News
On the road to 20 by ’15: Canadian commercial real estate driving energy efficiency

Toronto — The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada reports the all-important first step to reaching the aggressive energy consumption target by 2015 is well underway with establishing the common methodology for normalization of energy data with industry partners Real Property Association of Canada (REALpac) and the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC).

BOMA Canada had announced last September their support for the 20 by ’15 (20 eKWh/ft2/year in office buildings by the year 2015) national energy consumption target for office buildings introduced by REALpac.

“We are very pleased with progress so far,” says Diana Osler Zortea, President of BOMA Canada. “This will allow us to work with the industry, like-minded associations and their respective memberships to define a common methodology to measure, and verify energy consumption and its impact. The methodology is essential because it will give building owners and managers a consistent way to measure, and monitor, their progress towards the 20 by ’15 goal.”

The well-defined goal of 20 by ’15 is voluntary on the part of the Canadian commercial real estate industry, and one that building owners and managers across the country are rallying around. If achieved, the target will lead to an estimated energy cost savings of approximately $1.85 billion annually, and greenhouse gas emissions savings of 7.5 megatonnes annually – a contribution of 5% to Canada’s national 2020 goal.

BOMA Canada also recognized that 20 by '15, as a target for energy efficiency, created a growth opportunity for its innovative BOMA BESt program.  Already the de facto standard for environmental performance and management assessment of existing buildings in the Canadian real estate industry, BOMA BESt is a powerful tool that can measure a building's progress and help managers achieve 20 by '15.

Once the common methodology for normalization is ready, it will be made publicly available, so owners and managers can calculate and measure on their own, or use the familiar BOMA BESt tool to enter their data and obtain the measurement.

BOMA Canada (www.bomacanada.ca) is a national organization whose 2,500 members include owners and managers of private and public sector buildings across the country. As the voice of the commercial real estate industry in Canada, BOMA Canada monitors and analyzes issues relevant to its members, conducts research, and provides industry insight to stakeholders, the public and various levels of government.

For further information, contact BOMA Canada's Manager, Environmental Initiatives Ms. Nada Sutic at 416-214-1912 or via email nsutic@bomacanada.ca

December 23, 2009  By Newswire