Elizabeth Rouse
August Newsletter: News and Views
Elizabeth Rouse
July Newsletter: News and Views
Elizabeth Rouse
June Newsletter: News and Views
Elizabeth Rouse
May Newsletter: News and Views
Elizabeth Rouse
April Newsletter: News and Views

December Newsletter: News and Views

If your building has registered for Energy@Work’s 5th annual Holiday Challenge, then get ready to reduce!

Friday, December 23rd to Tuesday, January 3rd is the challenge period. During this period 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

We look forward to your participation and to what we will collectively achieve this year! Challenge results will be released by mid-January. 

If you want more information on Energy@Work’s Holiday Challenge, contact us at: 
holidaychallenge@energy-efficiency.com

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

RETScreen is a practical energy management tool that Energy@Work relies on every month that we use to help over 28 commercial offices. Energy@Work’s Amir, Edward and Scott will share their experience in helping the commercial sector save over 16,000,000 kWh, as verified by Toronto Hydro. 

Conference sessions will be available to watch on-demand starting January 25.

Adding Bottom-line Impact Through Energy Management & Environmental Stewardship”

Scott Rouse’s opinion:

“This is one of the best energy management conferences to attend!”

IETC is back for its 43rd year and promises to be better than ever!

Questions or comments can be directed to Energy@Work’s Scott Rouse, an advisor on the IETC panel for over 10 years.

Courtesy of US EPA

ENERGY STAR released the following list in their latest update highlighting the top 8 benefits of achieving ENERGY STAR Certification.

“Top 8 Reasons to Earn the ENERGY STAR

First, There’s the Value of a Top-Performing Building

  1. They have lower utility bills.
    Let’s hope you already knew this one. ENERGY STAR certified buildings use 35 percent less energy than similar buildings nationwide (on average). ENERGY STAR certified office buildings cost $0.50 less per square foot to operate than their peers! 

  2. They generate 35% fewer greenhouse gas emissions
    Because they use less energy, ENERGY STAR certified buildings also contribute, on average, 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions to our atmosphere. 

  3. They’re well positioned to respond to benchmarking and performance mandates
    Like ‘em or not, dozens of cities and states now mandate that commercial buildings benchmark and publicly disclose their energy performance, and the trend is growing fast. By earning the ENERGY STAR now, you’re in a better position to respond to any future laws or mandates that may come your way. 

Second, There’s the Value of the Blue ENERGY STAR Label

  1. ENERGY STAR certified buildings are worth more
    Numerous studies demonstrate a sale price premium from 1% - 31% among energy-efficient buildings. 

  2. ENERGY STAR certified buildings have higher occupancy rates and command higher rents
    These same studies demonstrate occupancy levels up to 10% higher and rental premiums 3% to 16% higher. 

  3. Federal tenants can only lease space in ENERGY STAR certified buildings
    If you lease to Federal tenants, your building must be ENERGY STAR certified.

  4. ENERGY STAR certified buildings get better financing terms
    Several studies on commercial mortgages find evidence of lower default risk among buildings with labels such as ENERGY STAR. As a result, these properties often secure better loan terms and lower interest rates than similar non-labeled buildings. 

  5. 90% of Gen Z believe companies must act to help social and environmental issues
    Yeah, yeah, we’ve all heard this one before. But here’s where Gen Z’ers are different from their Millennial predecessors: 75% of them will ACTUALLY DO RESEARCH to see if a company is being honest about their environmental bona fides. Those of you listed in our online registry have the receipts.”

Contact us for more information on getting Energy Star Building Certification in 2023!

November 2022, GAM cost is $0.651 billion. This is a 27% increase from October 2022 and a 122% increase comparing November 2022 with September. 

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.

November Newsletter: News and Views

Energy@Work’s 5th annual challenge presents this friendly competition!

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

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

Questions can be directed to: HolidayChallenge@energy-efficiency.com

NRCan has released a Phantom Power brochure to explain what phantom power is and what can be done!

Similar to the Energy@Work Holiday Challenge for Commercial offices, this brochure aims to mitigate unneeded energy use in your home.

The brochure outlines energy savings tips for around the house, including home offices and entertainment centers.

Energy@Work is presenting at this year’s RETScreen World Conference on our use of RETScreen in the work we do.

“Our focus is to share how RETScreen is used in our day-to-day work and become a valuable tool in our energy management toolbox.”

