Better Buildings Partnership

BETTER BUILDINGS PARTNERSHIP BUILDING A BETTER ENERGY FUTURE

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“There will always be buildings in the City of Toronto and with growing climate change pressures and rising energy costs it will be increasingly important for them to strive to be better buildings.�

Mayor David Miller

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Richard Morris’ beginning in the energy conservation business was as a nuclear engineer, who observed a quarter mile long turbine hall of a nuclear facility lit with T-12 inefficient light bulbs while the sun shone through the building’s glass windows with greater light intensity. His observation led him to conclude that he could turn off most of the lights when the building is lit with sunlight, and sell the saved energy on the electricity grid. Richard currently manages the Better Richard Morris

Buildings Partnership and the City of Toronto Energy Efficiency Office. In his words, the Better Buildings Partnership is a “climate change program that addresses energy use in buildings.” The Better Buildings Partnership works in partnership with building owners, property managers and developers to access technical and financial resources for the design and implementation of energy efficiency measures that produce higher performance buildings in the City of Toronto.

What are the objectives of the Better Buildings Partnership?

Morris: The Better Buildings Partnership was created as a program to address multiple City of Toronto priorities including global climate change and its implications for society, economic development and job creation. These three areas are central to a number of objectives that city council mandated for the partnership at the time of its inception in 1996.

Could you provide the background of the Better Buildings Partnership?

Morris: We conducted a lot of research before the Better Buildings Partnership was launched in 1996. We needed to be sure we had sufficient value to add to the buildings industry and we had to understand the customers’ business and decision process.

At first, the only financial instrument we had was a $12 million revolving loan fund. We also determined that our other offerings were in the area of visibility and influence. As such we helped Toronto property managers to develop coherent communications strategies and plans to fully engage their tenants before retrofits were implemented. We also made sure that property managers and developers received recognition for their projects, sometimes by profiling them at major conferences. We also recognized property managers with annual awards through the Better Buildings Partnership Awards program held at major locations such as The Toronto Board of Trade and the Design Exchange.

We offered a comfort level with complex projects by screening energy management firms that property management firms might work with. This third party service gave property owners and managers comfort that they would achieve the savings that were being promised by such firms. My experience also pointed to a range of concerns expressed by property managers pertaining to the cost and complexity of various performance contracts that their lawyers needed to manage. As a result the Better Buildings Partnership developed model performance contracts to simplify the language and streamline the complex versions that were being dealt with in the industry. The Better Buildings Partnership has added new features since it began. These include additional financial incentives and a more streamlined registration process.

We now have a $42 million Toronto Energy Conservation fund which provides loans of up to 10 years at zero interest for conservation projects. We have also added the $20 million Toronto Green Energy Fund which provides loans of up to 20 years at zero interest for renewable energy projects. These funds

are used to leverage the Better Buildings Partnership electricity conservation financial incentives. These funds and incentives help get over both the hurdle of upfront capital costs of energy projects and the overall return on investment.

What are some of the significant changes that have occurred since the Better Buildings Partnership began?

Morris: At the commencement of the Better Buildings Partnership most property managers and industry decision makers required project payback period to be less than 4 years. One of the most noticeable changes is that a payback period of 7, 8, or even 10 years is now acceptable. With a 10-year payback project you are almost always looking at a holistic environmental project that addresses people, planet and profit all at once. Another noticeable change is the significant increase in awareness about the green buildings industry. Energy conservation has become a mainstream investment opportunity and is integrally linked to Corporate Social Responsibility. The industry is now realizing the far-ranging benefits of this triple bottomline approach.

What are some of the Better Buildings Partnership’s more successful projects?

Morris: We are proud of the great diversity of buildings and sectors we have worked with. Certainly our past involvement with showcase office towers including the TD Centre and First Canadian Place are projects that are top of mind. Also near the top of the list are the hundreds of elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, hospitals and high-rise multi-family residential buildings. Our customers have told us we have made a real difference.

What does the future look like for Better Buildings Partnership?

Morris: There will always be growth in the buildings sector in Toronto. With increasing global population, greater technological advancements, and enhanced awareness of the program and tools that are available, I expect energy efficiency will continue to be a high priority for society.

