by Brianna Crandall — September 23, 2016 — The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is launching new training this month on energy benchmarking strategies and regulation for both private and public sector stakeholders.
Titled Introduction to Energy Benchmarking, and Understanding Ontario’s Mandatory Energy Benchmarking for Large Buildings, these courses will introduce the general processes for accurate data collection, show participants how to create a building profile and successfully use ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and discuss Ontario’s upcoming Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) regulation.
The courses were developed in consultation with the Illinois Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and were modeled after the successful training the chapter implemented in support of the City of Chicago’s Energy Benchmarking Ordinance.
As the voice of the green building industry in Canada, CaGBC is spearheading a national strategy for energy benchmarking that aims to reduce the challenges and complexity of implementing benchmarking and reporting requirements in Canadian cities and provinces. Included in this strategy was the launch of a white paper in April 2016 called Energy Benchmarking, Reporting & Disclosure in Canada: A Guide to a Common Framework.
The CaGBC is providing training to support the green building industry in meeting upcoming requirements like those in Ontario, where the reporting of annual benchmarking results for large commercial buildings will soon become mandatory province-wide. Several other jurisdictions, including the City of Vancouver and the Province of Manitoba, are also considering similar legislation.
Thomas Mueller, president and CEO, Canada Green Building Council, stated:
The CaGBC is pleased to be offering these two new courses which will help the industry better understand and adopt energy benchmarking practices and regulations. By implementing these practices, building owners and managers have access to key data on the performance of their buildings, which enables them to make strategic investments in operational improvements, technology upgrades, and retrofits in an effort to conserve more energy, reduce emissions and realize financial savings.
Registration is now open for the energy benchmarking courses through the CaGBC. Courses can be taken separately or together, with both Webinar and classroom options available. For updates on CaGBC’s ongoing energy benchmarking and advocacy work, including access to research and green building case studies, visit the organization’s Web site.
