Chelsah Thomas
Founder, Certified Net Zero Energy Advisor; M.E.M.
Sol Invictus Energy Services Ltd.
[email protected] | 403-872-2441
Who We Are
Sol Invictus Energy Services is a certified B-Corp based in Alberta, dedicated to advancing energy-efficient, high-performance housing across Canada.
We specialize in energy modeling, deep energy retrofits, and code compliance support for builders, municipalities, and retrofit programs. Our work combines technical expertise with a values-driven mission to deliver climate-smart, people-centred housing solutions that are practical, affordable and scalable.
Our Team & Partners
Chelsah Thomas
CTO, M.E.M. Certified Net Zero Energy Advisor
Sol Invictus Energy Services
  • 10+ years in energy efficiency consulting
  • NBC 2020 Tiered Energy Code trainer for inspectors across Alberta and Saskatchewan
Jesse Thomas
CEO, Certified Net Zero Advisor
Sol Invictus Energy Services
  • Lead on Net-Zero retrofit initiatives across Alberta
  • 10+ years in energy efficiency consulting
908 AI
Software Delivery Partner
  • Specializes in AI Automation, energy modelling, mechanical design, and code compliance
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Academic Partner
  • Research & Development
  • Pilot Development, Execution & Feedback
University of Alberta
Machine Learning Partner
  • Machine learning research
  • Applied validation
Volta Research Group
Integration Partner
  • Co-developing costing workflows and reporting
  • Interoperability with Volta Snap Energy Modelling Software
NBC 2020, 2025 & 2030:
Emissions & Embodied Carbon Add More Complexity
Every new home built in Canada must adhere to the National Building Code - Energy Efficiency.
2020:
  • Tiered Energy Codes (Prescriptive & Performance) introduced across Canada requiring homes to meet: Tiers 1-5 introduced.
2025:
  • Prescriptive & Performance operational Greenhouse Gas Emissions compliance:
  • Confirm emissions factors (provincial or utility-specific)
  • Cross-check builder inputs with evolving Energy Conservation Points tables
  • Higher levels of review & resources needed
2030:
  • Adds Embodied Carbon targets:
  • Material sourcing and LCA reviews
  • No standard tools, high subjectivity
  • Review time explodes without third-party help
The Problem & The Risk
Compliance pathways aren’t replacing each other - they’re stacking.
Lack of Data
  • No standard tracking of Tier level, GHG emissions, or specs
  • Hard to evaluate program impact or code effectiveness
  • Limits ability to improve compliance or target incentives
  • Hinders municipal reporting, benchmarking, and climate goals
Costly Manual Review Process
  • Tiered codes are more complex and time consuming to review
  • Many officials lack in-house energy expertise or digital tools
  • Manual reviews lead to delays, errors & rising staff cost
Overwhelmed Officials
  • Inconsistent and incomplete submissions lead to review delays.
  • Increased risk of errors due to limited capacity/no in-house energy code expertise.
  • Lack of tools, staff support and training makes inconsistencies inevitable.
Builder Frustration
  • Builders default to prescriptive path due to lack of clarity.
  • Limited resources lead to unnecessary upgrades and costs.
  • More paperwork, subjectivity, and room for error.
Evolving & Stacking Code Requirements
  • Tiered code requirements are complex.
  • Codes soon to include GHG emissions, embodied carbon, and retrofit energy requirements
  • Lack of support for small builders, especially in rural areas.
Pressure for Faster Approvals
  • Urgent demand for rapid project completion.
  • Delays directly impact construction schedules and budgets.
  • Stakeholders expect quick turnarounds for permitting and compliance.
Tiered Energy Code Increases Workload for Inspectors
(& Costs for Municipalities/Agencies)
Number of hours dedicated to energy code review per file by permitting staff
Confidence-Based Fast-Tracking for Energy Compliance
Aligned with: Alberta Automatic Yes • Municipal fast-track and red-tape reduction initiatives • Housing Accelerator objectives
Energy Navigator enables confidence-based fast-tracking by separating
'can this move forward now?' from 'what still needs deeper review.'
"If I could outsource all the energy code reviews, I’d do it within five minutes. I don’t want to be reviewing energy models or checking window specs. That’s not what we’re trained for and it’s not where our time is best spent.”
- Rural AB Inspector
"In BC at STEP 3, our review time increased by 8 hours.”
- Rural AB Inspector
“I’m a firm believer that 9.36 should be a third party monitoring system.”
- AB Inspector
Data Gap in Energy Code Compliance
Home energy performance data is critical for effective policy making. A significant data gap exists, preventing a comprehensive view.