Demand for the services provided by the Better Buildings Partnership will continue to increase and contribute to economic growth and environmental quality in the City of Toronto.

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MUNICIPAL, ACADEMIC, SOCIAL SERVICES AND HEALTHCARE (MASH) SECTOR

Angelo Poto

Victor da Rosa

Dragos Paraschiv

The goal of the Better Buildings Partnership MASH (Municipal, Academic, Social Services, and Healthcare) sector program is to increase the overall energy efficiency of existing institutional buildings. This includes academic institutions, hospitals, social services and municipal buildings of all sizes.

The MASH project managers, Angelo Poto (Healthcare), Victor da Rosa (Academic) and Dragos Paraschiv (Municipal) have many tools at their disposal to achieve maximum energy efficiency in every project. “For one thing, in partnership with Ontario Power Authority, we offer attractive financial incentives for building owners to reduce their electrical demand,” says Paraschiv. It is very important for the program to aggressively engage facility owners and managers to identify possible opportunities for savings in energy efficiency. Additionally the BBP team can assist clients to find energy management firms to implement proposed measures.

Institutional buildings often have extraordinary energy demand due to their intense use. Hospitals, for example, operate 24 hours a day. “There are huge air handling requirements in hospitals,” says Poto. “There’s also an increase in energy demand due to increasingly sophisticated hospital equipment. So hospitals stand to gain from the kind of long-term, comprehensive retrofits that the Better Buildings Partnership encourages.”

Building retrofits can include a variety of measures, many of which are becoming more attractive with new technological innovation. Most common are lighting retrofits, chiller replacements, and the installation of variable speed drives. The 4

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latter helps balance the usage of necessary building equipment with peak load times. “Drive technology has evolved a lot in the last 10 years and we do our best to make our customers aware of these advances,” says Paraschiv.

Victor da Rosa speaks to long-term energy savings that can be achieved. “We encourage a comprehensive holistic look at all building systems and how they interact,” says da Rosa. “Comprehensive retrofits allow building managers to offset measures with longer payback periods, such as chiller replacements, with shorter-payback measures like lighting retrofits. This comprehensive view has the effect of presenting an acceptable payback period for building owners.” In addition to energy savings incentives, institutional customers may also access zero-interest loans for both conservation and renewable energy projects through the City’s Sustainable Energy Funds, allowing for even better return on investment.

The BBP-MASH program has had notable success so far. Toronto East General Hospital (TEGH) did a very large retrofit, from chiller replacement to variable speed drives to lighting retrofits totaling a savings of around three million kilowatt hours, for which it received a $241,000 Better Buildings Partnership financial incentive. This project will save 3,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. As Poto says, “The real leaders in the MASH sector, like TEGH and others, realize that we have finite energy and funding resources and that together we can do something that will be better for sustainability.”

Incentives for Institutional Buildings: Energy Savings Incentives: $400 per kW for peak demand reduction OR $0.05 per kWh for annual consumption reduction (maximum payment is 40% of total eligible project costs) For information on the above and other program assistance contact: Angelo Poto (Healthcare) Phone: 416-392-1661 Email: apoto@toronto.ca Victor da Rosa (Academic) Phone: 416-392-7003 Email: vdarosa@toronto.ca Dragos Paraschiv (Municipal) Phone:416-392-6798 Email: dparasc@toronto.ca Common types of retrofits: • Building envelope upgrades (windows, air sealing, insulation) • Chiller replacement • Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) • Fuel substitution and alternative energy • Building automation/controls • Lighting upgrades (interior and exterior)

Centennial College Case Study With energy prices trending higher and the possibility of significant increases at any time, there is an increased pressure on institutions to reduce the risk of unanticipated future costs.

With these things in mind, and a need to not disrupt classes in the process, Centennial College sought to reduce the carbon footprint of its sites and minimize energy operating costs, through energy efficiency upgrades.

