Winner of an FCM Sustainable Communities Award 2024 in the climate change mitigation category
182 home energy efficiency upgrades were in progress or complete by December 31, 2024
Over 600 households have been provided with social supports through the Coordinated Access System.
Summary
The Town of Bridgewater, in the heart of Nova Scotia, has pioneered a three-pronged approach that reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while tackling energy poverty. Winner of a Sustainable Communities Award 2024, the Energize Bridgewater project combines leading-edge energy monitoring technology, an innovative client-oriented navigation program, and comprehensive social support services that address housing insecurity and homelessness.
Background
Home to approximately 8,790 residents, Bridgewater is the largest town in the province’s South Shore region. Bridgewater made a commitment to reducing GHG emissions when its town council passed a Community Energy Investment Plan in 2018.
After applying for and receiving Smart Cities funding— a national innovation program to which the Town pitched its ambitious proposal to tackle energy poverty —the town then spent several years studying and testing solutions to the barriers that prevent broad adoption of deep home-energy upgrades.
Challenge
Bridgewater set an ambitious goal of achieving an 81 percent reduction in community GHG emissions by 2050 compared to its 2011 emission levels. At the same time, the town had to address the fact that 38 percent of Bridgewater residents were struggling to afford and access heating, cooling, and other essential energy services—a prevalent issue throughout the Atlantic provinces. Bridgewater therefore committed to reduce the town’s energy poverty rate by 20 percent, but needed a multi-pronged approach that would address both climate and social challenges simultaneously.
The Energize Bridgewater project set out to address two critical and interconnected needs: reducing energy poverty and improving energy efficiency. It focuses on helping residents—particularly those struggling with high energy costs—by offering tailored support to reduce their energy consumption, lower costs of upgrades and improve their living conditions.
Throughout its implementation, there were significant changes to the available funding and incentives for home energy upgrades. While in many cases these ultimately proved advantageous, they required flexibility and the coordination of more complex deep energy upgrades. Additionally, given the relatively small size of the town, limited contractor and trades capacity resulted in slower implementation of the Home Upgrades program.
Approach
Energize Bridgewater consists of three interconnected services, designed through a holistic approach that recognises the day-to-day challenges faced by people living in energy poverty.
“Energy poverty looks different in rural areas versus cities, and the spectrum of energy poverty is broad. That’s why we wanted to cast as wide of a net as possible within the scope of Energize Bridgewater.”
– Leon de Vreede, Senior Policy & Program Planner, Town of Bridgewater
Energy management information system: This unique, municipally-developed technology combines energy monitoring and indoor air quality monitoring for residents . The software then generates personalized suggestions on how to save on energy costs and improve air quality based on their unique data.
Home Upgrades Program: A navigator that guides homeowners and landlords to the best technical and financial options for energy efficient improvements. The program also provides support in selecting the most effective upgrades for their homes. Eligible upgrades may include heat pumps, insulation, draft proofing, and more. This program is delivered in partnership with Efficiency Nova Scotia and Clean Foundation.
Coordinated Access system: Recognising that energy poverty is connected to other social factors like housing insecurity and health, this program provides wrap-around community support services to Bridgewater residents experiencing energy poverty, housing insecurity, and homelessness. This central access point connects individuals and families to the programs that best meet their unique needs, ensuring they receive the right support at the right time.
Benefits and results
Environmental:
As energy upgrades progress, participating homes are expected to cut their GHG emissions by an average of 51%.
183 home energy efficiency upgrades like heat pumps and draft proofing were in progress or complete by July 31, 2024.
The first single-unit homes retrofitted through the Home Upgrades program have reduced their GHG emissions by 22-39% .
Two retrofitted multi-unit buildings are cutting GHG emissions by up to 48%.
Project participants are experiencing improved indoor air quality and comfort.
Economic:
The Energize Bridgewater program is expected to stimulate over $10M in local and regional economic activity.
Homes in the program are expected to save an average of 52% on their energy bills.
Social:
The project’s focus on energy poverty has helped bring this challenging issue into the public discourse, accelerating both media interest and political action.
