonton CREW, and Prowse Chowne LLP.

The REET Institute has thoughtfully created a space to engage young people from diverse backgrounds with a view to ensuring they can see a clear career path in the commercial real estate sector. In an equally thoughtful manner, the REET Institute engaged commercial real estate professionals to elevate their recognition of the many new leaders of the future to support and amplify their interest in supporting racial equity.

The response we witnessed over the course of the 8-week program, from both the youth scholars and industry professionals, was nothing short of inspiring! For some of the scholars, participating in the program was life changing.

 

Experience the first cohort of REET Institute scholars

The second cohort of REET Institute scholars has started their learning journey this fall. Look for upcoming opportunities to support or apply to the REET Institute at www.reetinstitute.ca.

We are privileged to match industry-identified needs with exceptional grant recipients through thoughtful grantmaking. We are proud to continue funding the REET Institute in 2022 to help expand its reach, education, and training.