The Road Ahead CaGBC’s A Roadmap for Retrofits in Canada report details GHG emissions savings potential by akua schatz, director of advocacy & development for the canada green building council images: canada green building council
R
esearch shows that 80 per cent of
approach to building retrofits and clean
existing buildings will still be standing
energy. Furthermore, the report provides
in 2030. It goes without saying that the
government and industry with recom-
industry needs to address the sustainabil-
mendations for increasing the uptake of
ity of these buildings if we are to succeed
building retrofits and introduces carbon as
in reducing emissions overall. Thankfully,
a key indicator of building performance.
the potential is enormous: not just in tions (up to 51 per cent), but also in terms
a shift in focus from energy to carbon
of energy savings and economic impact.
The report emphasizes the importance
terms of the possibility for carbon reduc-
of using carbon as a key indicator in Despite the diversity of our energy grids,
evaluating building performance. While
every province has a significant role to
energy is often used as a proxy for carbon
play in meeting climate objectives. This
performance, because energy data is
province-specific approach to emissions
more readily available and relates directly
reductions potential is the key component
to costs, evaluating a building’s energy
of the Canada Green Building Council
performance alone fails to consider how
(CaGBC)’s recently released A Roadmap
carbon emissions vary between electric-
for Retrofits in Canada, which demon-
ity grids across the country and between
strates the critical role that existing
fuels used on site.
buildings play in advancing Canada’s low-carbon future.
What this means is that building owners,
reimagine
managers, tenants, service providers,
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Among its findings, the report details how
and policymakers need to adopt a subtle
targeted strategic investments in existing
yet important shift from exclusively
buildings represent a significant oppor-
addressing “energy use intensity” and
tunity for substantial carbon reductions
“energy performance” to a view that also
across the country. It also shows how each
prioritizes “total carbon footprint” and
region can contribute to meeting Canada’s
“carbon performance”.
climate change goals through a targeted