Over 600 households have received social support through the Coordinated Access system, improving their health and wellbeing.
Lessons learned
Bridgewater can’t be a “smart city” on its own. Local and regional partnerships and service relationships are the key to a successful sustainability project.
High-quality data can help inform home-energy efficiency solutions that create more sustainable, prosperous, and equitable communities.
Gaining a deeper understanding of residents' unique circumstances is essential for offering the right support and implementing deep home energy upgrades.
“We’re trying to take a trauma-informed, accessible approach to meeting people where they’re at. We really aim to make the process of retrofitting and energy monitoring as human, simple and straightforward as possible.”
– Josie Rudderham, Energize Program Navigator
Next steps
Bridgewater is exploring opportunities to work with Efficiency Nova Scotia and the Province of Nova Scotia to scale its home upgrade services province-wide. The energy management information system technology developed for Energize Bridgewater also has the potential to be applied more broadly, allowing other municipalities to gather and leverage their own energy and indoor air quality data.
Should the project ultimately be able to scale across all homes in Bridgewater, there could be a community-wide reduction of over 25 kilotonnes in GHG emissions per year.
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
Winner of an FCM Sustainable Communities Award 2024 in the sustainable buildings category
11.9 MWh of estimated green electricity generated per year by roof-mounted solar panels
Approx. $54,000 in energy costs will be saved annually
73 affordable, energy-efficient units
Summary
Facing an affordable housing crisis and rising to the challenge of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Waterloo Region Housing (WRH) has undertaken its first net-zero community housing build. Winning a 2024 Sustainable Communities Award, the project features a variety of energy-efficient design elements as well as tenant amenity spaces to foster a sense of community.
Background
Located in Southern Ontario, the Waterloo Region contains the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo along with townships of North Dumfries, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich. It is a rapidly growing region, with a current population of more than 630,000 people.
There is a long waitlist for affordable housing in Waterloo Region, with approximately 9,000 low-income households currently awaiting community housing. Recognizing the urgency of this situation, Waterloo’s Regional Council approved the WRH Revitalization Plan in 2019. It maps out a 20-year timeline to create at least 600 new community housing units.
Waterloo Region also crafted a community-developed strategy, called the Transform WR Action Strategy, to reduce local GHG emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The strategy states that, “By 2050, businesses and homes no longer use fossil fuels for space heating and cooling, and hot water heating.” Moving forward, all new community housing builds will aim for Canada’s Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building - Design Standard certification.
The challenge
As the Region prepared to break ground on its newest community housing development at 420 Kingscourt Drive, they had no previous experience constructing new net-zero buildings. There were concerns regarding how best to attract the right contractors, with fears that the ambitious energy efficiency plans might scare some away.
Additionally, households with lower incomes may struggle to afford energy costs and often face barriers to accessing more sustainable energy technologies like geothermal heating and cooling, solar power, or smart thermostats. Waterloo Region was committed to ensuring these households were not left behind in the transition away from fossil fuels.
“Everyone deserves a place to call home. We are working hard not just to build homes across the Region of Waterloo, but also to be responsible stewards of the environment as we grow. 420 Kingscourt is a proud example of the care Region staff have put into creating homes that serve this community. These energy-efficient projects help us build what we need for today and tomorrow.”
- Regional Chair Karen Redman, Region of Waterloo
Approach
WRH’s 420 Kingscourt Drive blends affordability with thoughtful design, offering a mix of income-geared rent, below average market rent and low-end market rent. Situated on the same site as WRH’s existing 416 Kingscourt Drive building, WRH made sure to utilize existing regional land and prioritize engagement with the existing tenants throughout the development process, ensuring their voices were heard and their needs addressed. This was done primarily through virtual meetings led by both regional staff and City councillors.
The building has 73 units, ranging in size from one to five bedrooms, with 19 units designed with enhanced accessibility. In addition to comfortable living spaces, the project brings people together with three inviting resident amenity spaces, including a spacious 2,125-square-foot seniors services programming area.
