Fact: 75% of the homes and buildings we'll live with in 2030 have already been built. But that doesn't mean we're necessarily stuck with energy relics of the past. We can bring these buildings with us into the future through retrofits and requirements that meet smart and modern model energy standards.

Simple home and building upgrades like improving insulation and draftproofing not only keep the heat from slipping through our windows and walls, they also keep the money from slipping out of our pockets. A good retrofit can help people save substantially on their electricity and water bills - for some, that can add up to more than $800 per year. Large building operators who invest in efficiency upgrades can add tens of thousands of dollars annually to their bottom lines.

Ultimately, this is about making all of the buildings we use and depend on work better and harder to meet our needs. It means fresher, cleaner air in our apartments, offices, long-term care homes, and hospitals. It means cozier living spaces and safer living conditions for all of us, including the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Right now, there is no national model energy code that applies to existing buildings. Canada spans multiple climate zones, and each province and territory has its unique energy mix, building stock, and electricity demands - differences that will need to be considered in any national approach. Here's how we can work together to bring our old buildings into the future:

• Launch development of a recommissioning framework to optimize existing buildings starting in 2018.

• Fund research, development, and demonstration projects to lower the cost of building deep energy retrofits starting in 2018.

• Support efforts to ensure that new model energy codes are implemented properly when they are adopted.

• Publish model energy requirements/codes for existing homes and buildings in 2022.