A nationwide retrofit strategy could cut 51% of emissions from large buildings in Canada, according to a new Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).
The report includes recommendations that CaGBC says would reduce 21 million tons of carbon by 2030, help the government achieve its climate change goals, and grow the economy. CaGBC researchers analyzed how the type, size, and age of large buildings, along with energy sources and the carbon intensity of regional electrical grids in Canada, can affect energy efficiency and carbon emissions.
Among the findings and recommendations:
- Buildings including office buildings, shopping malls, universities, and arenas constructed between 1960 and 1979 represent the age class with the largest opportunity for carbon emissions reductions.
- Alberta and Ontario currently emit the most carbon. This is due to the carbon intensity of Alberta’s electricity grid and the number of large buildings in Ontario.
- All provinces will need to prioritize recommissioning for large buildings (between 25,000 sf and 200,000 sf) and deep retrofits for buildings over 35 years old. These two actions will reduce emissions by 4.1 MT CO2e, providing 62% of the reduction needed to meet the goal.
- Fuel switching must be completed in 20% of buildings over 35 years old across Canada. Currently, fuel switching is particularly attractive in provinces with clean electricity grids such as British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. In these regions, significant effort should be put into increasing the adoption of highly efficient heat pump technology.
- In provinces with carbon intense electricity grids—Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia—30% of buildings will need to use renewable energy in order to meet the target.
Related Stories
| Jun 26, 2014
Ohio is first state to roll back renewable energy standards
Ohio became the nation’s first state to roll back renewable energy standards after the state House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 310 and Gov. John Kasich recently signed the measure.
| Jun 26, 2014
Walkable areas lead to higher rents for developers
New research from a George Washington University research group and LOCUS, a coalition of real estate investors that's part of Smart Growth America,says that offices in “Walkable Urban Places (WalkUPs)” bring developers 74% more rent per square foot.
| Jun 18, 2014
ASHRAE publishes guideline on specifying Building Automation Systems
Performance monitoring guidance is a key feature of the document. It provides designers of BAS systems with recommendations for good practice, project considerations, and detailed discussion of design options.
| Jun 18, 2014
Battle over low-cost, Chinese-made solar equipment could stunt solar power growth
The U.S. Department of Commerce tentatively agreed to assess tariffs of up to 35% on solar equipment, a move that could slow the rapid growth of the domestic solar power industry.
| Jun 18, 2014
Senate passes ‘compromise’ bill that green lights 26 new VA hospitals, clinics
The U.S. Senate reached a compromise deal combining elements of two competing Veterans Administration reform bills that would, among other things, gives the go-ahead for the construction of 26 new VA hospitals and clinics.
| Jun 18, 2014
Pittsboro, N.C., approves massive new development plan
The Pittsboro, N.C., Board of Commissioners approved the master plan for Chatham Park, a massive residential and commercial project that could bring 60,000 people to Pittsboro over several decades.
| Jun 11, 2014
AGC to study causes of construction deaths, injuries
The Associated General Contractors of America is conducting a new study to make job sites safer and search for ways to lower the number of injuries and deaths in the construction industry.
| Jun 11, 2014
U.S. infrastructure quality ranks only 19th in the world
The quality of infrastructure in the U.S. ranks just 19th in the world, trailing countries such as Oman, Portugal, and Spain, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report.
| Jun 11, 2014
ISO releases standards for comparing city services worldwide
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created the first standards to compare services of the world’s cities.
| Jun 11, 2014
Federal bill would promote shifting to energy-efficient roofs
A bipartisan proposal from U.S. Reps. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., and Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., would make roof replacement cost less and would help commercial building owners adopt energy-efficient systems.
