NB Launches the Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program and the New Construction Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Program As the Greener Homes Grant rebate phase concludes, New Brunswick is strengthening its sustainability commitment with an enhanced retrofit program for existing commercial buildings. Furthermore, the province is launching a unique rebate initiative for upcoming commercial and industrial [...]

NB Launches the Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program and the New Construction Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Program

As the Greener Homes Grant rebate phase concludes, New Brunswick is strengthening its sustainability commitment with an enhanced retrofit program for existing commercial buildings. Furthermore, the province is launching a unique rebate initiative for upcoming commercial and industrial constructions and property additions. Installing solar is a great way to access the lion’s share of the available commercial rebates and tax credits. Whether your business is up and running or in development, either one of these programs can help create a sustainable facility, cut power costs, and get you the largest possible incentive for your commercial property. Let’s look at the details of the two programs.

The Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program (Existing Commercial
Projects)

The Commercial Buildings Retrofit Program is a successful existing program that just received some more funding. The primary objective of the program is to assist owners and operators of commercial buildings to implement energy efficient projects such as solar power.

The program incentive just doubled from $30/GJ to $60/GJ, and the electricity incentive cap has also increased to $250,000 per fiscal year. Upon completion of energy efficient retrofits, you will also be eligible for up to 100% of energy audit costs up to a maximum of $8,000 (based on the size of the property).

The incentive calculation is derived from the annual kilowatt hours (kWh) saved by the installed solar PV system and any other installed retrofits. Businesses become eligible for a $60 rebate for every gigajoule (GJ) saved, with 1 GJ equivalent to 277.778 kWh. This retrofit program stacks with the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), offering an additional 30% in savings.

Further details on the program and eligible building types can be found here.

The SaveEnergyNB website for the program can be found here.

The New Construction Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Program (NEW)

New Brunswick’s commitment to sustainable development extends to new commercial buildings under construction. The introduction of the Commercial Energy Efficiency Program (NEW) aims to incentivize the incorporation of energy-efficient solutions right from the early stages of construction with a goal moving to net-zero energy ready buildings. Installing solar power is a great way to lower your energy costs while also reaching the greatest rebate amount possible for your new commercial project.

Enterprises engaged in new construction projects stand to benefit from a rebate equivalent to 25% of the incremental costs, capped at a maximum of $250,000. It is worth highlighting that this rebate also applies for additions to existing building structures. This retrofit program stacks with the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), offering an additional 30% in savings.

The following types of commercial and industrial buildings are eligible:

Business and institutional buildings; including mixed use and multi-unit residential
Not-for-profit buildings
First Nations buildings
Buildings located in New Brunswick.

Bear in consideration that if you seek this rebate, you should contact SaveEnergyNB before the project has been started and before you have incurred any costs to discuss the next steps.

Further details on the program and eligible building types can be found here.
The SaveEnergyNB website for the program can be found here.

Getting the most out of the Commercial Incentives

These incentives cut the costs of going solar in the short run, and in the long run many thousands are saved from the solar system installation. You get to stabilize and save money on your energy costs, New Brunswick gets closer to reaching its net-zero energy goals, and it’s great for the environment.

It’s a win-win-win situation. Our Solar Specialists and Project Managers can cleanly walk you through the steps of what is required and make sure you maximize the value of the rebates you receive. We’ll also get you started on the vital first step of acquiring a tailor-made solar proposal for your commercial projects energy needs.

Schedule a consultation for our solar specialist’s expert guidance here.