Montréal, May 23, 2018 — BOMA Québec is proud to announce the launch of the Building Energy Challenge (BEC). This friendly competition is aimed at reducing the energy consumption and GHG emissions of Québec’s commercial, institutional and multiresidential buildings through collaboration, knowledge sharing, education and innovation. The BEC is intended for owners, commercial property managers and tenants looking to implement responsible management practices to improve their energy performance in a sustainable manner.

The launch of this BOMA Québec initiative took place today at the Maison du développement durable with representatives of founding partner Ville de Montréal, major partners Transition énergétique Québec (TEQ), Hydro-Québec and Énergir, and collaborating partner Natural Resources Canada in attendance.

The BEC builds on other successful challenges under way in other major cities, such as BOMA Toronto’s and Manitoba’s RACE 2 REDUCE. The BOMA Québec project takes into account the Québec context and the specific objectives of the Government of Québec’s 2030 Energy Policy, which aims at, among others, improving energy efficiency by 5% and reducing petroleum product consumption by 40%. The Ville de Montréal is also targeting a GHG reduction in its 2016–2020 sustainable development plan.

If 15% of buildings in Québec’s commercial/institutional sector were to reduce their energy consumption by 10%, this would represent a decrease of approximately 2.45 million gigajoules (GJ) of energy and 60,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) a year, or approximately 12,000 fewer cars on the roads. The BEC is therefore targeting a 10% reduction in energy consumption over four years and aims to include some 100 buildings in the first year.

Several key players in the commercial real estate industry, including Ivanhoé Cambridge, the Société québécoise des infrastructures, GWL Realty Advisors, Bentall Kennedy (Canada) LP and La Capitale Insurance and financial services, to name a few, have already committed to actively participating in the BEC.

 

Some highlights of the BEC

 

• The BEC is spread over four years. It is free and open to all commercial, institutional and multiresidential buildings in Québec, whether or not they are members of BOMA Québec.
• Participation is voluntary, both for managers and their tenants.

• Participants will have to enter their energy data online confidentially on the free Energy Star Portfolio Manager (ESPM) platform.
• Three levels of competitions will be repeated over the years:
  • GHG target – This category is the very foundation of the competition. By the end of the year 2021, the target for all participants will be to reduce GHG emissions in their buildings by a minimum of 10% below the level it was at the time the building was registered in the competition. GHG emissions in 2021 will then be compared to the levels for 2018. Winners will be determined according to the percentage reduction achieved (10 – 14.9%, 15 – 19.9%, 20% +).
  • Improving energy performance – In this category, the percentage reduction of energy use intensity in buildings will be compared in order to identify those that have reduced energy consumption the most over the year. For this category, buildings will be grouped by similar vocation, surface area and energy consumption, and will compete with each other. Winners will be those that have reduced energy consumption the most in their category.
  • Collaboration – This category applies to building managers and tenants who register together and who demonstrate ongoing collaboration. Registration is done online, and the criteria evaluated are: collaborative practices, commitment, positive impacts and the progress their initiatives have made.
• A recognition evening will be organized each year to highlight the winning participants and communicate progress against the GHG reduction target.
• A grand gala will be held in 2022 to announce the overall results and impacts of the BEC on the community.

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Quotes

 

“The Building Energy Challenge is a unique collaboration opportunity between governments, municipalities, building owners and managers, their tenants and their users to reduce the environmental impact of buildings across the province. We’re convinced that it will make a tangible contribution to reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions in the commercial real estate sector and will support the achievement of the targets set in this regard by the governments of Québec and Canada. In addition to rallying as many property managers as possible, we are creating a platform for sharing current best practices in commercial building energy efficiency. We are delighted to see our members’ enthusiastic response to the launch of this initiative and we are very pleased to be able to count on the support of key partners such as Ville de Montréal, Transition énergétique Québec, Hydro-Québec, Énergir and Natural Resources Canada, who share our vision and our commitment to getting the industry to reduce its environmental footprint.”