Solution Centennial College evaluated several energy efficiency projects on four campuses, including the cost involved and the time it would take to achieve payback on investment. Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership was consulted to potentially access the energy savings incentives that the program offers, enabling the college to do more with its budget. The projects implemented included: • Retrofitting existing T-12 lighting to more energy efficient T-8 technology without sacrificing lighting levels, replacing 4,278 fixtures (mostly HID and incandescent) with higher efficiency alternative fixtures in three campuses and one residence.

• Introduced ultrasonic occupancy sensors at three sites.

• At 941 Progress Avenue Campus, converted the fan system to variable frequency drives to better match fan operation to air quality and comfort needs, and replaced the electric hot water heater with a high-efficiency natural gas boiler.

• Fine-tuned existing Building Automation Systems to optimize efficiency of new measures.

• Installed capacitor banks to improve power factor at all buildings.

As Tyrone Gangoo, Manager, Plant Services, Facilities & Services, Centennial College points out, “We have an annual energy budget of approximately $2 million and we expect to see savings of about 10% annually from all the implemented improvements – lowering the payback period to just 3.1 years. In addition, we’ve reduced our environmental footprint by 1,441 tonnes of CO2 annually – that’s the equivalent of taking 424 cars off the road.”

The energy efficient upgrades to Centennial College’s facilities resulted in 1,433,608 kWh of annual electricity savings, 19,598 m3 of annual natural gas savings, and an annual greenhouse gas savings of 1,441 tonnes of CO2. These reductions translate into an annual cost savings of $196,055. The payback period of 3.1 years was accomplished with the assistance of a $129,201 incentive received from the Better Buildings Partnership and a $11,951 incentive from Enbridge Gas Distribution.

All measures were accomplished without any disruption in classes, mainly by taking advantage of summer break. Already the retrofit to newer, more efficient T-8 technology and the introduction of occupancy sensors to better manage lighting use are delivering cost savings as promised.

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MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDING (MFRB) SECTOR

Tom Chessman

Natalie Maniates

Tom Chessman and Natalie Maniates are Project Managers for the Better Buildings Partnership’s Multi-Family Residential Building (MFRB) sector, including both private buildings and social and assisted housing.

Chessman and Maniates work with building owners and managers to encourage holistic, energy efficient retrofits for which financial incentives are currently available.

In the case of private buildings, energy efficiency retrofits are attractive because, among other reasons, they allow building owners to save operating costs in the long run. “Water, natural gas and electricity make up a very large chunk of their cost,” says Chessman. “Any dollar they can pull out of the operating budget goes right into their pocket. Retrofits also reduce greenhouse gas emissions, providing owners with marketing opportunities in a climate where more and more consumers are going green.”

Projects vary in size and scope. “Our smaller projects are mostly lighting upgrades,” says Chessman. “However we like to think we excel at helping owners achieve more comprehensive retrofits with farther reaching benefits.”

Maniates handles the social housing portion of the Better Buildings Partnership’s MFRB sector. These buildings are different in administration and funding. “Today, social and assisted housing are getting stimulus dollars,” says Maniates.

“They’ve been given a mandate from the provincial and federal governments to create green jobs.”

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In the social housing sector, retrofits tend be more noticeable to tenants. They usually focus on energy-efficient upgrades that also improve tenant comfort. “Building managers are more likely to do make-up air units, bathroom renovations, kitchen upgrades, window repairs, balconies, domestic hot water risers,” says Maniates. “Managers are also in favour of rebates for the refrigerators, window air conditioners, general repair,” adds Maniates.

Another important factor in social housing retrofits is community and tenant education to raise awareness of retrofits and make sure tenants are comfortable with the upgrades being applied to their residences. “Organizations are taking great efforts to inform the tenants about why this retrofit is being done and how it will improve their comfort at home.” says Maniates. “It makes people feel like they’re part of the results that are achieved.”

Many multi-unit residential buildings are looking to go green, both in private housing and community housing. But every building offers unique challenges. Chessman and Maniates’ job includes dealing with buildings and their specific needs on a case-by-case basis. “Every building is different, whether it has a recreational centre, whether it has natural gas or electric heating. How do you heat and cool the suites? Do you want fan coil units or package terminal air conditioning units?” says Chessman. “Whatever it is, there are a variety of measures that we can recommend to maximize energy savings and incentive payouts.”

