Energy@Work's 6th Annual Holiday Challenge is Nearly Here!

Energy@Work’s 6th annual challenge presents an opportunity for friendly competition!

The past few years have seen major changes in building occupancy. Keeping energy efficiency in mind when shutting down for the night looks very different in the office vs. working from home. With building occupancy increasing since the pandemic, this is a great opportunity to remind workers who have been working from home to consider energy efficiency when they’ve finished for the day.

The challenge aims to help raise awareness of, and mitigate, how much electricity is wasted over the holidays due to:

• plug load or what is commonly called “Phantom Power” is a huge opportunity!

• systems continuing to run when not needed,

• lighting remaining on, particularly accent and interior lobby lighting,

• TV screens and monitors have off switches which are rarely used in lieu of standby mode,

• exercise equipment “in the ready mode’ but sitting idle
  

This year’s challenge  will occur between 6:00 PM Friday, December 22nd, 2023 - 6:00 AM Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024. 

- we look forward to your participation!

Watch our quick video and find out what the Holiday Challenge is all about!

Previous challenges were a bit hit. Annually, over 30 commercial buildings achieved an average kWh reduction of 9% during the challenge period with no capital!

Recommended Next Steps:

i) Reach out to Energy@Work if you would like to participate: holidaychallenge@energy-efficiency.com

ii) Alert Operations Team of participation

iii) Review existing Holiday Sequence of Operations and develop a challenge period schedule (considering tenant comfort, equipment safety and energy efficiency)

iv) Encourage tenants to participate by eliminating phantom power (switch off monitors, TV screens, coffee makers, etc.)

• Feel free to share our above video

• Further suggestions from Natural Resources Canada

• Energy@Work has posters/marketing materials available to help engage tenants

v) Collaborate with tenants to consider "Hibernation mode adjustments" for unoccupied spaces

Upon receipt of your approval to participate, a participant toolkit will be shared including ‘tips and tricks’ to reduce ‘phantom power’. The property with the greatest percentage kWh reduction during the challenge period compared to the baseline (6:00 PM Friday December 8th, 2023 - 6:00 AM Tuesday, December 19th, 2023) will be the Champion of the 6th Annual Holiday Challenge (prize to follow)!

Last year, NRCan released the Energy Efficiency Checklist for closed or partially vacant offices- Click here to download!

We look forward to another great challenge and your participation for the chance to be the greatest reducer!

Any questions/comments can be directed to: holidaychallenge@energy-efficiency.com

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April Newsletter: News and Views

BOMA 4.0 has officially launched!
 
The new certification portal brings with it many changes. The most fundamental is the introduction of 2 portal streams: BOMA BEST Sustainable and BOMA BEST Smart.
 
The Sustainable Stream “A practical approach to making building operations more sustainable.”
The sustainable stream has more similarities with BOMA BEST 3.0. The aim is to provide a framework and road map to support environmental performance, management, decarbonization, retrofits, engagement, and equity.

The Smart Stream “Using technology to optimize the building experience.”
 
The smart stream is a new addition to allow technological innovation to play a key role. The aim of the smart stream is to allow digital advancements and transformation that enables automated analytics and sharing information between systems, supported by technology.

For more information, the BOMA BEST 4.0 portal has been fully launched and provides many resources to become familiar with the new changes.
https://bomabesthub.com/Login
 
What does this mean for existing BOMA BEST applications?
Buildings registered prior to March 31st, 2023, can continue with their BOMA BEST 3.0 portfolio. These verification requests must be submitted by September 30th, 2023.

Energy@Work is looking forward to exploring version 4.0 and the practical changes that align with carbon reduction goals and promote more engagement within the building.

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The 10th annual Earth Hour Challenge has wrapped up and the results are coming in!

239 participants took on the challenge of reducing their properties energy use over the Earth Hour weekend. The participants achieved amazing results with an average reduction of 10%!

Energy@Work has acted as advisors since the challenge’s inception in 2013. It aligns with the “People” of our 3 P’s philosophy- People, Process and Products. The challenge brings management, operations, and occupants together to optimize building efficiency!

The Earth Hour Weekend Challenge is a great opportunity to review building operations and discover opportunities to reduce year-round!

Energy@Work is reviewing the challenge results with BOMA Toronto!

We are looking forward to celebrating with the winners at the BOMA Toronto’s Celebration of Excellence Awards Gala on May 25th!

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The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has announced that the new Time of Use (TOU) and the Change in the Tiered threshold for residential customers under the OEB’s Regulated Price Plan will take effect on May 1st, 2023. The electricity prices for both remain unchanged and these prices will be in effect until October 31st, 2023.

