Energy Efficiency Mentorship Program

The Energy Efficiency Mentorship Program (EEMP) is helping Indigenous building specialists to extend and deepen their knowledge and skills in energy efficiency. The program is also providing a good grounding for participants who are newer to the housing field.

Take a look at the work underway!

Photo: BCIT

On This Page

• Overview
• Program Commitments
• Training Program
• Delivery of Community Workshops
  • Would Your Community Like a Workshop?
• About Richard Hall
• Financial Support
• For More Information
• Program Funders

Overview

EEMP program participants attended a three-day workshop at BCIT in October 2023 following a series of virtual training sessions. Photo: Darell Gaddie, FBC

The Fraser Basin Council and housing consultant Richard Hall of Nuxalk Nation are delivering the Energy Efficiency Mentorship Program (EEMP): Building Indigenous Capacity for Energy-Efficient Housing. This program is in partnership with the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

The 2023-2024 EEMP program is supporting a cohort of eight participants from Indigenous communities who want to develop their capacity, skills and knowledge on energy-efficient homes and buildings. As part of the program, participants also agree to share their knowledge by helping to deliver introductory community workshops on energy efficiency in their respective regions.

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Program Commitments

• Experienced and entry level trainees attend six virtual Zoom training sessions (June to September 2023)
  
  
• Experienced trainees also:
  
  
  • assist an Indigenous Building Professional from the previous cohort with delivering one to two in-community workshops within their regions (June to December 2023)
    
    
  • attend a three-day in-person workshop at BCIT (October 2023)
    
    
  • deliver two in-community workshops within their regions, paired up with a newly trained Indigenous Building Professional (December 2023 to August 2024)

Program participants take part in the program at no cost thanks to EEMP program funders.

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Training Program

Trainers with 2023 EEMP program participants at BCIT workshop session. Photo: BCIT

The EEMP training program includes six virtual training sessions and a three-day in-person workshop, instructed by BCIT, AHMA and Richard Hall.

The EEMP virtual training sessions are complete for 2023-2024. The sessions covered:

• Introduction to Community Energy Management
• Introduction to Zero Energy Buildings
• Resilient and Affordable Building Design
• House As a System
• Managing Renovations (Retrofits 101)
• Building Conditions Assessment

The BCIT workshop was completed in October. It covered:

• Zero Energy Buildings
• Building Condition Assessments
• Final Preparation for In-Community Training and “Energy Efficiency 101” training materials

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Delivery of Community Workshops

An “Energy Efficiency 101” community workshop was held at the Skway First Nation near Chilliwack on October 13. A second workshop was held at the Shxw'ōwhámel First Nation near Hope on October 16  – with the EEMP training program participants providing support. In all, 10 workshops are rolling out in 2023-2024. Photo: Braidey Sturgeon

In addition to completing the EEMP training program, program participants help to deliver introductory workshops about energy efficiency solutions and practices, for both new construction and existing homes, for First Nations communities in their regions.

Four workshops will complete in the fall of 2023 and six more are ahead in spring and summer of 2024.

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 “I can speak for all the staff when I say we thoroughly enjoyed the workshop today. It was so refreshing to receive training from someone with lots of experience in Indigenous housing.”

— Community Workshop Participant

Would Your Community Like a Workshop?

Community workshops on energy efficiency have proved popular! FBC’s EEMP program now has workshops booked through the end of 2023. Communities are invited to book one of six half-day (3-4 hour) workshops to be scheduled between March and August 2024.

Workshops are delivered at no cost, and up to $1,000 in financial support is available to help a community with related costs, such as facility rental, catering or honoraria.

A workshop will interest community staff members, including housing staff, asset managers and maintenance crews – everyone who wants to learn more about improving energy efficiency in homes.

To schedule your community workshop, contact:

Darell Gaddie Program Lead
E:  | T: 236 888-1298

Kevin Good Program Coordinator
E:  | T: 236 877-7416

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About Richard Hall

Richard Hall of Nuxalk Nation has 35 years of experience in Indigenous housing as a Red Seal carpenter / builder, a capital project and housing manager, a housing consultant and building inspector.

Richard is now designing affordable, sustainable and energy-efficient homes that complement the climates of British Columbia’s west coast and that suit the cultural lifestyles of First Peoples.

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Financial Support

The Energy Efficiency Mentorship Program is available to approved applicants at no cost.

Experienced Trainees

An experienced trainee participating in the full program is eligible to receive the following:

• A training allowance of $850, paid to the trainee on completion of the online and three-day in-person training program
  
  
• A fee of $750 to shadow and assist an Indigenous Building Professional at one to two introductory workshops
  
  
• A fee of $1,250 to deliver each of the two introductory workshops to First Nations communities in their regions (total of $2,500)
  
  
• Reimbursement of travel expenses, including transportation, accommodation and meals required for the in-person training course in Vancouver, and for travel expenses related to the introductory community workshops

Entry-Level Trainees

An entry-level trainee is eligible to receive:

• a $500 learning stipend on completion of the online training program

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For More Information

If the EEMP program is of interest or if you have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Darell Gaddie, MBA, Program Lead

T: 236 888–1298 I E:

You can also provide contact details for any future program openings via our ONLINE APPLICATION FORM.

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Program Funders

Thanks to program funders Vancity, BC Hydro, FortisBC and the Real Estate Foundation of BC. Thanks also to CleanBC, the Aboriginal Housing Management Association and the BC Institute of Technology for their in-kind support.