Toronto 2030 District was pleased to co-host a lively educational and networking event – Decaf & Decarb – during the recent Toronto Climate Week. The meet-up brought together building owners, property managers, retrofit decision-makers, and industry leaders for a morning of conversation, collaboration, and immersive learning focused on accelerating building decarbonization across Toronto’s commercial real estate sector.
Hosted in partnership with the City of Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership and BOMA Enspire Potential: Immersive Cleantech Studio (EPICS), the session combined a curated networking coffee meet-up with an interactive retrofit planning experience designed to help participants explore practical pathways toward building electrification and heat pump adoption.
The morning began with a lively gathering of professionals from across Toronto’s retrofit ecosystem. Attendees from commercial real estate, finance and banking, government, healthcare, sustainability, engineering and consulting, utilities, cleantech, nonprofit organizations, and academic sectors connected with commercial real estate peers, shared heat pump ideas and experiences, and learned about initiatives and resources available to support decarbonization projects for their existing buildings.
They learned about effective programs and initiatives that can help to advance building performance and emissions reductions, including:
- Toronto 2030 District’s Peer-to-Peer Learning Network
- Heat Pump Fundamentals training program
- The developing Heat Pump Highway research project
- The City of Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership programs, which provide funding, guidance, and resources to support energy efficiency improvements and emissions reductions
- Enspire Potential: Immersive Cleantech Studio (EPICS), featuring retrofit planning sessions and interactive cleantech learning experiences
A highlight of the event was the opportunity for attendees to participate in EPICS’ immersive retrofit planning sessions. Through interactive digital tools, 360-degree digital twins, and experiential learning environments, enthusiastic participants explored clean technology pathways and deep retrofit case studies at their fingertips, while gaining valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with building decarbonization projects.
The conversation-driven format encouraged attendees to connect directly with organizations shaping Toronto’s retrofit landscape, while learning from peers who are actively planning or implementing decarbonization initiatives like heat pumps in their own buildings.
Toronto 2030 District extends its thanks to our event partners and speakers, including Duncan MacLellan from the City of Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership and Kirk Johnson and the EPICS team for welcoming participants to their innovative Liberty Village space. We also thank Toronto 2030 District Executive Director Julia St. Michael for helping facilitate the discussion and foster meaningful connections throughout the morning.
It was inspiring to see representatives from organizations across the sector, including Urban Climate Leadership, The Atmospheric Fund (TAF), the Building Decarbonization Alliance, and many others, contributing to the conversation.
Events like Decaf & Decarb demonstrate the value of bringing together building owners, industry experts, and solution providers to share knowledge, explore innovative technologies, and accelerate the implementation of real-world decarbonization projects across Toronto’s commercial building sector.
Thank you to everyone who joined us during Toronto Climate Week. We look forward to continuing these conversations and supporting the building community as we work together toward a lower-carbon future.