Environmental considerations were critical throughout the design process, incorporating energy-efficient building technologies and practices that will reduce energy consumption, enhance indoor environment quality and lower energy costs for the tenants. Key features include:
ground-source heat pumps connected to an open-loop geothermal system with integrated Energy Recovery Ventilators
triple glazed high performance vinyl windows
low-flow Domestic Hot Water fixtures
LED lighting systems
solar PV panels
meter to track water and energy consumption of individual units and the building as a whole
This project is also piloting a Community Benefits Program to help recruit, engage and retain a diverse construction labour force. The program creates opportunities for individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in the industry.
Benefits and results
The 420 Kingscourt project is expected to be completed in summer 2025. Anticipated outcomes are as follows.
Environmental:
The building’s GHG emissions are 47.1% below the 2015 National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB) standards.
The project’s roof-mounted solar panels are estimated to generate 111.9MWh of green electricity per year, enough to power 10 average households.
The design of this building will result in a net annual total energy use intensity (TEUI) of 77.4 kWh/m2, versus the Canadian residential building average of 181 kWh/m2 per year.
Waterloo region is now pursuing Zero Carbon Building V2–Design Standard certification by the Canada Green Building Council, recognizing their efforts to help combat climate change by designing a building with low carbon emissions.
Economic:
Housing expenses for those living in rent-geared-to-income units (1/3 of all units) will remain at an affordable 30% of tenants’ income for the long term.
Approximately $54,000 in energy costs will be saved annually through energy-efficient design.
Tenants will also benefit from reduced energy costs as a result of the building’s efficiency, paying a flat fee for both water and electricity.
Social:
73 households with various levels of income will have a comfortable, energy-efficient home near public transportation corridors.
Two people have been trained in construction through the Community Benefits Program. One has now entered a unionized skilled trade.
Lessons learned
Tenants are the experts of their communities and know what works and what can be improved. Feedback from this project resulted in the development of Tenant Liaison Committees for subsequent WRH builds, where tenant volunteers will be part of the early design process.
Ensuring there is a clear vision for the design before opening bidding to contractors will help attract the right talent.
Consulting with the people who will be running the building early on is crucial to ensuring both its longevity and end-user comfort.
Building a net-zero affordable housing project is not only possible, but less challenging than anticipated despite an initial lack of experience.
Next steps
This was the first of six affordable housing redevelopment projects for the region. Project data will be used to inform the direction of future builds, with a focus on early tenant engagement.
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
Are you looking for training to enhance your community’s climate adaptation strategies and knowledge? You could benefit from participating in a series of climate resilience-focused workshops, webinar or learning opportunity led by GMF Partners. Below is a list of events designed to equip local governments with the knowledge and technical skills needed to implement effective climate adaptation solutions. By fostering collaboration with regional and sector experts, GMF Partner events can help your community build resilience, bridge critical knowledge gaps, and drive meaningful progress in climate adaptation.
We update this page regularly, so be sure to check back monthly for new events and learning opportunities near you.
Understand how your organization can better incorporate natural assets in the planning and delivering of priority services, such as stormwater and flood management, water quality, biodiversity, and recreation. Complete a high-level roadmap outlining short-to-medium term actions your organization can take to progress. Learn from peers and join the network of natural asset management leaders helping to advance climate-resilient, cost-effective service delivery through nature.
These workshops will provide practical guidance to local governments to help them advance their natural asset management in ways appropriate for their local context. They are intended for local governments who have some experience in asset management and are looking to expand their efforts to include natural assets / natural infrastructure.
Each workshop is based on the leading research and best practices from the Nature is Infrastructure guide and their delivery will be tailored to the needs of the participating local government.
An expanded version of our flagship Professional Certificate in Asset Management Planning course, this training covers essential asset management planning concepts while emphasizing climate resilience, equity, and green infrastructure. Participants will prepare a draft asset management plan, gaining practical experience and earning a professional certificate in asset management planning.
