Your clients want more than panels. Here is a way to deliver it.

What homeowners actually want

When residents register interest in this pilot, they are not just asking for solar panels. They are asking for lower energy bills, backup power during outages, a warmer home in winter and a cooler one in summer, and a process that doesn't feel like a trap.

That is a whole-home energy problem. Contractors who can address it — not just install one technology — are the ones who will stand out.

A question worth exploring: insulation with solar

One idea residents have raised: when a crew is already on the roof to install solar panels, is it practical to add roof insulation at the same time? We don't know yet whether this is standard practice, how it affects scheduling, or what it would add to the cost.

We are asking contractors to tell us. If there is a way to bundle these services that makes sense operationally, it could be a meaningful differentiator — and something homeowners would value highly.

The business case

Residential solar is often slowed by customer acquisition, household-by-household education, and site-by-site sales work. A neighbourhood cohort changes that dynamic before a contractor spends time producing detailed proposals.

How the pilot works

This is an open process. No contractor is selected in advance. No backroom deals. Contractors who participate are asked to quote transparently for the group — residents see the proposals and make their own decisions.

1. Express interest. Let us know you want to be involved. No commitment at this stage.
2. Review the cohort. When enough nearby homes have registered, we share the aggregate picture — location, rough system sizes, technologies of interest.
3. Provide a transparent proposal. Pricing, equipment options, warranty terms, and group pricing thresholds — presented clearly so residents can compare.
4. Participate in an information session. Answer questions from residents as a group, not one household at a time.
5. Sign individual contracts. Each homeowner decides independently. No pressure on either side.
6. Share the results. Aggregate outcomes are published so the model can improve for the next neighbourhood.

Industry leaders increasingly recognize that customer acquisition and sales costs are among the biggest challenges in residential solar. By organizing interested homeowners before contractors engage, neighbourhood-based procurement may reduce marketing costs, simplify scheduling, and improve project efficiency.

Building in the direction Ottawa is already heading

Contractors who understand the city's energy transition goals are better positioned to advise clients, win municipal-adjacent work, and grow as policy and incentive programs evolve. These plans set the direction — neighbourhood pilots are one way to get there.

• Climate Change Master Plan
• Energy Evolution: Ottawa's Community Energy Transition Strategy