Buildings are the largest source of greenhouse gases in Toronto, accounting for 56% of the city’s overall emissions as of 2021, surpassing both waste and transportation sectors, according to an annual report released by the city. As Toronto hurtles towards tandem goals of 65,000 new rent-controlled homes by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040, all new and existing buildings will have to be designed and built to operate at near-zero carbon. But the pathway to the city’s ambitious net-zero goals is blocked by corporate disinterest and gaps in funding. Most developers fail to see the financial benefits of greening their construction practices, leaving individual homeowners to shoulder the responsibility alongside an overcommitted, under-resourced municipal government. While some small companies and non-profits are trying to carry the torch, the only way to decarbonize Toronto’s buildings is mass commitment — and lots of cash. …Despite financial hurdles and slow progress, there’s still hope.