Also arriving May 1st is the Ultra-Low Overnight (ULO) price plan for RESIDENTIAL customers only.

This plan involves 4 price periods, the overnight period being “Ultra-Low” cost. Utilities (that are ready to do so) can begin offering their residential and small business customers the ULO price plan. By November 1, 2023, ULO price plan options will be a requirement from all utilities.

“Just like TOU pricing, with ULO, the price depends on when customers use electricity. This means customers can help manage their electricity costs by shifting their usage to lower price periods when possible.”
https://www.oeb.ca/newsroom/2023/summer-hours-and-new-price-plan-coming-may-1

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Report your building’s annual energy and water use to comply with O.Reg 506/18. Under the Reporting of Energy Consumption and Water Use regulation, buildings over 50,000 SqFt are required to report.
https://www.ontario.ca/page/report-energy-water-use-large-buildings#section-3
 
Energy and water make up some of the largest operating costs in a building. Reporting provides an opportunity to identify opportunities for energy efficiency, track usage and compare how your building stacks up to similar buildings.

Energy@Work has submitted close to 700 submissions and as a Licensed professional, also provide additional information and support.
Contact Energy@Work to assist with your 2023 EWRB reporting!

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Toronto Hydro wants to know what you think.

Click the button below to access the survey, enter your Toronto Hydro Account Number and complete the survey for a chance to win free electricity for a year!

10 submissions will be selected as winners!

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RED columns represent summer months (June, July, August and September) 
BLUE is shoulder and winter months.

In March 2023, GA cost was $0.830 billion. This is a 1% increase from February 2023 GA ($0.825 billion) and a 43% increase comparing March 2023 with January 2023 GA ($0.579 billion).

If we compare March 2023 ($0.830 billion) with March 2022 ($0.616 billion) a 35% increase!

With drastic cost changes monthly, Energy@Work continues to ask “why?”. We provide a monthly review of GAM costs however the reason for the vast cost fluctuation remains unclear.

Energy@Work’s services includes a “GAM coach”. We maintain the importance of a GAM Strategy for Class A and Class B to win the (GAM)e. Our collective savings have exceeded $10 million, and we look forward to continuing to assist.

Don’t forget to join us April 28th at the BOMA GA Webinar!

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Click the image below to watch our quick video that explains EWRB:

Join us at BOMA’s 2023 Global Adjustment workshop on April 28th to learn what factors should affect your June 15th GAM decision to become a Class A or Class B building and how to proceed following your decision.

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Energy@Work's 5th Annual Holiday Challenge is Nearly Here!

Energy@Work’s 5th annual challenge presents an opportunity for friendly competition!

The past few years have seen major changes in building occupancy. Keeping energy efficiency in mind when shutting down for the night looks very different in the office vs. working from home. With building occupancy increasing since the pandemic, this is a great opportunity to remind workers who have been working from home to consider energy efficiency when they’ve finished for the day.

The challenge aims to help raise awareness of, and mitigate, how much electricity is wasted over the holidays due to:

• plug load or what is commonly called “Phantom Power” is a huge opportunity!

• systems continuing to run when not needed,

• lighting remaining on, particularly accent and interior lobby lighting,

• TV screens and monitors have off switches which are rarely used in lieu of standby mode,

• exercise equipment “in the ready mode’ but sitting idle
  

This year’s challenge  will occur between 6:00 PM Friday, December 23rd, 2022 - 6:00 AM Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023. 

- we look forward to your participation!

Watch our quick video and find out what the Holiday Challenge is all about!

Previous challenges were a bit hit. Annually, over 30 commercial buildings achieved an average kWh reduction of 9% during the challenge period with no capital!

Recommended Next Steps:

i) Reach out to Energy@Work if you would like to participate: holidaychallenge@energy-efficiency.com

ii) Alert Operations Team of participation

iii) Review existing Holiday Sequence of Operations and develop a challenge period schedule (considering tenant comfort, equipment safety and energy efficiency)

iv) Encourage tenants to participate by eliminating phantom power (switch off monitors, TV screens, coffee makers, etc.)

• Feel free to share our above video

• Further suggestions from Natural Resources Canada

• Energy@Work has posters/marketing materials available to help engage tenants

v) Collaborate with tenants to consider "Hibernation mode adjustments" for unoccupied spaces

Upon receipt of your approval to participate, a participant toolkit will be shared including ‘tips and tricks’ to reduce ‘phantom power’. The property with the greatest percentage kWh reduction during the challenge period compared to the baseline (6:00 PM Friday December 9th, 2022 - 6:00 AM Tuesday, December 20th, 2022) will be the Champion of the 5th Annual Holiday Challenge (prize to follow)!