Almost 80% of building performance data remains un-captured (prescriptive & non-ERS 9.36 performance path homes).
Energy Navigator is uniquely positioned to capture all of this currently missing data, providing a complete picture of home energy performance & GHG emissions across all building applications.
Solution:
A digital tool that simplifies and guides NBC2020 Tier 1-5 energy code decision-making.
For municipalities, used by builders, supporting energy service providers.
How It Works
Current Process
Future Process
Wider System Impacts
Unlocks Faster Adoption
Unlocks faster adoption of Tiered Energy Codes
Reduced Emissions
Reduces emissions by enabling better decision-making early in design
Equity & Affordability
Supports affordable, efficient housing access in rural and underserved regions, aligning with Canada's National Housing Strategy.
Workforce Efficiency
Reduces manual review time and administrative overhead for municipal staff and service providers.
Industry Capacity Building
Provides resources, cost estimates and risk analysis for home builders
Policy Alignment & Compliance Transparency
Provides regulators with consistent, trackable data for decision-making
“This is exactly what the industry needs - a more comprehensive tool to guide builders, inform safety codes officers, and inform municipalities so we can all be working on the same data sets and information and grow together.”
Municipal Dashboard
Real-Time Insights into Building Code Adoption, GHGs, and Performance
Key Metrics Tracked:
Total Projects Submitted
Track the volume of submitted projects.
Compliance Path
Distinguish between Prescriptive vs Performance paths.
Tier Level (NBC 9.36)
Monitor progress against established tier benchmarks.
GHG Emissions (tCO₂e/year)
Quantify environmental impact.
Airtightness (ACH50)
Average air changes per hour at 50 Pascals.
Energy Use & Intensity
Track energy consumption (GJ/year, GJ/m²/year).
Fuel Mix
Analyze Gas vs Electric energy sources.
Eco-Features (%)
Percentage of homes with HRVs, heat pumps, etc.
Municipal Dashboard
What Municipalities See… and more!
Long-term Municipal Benefits of the Energy Navigator
Informs Policy, Incentives & Funding Programs
Access to permit-level data empowers municipalities to design smarter local programs, align with NRCan, CHBA, and other funding bodies, and back policy decisions with real-world evidence.
Enhances Oversight, Training & Risk Management
Centralized energy data helps identify systemic compliance issues, pinpoint training needs, and reduce rework. It also exposes missing insights not captured through ERS or existing systems.
Recognizes and Benchmarks Builder Performance
Enables municipalities to showcase top-performing builders even if they’re not in national programs. Encourages local innovation and accountability.
Supports Climate Action & Emissions Tracking
Tracking Tier level, carbon intensity, and GHG metrics makes climate reporting easier, improves transparency, and strengthens alignment with long-term decarbonization goals.
Closes Data Gap
Captures data on prescriptive and performance applications, pathways, and compliance levels that NRCan’s ERS pathway misses, especially for the ~95% of homes that don’t use EnerGuide.
Support for Climate Action & Reporting
With standardized data flows and digital tools, municipal departments can do more with fewer staff - especially important as permit volumes rise and energy tiers become more complex.
Why Participate in a Municipal Pilot?
Municipal Benefits
Early insights into local energy code performance by pathway
Identification of gaps in forms, data consistency, and review processes
Input into the redesign of 9.36 compliance workflow
Comparative learning across municipalities
Broader Purpose
Supports policy alignment and code-readiness planning
Ensures tool development meets real-world permitting needs
Contributes to reducing review timelines and increasing compliance accuracy
Builds internal capacity for emissions tracking and future code shifts
Partnerships & Programs
We are currently working with Foresight Canada in the "Launch and Deliver" program, an accelerator program designed to help Canadian cleantech ventures scale by providing expert mentorship, business model refinement, investor access, and tailored support.
Current Partners:
908 Engineering is providing software development services
Volta Research Group is providing software integration & automation services
SAIT is providing research & pilot development
University of Alberta is providing machine learning / AI services
Funding for Research & Pilot Dev - Alberta Innovates
Other Current/Potential Partners:
  • Foresight Canada (Launch & Deliver)
  • CHBA/BILD - Member Network
  • SSRIA (Foresight Business Growth Program)
  • ENBIX (Builder Explorer Tool w/ Volta Research)
  • LEEP /NRCAN (Costing Information)
  • CACEA (Service Provider Network)
  • Alberta & Saskatchewan Building Officials Association (Member Network)
  • Alberta Municipal Affairs (Municipal network)
  • Alberta Safety Codes Council (Collaboration & Demo Review)
ENERGY-NAVIGATOR.CA