Existing Buildings & Retrofits
Richmond’s existing buildings are responsible for around 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year, which amounts to 40 per cent of the total community emissions. The City’s 2050 Community Energy and Emissions Plan outlines clear solutions to reduce our carbon emissions with respect to buildings. Retrofitting and decarbonizing existing buildings in Richmond is key to achieving our climate targets.
While this may appear to be a challenge, it can also be viewed as an excellent opportunity to bring benefits to local residents and businesses by improving energy efficiency, resilience and comfort, while reducing energy costs and boosting the local economy—all while considering future generations of Richmond residents. Check the resources below for more information about building retrofits and other related programs in Richmond.
Climate-Friendly Homes and Gardens Tour 2026
Come see what climate-friendly living looks like. The City invites you to go on the Climate-Friendly Homes and Gardens Tour, an event that lets local residents visit homes with sustainable features like heat pumps, high-performance building envelopes, passive house design, diversified landscaping for a changing climate, shade trees or other climate-friendly elements.
Homeowners will open their doors for this open house-style event on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 30, 2026. Visitors can arrive anytime between 2:00 and 4:00pm and expect to spend 20 to 30 minutes per home. The goal is to spark friendly, informative conversations about climate-friendly features based on homeowners' real experiences.
Contractors, Energy Advisors and other experts will also be available to answer questions and provide additional insight into sustainable home and garden features.
Whether you’re planning a renovation, looking for ways to reduce energy use or simply curious about climate-friendly gardening living, this tour offers practical ideas and inspiration for every stage of the journey
For more details and to register, visit https://bit.ly/ClimateFriendlyTour2026.
Quick Links
Richmond Sustainability TeamExistingBuildings@richmond.ca