Incentives for Multi-Family Residential Buildings: Energy Savings Incentives: $400 per kW for peak demand reduction OR $0.05 per kWh for annual consumption reduction (maximum payment is 40% of total eligible project costs) For information on the above and newly enhanced program incentives contact: Tom Chessman (Private Buildings) Phone: 416-392-1501 Email: tchessm@toronto.ca

Common types of retrofits: • Building envelope upgrades (windows, air sealing, insulation) • Chiller replacement • Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) • Fuel substitution and alternative energy • Building automation/controls • Lighting upgrades (interior and exterior)

Natalie Maniates (Social Housing) Phone: 416-397-9217 Email: nmaniat@toronto.ca

Villa Charities Case Study Growing concern about the environment and steadily rising energy costs have made effective energy management in multi-residential buildings more important than ever before.

• Retrofitting Caboto Terrace’s stairwell, ground floor and hallway lighting from two 32W T8 electronic ballasts to one higher efficiency 28W T-5 fixture and reflector.

Through energy audits conducted in 2008, Villa Charities became aware of several opportunities for energy efficiency improvements to its buildings that would result in substantial cost savings and ultimately enhance the homes of the hundreds of senior citizens they serve. Villa Charities embarked on energy efficiency lighting retrofit programs for three of its buildings: Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto and Casa Abruzzo.

One of the aims of undertaking these initial projects was to learn so that further energy plans could be developed and implemented in other buildings.

Villa Charities was awarded over $96,000 in BBP incentives for the successful completion of these three energy efficiency lighting retrofits.

Villa Charities teamed up with the City of Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership to evaluate the incentives available to offset the costs for their energy conservation efforts.

Combining the energy efficiency lighting retrofits of the three buildings, nearly 10,000 lighting fixtures were upgraded, saving 2,300,194.80 kWh in electricity annually.

Some of highlights for the electricity enhancements include: • Retrofitting existing 60W incandescent bulbs to more energy efficient 26W compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) in the suites at Casa Del Zotto.

• Upgrading the in-suite lighting of the bathrooms at Casa Abruzzo from 60W incandescent bulbs to new fixtures featuring 9W CFLs.

The retrofits will result in total annual savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars in operating costs for Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto and Casa Abruzzo. As well, through these retrofits Villa Charities is demonstrating environmental stewardship and a contribution to a healthy and clean city, reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 275 cars from the road annually. In addition, working with the City of Toronto’s Better Buildings Partnership allowed Villa Charities to fulfill their plans and continue to plan for the future.

“Villa Charities’ commitment to the community spans almost 40 years and is rooted in providing care and services to seniors, adults with intellectual disabilities and the general community in ways that strengthen and uphold Italian customs and traditions,” said Palmacchio Di Iulio, President and CEO, Villa Charities Inc. “We welcome opportunities to partner with other community and governmental groups, such as the Better Buildings Partnership, to find innovative ways to make our service delivery better. We are proud to be able to offer culturally-sensitive programs and services at Caboto Terrace, Casa Del Zotto and Casa Abruzzo that are now environmentally friendly and economically sound.”

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NEW CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

Jane Dalziel

The Better Buildings Partnership’s New Construction program provides assistance for energy-efficient design in new buildings and additions in the City of Toronto. “Is there something we can do to make sure that the buildings are built right in the first place?” asks Jane Dalziel, Program Manager for the New Construction program. This is the challenge.

The main goal of the program is to assist developers to build above the standard set by the Ontario Building Code (OBC) - something that is very achievable with the right design and choice of materials. The Better Buildings Partnership steps in to help model the energy systems to bridge the cost gap between merely meeting the building code and the extra effort that often is required to construct a sustainable building.

Dalziel engages project decision-makers, and a range of design influencers such as architects and design engineers, to ensure that energy efficient measures are considered in a new building’s design as early as possible. “Another important group of influencers who really need to be part of the design team from the start are energy modelers,” says Dalziel. These engineers make a comprehensive model of the building’s projected energy use, measured against an Ontario Building Code reference building. They also make recommendations on how to improve the building’s energy use. The Better Buildings Partnership’s New Construction program 8

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offers a financial incentive to offset the cost of energy modeling services.