Bruno Turcotte, President, BOMA Quebec

 

“More than ever, sustainable development is inextricably linked to responsible consumption. To continue its progress as a city that is both green and prosperous, Montréal must meet its commitments in terms of energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Our 2018–2022 economic development strategy places strong emphasis on the emergence of innovative sectors. By launching a friendly challenge for owners and tenants of commercial and institutional buildings, the hope is that they will improve their energy efficiency.”

Robert Beaudry, Ville de Montréal Executive Committee member responsible for Economic and Commercial Development

 

“For the Ville de Montréal, as for our partners, sustainable development and economic vitality must go hand in hand. It is in this spirit that the city got involved in creating the Building Energy Challenge through the work of the team Montréal: A Prosperous and Responsible City as part of the Sustainable Montréal 2016–2020 plan.”

Jean-François Parenteau, Ville de Montréal Executive Committee member responsible for Citizen Services, Procurement and the Environment

 

“Reducing energy consumption and GHG emissions is of major importance to Québec. From now on, energy efficiency will have to be recognized as a priority source of energy. I therefore believe the Building Energy Challenge is a promising and forward-looking initiative. It’s through innovative ideas such as this that we’ll be able to achieve the ambitious targets Québec has set for itself. Transition énergétique Québec enthusiastically supports this Challenge, which we hope will encourage many property managers to promptly begin the energy transition process for their property portfolios.”

Johanne Gélinas, President and CEO, Transition énergétique Québec

 

“We are pleased to partner with the Building Energy Challenge. The various programs we offer make it possible to opt for high-efficiency and innovative electrical technologies and improve building performance in terms of electricity consumption. Through our clean and renewable energy, we can support our customers in their efforts to be energy efficient and reduce GHG emissions.”

Rémi Dubois, Director, Business Customer Service and Sales, Hydro-Québec Distribution

 

“This partnership with the Building Energy Challenge (BEC) aligns with the core reasons we decided to promote energy efficiency: to help our customers optimize and reduce energy consumption. And since starting our energy efficiency programs, nearly one million tonnes of GHGs have been removed from Québec’s environmental record. BEC participants will advance innovative and concrete solutions to help Québec’s commercial and institutional buildings reduce their environmental footprint and take an active role in the fight against climate change.”

Stéphanie Trudeau, Senior Vice-President, Regulatory, Customers and Communities, Énergir

 

About BOMA Québec

BOMA Québec is the province’s largest association of commercial property owners and managers, and its members own or manage over 85% of Class A commercial buildings in Québec. A leader in the field since 1927, BOMA Québec has developed a reputation for excellence in property management and for increasing the value of commercial real estate assets. The association also actively promotes the principles of efficient and responsible building management, in particular through its leading BOMA BEST environmental certification program recognized throughout the industry.

 

About Transition énergétique Québec

Transition énergétique Québec is a public corporation created in April 2017 to ensure Québec’s energy transition. Its mission is to support, encourage and promote energy transition, innovation and efficiency, and to coordinate the implementation of all the programs and measures required to meet the energy targets set out by the Québec government.

 

About Hydro-Québec

Hydro-Québec generates, transmits and distributes electricity. It is Canada’s largest electricity producer and one of the world’s largest hydroelectric power producers. Its sole shareholder is the Québec government. It uses mainly renewable generating options, in particular large hydropower. Its research institute, IREQ, conducts R&D in energy efficiency, energy storage and other energy-related fields. www.hydroquebec.com

 

About Énergir

With more than $7 billion in assets, Énergir is a diversified Québec-based energy company whose mission is to meet the energy needs of its 520,000 customers and the communities it serves in an increasingly sustainable way. In Québec, Énergir is the leading natural gas distribution company and also produces, through its subsidiaries, electricity from wind power. In the United States, through its subsidiaries, the company operates in fifteen states, where it produces electricity from hydraulic, wind and solar sources and distributes liquefied natural gas, in addition to being the leading electricity distributor and the sole natural gas distributor in Vermont. Énergir values energy efficiency and invests both resources and efforts in innovative energy projects such as renewable natural gas and liquefied and compressed natural gas. Through its subsidiaries, it also provides a variety of energy services. Énergir strives to become the partner of choice for those striving toward a better energy future.

 

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