Reduction of GHGs: Montreal relies on the “energistar” rating of large buildings
Downtown Montreal
After the electrification of transportation, the city of Montreal is closing a week full of environmental announcements by tackling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large buildings in the city.
Because & rsquo; they are responsible for 28% of the community's GHG emissions, the City wants to implement a “simple” energy rating system for large buildings. Like energy rating systems for household appliances, which allow their performance to be compared against a scale.
The new regulation on the disclosure of energy data, rating and performance of large buildings, or “energistar”, is a first step in reducing the GHG emissions of large buildings. An essential measure in the fight against GHGs, which the City wants to reduce by 55% by 2030.
The building disclosure and rating plan includes three stages:
Disclosure: Energy consumption information must be transmitted by the owners of the buildings concerned. In the event of a breach, fines of $ 700 to $ 4,000 are foreseen.
The rating: & nbsp; the information collected and analyzed will allow the building to be placed on a scale of comparison .
Performance: the note received will allow the City of Montreal to establish an energy performance threshold to be reached and to support the owners of large buildings by proposing energy improvements .
Across Montreal, this concerns nearly 6,400 buildings across all of the boroughs, according to the Plante administration. From 2022, the disclosure of energy data will first apply to large municipal buildings and commercial buildings over 15,000 m2, and then include residential buildings of 2,000 m2 and multi-unit in 2023 and 2024.
The mayor emphasizes the importance of support to enable “commercial and institutional owners towards ecological transition.”
A model for Quebec?
The bylaw put in place by the City of Montreal will serve as a “model” for the rest of Quebec. In fact, the provincial government is currently working on a similar plan in line with its Master Plan for Energy Transition, Innovation and Efficiency in Quebec 2018-2023.
The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Quebec, Jonatan Julien, praised the “leadership of the City of Montreal” and intends to “get the best shots of Montreal” in this file.
“The ecological transition concerns all sectors and we can save one sector. (& # 8230;) We invite all building owners to act. “
Jonatan Julien, Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
For the Équiterre organization, this regulation is good news.
“We are pleased to see Montreal leading the way for Quebec on the issue of disclosure of energy data. With this regulation, property owners will have no other choice but to take a serious look at their consumption and tenants will now be able to make informed choices thanks to the GHG emissions rating system. ”
Émile Boisseau-Bouvier , Climate Policy Analyst at Équiterre
He was also welcomed by the Canada – Quebec Green Building Council. Its president, Julie-Anne Chayer describes the disclosure of performance information and energy rating systems as “very good practice” which would even be useful for the functioning of the market.
“The more the population will be able to have of the information about the buildings in which they live and work, the more the market will take their needs into account, ”adds Ms. Chayer.