RETScreen has become an important part of Energy@Work’s toolbox in supporting our core services. RETScreen continues to improve and we benefit from the updated features. In 2021, Energy@Work was able to submit 28 projects to Toronto Hydro, who then verified 17,000,000 kWh savings. 

At the RETScreen World Conference, Scott Rouse will provide an overview,  Edward Newton will share a specific case study example of RETScreen’s capabilities, and Amir Kamandlooie will demonstrate RETScreen’s value used alongside Efficiency Valuation Organization’s (EVO) Guidelines. Using EVO’s guidelines and RETScreen’s capabilities, Amir was able to create mini models and utilize Non routine Events and Adjustments to enable verified electricity savings – even during the pandemic when occupancy was low.
Because of the impressive results and the use of EVO’s Guidelines, the Measurement and Verification Magazine, M and V Focus, featured 2 articles to detail the approach:

  1. Energy@Work’s Commercial Office Experience Using EVO’s Non-Routine Adjustment (NRA) Method #6 to Quantify Electricity Savings During a Pandemic

  2. Using EVO's Non-Routine Adjustment (NRA) Methods to Quantify Electricity Savings During the 2020 Pandemic

We are excited to introduce a new member to our Energy@Work team, Gabriela Guinzani!

Gabriela has moved to Toronto from Brazil to pursue a career in energy management and sustainability in the Ontario Energy sector. Gabriela achieved her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in Brazil. Since moving to Toronto, she has graduated from Centennial College where she was able to hone her data analytic skills, gain experience in commissioning and work with smart energy systems.

Gabriela has joined our team as a Jr Energy Analyst and will be working with our clients to help analyze building data and develop energy efficient strategies for future planning.

We look forward to all she will bring to the team!

Barbara Crass wrote an interesting article for the REMI Network discussing an unfortunate trend: how “Outright misrepresentation and subtle insinuation taint environmental claims”.

The momentum climate action has gained in recent years is exciting. Municipalities and companies are making commitments to Net Zero. Investors are looking at Environmental, Social and Governance plans to ensure environmental impacts are being considered for investments. With a pressure on companies to have an ESG plan, we will face greenwashing as a “quick fix” that will inevitably do more harm than good.

Richard Butler, partner at Willms & Shier Environmental Law, was quoted in the article saying: “If you’re going to make a claim, not only should you have proven it, you have to be able to show to the public where and how you’ve proven that claim”.

Disclosing ESG remains the biggest obstacle. Clear guidelines and standards for reporting must be developed but how to make them industry specific and fair across such a large scope, is a challenge.

Butler continued: “Until we get to a point where people can recognize what those individual frameworks require and what the reporting looks like, there’s room for ambiguity in the reporting and greenwashing.”

October 2022 GAM cost is $0.513 billion. This is a 75% increase from September 2022 and an 828% increase comparing October 2022 with August 2022 GA (it was $0.055 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.

Proposed initiative will help the commercial sector and municipalities, as well as supporting the provincial grid.

Discussion
In early November, Energy@Work’s Scott Rouse had the opportunity to share our experience with sustainability initiatives within our economic climate. The results from our Energy Management Action Plan (E-MAP) were shared:

  • 17 M kWh that Toronto Hydro verified, as well as the many challenges.

  • The importance of the “how” was shared, i.e.: 3 P’s: People, Process and Products, and how People were the most important.

The Ministry of Energy (MoE) spoke as well and provided an excellent presentation on the challenges ahead of us which prompted us to consider what’s missing: a Commercial Conservation Initiative (CCI).

The MoE began by discussing the surplus electricity coming to an end as early as 2025/26 and their directive to the IESO to secure gas fired generation. Considerable attention was spent on the importance of the Industrial Conservation Initiative (ICI) to help the industrial sector remain competitive. There were many questions, of course, with several focused on decarbonization. The MoE was very careful and specific that carbon was the mandate of the Ministry of Environment.  He did mention an IESO study that will be looking into decarbonization.

Scott’s question was more specific to the commercial sector’s commitment to achieving net zero. He asked if net zero is being factored into future planning, since electrification is being considered as a heating option.  Although the MoE agreed it was a good question, there were no details. An important point he made was what we all know too well:
“The cheapest energy is the energy that you do not need to make, transmit or distribute”.

