b2e@zeic.ca
We’re back with another installment of our Member Spotlight series! Few understand the intersection of carbon markets, building retrofits, and financial innovation better than Ashley Sarauer, Founder & CEO of Ontoly. Ontoly is pioneering a carbon registry and marketplace purpose-built for buildings, helping owners and financial institutions unlock the value of decarbonization. Read on to learn more.
Tell us about your organization and your role within it.
I’m the Founder and CEO of Ontoly. We’re building a carbon registry and certification platform designed specifically for buildings. Our goal is to make it possible for building owners and financial institutions to certify, track, and monetize carbon reductions from retrofit projects with the same level of rigor and trust you’d find in compliance markets.
My role spans everything from shaping our certification framework to fundraising and building partnerships with banks, retrofit aggregators, and technology providers. At its core, I see my job as creating the infrastructure that allows decarbonization to become a real financial asset class.
Why did you become a B2E member?
I became a B2E member because I believe deeply in collaboration across the building sector. The transition to a low-carbon built environment is not something any one actor can do alone. B2E creates space for sharing knowledge, connecting stakeholders, and building momentum for change, which aligns perfectly with Ontoly’s mission.
What impact has the B2E community had on you/your organization?
B2E has given me the opportunity to both learn and contribute. I’ve been able to share Ontoly’s perspective on how financial innovation and carbon crediting can accelerate retrofits, while also gaining insights from others on policy, technology, and engagement strategies. It’s been energizing to connect with peers who are tackling similar challenges from different angles.
Tell us about an exciting building electrification project that you’re working on or recently completed.
One of the most exciting projects we’re working on is with partners in Alberta and Vancouver, where we’re certifying retrofit projects to generate carbon credits under Ontoly’s framework. These pilots involve both residential and commercial buildings and test how carbon credit revenues can complement financing from banks and ESCOs.
It’s a first-of-its-kind demonstration that building retrofits can produce high-integrity carbon assets—assets that can be traded, retired, or leveraged to make financing more attractive. We see this as the foundation of a scalable model for accelerating decarbonization across North America.
What do you see as a key driver in advancing electrification in your industry?
One of the biggest drivers is creating financial value from decarbonization. Regulations like Building Performance Standards are creating penalties for non-compliance, but what really motivates action is showing that reducing emissions can also generate revenue and unlock new financing pathways.
By turning carbon reductions into assets, we give building owners and lenders a reason to go further, faster. Pair that with clear policy signals and accessible retrofit solutions, and we can make electrification and deep retrofits the smart financial choice—not just the right climate choice.
For more information on Ontoly, see the website here.
