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
| Nov 27, 2013
ASTM issues revised standard on phase I environmental site assessments
ASTM has issued revised standard ASTM E1527-13 that governs phase I environmental site assessments.
| Nov 27, 2013
Vancouver, B.C., bans doorknobs in building code update
The goal of making it easier for people to age in place led to amendments to Vancouver, B.C.’s building code including banning doorknobs in favor of lever handles.
| Nov 22, 2013
Kieran Timberlake, PE International develop BIM tool for green building life cycle assessment
Kieran Timberlake and PE International have developed Tally, an analysis tool to help BIM users keep better score of their projects’ complete environmental footprints.
| Nov 20, 2013
WDMA receives final approval on code amendments
The Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) was granted final approval of several amendments it proposed to the 2015 editions of the International Residential Code (IRC), International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), and International Existing Building Code (IEBC).
| Nov 20, 2013
Safe Jobs Act would provide more protection for New York City construction workers
Legislation that would require safety training for construction workers on public projects in New York City has been introduced to the City Council.
| Nov 20, 2013
Boston officials grapple with impact of new FEMA flood maps
New federal maps for Boston significantly expand the number of homes and businesses in areas considered at high risk of flooding, a change that could force thousands of property owners to purchase expensive insurance and complicate redevelopment along the city’s waterfront.
| Nov 20, 2013
How LEED and Green Globes stack up
An analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Green Globes rating system and LEED standards puts LEED ahead, but doesn’t discount the merits of Green Globes.
| Nov 14, 2013
First LEED v4 certified project garnered by Beijing furniture showroom
Haworth’s showroom in Beijing’s Parkview Green building has been recognized as the world’s first certified LEED project under the USGBC’s new LEED version 4 beta program.
| Nov 14, 2013
OSHA proposes requirement for large firms to disclose workplace injuries
A proposal from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration would require companies with more than 250 employees to disclose workplace injury and illness reports online.
| Nov 14, 2013
GSA asks for input to help study energy-efficient technologies on its buildings
The General Services Administration has posted a request online, asking those in industry, academia and nonprofits for information on green building technologies.