Commercial Conservation Initiative (CCI)
With the challenges and opportunities that will be created through net zero commitments, it would make practical sense to develop a CCI program that focuses on kWh reduction. Beyond the obvious economic and environmental benefits, there is the potential for job creation and resilience responses. Commercial customers face a terrible risk if there are electricity interruptions. Instead of adding to increasing demand, the CCI could target the 30% economic opportunity and probably achieve much more. The BOMA average of 24.7 ekWh/sqft demonstrates that many buildings are above that benchmark, this supports the economic potential of the CCI.

Creating the CCI will not be an easy task.
Through experience working with Integrated Resource Planning (IRP), Local Integrated Resource Planning (LIRP) and representing BOMA on the Smart Grid Working group it is apparent that there are many challenges in achieving the required paradigm shift. A paradigm shift is needed to fund conservation equally with supply solutions. However, if, or better said when, this is achieved, it will help overcome the present inequities.

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.)

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

August Newsletter: News and Views

OR

Energy@Work contributed through the “Professional Interest” stream. We invite you to read our submission and welcome your feedback!

“We at Energy@Work support positive actions that contribute to GHG reductions because we know that by working together, we can make a difference, and there’s no time to wait. For example, our clients achieved savings of over 16,000,000 kWh, as verified by Toronto Hydro. This was achieved through:

People:               Making choices that made a difference

Process:              Ensuring a process is in place to connect the moving parts

Products:            Investing so the right person has the right information and at the right time.

As we applaud Canada’s commitment, we also want to see prudent and coordinated investments. Investing money without proper Measurement and Verification (M&V) of the results is worse than a waste, it erodes confidence. We must avoid “Greenwashing”. With increased awareness of the importance of climate action, some are launching a PR campaign, rather than enacting real change. The private sector has an essential role to play in achieving GHG reduction. Through energy efficiency, we see great examples where wasteful practices are being replaced.


Similar to the private sector, we would like to see the Canadian Government lead by example through innovative practices, such as:

  • Not renting office space unless the building’s Energy Star Score is 75 or better

  • Ensuring organizations, such as Efficiency Valuation Organization’s (EVO) M&V guidelines are followed.

  • Ensuring investments are made for Canadians and by Canadians”

Visit: https://www.rncanengagenrcan.ca/en/collections/canada-green-buildings-strategy#participate for more information

It is important that you have your say, privately and professionally.

As part of their 2022 commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 62% by 2040, the city of Chicago is purchasing:

  1. 593 Megawatts of renewable electricity from a solar farm

  2. Renewable Energy Credits (REC)

This is for municipally owned facilities and is projected to be complete by 2025!

Airports, the Harold Washington Library Center and the Jardine Water Purification Plan’s energy will transition to solar energy through the Double Black Diamond Solar project, (593 megawatts). This will be the largest solar project in the state of Illinois.

The city will also purchase Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to offset the remaining electricity used in other city buildings and streetlights.

Through this initiative, Chicago plans to reduce its carbon footprint by over 290,000 metric tons per year. This is an encouraging development, and we hope to see similar initiatives closer to home as we follow paths toward climate action goals.

Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, said:
“I am incredibly proud to advance this commitment to transitioning all city operations to 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. The signing of this agreement demonstrates that the City of Chicago is leading by example and driving high-impact climate action, building the clean energy workforce of the future, and equitably distributing meaningful benefits to foster the local clean energy economy for all.”
Source: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2022/august/Purchase100PercentCleanRenewableEnergy2025.html

We believe that with increasing support and understanding of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), there will be an exiting time ahead for creative and innovative greenhouse gas reduction solutions!

Energy Efficiency Day aims to spread awareness of the importance of Energy Efficiency. Energy Efficiency is the easiest, least expensive energy saving method. It includes turning electronics off when they’re not in use, adjusting your thermostat to reduce you’re AC or heating use, using public transit or a bicycle or closing blinds in unoccupied rooms to keep them cool. The time for climate action is now and there are many ways to get involved.

Visit www.energyefficiencyday.org for more information and check out some tips including How to Save Energy on Your Next Bill and Hot Summer Tips to Save Energy!

October 5, 2022, is Energy Efficiency Day but efficiency is year-round!

July 2022 GA cost is $0.43 billion. This is a 43% decrease from June 2022 GA. Energy@Work provides a regular review of GAM costs and continues to ask “why?”

Beginnning July 2022, Class A customers can impact their Peak Demand Factor (PDF) that will be used for the July 2023- June 2024 adjustment period.

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.