“The two most important things in building a high performance building as cost-effectively as possible are setting objectives early in the building concept stage, and bringing an integrated team together to consider the building as a whole rather than an amalgamation of separate systems,” says Dalziel. “But we also have to make sure that the planned energy efficient measures actually get built into the building.” So part of Dalziel’s job is to make sure building owners are aware of attractive incentives that are available for energy savings that are ultimately achieved by the constructed building.

Dalziel works to make sure that people understand the benefits of green building. “After developers have constructed the building then they need to subsequently operate it, so they see the benefit of savings down the road,” says Dalziel. “There are design influencers we have not worked with as yet, and that may be doing things the way people have always done them.” But attitudes are changing. “What we’re hearing now is that investors and lending institutions are more interested in lending money to a new building that has set green targets because numbers are showing that they sell faster, lease up faster and for higher rents and have better resale value. These become powerful drivers for building green,” says Dalziel.

Design Assistance Incentive • BBP-NC offsets the cost of energy modeling by $2,000 + $0.20/m2 gross floor area up to a maximum of $7,000

Constructed Savings Incentive • Upon completion of the building, a Constructed Savings Application Form is submitted to the BBP-NC with a final ‘as constructed’ energy modeling report

• If the above is satisfactory, an incentive payment is calculated on $350 for each peak kW savings or $0.04 per annual kWh reduction that the new building saves compared to the amount of electricity the building would use if built to meet the basic requirements of the Ontario Building Code

Jane Dalziel (New Construction Sector) Phone: 416-397-9218 Email: jdalzie@toronto.ca

Architects, as important design influencers are at the forefront of the green building movement when it comes to new construction. “We see architects positioned as leaders. The architect is thinking mechanical, electrical, insulation,” says Gerrie Doyle, president of the Ontario Association of Architects. Through committees and continuing education programs, The Ontario Association of Architects is working to address the Architecture 2030 call to action, which aims for significant reductions in green house gas emitting energy in buildings in the near future. “As users of the building code, we can be very instrumental in helping the government with sustainability,” says Doyle.

Tridel Case Study Background • Verve is a 430-unit residential building with a 40-storey tower and eight storey lofts along with retail and amenity spaces. The total area is approximately 37,400 square meters. Built in downtown Toronto, Verve has raised the profile for green condo living with a strong marketing campaign that received prominent media support.

This raised awareness of the introduction of emerging green standards in high-rise buildings to meet a growing market demand in the City of Toronto.

• Verve was one of Canada’s first residential buildings to be registered for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the Canada Green Building Council.

LEED-certified buildings are built to advanced standards of energy and water use efficiency – the minimum LEED requirement for energy use is to be 25% more efficient than the same building built to minimum allowable standards (Model National Energy Code for Buildings).

Goal, Desired Outcomes • Tridel’s goal in the design and building of Verve was to costeffectively incorporate energy savings measures that offered condominium housing at a price-point for prospective buyers interested in lowering their utility costs and reducing their carbon footprint.

• Another important goal for Tridel was to demonstrate the company’s commitment to the City of Toronto as a sustainable city builder.

• As an energy efficiency goal, Tridel set out to achieve energy savings of approximately 40% better than Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB).

Solution and Outcomes The following significant energy conservation design features were included in the Verve design: – Ventilation heat recovery – Variable frequency drive chiller & variable speed pumps – High efficiency non-condensing hot water boilers – Double glazed, low-e windows The final ‘as constructed’ energy simulation report has verified that expected energy savings of 39.1% are achievable compared to model energy code These savings are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 948 tonnes per year (roughly two tonnes per suite) compared to a typical building of similar size designed to meet code requirements.

Conclusions As a result of the above modeled energy savings, this project has received the largest incentive payment to date by the BBP New Construction program in the amount of just under $82,000.

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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUNDS - SEF

Nestor Uhera

Toronto’s Sustainable Energy Funds (SEF) were developed and approved as part of the city’s Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan (CCCASEAP) in 2007. The preliminary phase of the program started in early 2008 and SEF is now fully operational and accepting applicants. The Sustainable Energy Funds is a pool of zero-interest loans available to applicants in the Municipal, Academic, Social Services and Health Care sector, as well as other not-for-profit organizations. The loans range from $50,000 to $1 million, up to 49% of eligible project costs.

