Our Services

Integral provides design energy performance assessments for new construction and major retrofit projects in the commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential sectors, to optimize a project’s energy efficiency and achieve energy performance targets. The assessment process involves developing detailed energy models during the project design stage, advising the owner and design team on design optimization opportunities, and conducting model iterations to determine the final design performance. Throughout the process, Integral acts as an independent member of the project team, with a dedicated focus on energy performance optimization in accordance with the project’s goals. 

Design energy performance assessments and modelling can also support project applications to voluntary certification programs such as CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Buildings (ZCB) Design certification, and financing/incentive programs including CMHC MLI Select, Apartment Construction Load Program (ACLP), and others. 

Integral offers energy modelling for Performance Path compliance with the National Energy Code of Canada (NECB). NECB compliance is a mandatory component of the building permit application process for Part 3 buildings in much of Canada. Compliance energy modelling assesses the energy performance of the proposed building design compared to a reference building defined by NECB. Results are used to complete NECB compliance documentation following the requirements of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). 

Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) assessments are conducted for existing buildings, to assess the opportunities for upgrades to reduce the building’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In this process, we develop a detailed energy model of the existing building using building information, which often involves a site audit. The model is calibrated to the building’s measured energy consumption and local weather data, ensuring that modelled upgrades accurately reflect expected savings for the real building. We work with the project owner to identify possible energy-saving upgrade measures, and conduct model iterations to assess the expected savings under various scenarios. 

Similar to design energy modelling for new buildings, energy assessments and modelling for existing buildings can also support project applications to financing/incentive programs. 

A building’s energy performance is directly linked to its operational greenhouse gas emissions, or carbon emissions. We provide carbon performance assessments for all design energy modelling projects, to demonstrate the building’s modelled carbon emissions, including both onsite combustion emissions and emissions associated with the building’s electricity consumption. We also provide projected carbon performance assessments, to determine the annual carbon emissions in scenarios where the emissions intensity of a fuel source is expected to change over time – for example, in a location where the electricity grid emissions are scheduled to reduce as more renewable energy generation sources are added. 

In addition to operational carbon assessments, Integral also offers embodied carbon assessments to determine the equivalent carbon dioxide emissions of materials used in the building’s structure. Embodied carbon assessments can be used to demonstrate compliance with voluntary standards such as CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Buildings (ZCB) Design.