Scott Rouse and fellow panelists will discuss Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) on September 14th, 10:30-11:30AM, 2022.

Unlocking the key to success through the 3 P's: People, Process, and Products. Demonstrated results across 12 property management companies, from Mid-tier to Class B to Triple A properties, shows how effectively this can work. Case studies with three BOMA members sharing their experience through their respective case studies.

We look forward to seeing you there!

July 2022 Newsletter: News and Views

Registration is open for BOMEX 2022! Scott Rouse will join fellow panelists; Bala Gnanam, Gordon Smith, Michael Hasko, and Janbee Monsod to discuss Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG): Unlocking the key to success through People, Process, and Products.

From September 13-15th in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, BOMEX registrants are invited to enjoy a mix of informative sessions lead by industry experts, as well as excursions to explore beautiful Charlottetown, such as the Anne of Green Gables House tour and a day of golf!

Reza Shadrokh is the newest addition to the Energy@Work team!
Reza began working in energy efficiency in his home country, Iran. Reza’s wealth of knowledge on implementing technical strategies will be a wonderful asset to our team.

As an Energy Manager, Reza will be working closely with our clients to evaluate energy use, strategize paths to sustainability and target efficiency goals.

Welcome to the team, Reza!

Ontario Government Implemented a Gas and Fuel Tax Cut Effective July 1st

As the focus on climate action increases globally, we must ask ourselves, “are these tax cuts leading Ontarians in the right direction?”.
Net zero by 2050 in Ontario will not be achievable without making some major adjustments, which will include transportation. Rather than tax cuts that encourage gas and fuel use, should we be incentivizing public transport and active transportation?

The Ontario government cut gas and fuel taxes as of July 1 to assist with rising costs. Until December 31, 2022, the gas tax rate is reduced from 14.7 cents per litre to 9 cents per litre, the fuel tax rate, applying diesel, is reduced from 14.3 cents per litre to 9 cents per litre.

As efficiency advocates, we must point out that it is possible to cut fuel and gas costs by 100%- by riding your bike or taking public transit!

June’s 2022 GA cost is $0.76 billion. This is a 1% decrease from May’s 2022 GA, Energy@Work provides a regular review of GAM costs and continues to ask “why?”

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.

Why does your condominium need to report? Watch our quick video:
https://www.energy-efficiency.com/news/ew-and-ewrb

Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking

Ontario regulation 506/18 mandates that all buildings over 100,000 SqFt must report their annual energy and water consumption to the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines.

With the recently announced extension to August 26th, 2022, there is still time to submit your data and meet compliance.
For the first-time in Ontario utilities are required to provide aggregated data. This is your opportunity to review aggregated consumption data and compare how energy and water are used.

Benchmarking is the first logical step in Energy Management. The second step is to properly understand what the data is saying – we help with both!

June 2022 Newsletter: News and Views

EWRB reporting is an opportunity to review your condo’s energy and water use and compare your condo with similar buildings. It is also a requirement under the Condo Act of Ontario and is an Ontario Regulation (O. Reg. 506/18).

Ontario regulation 506/18 mandates that all buildings over 100,000 SqFt must report their annual energy and water consumption to the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines by July 1st, 2022.

For the first-time in Ontario utilities are required to provide aggregated data. This is your opportunity to review aggregated consumption data and compare how energy and water are used. The July 1st deadline is quickly approaching.

Benchmarking is the first logical step in Energy Management. The second step is to properly understand what the data is saying – we help with both!

The BOMA Toronto Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) Awards offer an opportunity to recognize the efforts of participants of the race2reduce (r2r) program who achieved top performance in the following categories:

  • Performance Leadership: Awarded for implemented measures that improve performance in each of the 4 subcategories, Electricity, Gas, Water, and Waste.

  • Innovative Excellence: Awards effective and creative strategies frameworks and technologies implemented to solve problems or achieve successes.

  • Collaborative Excellence: Recognizes the partnership between the landlord, tenant, and stakeholders to drive building performance.

  • Climate Champion: Demonstration of exceptional efforts to reduce emissions.

Energy@Work won the 2020 Collaborative Excellence Award and the 2021 Innovative Excellence Award and continues to help others earn recognition as well!
For full eligibility requirements and rules, visit https://boma-race2reduce.org/awards/ to access the full guidebook.

Join Energy@Work September 13-15th at BOMEX 2022 where Scott Rouse will speak on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG): Unlocking the key to success through People, Process, and Products.

