Release date: July 31, 2020

CCI is pleased to provide this message to our members on behalf of the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines regarding Ontario’s Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative.

Benchmarking to Reduce Your Condominium's Energy and Water Costs

Energy and water usage can represent some of the largest operating costs for buildings in Ontario. Building owners can find substantial cost savings every year by adopting small energy and water efficiency measures. Ontario’s Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative can help your condominium corporation track their energy and water consumption to identify efficiency and cost-saving opportunities.

EWRB requires buildings 100,000 sq. ft. or larger to report their energy and water consumption to the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines (ENDM) by July 1 of each year. Due to the challenges created as a direct consequence of COVID-19, ENDM will accept the submission of 2020 reports (2019 data) from building owners until October 1, 2020.

Additionally, ENDM has amended O. Reg 506/18 to delay the roll-out of the EWRB program to buildings between 50,000 and 100,000 sq. ft. until 2023. This will allow smaller building owners three additional years to prepare for compliance with the EWRB regulation. However, ENDM will continue to support voluntary reporting for smaller building owners who are looking to track their energy and water consumption.

Visit the EWRB webpage to find out if your building is required to report, and to access resources that can help you successfully report and benchmark your energy and water usage. Update your contact information to ensure that you have the latest EWRB information and available resources to support you during reporting.

Treasure Hunt for Commercial Buildings and Condominiums

Once you have reviewed your building’s benchmarking data, you can investigate potential quick and low-cost opportunities to reduce your building’s energy and water consumption. Making a few affordable fixes can add up to big savings. To get started, you could try using the ENERGY STAR® “Energy Treasure Hunt” checklist.

During an Energy Treasure Hunt, teams tour a facility searching for quick fixes that can help them reduce their energy use and create big savings on their bills. Hundreds of organizations have held these hunts and lowered their facilities’ energy consumption by up to 15 percent. Use the Commercial Building Treasure Map checklist as a guide during your search, as many of the cost-saving opportunities could apply to your condominium. Are you and your crew ready to find the treasure buried within your building?

Click here to download  ENERGY STAR® Treasure Map checklists designed for offices, retail stores and commercial buildings.

CCI is committed to providing regular ongoing updates regarding all legislation concerning condominiums, in order to keep our members abreast of changes they need to be aware of.