This weekend, March 24th from 6PM to March 27th at 6AM, is the BOMA Earth Hour Weekend Challenge!
An expansion on Earth Hour, BOMA Earth Hour Weekend Challenge provides properties an opportunity to reduce energy waste throughout the weekend. Energy@Work has worked closely with BOMA over the last 10 years, since the challenge’s inception, because of the results we see each year. Moreover, we support the way it brings people together to celebrate what can be accomplished, in a short window, when a collective group targets energy reduction.
We’re looking forward to seeing another year of great participation and energy reduction!
This year’s award ceremony on March 8th was a great success- a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and celebrate the efforts of all the Award recipients!
Energy Manager of the Year was awarded to Energy@Work’s Technical Director, Amir Kamandlooie! Amir was awarded Energy Manager of the Year as a result of his efforts implementing energy management within organizations and using data analytics to verify results and discover new opportunities.
Wrench of the Year was awarded to:
Judy Arsenault
Judy’s role as building operator is pivotal in coordinating the team at Crown Property Management’s 90 Sheppard Ave to improve building performance. Judy has demonstrated efforts beyond what is typical by actively engaging the operation and management teams with the Energy Management Action Plan to achieve and sustain Energy Efficiency Measures (EEM), which resulted in significant savings.
Judy’s knowledge of building systems and being the ‘eyes and ears’ of the building, as well as supporting and coaching junior staff to follow in her place, is a further demonstration of her commitment to her profession.
Paul Hang
It has been a great experience working with Paul Hang because of his commitment to energy efficiency and to realize and sustain results.
Paul played a key role in implementing the Energy Management Action Plan. Through his efforts, Paul facilitated the collaboration between Operations, Management to:
1. Optimize system performance by taking action to achieve sustainable savings.
2. Align Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals and objectives
Paul identified, quantified, and implemented measures to reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) as well as providing training and support.
Edward Newton, Energy Manager at Energy@Work, has achieved his PMVA Designation!
The PMVA designation from Efficiency Valuation Organization’s (EVO) demonstrates measurement and verification expertise and an ability to apply IPMVP to determine savings.
In 2021, Edward co-wrote an M and V Focus article; “Energy@Work's Commercial Office Experience Using EVO’s Non-Routine Adjustment (NRA) Method #6 to Quantify Electricity Savings During a Pandemic”. The article spoke to the obstacle of reporting verified energy efficiency savings in light of the pandemic and reduced building occupancy. Edward used method #6 to comply with challenging M&V requirements using EVO’s (Efficiency Valuation Organization) Guideline for Non-Routine Events (NRE) and Non Routine Adjustments (NRA) to demonstrate savings.
“The pandemic presented significant M&V challenges to verify electricity savings post March 1st, 2020 to May 31st, 2020. EVO’s NRE Approach #5 and NRA Method #6 provided the support required to successfully verify the savings in our unprecedented pandemic situation.”
Edward was able to assist in securing $3.2 million in savings, approximately 16,000,000 kWh or the equivalent of 1,684 Ontario homes annual electricity use. This was across 28 properties and was 3rd party verified by Toronto Hydro.
Edwards continued efforts are deserving of this great achievement!
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.
Your annual opportunity to review and determine your GA Strategy:
June 15th Decision #1, Class A or Class B
June 16th Decision #2, How to be prepared for 2024?
What is the GA Decision? How will it effect your building?
On June 15th of each year, Ontario electricity customers with average monthly demand over 1,000 kW must choose their specific GA rate structure, i.e.,
Option 1: to be billed as Class A, based on the buildings Peak Demand Factor (pdf)
Option 2: to be billed as Class B, based on fixed monthly $/kWh rate
Ontario’s regulation allows commercial customers to make this annual choice on how they will be billed for electricity, from July 1st, 2023, to June 30th, 2024.
The best option depends on:
i) historical consumption and demand profiles, as well as
ii) predicted electricity use.
The right choice can be the difference of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Once the decision is made, a proactive strategy can achieve even greater savings as well as potential future savings!
BOMA Toronto has organized the GAM workshop for the past 5 years with Energy@Work’s support, industry experts, practitioners, and policy makers. The objective is to help to clarify the GA process and share experiences and insights specific to the commercial office sector.
Utilities alert their customers by May 31st if they are eligible and their pdf if they are eligible. This 2-week window is very tight and senior management approval is required. It is also important to know the rules.
The workshop will provide the confidence needed to make an informed decision on June 15th and determine the best strategy going forward!
We look forward to you joining and to responding to your questions and concerns.
Registration link: https://bomaportal.bomatoronto.org/events/register.aspx?id=1694254&itemid=81729a5e-1fe7-4313-b61f-9a41c230fef5
February 2023 GAM cost is $0.825billion. This is a 42% increase from January 2023 GA ($0.579 billion).
If we compare February 2023 with February 2022, there was a 56% increase (it was $0.528 billion).
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 in order to win the (GAM)e. Our collective savings have exceeded $10 million, and we look forward to continuing to assist.
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.