This year BOMEX will be taking place in beautiful Charlottetown, PEI. Enjoy a mix of informative sessions and exciting events!

May's 2022 GA cost is $0.772 billion. This is a 6% increase from April 2022 GA, Energy@Work provides a regular review of GAM costs and continues to ask “why?”

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.

Congratulations are in order for Elena Muto and Cindy Woyslaw, winners of the 2022 Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP) LEAP Awards!

Elena Muto and her team at 4711 Yonge St were presented with the Sustainable Operator Award- recognizing outstanding property operation teams with excellent overall management programs.

“For contributing to the development of an app to help building operators optimize HVAC efficiency, and for implementing energy saving initiatives that saved enough electricity annually to power 77 homes.”

Cindy Woyslaw and her team were presented with the Sustainable Achiever award!

“For having the best overall Pillar Scorecard performance, the highest BOMA Best score in the world, as well as the National Green Building Excellence Award for an Existing Building by the Canada Green Building Council.”

Menkes continues to impress and stand by their commitment to sustainability- the awards were well deserved!

May 2022 Newsletter: News and Views

Why does your condominium need to report? Watch our quick video:
https://www.energy-efficiency.com/news/ew-and-ewrb

EWRB reporting is an opportunity to review your condo’s energy and water use and compare your condo with similar buildings. It is also a requirement under the Condo Act of Ontario and is an Ontario Regulation (O. Reg. 506/18).

Ontario regulation 506/18 mandates that all buildings over 100,000 SqFt must report their annual energy and water consumption to the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines by July 1st, 2022.

For the first-time in Ontario utilities are required to provide aggregated data. This is your opportunity to review aggregated consumption data and compare how energy and water are used. The July 1st deadline is quickly approaching.

Benchmarking is the first logical step in Energy Management. The second step is to properly understand what the data is saying – we help with both!

The BOMA Toronto Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) Awards offer an opportunity to recognize the efforts of participants of the race2reduce (r2r) program who achieved top performance in the following categories:

  • Performance Leadership: Awarded for implemented measures that improve performance in each of the 4 subcategories, Electricity, Gas, Water, and Waste.

  • Innovative Excellence: Awards effective and creative strategies frameworks and technologies implemented to solve problems or achieve successes.

  • Collaborative Excellence: Recognizes the partnership between the landlord, tenant, and stakeholders to drive building performance.

  • Climate Champion: Demonstration of exceptional efforts to reduce emissions.

Energy@Work won the 2020 Collaborative Excellence Award and the 2021 Innovative Excellence Award and continues to help others earn recognition as well!
For full eligibility requirements and rules, visit https://boma-race2reduce.org/awards/ to access the full guidebook.

Efficiency Valuation Organization’s (EVO) PMVA designation demonstrates Amir’s proficiency in M&V and his ability to apply IPMVP to determine savings.
Most recently, Amir was able to comply with challenging M&V requirements using EVO’s (Efficiency Valuation Organization) Guideline for Non Routine Events (NRE) and Non Routine Adjustments (NRA), along with the latest RETScreen update, version 8.1, to demonstrate savings.
Amir was able to secure $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.

Ref: https://energyrates.ca/residential-electricity-natural-gas/#:~:text=The%20average%20Ontario%20household%20uses%20about%209%2C500%20kWh%20of%20electricity%20per%20year.

Energy@Work teamed up with Downtown BIA to create the Active Transportation Guide

The guide includes routes, safety tips, Cycling life hacks, and much more- check it out here!
Energy@Work has always encouraged cycling for all employees. The environmental and health benefits make it an obvious choice to us- particularly with the recent increase in bike lanes, making cycling within the city safer than ever! Energy@Work won the Best Overall Bike Friendly Building Award 2 years in a row in 2012 and 2013.
Some of the ways we encourage cycling to the office is:

  • offering a corporate discount to Toronto Bike share

  • providing an office bike for employees to borrow

  • keeping bike lights at the office for safe riding at night

 
Have fun, stay safe and have a happy Bike Month!

April 2022 GA cost is $0.728 billion. This is a 18% increase from March 2022 GA (it was $0.616 billion), Energy@Work provides a regular review of GAM costs and continues to ask “why?”

Every year, on June 15th, building owners with an average monthly demand over 1,000kW must decide whether their building will be Class A or Class B, this will determine how you pay your share of the GAM cost. 

It can be complicated, however, if you do not submit your decision, your building will be placed in the default category.

