2030 Energy Strategy

5 INCREASE COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL AND INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY BY 15% OVER 2015 LEVELS BY 2030. During the regional public engagement we heard that supporting building energy efficiency is key in addressing energy affordability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the NWT. In fact, energy efficiency and conservation are often the least cost solution and easiest to implement. For this reason energy efficiency is being pursued as an objective in this Strategy, and will help meet the other Strategic Objectives. Energy efficiency-in heating and electricity in particular-will help the NWT reach its objectives and targets. In terms of measuring this target, energy efficiency can mean many things. For this Strategy, energy efficiency refers to the reduced total energy use for buildings in residential, commercial, public/ institutional settings combined, and for spacing heating and electricity on a per person basis. This will allow us to compare energy use now with future use in buildings-even with population changes. In 2015, 133 Gigajoules per person was used on average for commercial, residential and government buildings in the NWT. A 15% improvement means a reduction of about 20 Gigajoule to 113 Gigajoules per person of energy use for commercial, residential and institutional building. This is the target. The GNWT delivers energy efficiency and conservation programs and services to the public through the AEA. These programs help many people and organizations across the NWT, and are in high demand. The GNWT is a major energy user in the NWT, and leads by example through efficiency upgrades in its buildings and through the activities of NWT Housing Corporation to continuously improve energy efficiency in government buildings. Over the course of this Strategy, the GNWT will continue to lead by example and: • Enhance support to the AEA's energy efficiency and conservation programs. Regularly review AEA programs and services for efficiency and effectiveness. Introduce new AEA programs including, for example, a whole building retrofit energy-rating grant program and support for low income home owners. Engage with the tax-based communities around potential changes to the Cities Towns and Villages Act that would enable community governments to set up programs that help finance energy efficiency retrofits. Continue the Capital Asset Retrofit (CARF) Program. Enhance energy efficiency and conservation education and outreach. GOVERNMENTS LEADING BY EXAMPLE: REDUCING GNWT ENERGY USE The GNWT Capital Asset Retrofit (CARF) program uses money saved through energy efficiency improvements to government buildings to fund further improvements. Government facilities are significant energy users, and this program has effectively reduced GHG emissions in the NWT. The GNWT will continue the CARF program and continue to improve the energy efficiency of government buildings. The GNWT has set a target to exceed the 2011 National Energy Code for Buildings by 10% for new government buildings. The 2015 National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings has been released, and the GNWT is reviewing this to determine if a similar target can be reached with the new code. Figure 8: Energy Types Used to Heat NWT Buildings FOSSIL FUELS BIOMASS ELECTRICITY GNWT BIOMASS ELECTRICITY FOSSIL FUEL 25

View entire presentation