HOW IT WORKS Financial backing is the largest barrier to the promotion of green building. The Sustainable Energy Funds at the City of Toronto were created to help overcome that barrier.

The Sustainable Energy Funds are comprised of two funds: the Toronto Energy Conservation Fund, and the Toronto Green Energy Fund. The former has $42 million allocated for loans and the latter has $20 million, for a total of $62 million. Each fund can lend up to $1 million per project.

“We divided them into two components because we’ve recognized unique challenges in renewable energy,” says Nestor Uhera, Senior Engineer, Energy Efficiency Office.

The Toronto Energy Conservation Fund, the larger of the two Sustainable Energy Funds, is focused on supporting high efficiency retrofits of existing buildings to increase energy efficiency. These can include building automation systems, chiller replacements, and other measures. The Toronto Green Energy Fund is focused on renewable energy installations.

“The sole purpose [of this fund] is supporting renewable energy technologies,” says Uhera. These technologies may include solar photovoltaic, solar pool heating, solar domestic hot water, wind turbines, and geo-thermal heating and cooling.

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The Sustainable Energy Funds are an important element of the Better Buildings Partnership’s programs, including the financial incentives for energy savings that are currently available through the City’s partnership with the Ontario Power Authority. “Both incentive programs really complement each other,” says Uhera. Applicants to Better Buildings Partnership programs are encouraged to also apply for the Sustainable Energy Funds and vice versa.

The existence of the Sustainable Energy Funds in parallel with the Better Buildings Partnership helps to promote more comprehensive retrofits and installations. “If you can package more measures together it’s better,” says Uhera.

“People tend to go for the quick turnaround projects, but sometimes it makes the economics tougher later on.”

Application for a SEF loan is a two-stage process.

Applicants must first complete a short ‘Intent to Apply’ form, located on the City of Toronto website. This form asks applicants to estimate their financial need and projected savings. The documentation is submitted to the Energy Efficiency Office and, if approved, applicants are notified to submit a detailed application which includes a comprehensive feasibility study.

“The feasibility study allows us to set up a payback timeframe,” says Uhera. “We look at it on a case by case basis but essentially payback is capped at 10 years for the Toronto Energy Conservation Fund. With the Toronto Green Energy Fund the repayment cap is up to 20 years in recognition of the fact that green energy has longer payback periods.”

The Sustainable Energy Funds benefit building owners because it provides financial backing for energy-saving measures, but it also benefits the City of Toronto. It helps to lessen the city’s energy demand, while encouraging job creation and economic stimulus.

SEF Details: Eligibility for program participation Includes buildings In the Municipal, Academic, Social Services and Healthcare (MASH) sector, and other not-for-profit organizations.

• There are two funds under SEF - Toronto Energy Conservation Fund and Toronto Green Energy Fund • The applicant must operate a facility or a building within the borders of the City of Toronto.

• Zero interest loans from $50,000 to $ 1 million per project will be available to a maximum of 49% of project costs. Some projects can apply to both funds.

Examples of eligible renewable installations include: • Solar Photovoltaic • Solar Pool Heating • Solar Domestic Hot Water • Wind turbines • Geothermal

Examples of eligible conservation installations include: • Building Automation Systems • Chiller Replacement • HVAC Equipment Replacement • Distributed Energy Systems

Nestor Uhera (Sustainable Energy Funds) Phone: 416-392-1453 Email: nuhera@toronto.ca www.toronto.ca/energy/sef

Toronto Green Standard The Toronto Green Standard (TGS) is a set of performance measures for sustainable development that respond directly to Toronto’s environmental pressures. “The goal of the green standard is to encourage sustainable and energy-efficient development such that it becomes an established best practice in Toronto’s buildings,” points out Joe D’Abramo, Acting Director, Zoning By-law and Environmental Planning, City Planning.

