Presented by BTZx in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia and The ReCover Initiative
Are you looking to expand your building-sector climate and ESG knowledge?
The Climate Literacy: ESG for Buildings & Construction pilot course provides building sector professionals with the opportunity to learn about the future of building performance. This full-day, in-person course is designed for anyone looking to deepen their knowledge of why ESG matters for the building and construction sector, and what it means for your projects, operations and decisions.
Through a mix of technical instruction and experiential learning, participants will explore concepts of ESG across the building lifecycle, interpreting climate adaptation and mitigation risks, understanding finance, insurance and regulatory requirements, and putting ESG into practice.
Location: The PIER, 1209 Marginal Rd, Halifax, N.S.
Please note: The registration link is for the ESG full-day workshop, January 27, 2026. A separate registration link is available for the Climate Literacy Building Design course offered on January 28, 2026.
About the ESG for Buildings and Construction Pilot
This pilot is an opportunity for building-sector leaders to experience and evaluate the course as a professional development opportunity before its full rollout in 2026. Your feedback will ensure it meets the real needs of your members.
Why Participate in Training?
- Work to real standards: understand how NBC/NECB tiers and voluntary standards (ZCB Retrofit, GRESB, TCFD) influence risk, expectations, and decision-making for buildings and assets.
- Level-up your climate change knowledge: understand how climate impacts buildings and how adaptation and mitigation strategies align with ESG.
- Understand the business case: explore how lifecycle thinking, capital costs, energy savings, and incentives influence project viability and decision-making.
- Learn by doing: experiential activities to practice assessing ESG risks and opportunities across asset types
Who Participates in ESG Training?
- Energy auditors
- Retrofit and general contractors
- Building managers, project managers
- Consulting professionals advancing retrofit work
Why Climate Literacy Matters
Many jurisdictions across Canada, including Nova Scotia, are exploring strategies to support the sustainable building industry. Research and consultation points to a critical gap: building-sector professionals need accessible, job-relevant climate literacy and understanding of emerging roles, data, and tools in the building sector.
This course responds to that need for upskilling. By participating in this pilot, you and/or your association will help shape a resource that supports your members’ long-term success.
The Presenter
Nancy Foran brings over 25 years of professional and executive experience to ESG Partners where she provides guidance to companies, investors, boards of directors and leadership teams as they incorporate ESG factors into strategies that create long-term, sustainable value. As a CPA, she effectively integrates ESG targets with financial goals.
With extensive local and international experience, she has worked with start-ups through to multinational organizations, investors, government and regulators, and has navigated regional, national and international complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
Nancy is also educated in the leading sustainability standards and frameworks including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the climate-focused TCFD and is an “FSA Credential Level 2 candidate in ESG” with the IFRS Foundation.
Support for this program
Developed by Building to Zero Exchange (BTZx) with funding from the Province of Nova Scotia and the ReCover Initiative, this course is part of a broader effort to improve climate literacy in the building sector.