On May 2, 2025, Earth District and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Partners in Project Green co-hosted Decarbonizing Buildings: What’s Holding Us Back?—a landmark event bringing together leaders from academia, industry, and government to explore the persistent barriers to building decarbonization. This gathering marked the first formal collaboration between the two organizations, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing low-carbon solutions and empowering the next generation of sustainability leaders across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
This report summarizes the key insights shared during the event. While discussions were framed around three main pillars—building design, construction, and operations—participants identified a range of systemic and cross-cutting challenges that span the entire building lifecycle. From policy gaps and lack of awareness and incentives, to workforce development and knowledge sharing, the dialogue underscored the need for integrated, collaborative approaches to accelerate the decarbonization of buildings at scale.
The report is available to download below.