TGS is a two-tiered standard where Tier 1 is required for all new development. Tier 2 is an enhanced, voluntary standard and one that builders and developers are encouraged to achieve through a 20% rebate on development charges. Starting in 2010, all new planning applications in Toronto will be required to meet Tier 1.

TGS pushes for green building practices in a number of areas including air quality, energy efficiency and green house gas reductions, water conservation and management, light pollution, solid waste management, and others. This new standard complements the LEED rating system (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), with variations that reflect City of Toronto policies, priorities and infrastructure challenges. The Canada Green Building Council and City of Toronto are developing the Toronto LEED Supplement to address areas of overlap and reduce duplication.

Energy efficiency requirements are very prominent in both the TGS and LEED systems. The Tier 1 requirement in all new development is 25% better than the National Model Energy Building Code. “Whatever green standard you look at, energy figures very highly in the requirements. It is very quantifiable and has a direct link to greenhouse gases.”

For more information on the Toronto Green Standard go to www.toronto.ca/planning/greendevelopment Better Buildings Partnership

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other incentives available to toronto buildings

Better Buildings Partnership helps customers navigate the various programs that are available not only through its own programming but also through other organizations.

Taking a ‘whole building approach’, it is important to consider other aspects of efficiency that go beyond electricity conservation alone.

Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. Enbridge is an important Better Buildings Partnership partner, offering a wide range of programs that address the natural gas component of energy efficiency in buildings across all sectors.

Whether designing and constructing a new building or retrofitting an existing building, Enbridge Gas Distribution can help through a wide range of offerings including free technical advice and financial incentives. www.enbridgegas.com Toronto Water Reducing current residential and commercial water use will ensure that Toronto’s water system can meet the needs of a growing city. Toronto Water offers water efficiency programs that provide solutions and rebates to reduce water use and save money. These include rebate programs for toilet and washer replacements and cash incentives for industrial, commercial and institutional buildings that permanently reduce their use of water. www.toronto.ca/water

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Better Buildings Partnership also helps buildings owners find the right Ontario Power Authority (OPA) electricity conservation incentive program outside of sectors served by BBP.

Existing Commercial Properties Greater Than 25,000 Square Feet BOMA Toronto CDM The Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater Toronto (BOMA Toronto) manages and delivers an electricity conservation incentive for office, retail, industrial and hospitality properties in the 416 area code that are larger than 25,000 square feet. BOMA Toronto’s Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) available incentives are for peak demand, electricity consumption or cooling ton reduction calculated at a rate of $400 per kilowatt, $0.05 per kilowatt-hour or $250 per ton for geo-thermal space cooling systems. All can be applied up to 40% of eligible project costs. The CDM program is open to property owners, operators, tenants and channel until December 31, 2010. www.bomacdm.com Existing Commercial Properties Less Than 25,000 Square Feet Toronto Hydro-Electric System Ltd. BIP Toronto Hydro-Electric System’s Business Incentive Program (BIP) encourages and rewards energy-efficient renovations for businesses in Toronto that are 25,000 square feet or less.

These include multi-use, commercial, office, retail, restaurant, convenience store, grocery store, hotel properties, etc.

BIP incentives range from $150/kW to $ 350/kW and are applicable to lighting retrofits, equipment replacement such as chillers and fans, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) redesign, building envelope upgrades, variable speed motor controls, combined heat and power, fuel switching, solar photovoltaic and solar water heating.

Mayor’s Tower Renewal The Mayor’s Tower Renewal program targets the environmental sustainability of Toronto’s many aging towers. “The Mayor’s Tower Renewal is a program that’s really designed around apartment rental buildings in Toronto. These buildings were built in the 1960s and 1970s so they’re ripe for renovation and retrofitting,” says Eleanor McAteer, Project Director for the Tower Renewal program.

Currently in its pilot phase, there are four pilot sites located across Toronto. “We’re undertaking feasibility studies for three private property owners and one community housing location,” says McAteer. What will follow are recommendations for a variety of retrofits designed to help energy efficiency and the overall environmental impact of the towers. “When these buildings were constructed there wasn’t a lot of regard for energy efficiency. That’s where incentive programs like those offered by the Better Buildings Partnership can really help property owners to do retrofits,” says McAteer. Current pilot projects include upgrades to existing equipment, as well as installation of renewable energy sources and recladding of building envelopes.