Last year, NRCan released the Energy Efficiency Checklist for closed or partially vacant offices- Click here to download!

We look forward to another great challenge and your participation for the chance to be the greatest reducer!

Any questions/comments can be directed to: holidaychallenge@energy-efficiency.com

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Energy@Work's April Newsletter

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In March 2020, Energy@Work compared weekend electricity use, pre and post COVID, across 131 commercial offices as part of our annual Beyond Earth Hour Challenge for BOMA Toronto.

We were surprised to see only an 11% average electricity reduction despite the 90%+ occupancy reduction. 

• This led to a series of BOMA workshops exploring electricity use during the heating and cooling seasons across 33 commercial offices, all of which are enrolled in a monthly Energy Management Action Plan, targeting, and achieving utility improvements.

• The series concluded with a summary of HVAC best practices based on ASHRAE suggestions as well as from other credible sources.

• This effort prompted the above self-assessment tool and guide with support from NRCan and technical experience from Michel Parent, Technosim.

When we started to work on this tool, ASHRAE’s position on HVAC airborne transmission was:
“sufficiently likely”

However, on April 5th, 2021 ASHRAE revised their position to say:

The Tool can be downloaded for free off the NRCan website: NRCan HVAC Self-Assessment Tool (pdf)

If you have questions, comments or concerns – please feel free to reach out to us.

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Join Energy@Work in celebrating Earth Day: April 22nd, 2021!

This year, Earth Day provides a special opportunity to look back on how the world has changed during the pandemic. We realize that we are all in this together and must work together. Now is the time to look at how we can have an impact on climate change as we move into the “new normal”.

“Together, we can prevent the coming disasters of climate change and environmental destruction. Together, we can Restore Our Earth”

There are virtual events taking place all over the world, in many languages and for all age ranges! Take a look and register for an event here: Earth Day 2021

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A new opportunity to improve efficiency is available through a carbon price of $170/ Tonne by 2030. The government plans to increase the carbon price by $15/Tonne annually, beginning in 2023. This will act as a catalyst in helping change behaviour and reduce carbon.

Although controversial, there is now a Carbon Price that can help bring us together in solving the climate challenge. We have clear and increasing evidence that climate change is real. Most of us have seen evidence, in our own lifetime, of these changes. For instance, the abandoned chairlift pole from the “ski hill” on the south side of Lawrence, east of the Don Valley Parkway, is still visible.

• Do we need to drive to the store, or can we walk or take a bike?

• Taking our own reusable bag eliminates the need for plastic bags.

• Reusable water bottles ensure that we stay hydrated without needing to purchase plastic water bottles.

• Our favourite, being energy efficiency geeks, is turning off the lights when it is not needed and is one of the reasons, we support the holiday challenge as well as Beyond Earth Hour Challenge with BOMA Toronto.

1) Take your Gym to work:
Together, with the downtown BIA, we look at the benefits of cycling, with safety tips

2) Eliminate Phantom Power:
This short video shares how an extra minute can help reduce the electricity that is wasted by offering no practical value

3) Business Case:
IBM- this classic video demonstrates how energy efficiency and good business can be one and the same

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March GAM cost is $0.894 billion. This is an 80% increase from February’s GAM ($0.498 billion).
 
Mark your calendars, BOMA Toronto is hosting its annual Global Adjustment (GA) Workshop on Wednesday, May 19th, 2021 to address the largest charge on your monthly electricity bill. Registration available soon

Energy@Work is speaking at the workshop and will address the importance of the 2 Decisions:
Decision #1: To be Class A or B on June 15th and need to advise the utility
Decision #2: What is your plan going forward as a Class A or B account, aka what is your strategy?

Contact us at requests@energy-efficiency.com for more information.

GAM costs are largely Nuclear (OPG and non-OPG). However, conservation continues to be reported as the reason for GAM when it is less than 3%. Another ‘why?’ question that remains unanswered.

Energy@Work’s services includes a “GAM coach”. We maintain the importance of developing a GAM Strategy for either Class A or Class B to win the (GAM)e. Our collective savings by choosing the appropriate strategy is well over $10 million.

Contact us for more information

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The AEEGTA Wrench of the Year award acknowledges and celebrates the individuals that best exemplify the spirit of hard work, hands-on responsibility, and determination that results in the successful implementation of an energy efficiency project.