Participant fees will apply
NAMS Canada
October 9, 2025 (Session 4) and November 6, 2025 (Session 5)
8-10 municipalities and Indigenous communities as well as 6-7 ENGOs from different regions across Canada will be guided through a structured process to evaluate existing local green infrastructure policies and programs and to set strategic short, medium, and long-term goals towards becoming a “Living City.” The key outcome will be developing a customized green infrastructure policy pathway for their community. The program is bilingual, and includes 6 cohort sessions as well as asynchronous training and activities.
Learning Track Two of the Collaborative Learning Stream offers free training designed to support implementing your organization's adaptation plan and is delivered with subject matter experts at Associated Engineering. Local government staff in Alberta will attend 4 in-depth sessions of the Adaptation Implementation Training and 5 sessions of the Adaptation in Action Working Group to build their understanding of approaches to implementing actions and monitoring progress. Participants can expect to identify an adaptation project for implementation and complete an in-depth project proposal.
Join the University of Waterloo Climate Institute to learn about the new Municipal Climate Adaptation Certificate--a forward-thinking initiative tailored for municipal staff and elected officials across Canada.
This 60-minute webinar will introduce the certificate's structure, highlight key learning outcomes, and feature insights from the Climate Institute team and municipal leaders already engaged in climate-resilience initiatives.
Join us on October 21 and learn how this certificate can advance your career and help your municipality lead on climate adaptation.
This interactive, virtual course aims to provide foundational understanding of climate change risk and vulnerability assessments of community infrastructure through the level of service framework and with a focus on understanding disproportionate climate change impacts on all members of the community.
Come learn about the Spaces to Grow project in Chicago, where the city’s water and wastewater agencies are collaborating with school boards and a non-profit organization to build green infrastructure on schoolyards.
Through this session, you will learn about applying green infrastructure strategies to reduce flooding and designing multifunctional schoolyards.
You will also learn about engaging cross-sector partners - including utilities, school boards, and community organizations - in climate resilience projects, and prioritizing investments in high-density, under-serviced, low-income neighbourhoods through equity-centered planning
Free Training
CANUE
These events are offered through the Green Municipal Fund. Delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, GMF manages approximately $2.4B in programs funded by the Government of Canada.
Factsheet: Planning for climate-resilient infrastructure
Learn how to protect your infrastructure from climate impacts
MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY BUILDINGS
New construction of municipal buildingRetrofit of municipal building
Building climate-resilient infrastructure ensures your community remains safe, connected, and prepared for the impacts of climate change. From safeguarding buildings and energy grids to strengthening transportation networks, resilience is essential for extending infrastructure lifespans and protecting against extreme weather, rising sea levels and other risks.
This factsheet provides guidance to help Canadian municipalities protect their communities by addressing vulnerabilities, integrating equity-focused designs and preparing for a net-zero future. It guides you through assessing climate risks, incorporating resilience into your plans and securing funding to bring projects to life.
Understand why resilience matters: Lower costs, ensure service continuity and enhance community safety.
Conduct climate risk assessments: Identify risks, assess vulnerabilities and meet grant funding requirements.
Develop effective strategies: Address challenges like flooding, wildfires and permafrost impacts with practical solutions.
Use this factsheet to identify steps towards protecting your community from climate risks, lowering costs and ensuring your infrastructure is prepared for the future.
Download the factsheet and start building a safer, stronger and more resilient future today.
Thank you to the sponsors and partners of FCM's Sustainable Communities Conference (SCC) 2025.
AFMNB - Association francophone
The AFMNB unites 30 Francophone and bilingual municipalities, representing nearly 389,000 people, or half of New Brunswick’s population. It helps to promote strong local governance, essential for building innovative, prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable communities. Recognized as a full-fledged level of government, our municipalities play a pivotal role in the social, cultural, and economic development of the Acadian/Francophone community, while also contributing to its influence on national and international stages.
Carbonzero is a Canadian leader in greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement, reduction, and carbon offsetting. For nearly 20 years, we’ve helped businesses, organizations, and governments prepare for the low-carbon economy by assessing, reporting, and reducing their emissions. Our services include professional consulting, GHG inventories, reduction strategies, and access to high-quality, third-party verified carbon offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). With a presence across Canada, Carbonzero is a trusted partner in driving meaningful climate action.
