Edmonton is believed to be the first city in Canada to lead a voluntary program aimed at helping large buildings reduce their energy use.
It will provide owners with data about their building’s energy performance.
It will also help them take advantage of provincial government incentives to upgrade heating, cooling and lighting.
The CEO of an organization that represents building owners and managers says it will be important to show how much money can be saved.
Percy Woods of BOMA Edmonton gives an example of a building privately owned, but leased to the government, that has undergone constant renovations and upgrades, so savings have naturally occurred.
Lisa Dockman, senior manager of the city’s energy transition strategy, says one building reducing its energy use by 10 per cent equals taking 22 cars off the road for a year.
“People don’t realize that buildings contribute 39 per cent of Edmonton’s (greenhouse gas) emissions and 42 per cent of our energy consumption,” Dockman said in a release Monday.
She said the program will help the city’s building owners prepare for coming federal energy and climate change regulations.
Edmonton plans to have 20 city-owned buildings, including city hall, participate in the program in the first year.