Once a decision is reached, it’s time to develop a strategy for the year, beginning June 16th.

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.

2022 marked the 9th year that Energy@Work collaborated with BOMA as Technical Advisor for the Beyond Earth Hour Challenge and we saw excellent results:

,

Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) Explained- What is it? How to report? Why?

,

EWRB reporting is an opportunity to review your condo’s energy and water use and compare your condo with similar buildings. It is also a requirement under the Condo Act of Ontario and is an Ontario Regulation (O. Reg. 506/18).

Take a look at our quick video below to find out more and contact Energy@Work to get started!

April 2022 Newsletter: News and Views

For the 4th year, Energy@Work is collaborating with BOMA Toronto to help decode the mystery behind Ontario’s GAM. Every year, on June 15th, building owners with an average monthly demand over 1,000kW must decide whether their building will be Class A or Class B, this will determine how you pay your share of the GAM cost. Once a decision is reached, it’s time to develop a strategy for the year, beginning June 16th.

The June 15th decision can be complicated, however, if you do not submit your decision, your building will be placed in the default category. By implementing an effective strategy, your building may save tens of thousands of dollars annually.

March 2022 GA cost is $0.616 billion. This is a 17% increase from February 2022 GA ($0.528 billion). Energy@Work provides a regular review of GAM costs and continues to ask “why?”

GAM costs are largely Nuclear (OPG and non-OPG). However, Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) continues to be reported as the reason for GAM.

The reality is that CDM investment was slashed by 2/3 in the 2021-24 budget. This drastic reduction was noticed by the Canadian Efficiency Alliance.

Score Card:
https://www.scorecard.efficiencycanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Ontario-1.pdf

With less support for Energy Efficiency, it is important to develop your own Energy Management Action Plan (E-MAP) and include a Global Adjustment strategy as the annual GA Decision approaches on June 15th, 2022.

At Energy@Work, we call GAM “Playing the GAMe”, because it has all the components:

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.

Join Energy@Work in celebrating all the COE award winners and participants at this year’s in-person gala at the Fairmont Royal York!
For nearly 20 years, the COE awards have recognized excellence in buildings, teams, individuals and companies in the following categories:

Building Categories include Historical Building, Industrial Office Building, Mixed-Use Building, Office Building, and Retail category.

Winners become eligible to win the coveted local, national, and international TOBY Awards!

Larissa is joining Energy@Work from Brazil (and we hope to experience her mastery of the famous Brazilian grill)!

Along with her positive attitude and team spirit, Larissa brings to the team a commitment to customer-centric solutions through her experience in strategic planning and data analysis.

We look forward to working with Larissa and supporting her growth in the Ontario energy management sector!

The BOMA Toronto Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) Awards offer an opportunity to recognize the efforts of participants of the race2reduce (r2r) program who achieved top performance in the following categories:

  • Performance Leadership: Awarded for implemented measures that improve performance in each of the 4 subcategories, Electricity, Gas, Water, and Waste.

  • Innovative Excellence: Awards effective and creative strategies frameworks and technologies implemented to solve problems or achieve successes.

  • Collaborative Excellence: Recognizes the partnership between the landlord, tenant, and stakeholders to drive building performance.

  • Climate Champion: Demonstration of exceptional efforts to reduce emissions.

Awards in each category are available for Building Sizes:
1) < 100, 000 Sq. ft
2) 100,000 ≤ Sq. ft < 500,000 Sq. ft
3) ≥ 500,000

Energy@Work won the 2020 Collaborative Excellence Award and the 2021 Innovative Excellence Award and continues to help others earn recognition as well!

For full eligibility requirements and rules, visit https://boma-race2reduce.org/awards/ to access the full guidebook.

Submit your data by July 8th, 2022, to be eligible for one of this year’s coveted awards!

2021 marked the first year that Multi-family Residential Buildings were eligible for ENERGY STAR Building Certification. Through strategically implemented energy efficiency measures and a dedicated team, 2001 Bonnymede Drive achieved the only 2021 ENERGY STAR Building Certification score of 100- a perfect score!

A special mention to Arben Puka, Condo Manager, and the support of Regional Manager, Laurie Adams for their effort in this accomplishment.

To view the full case study, visit: https://www.energy-efficiency.com/news/case-study-2001-bonnymede-drive

Stay tuned, stay connected and stay safe!

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

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

Thank You:
- Energy@Work