The mission of CSA Group’s Standards Development organization is to enhance the lives of Canadians through the advancement of standards in the public and private sectors. We are a leader in standards research, development, education, and advocacy.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is a sustainability leader through our work in standards, conservation, community, and education. As an independent, non-profit organization, we support our diverse network to help address local and global sustainability challenges through forest-focused collaboration.
Co-operators is driven by our purpose to provide financial security for Canadians and our communities. We’re working today to ensure this purpose is upheld for generations into the future, focused on collaborative and imaginative solutions that build sustainable, resilient communities.
Intact Public Entities has helped Canadian municipalities meet their complex insurance needs for over nine decades. We have the stability and history to support you with a sustainable and trusted insurance program.
Municipalities are at the heart of our business. We understand the importance of offering best-in-class products and services that make it easier for you to do business with us.
Intact Financial Corporation is the largest provider of Property & Casualty insurance in Canada, a leading provider of global specialty insurance and a leader in commercial lines in the U.K. and Ireland. We exist to help people, businesses and society prosper in good times and be resilient in bad times. Our social impact and climate priorities sit alongside our financial goals and are embedded in the company’s strategic roadmap.
Plug’n Drive is a not-for-profit organization accelerating EV adoption in Canada to maximize the environmental and economic benefits of an electrified transportation sector. Since 2011, we have made incredible strides in our mission through a variety of consumer education programs, including the launch of the world’s first Electric Vehicle Discovery Centre (EVDC) in Toronto, the Electric Vehicle Roadshow event series and the Mobile EV Education Trailer (MEET). Our corporate partnerships include EV auto and charger manufacturers, utilities, and others. For more information about Plug’n Drive’s programs, services, and events, visit plugndrive.ca.
NB Lung is your provincial lung health charity, dedicated to supporting individuals living with lung disease through direct patient support, respiratory equipment loans, and a variety of lung health patient services. We are proud of our history of serving New Brunswickers living with lung disease and advocating for improved respiratory care and environmental stewardship in the province since 1933.
Clean Foundation brings specialized teams together to work on complex problems, delivering many climateaction and capacity building projects and initiatives around Nova Scotia, PEI and the Atlantic region.
Clean Foundation brings specialized teams together to work on complex problems, delivering many climate action and capacity building projects and initiatives around Nova Scotia, PEI and the Atlantic region. Learn more about us and the work we do: https://cleanfoundation.ca/ .
Habitat
Habitat is an environmental solutions company that helps organizations in all sectors to integrate nature at the heart of their strategic decisions. We specialize in biodiversity measurement, ecosystem services assessment and sustainable land management planning. Comprising a team of highly qualified professionals in biology, geography and forestry, Habitat offers innovative solutions to facilitate the application of the best available science.
ClimateView is a Swedish technology company equipping governments worldwide with IPCC-based intelligence and tools to plan, finance, and monitor their green transition. Officials, consultancy experts, and elected leaders in 180 municipalities use the industry-leading ClimateView Platform to assess the impact of policies, and track progress with KPIs. Customers include Scotland, Germany’s Ruhr region, the cities of Bristol, Cincinnati and Munich.
Ducks Unlimited Canada has over 85 years of experience conserving, restoring, and managing landscapes to benefit wildlife, water quality, and people. Talk with our team to learn more about how our programming and services can benefit your community!
Re.Climate is Canada’s centre for climate change communication and engagement at Carleton University. Our team has decades of experience conducting research, developing climate, energy, and sustainability campaigns, and training leaders in how to apply evidence-based best practices in outreach efforts.
ReliON delivers the first comprehensive end-to-end Operation & Maintenance (O&M) platform for EV charging infrastructure, offering complete visibility and control over a network’s operational status and issue resolution to optimize uptime and reduce operational complexity. The platform integrates with the supply chain for streamlined field interventions and parts logistics, delivering a cohesive experience from problem detection to resolution.
