About Us

We believe the greenest building is the one that already exists.

ReCover is Atlantic Canada’s deep retrofit accelerator. We advance scalable, whole‑building transformation solutions by integrating applied research, advocacy, workforce development, and direct support for building owners. Our role is to make deep retrofits clear, credible, and achievable at the scale the climate and economy demand.

Atlantic Canada is facing rising energy costs, severe climate impacts, housing pressures, and aging infrastructure that strain communities and budgets. Deep retrofits offer a proven response: they reduce emissions, improve resilience, lower operating costs, and create local jobs. Yet adoption remains slow due to complexity, financing barriers, and workforce shortages. ReCover exists to change that by enabling partners, building owners, and industry actors to scale deep retrofits from today’s levels to 5,000 annually, and toward 60,000 by 2031. We ecosystem‑building approach strengthens rather than replace the market. Through research, tools, partnerships, and our Building Transformation Program, we help building owners move from early concepts to investment‑ready decisions. We convene industry, support workforce development, and advocate for the policies and financial mechanisms needed to accelerate deep retrofits across the region.

Founded in 2020 with early support from the Nova Scotia Provincial Government, ReCover began with a pioneering net‑zero retrofit study in Halifax that inspired further work with Toronto Community Housing and municipalities across Canada. We expanded through Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Efficient Buildings program and, in 2024, were selected to lead both the Deep Retrofit Accelerator Initiative (DRAI) and the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP) for Atlantic Canada — transforming ReCover into the organization it is today.

What we stand for

Vision

Canada’s buildings are healthy, resilient, and environmentally responsible.

Mission

Our mission is to develop retrofit solutions that respond to the climate crisis at speed and scale. We will do this through research and development, programs and services to building owners, and capacity-building activities for industry.

Values

People first:
Everyone deserves a home and workplace that is healthy, secure, and affordable. Everyone should be paid well for their work. Solutions must empower and be co-created by communities.

Transparency:
Transparency is our compass. We pledge to be honest and open in all our communications, even when vulnerability arises. Our commitment to transparency builds trust and fosters genuine connections within our team and with external stakeholders.

Action:
Action defines us. We prioritize doing over planning, embodying a culture of progress. With a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) mindset, we actively seek and implement small yet impactful steps, driving tangible outcomes in our pursuit of deep retrofit solutions.

Kindness:
We redefine kindness through radical candor, valuing clear and direct communication. Acknowledging the pitfalls of excessive niceness, we commit to fostering a culture where honesty and kindness go hand in hand, driving positive change.

Courage:
Courage propels us forward. Our unconventional choices showcase the courage needed to drive innovation and positive environmental, social, and economic change.

Making Atlantic Canada’s building stock more efficient at scale

As Atlantic Canada’s deep retrofit accelerator, we are creating alliances to transform the building sector in Atlantic Canada. Since 2020 ReCover has been actively:

  • facilitating partnerships with retrofit actors in Atlantic Canada
  • forming alliances with fellow Retrofit Accelerators across Canada
  • building industry capacity through training, collaboration, and shared tools
  • developing technology solutions that streamline and improve the deep retrofit development process
  • completing retrofit business case studies to help building owners move from uncertainty to action
  • creating job shadowing opportunities for Indigenous and African Nova Scotian youth

What we do

Building Owners

ReCover works with commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential building owners (MURBs) to identify, optimize, and implement deep retrofits.

Industry

We undertake research and product development for industry. We create opportunities to transfer knowledge on deep retrofits with existing industry partners, youth, and underrepresented communities.

Communities

We engage and collaborate with Indigenous communities and equity-deserving groups, including African Nova Scotians, to promote deep retrofit initiatives and address socio-economic disparities in these communities.

Catalyst

Governed by a Board of Directors and guided by an Advisory Committee, we are tackling economic, market, and equity-related obstacles hindering deep retrofit implementation.

ReCover, a deep retrofit companion—not a contractor

Through our flagship Building Transformation Program (BTP), we provide both funding and tailored program coordination to support building owners every step of the way. From identifying financing options and rebate programs to offering expert technical guidance, we help simplify the deep retrofit process and make it more accessible.

We prioritize deep retrofits for commercial, institutional, and multi-residential buildings built before 2000, with a focus on multi-residential buildings that are four storeys or taller.

Our goal is to remove the guesswork from decision-making —so building owners can move forward with a plan and peace of mind.