The award specifically rewards on-site facility personnel that are often overlooked in major efficiency projects but whose hard work and attention are key to successful project implementation.

Our Congratulations goes out to James Hrenyk, 2020 Recipient of the AEEGTA Wrench Award. James’ efforts at 4711 Yonge Street, Managed by Menkes Property Management was significant. James’s openness to new ideas and using best practices were tested during the monthly Energy Management Action Plan (E-MAP) meetings. This resulted in positive impacts that were recorded and reported, and electricity savings were verified by Toronto Hydro.

James was excellent to work with and a true example of going above and beyond for efficiency projects! For example, James volunteered to ‘BETA Test’ NRCan HVAC Self-assessment tool to provide us valuable insights and suggestions– thank you and congratulations James!

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We thank everyone that has provided feedback and for your comments: positive and negative!

We appreciate to hear your thoughts and welcome your feedback on how we can improve or include other areas of interest to you: Please email: Requests@Energy-Efficiency.com

Thank You:
- Energy@Work

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Holiday Challenge: Tips and Tricks

Good luck in the 2019 Holiday Challenge!

Challenge Date: December 20th, 2019 to January 6th, 2020

Here are some tips to help you slay phantom power this holiday season:

• Big screen TV’s are the biggest culprit, ensure they are OFF

• Don’t use a screen saver, instead, unplug your computer or monitor

• Switch off lights

• Unplug kitchen appliances (toaster, coffee maker, kettle)

• Use a self-timed power bar to group together electronics and have them automatically shut down- for effortless savings

• Unplug chargers for cellphones and tablets

• Unplug/dispose of unnecessary electronics (extra fridge, photocopier/printer)

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you’d like more tips on slaying phantom power!

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Congratulations to this Year’s BOMA Toronto Race2Reduce Winners!

Commercial real estate industry trailblazers (CREST) were honoured for energy-saving achievements last night, marking another year of progress in Toronto’s race2reduce. Front runners emerged from 650 buildings now pursuing the target to collectively reduce energy consumption by 10 per cent compared to 2017, and were recognized for leadership, innovation and collaboration in devising and delivering on conservation initiatives.

Energy@Work is privileged to work with companies that hold themselves to a high standard and strive for excellence. We would like to send a special thanks to:

Landlord-tenant team from:

• 390 Bay Street, managed by Crown Property Management! for Innovative Excellence.

  And Energy Management Leadership:

• 180 Bloor Street West, Greenrock Commercial Services

• 2 Berkeley Street, Berkeley Castle Management

• 90 Sheppard Avenue East, Crown Property Management Inc.

• 901 King Street West, Crown Property Management Inc.

• 20 Carlson Court, Crown Property Management Inc.

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Info Session & Pub Night - Energy Data Reporting Tools for New + Existing Buildings

Join us on Thursday June 20th at 6:00pm at the downtown Toronto Spoke Club to learn more about energy data reporting tools for new and existing buildings. Presentation topics will include:

• The Toronto 2030 Platform tool

• The Compass tool

• Project specific results and related reporting requirements from Energy@Work

• The latest information related to mandatory reporting on energy and water usage and related directions from the Ontario Ministry of Energy.

A networking reception will follow the presentations, and both the Toronto 2030 Platform and the Compass tool will be available for demo.

Tickets are $20 and include light refreshment and one (1) drink ticket. Registration is required.

Scott Rouse Speaking at Toronto Building Managers' and Operators' Association

On June 12, 20019 at 18:00, Scott Rouse the Managing Partner at Energy@Work will be speaking to the Toronto Building Managers' and Operators' Association on Achieving Peak Performance.

The event begins with cocktails at 17:00 and dinner at 18:00. For more information, contact Peter Choi at 647-303-7675 or have a look at their newsletter.

BOMA Global Adjustment Mechanism Workshop

At the BOMA 2019 Global Adjustment Workshop Energy@Work provided case study examples on how best to respond to Global Adjustment Mechanism (GAM) or the “GAMe”.

There are 2 strategies and both begin with an Energy Management Action Plan (E-MAP).  Changes that Ontario is facing are summarized well in this article, and the Energy@Work GAMe presentation is available here.

Energy@Work is competing to develop more Energy Champions!

Energy@Work is competing for a small business grant to help develop more Energy Champions! Please help us by voting for our submission.

Your vote will help us win and with your support we plan to better share case studies such as this one:

Buildings can improve & we have proven what is possible when teams work together.

We would like to see others succeed by sharing information and inspire new champions by developing their own Energy Management Action Plan!

You are eligible to vote every 24 hours and every vote helps!

We appreciate your support!