At Trane®, we partner with our clients to understand how energy effects their business, taking into consideration their assets, visions and goals. As a leading global provider of indoor comfort and energy solutions, Trane® offers solutions to unleash the hidden potential of a building.
Porter O’Brien is an internationally recognized public affairs and management consulting firm based in Eastern Canada. We bring deep, cross-sector experience to a diverse set of clients. Our team of consultants deliver services in public relations, government affairs, market research, marketing, management consulting, and training.
The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) is a bilingual association of 58 local governments of all sizes, representing over 80% of New Brunswick's population. Together, our members tackle local challenges and share solutions to make life better for their citizens.
As one of the largest professional services firms in the world, WSP exists to future-proof our cities and our environment. It provides strategic advisory, engineering, and design services to clients seeking sustainable solutions in the transportation, infrastructure, environment, building, energy, water, and mining sectors. With close to 13,000 Canadian employees, and 73,900 trusted professionals worldwide, are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities it serves through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion.
GREENLAND® Consulting Engineers specializes in civil, water resources, environmental and urban land engineering. Staff and associate offices are located in Ontario, Atlantic and Western Provinces to service Public Sector, Indigenous Peoples and Resource Industry clients. GREENLAND® has established collaborative partnerships with water and wastewater technology providers. These well-established market systems are now being integrated with GREENLAND® decision support tools and were recently showcased in multiple municipal projects involving FCM.
By integrating nature-based solutions into your infrastructure, building or retrofit planning, you can not only build resilience to climate change but also help to sustain local biodiversity, improve air and water quality, and offer physical and mental health benefits. Within the development of green infrastructure, natural assets such as wetlands, forests, meadows, shorelines, lakes, ponds, and groundwater aquifers can be incorporated into municipal services such as stormwater management, flood control, and erosion control in order to promote resilience to climate change and achieve a net gain in biodiversity.
This factsheet will give you valuable information about why integrating nature-based solutions into municipal infrastructure projects is a great investment. Defining key terms such as biodiversity, natural assets, and green infrastructure, it will guide you through important considerations for integrating the benefits of nature into your projects.
The City of Markham, in Ontario, held a Battle of the Buildings competition inspired by Energy Star's National Building Competition and designed to empower and encourage facility staff and users to reduce electricity consumption through practical low- and no-cost operational and behavioral changes, while also boosting engagement and awareness around energy efficiency.
Background
The competition was initiated by the City of Markham’s Manager of Corporate Energy in response to the development of a Corporate Energy Management Plan in 2014 and has inspired other municipalities to do the same, such as the Regional ClimateWise Challenge in York Region.
This case study focuses on the last competition held in 2018. In 2019, Markham updated their Corporate Energy Management Plan and needed to re-align the competition with the new baseline. The competition was set to restart in 2020, however, external factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic, disrupted these plans and the competition has not yet restarted.
From its inception to its final year in 2018, the competition demonstrated a commitment to sustainable practices and community involvement, emphasizing the importance of energy efficiency and environmental stewardship.
What the competition set out to achieve
The objective of the competition was to educate staff on how local facilities use energy and how to identify operational behavioral changes that could significantly impact energy consumption, cost savings and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
Approach
The competition ran for four years from 2015 to 2018. In 2015, the initial competition ran for three months, from January to March, and participation was limited to large community centres. From 2016 onward, the competition extended to six months (January to June) and participation was opened to both large and small community centres, as well as administrative facilities. Participants competed in separate categories based on facility type.
To encourage staff participation and make energy efficiency more engaging, prizes were awarded to winners of five categories based on overall energy reductions (Table 1).
Table 1. 2018 Battle of the Buildings award categories
Award categories
Overall reduction (%)
Most energy-efficient building
Lowest electricity intensity (kWh/square foot)
Platinum
Best energy reduction performer
Gold
At least 15%
Silver
At least 10%
Bronze
At least 5%
Some of the prizes included monthly pizza lunches and movie tickets. The big prize for winning the battle was $1,000 which could be used by the winning team toward energy conservation initiatives such as weather sealing and LED light installation. Overall, the budget for visuals, posters, food, certificates, movie tickets and prizes was about $10,000, excluding staff time.