But the program goes beyond energy retrofits. “We also look at water and how solid waste is managed,” says McAteer. “We look beyond the utilities and into social and cultural aspects, like green job creation and community use space - essentially improving the life of residents through community connections.”

The Mayor’s Tower Renewal program considers a variety of other factors that influence the environmental and cultural footprint of buildings in Toronto. These include access to natural areas, the building of new housing, and encouraging urban agriculture. A rollout strategy for the full program is planned for Fall 2010.

Calendar of Events with BBP Participation: September 9 Earth Matters Showcase Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

October 18 to 21 Ontario Colleges Facilities & Purchasing Conference London, Ontario

September 15 RealREIT Forum Metro Toronto Convention Centre

November 6 & 7 13th Annual Condominium Conference Hilton Suites Toronto, Markham

September 16 Canadian Apartment Investment Conference Metro Toronto Convention Centre

November 16 to 18 Health Achieve 2009 Metro Toronto Convention Centre

September 23 & 24 Green Building Festival Direct Energy Centre

December 1 to 3 Real Estate Forum Metro Toronto Convention Centre December 2 to 4 PM Expo / Construct Canada / National Green Building Conference Metro Toronto Convention Centre

BBP Organized Workshops: September 16 BBP Long Term Care Workshop Toronto Board of Trade

September 29 Canadian Association of Independent Schools Breakfast Workshop Toronto Board of Trade

October 27 Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators Breakfast Workshop Toronto Board of Trade

Stay tuned to the BBP website (www.toronto.ca/bbp) for future workshops Better Buildings Partnership

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BETTER BUILDING PARTNERSHIP (BBP) PROGRAM UPDATES

Incentive Applications and Guidelines There have been some recent changes in BBP applications, primarily to reflect program enhancements and refinements.

BBP’s Multi-Family Residential Building (MFRB) program offers a tailored portfolio of energy savings incentives.

Guidelines and applications are posted on the BBP website www.toronto.ca/bbp/apply.htm.

All MASH applications and some MURB applications continue to utilize the Electricity Conservation Incentive application form. To serve you better there are recent improvements to the application as of August 2009 including a fillable pdf format.

As always, contact BBP for any assistance you need in preparing an application for your energy project.

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BBP Can Help Make Your Geothermal Project Happen Opportunities for geothermal (ground source heat pump) technology have become a major technology focus for the BBP. Evidence of this is the recently introduced $250/ton geothermal incentive now being offered.

Geothermal installations in new construction and retrofit projects in the MASH and not-for-profit sectors may also be eligible for zero-interest loans through BBP’s Sustainable Energy Funds (SEF).

Contact a BBP project manager for more details on how BBP can help finance your geothermal project.

Energy Efficiency in Institutional Data Centres There is an emerging interest in energy improvement projects in data centres. An important component often entails a cooling system savings. BBP offers $400 per peak kW reduction for this element of your project. Contact Angelo Poto at apoto@toronto.ca (Healthcare) or Victor da Rosa at vdarosa@toronto.ca (Academic).

Sustainable Energy Funds – 2010 applications The City of Toronto’s Sustainable Energy Funds (SEF) program has been very successful this year with plans to distribute approximately $21.8 Million as targeted zero-interest loans by year-end. We are now making plans to take in applications in 2010. If your building is in the institutional or not-for-profit sector and you are planning an energy project that would benefit from a zero interest loan up to $1 million to help manage upfront capital costs, please contact your program manager to find out more details on the SEF application process, starting with an Intent to Apply. For more information on Sustainable Energy Funds visit www.toronto.ca/energy/sef.

Speakers Bureau BBP is happy to send a representative to your meetings and events to help raise awareness about our program and its many benefits for buildings in the City of Toronto (416 area code). Please contact Jane Dalziel at jdalzie@toronto.ca.

TEL: 416.392.1500 Email: bbp@toronto.ca

Better Buildings Partnership

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“Better Buildings Partnership can very well be a model not just for the country but for the rest of the world.�

David Suzuki

toronto.ca/bbp