Ontario Construction News staff writer
Brampton City Council took a significant step towards meeting the goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80 per cent by 2050 – unanimously endorsing the municipality’s first Community Energy and Emission Reduction Plan (CEERP).
“The Community Energy and Emission Reduction Plan is another significant step on our journey to becoming a sustainable, green city,” said Mayor Patrick Brown. “Not only will it help us meet our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Brampton by 80 per cent by 2050, but it also shows that Brampton is a municipal leader in our fight against the climate emergency. We must all continue to work together to tackle the threat of climate change.”
The CEERP, developed in partnership with Sheridan College, will act as a guide to develop and adopt new best practices aimed at improving energy efficiency, reducing GHGs, ensuring energy security, create economic advantage and increase resilience to climate change. Specifically, the CEERP has three goals:
- Reduce community-wide energy end use by at least 50 per cent from 2016 levels by 2041.
- Reduce community-wide emissions by 50 per cent from 2016 levels by 2041, and to establish a pathway to reduce emissions by at least 80 per cent in 2050 to meet or exceed federal and provincial targets.
- Retain at least $26 billion in cumulative energy costs within the community by 2041.
For builders, the strategy offers:
- Increase in Demand
- Opportunities to attract talent, investment and customers
- Increase in community and economic resiliency
- Ability to manage long and short-term risk
“Buildings are one of Brampton’s biggest users of energy and account for about a quarter of Brampton’s total emissions,” a report states. “Additionally, how we plan and build our communities plays a significant role in how individuals use energy such as their transportation choices, which currently accounts for over 50 per cent of Brampton’s GHG emissions. This makes builders, contractors, and developers one of the biggest partners in achieving our CEERP emissions and energy goals, as well as a sector well placed to significantly benefit from Brampton’s energy transition.”
The CEERP Green Communities targets calls for building Near Net Zero communities, which will require all new buildings to be Net Zero. Additionally, CEERP’s Home and Building targets call for 80 per cent of Brampton homes and 60 per cent of commercial and institutional buildings to be retrofitted to increase energy performance by 2040.
Acceleration in skills and capacity will be required within this sector. Construction, trades, and the development industry will all need to have a strong leadership presence to achieve the CEERP goals.
Builders are asked to:
- Upgrade training and skills to include energy efficient construction and practices to deliver high-energy building performance renovations and construction of new nearly net zero buildings
- Commit to building near net zero communities and buildings
- Build high energy performance buildings such as net zero or passive house
- Install smart technologies and energy efficient appliances such as Energy Star approved products
- Reduce embedded emissions of products by working with suppliers to help reduce GHG emissions in the product’s manufacturing and support as well as from transportation and logistics
- Use and offer reusable or low emission products, materials, and services to customers
- Educate clients by offering energy efficient alternatives and tips, as well as notify them of local opportunities.