Net Zero Guidance Material

Explore practical guidance to move your buildings towards net-zero. Net-zero buildings deliver exceptional energy performance and reduce emissions through integrated efficiency strategies and renewable energy systems, creating buildings that are more comfortable, healthier and more resilient to extreme weather. The Net Zero Guidance Material offers custom approaches for both home and building owners, making it easier to:

Plan upgrades
Prioritize investments
Reduce emissions in your home or building
Decrease costs and improve affordability

Aligned with the City of Toronto’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy and Net Zero Existing Building Strategy, this material also supports the City’s 2040 net zero goals for community-wide emissions.

For more resources on improving building efficiency and reducing emissions, see the City’s Net Zero Library and Net Zero Video Series.

Please reach out to bbp@toronto.ca if you have any questions or would like to discuss how the Net Zero Guidance Material applies to your building.

Use the Net Zero Introductory Guide to understand key net‑zero concepts, explore how to use other guides and plan your next steps to unlock economic, social and environmental benefits on the pathway to a net‑zero Toronto by 2040.

This guide:

Supports home and building owners, managers and operators in understanding what net‑zero buildings means in practice and why they are central to Toronto’s climate goals.
Offers clear, practical direction on achievable pathways to net‑zero, showing how deep energy retrofits, electrification and renewable energy can dramatically cut emissions across Toronto’s building stock.
Highlights the broader value deep energy retrofits unlock for both owners and communities: reduced operating costs, better comfort and indoor health, improved resilience during extreme weather and strengthened long‑term asset performance.

Use these guides to identify the systems and retrofit measures most relevant to your home or building, and to map out your step-by-step pathway to net zero.

These ten guides:

Span nearly every building type in Toronto (single-family homes to institutional facilities and large commercial buildings) and highlight net-zero retrofit measures tailored to each sector.
Provide practical, actionable strategies to help building owners and operators plan and implement deep energy retrofits: comprehensive upgrades that modernize building systems, strengthen the envelope and optimize overall energy performance.
Outline estimated costs and potential savings, supporting informed decision-making and helping you choose the right pathway for your building.

Can’t find your building type?

Email bbp@toronto.ca for support. The guides include numerous sub‑categories that may align with your building and we’re here to point you to the right fit.

Institutional and Large Commercial

Multi-Unit Residential Buildings

Small Commercial and Industrial

Single-Family Home

Use these guides to explore technical information on building systems and technologies related to net zero measures.

These 15 guides:

Provide key considerations for moving forward with proven technologies, including lighting, HVAC, controls and building envelope improvements.
Offer practical strategies to help homeowners and building owners plan individual retrofits that reduce energy use, cut greenhouse gas emissions and deliver measurable benefits: lower operating costs, improved comfort and health, and enhanced building performance.

Load Reduction

Electrification

Advanced Controls

Renewable Energy Generation and Storage

Use these tools to inform and turn your decision-making process into a roadmap and to build a strong business case.

These eight guides:

Help make the process practical and actionable.
Identify the optimal time to plan and implement your retrofit, calculate the business case by estimating reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and energy savings, and clarify stakeholder roles.

Planning and Goal-Setting

When to Implement Guide : Identifies and recommends retrofit measures to be completed prior, with, or after a selected net zero technology/measure for a single-family home.
Measure Specific Checklist : Checklist of measures which prompt users to identify opportunities and feasibility considerations while progressing through the development of a net-zero roadmap and retrofitting.
Net Zero Roadmap : Use to schedule net-zero retrofits and create a comprehensive, actionable net-zero roadmap.

Retrofit Analysis

Life Cycle Cost Assessment Tool : Estimate the life cycle cost for a selected net zero retrofit measure in comparison to business-as-usual operations.
Fuel Switching Estimates : Suggest electrified technologies for fuel switching heating system and domestic hot water systems.
Emissions Reduction Calculator : Estimate the potential reduction on greenhouse gas emissions, energy savings and utility costs from a selected net zero net zero retrofit measure.

Roles and Responsibility

Stakeholder Responsibilities Matrix Template (RACI) : Matrix templates to list stakeholders required for developing a net zero roadmap or executing a specific net zero retrofit project.
Board Approvals Template : Template is designed to help users create a business case for a building retrofit following the development of a net-zero roadmap.

Date modified: August 5, 2026