When someone who’s been sleeping outside finally gets keys to their own home, it’s a powerful moment. 

“Sometimes they don’t even unpack right away,” says George Cormier, Supportive Housing Consultant at Rising Tide Community Initiatives. “It takes time to believe it’s real.”

Rising Tide is a non-profit in Greater Moncton that creates safe, affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness or living on low incomes. Since 2022, they’ve built over 125 units-and they’re just getting started. 

Building homes isn’t just about bricks and walls. It’s also about making them affordable and comfortable to live in. That’s where energy efficiency comes in, and where funding and programs like SaveEnergyNB’s have helped Rising Tide go further.

Creating Homes That Are Affordable to Live In

The people living in Rising Tide buildings are often on fixed incomes or social assistance. 

“Some of our tenants have only $600 a month,” says Cormier. “We want to make sure they’re not spending more than 30% of that on housing, including heat and power.”

To help with that, Rising Tide provides all-in rent, covering heat, lights and utilities. To make that work, the buildings must be energy efficient.

“We’ve worked with SaveEnergyNB on all of our buildings,” says Cormier. “They’ve helped us lower energy use, cut operating costs and keep rents affordable.”

Small Changes, Big Difference

In New Brunswick, new multi-unit buildings must meet Tier 2 energy performance standards of the 2020 National Building Code of Canada.The code has different sections depending on the size of the building: 

• Part 9 – for smaller apartment buildings
• Part 3 - for larger apartment buildings and other kinds of multi or special uses like hospitals and office buildings.   

SaveEnergyNB’s programs are designed to encourage builders to go further, for all building sizes. By offering rebates, these programs help support energy-smart design choices from the start. When builders choose to reach energy performance Tier 4 for their Part 9 apartment buildings, they can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, and create more comfortable homes for New Brunswickers. When project owners register before construction and get pre-approvals, buildings that achieve Tier 4 or higher for energy performance can get money back. 

Rising Tide is putting this into practice. Through SaveEnergyNB’s programs, they are building new affordable housing that exceed base requirements. Choosing energy efficient components throughout the building design stage, such as heat pump water heaters, mini-split heat pumps, and better windows, the Rising Tide team has built high performance buildings. 

What does comfortably exceeding energy performance Tier 4 for a small apartment building look like?

For this 4,090 square foot (380 square meter) 8-unit Moncton apartment building built by the Rising Tide team, it is:

1. Reducing heat losses by 33% better than what’s required in the 2020 National Building Code (Part 9), which exceeds the minimum target of 20% to keep homes warmer in the winter, and cooler in the summer.
   
   This includes:
   
   • Thick insulation in the attic (RSI 11.27/R64) 
   • Insulated exterior walls with RSI 3.87 (R22) between wall studs and RSI 0.88(R5) on exterior  walls. 
   • Insulation around the edges of the foundation slab (RSI 1.76 /R10) 
   • High-efficiency windows with an Energy Rating (ER) of 35. 
2. Using 73.5% less energy for heating, cooling and hot water, compared to the 2020 National Building Code (Part 9.) This goes beyond the 70% Tier 5 target. Rising Tide is achieving these savings by choosing energy-efficient systems, including:
• Ductless heat pumps (mini-splits) that use much less electricity to heat and cool the units (28.1 SEER and 11.3 HSPF-5)
• A heat recovery ventilationsystme that keeps the warmth inside in winter while bringing in fresh, healthy air 
• A hybrid heat pump water heater that uses heat from the air to warm water for sinks and shows, instead of relying on electricity.

“These upgrades might seem small,” George says, “but across dozens of units, they really add up.”

And they’ve built a repeatable system. With help from consultants, Rising Tide developed a checklist they now use in every build.  keeping the process easy, affordable and consistent.

A Net-Zero-Ready Building on a Non-Profit Budget

One of Rising Tide’s most ambitious projects to date is a 21-unit building that’s net-zero-ready - meaning it uses very little energy and is designed to add solar power in the future. Thanks to SaveEnergyNB’s programs, the team was able to access rebates that helped them meet these high standards on a non-profit budget. 

“If the programs didn’t exist, we wouldn’t be able to go as far as we do with energy savings,” Cormier says. “They allow us to exceed standards. Without them, we’d probably just meet the bare minimum, and tenants would pay more in the long run.”

Good for People. Good for the Planet

While Rising Tide’s focus is helping people, they also care about the environment.

“We provide affordable housing,” Cormier says, “but we also want to be good community members. Reducing energy use helps the people we serve and helps the planet, too.”

He believes there’s huge potential.  If all non-profit housing providers in New Brunswick improved their energy efficiency, Cormier believes the collective savings would be substantial, and those dollars wouldn’t go to waste.

“That’s money that could go right back into services, supports, or building more units,” Cormier explains.

Support That Makes a Difference

One of the biggest reasons for Rising Tide’s success is the support it has received from all levels of government and the SaveEnergyNB program team.

“There’s a dedicated SaveEnergyNB contact person who helps non-profits,” Cormier explains. “They help you find the right program, connect you with experienced consultants, and walk you through the paperwork.”

That early support is critical. To qualify for rebates and incentives, builders must secure project pre-approval before construction begins. This step ensures the planned upgrades meet program requirements and helps avoid surprises down the road. The SaveEnergyNB team works closely with non-profit housing organizations to guide them through the process and keep projects on track.With that kind of hands-on support, Rising Tide has been able to focus less on paperwork and more on what matters most: building homes.

“It’s not overly complicated,” Cormier says. “The claims process is simple, and the consultants know what to do. It’s a huge help.”

More Than a Building - A Life-Changing Step

For Cormier, this work is personal. He has seen family members struggle with housing and stability. Helping others find safe, affordable homes means a lot.

“There’s nothing like move-in day,” he says. “Watching someone open the door to their new place, knowing they’re off the street, knowing they have hope again - it stays with you.”That human connection is why Rising Tide continues to push forward, planning hundreds more units over the next few years. And with help from SaveEnergyNB, they’ll do it in a way that’s affordable, sustainable, and life changing.

Advice for Other Non-Profits

If there’s one thing Cormier wants other non-profits to know, it’s this: help is out there.

“Start with SaveEnergyNB,” he says. “There’s someone who will walk you through it. The upgrades save money, reduce costs for tenants and make your buildings better for everyone. It’s a win-win.”

SaveEnergyNB’s new construction energy efficiency program for the commercial and industrial sectors includes non-profit housing apartment buildings, small and large. The program starts with an online registration during the planning and design phase (step 1). There are two preapproval steps that preapprove the incentives ahead of incurring costs (step 2 and 3). And as a fourth step, the request for incentive payment occurs after the work is done (step 4). If you’re a non-profit housing organization and interested in learning more about this program, contact us here.