Barriers and solutions
Markham’s energy staff encountered several challenges running the competition, including:
setting accurate baselines
designing effective incentive structures
preparing clear informational materials
dedicating sufficient staff time and resources to manage the competition efficiently
Staff overcame challenges by creating an engaging communication plan, using easy-to-understand visuals and reporting results in relatable terms such as energy and cost savings. They collaborated with the communications department to produce materials such as posters, banners and newsletters while recognizing achievements through monthly celebrations.
Data analysis was conducted to track anomalies, and the competition was gradually scaled up with feedback-driven improvements. The City also engaged local post-secondary students and interns to assist with the launch of the competition.
Results in 2018
Annual electricity cost savings of $100,000.
Annual electricity savings of more than 700,000 kWh.
In total, the winning facility achieved a cumulative energy reduction of 24% over six months, while the second- and third-place facilities reduced their energy consumption by 15% and 12% respectively.
Overall, the average energy reduction from this effort across all participating facilities was 8%.
The winners of the 2018 categories can be found in Table 2.
Table 2. 2018 Battle of the Buildings winners
Certificate / Award
Overall reduction (%)
Winners
Platinum
Best energy reduction performer
Centennial Community Centre
Gold
>15% energy reduction
Centennial Community Centre 8100 Warden
Silver
>10% energy reduction
Markham Village Arena Crosby Arena Clatworthy Arena
Bronze
>5% energy reduction
Angus Glen Community Centre Civic Centre Pan Am Community Centre Cornell Community Centre
Most energy-efficient building
Large multi-use
Milliken Mills Community Centre
Most energy-efficient building
Small arena
Markham Village Arena
Most energy-efficient building
Fitness and administrative
8100 Warden
Benefits
The competition engaged and educated facility staff by encouraging them to review energy data and bills, exchange ideas and improve their awareness of energy use and management. It fostered the adoption of best practices, generated project ideas aimed at improving efficiency and triggered investigations into anomalies or re-commissioning projects. Additionally, it made the workplace more fun and collaborative.
Lessons learned
Lessons learned from the competition include:
The importance of extending the timeline to six months for better engagement and even considering expanding it to 12 months.
The scope of the competition could be expanded to include thermal energy monitoring and reporting (i.e., natural gas, district energy).
Installing real-time energy meters would support timely data analysis and quicker anomaly detection.
Incorporating weather normalization into the process is recommended.
Engaging local staff to read meters can provide immediate results.
Running the competition is time-intensive and requires sufficient staffing capacity. Hiring interns and college students was essential to success.
Next steps
The City of Markham has no current plans to relaunch the competition, but remains interested in pursuing it in the future. Presently, the staff continues to advance corporate energy efficiency by analyzing more trends in real-time metering and building automation systems (BAS) and adding thermal (natural gas and district energy) tracking. The City aims to create a recommissioning program with predictable cycles between BAS retrofits and to align its baseline to its new five-year corporate energy management plan.
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
Discover how standards can help your municipality tackle climate risks head-on. This one-hour webinar explored how the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Group National Flood Resilience standards and other tools could elevate your municipality's climate action.
The webinar was delivered in English with French simultaneous interpretation (SI).
Watch the webinar recording to learn more about:
What national standards and guides can strengthen your municipal climate adaptation plans
Practical steps for incorporating these standards into municipal bylaws and policies
Real-world examples of municipalities that have successfully used these standards to mitigate climate risks
Speakers:
Jeff Menard, Program Manager, CSA Group
Bill Given, CAO, Jasper, AB, and former mayor of Grand Prairie, AB
This webinar is especially beneficial for municipal staff involved in climate planning, asset management and community resilience initiatives, particularly in communities with limited resources or in-house expertise. It will be most valuable for municipalities at the beginning stages of planning and developing a climate strategy.