In recent weeks, a rare phenomenon has occurred as the mayors of several major Canadian cities, including Montreal and Quebec, have announced almost simultaneously that they are advancing the target for decarbonizing buildings on their territory.
Posted at 1:00 p.m.
Although the news has largely gone under the radar, this is significant progress that deserves attention.
By announcing these measures, our leaders realize that the fight against climate change and the achievement of GHG reduction targets are inseparable from a significant and rapid improvement in the carbon footprint of residential, commercial and industrial buildings – in the same way as the electrification of transport and the optimization of the management of residual materials.
Our buildings alone account for approximately 10% of CO emissions2 in Quebec, even though the province relies on clean and renewable energy such as hydroelectricity.
The Canada Green Building Council is also of the opinion that the achievement of GHG reduction objectives will rely heavily on the building sector and that it will be imperative to “modernize, renovate and decarbonize hundreds of millions of square meters of space”.
Indeed, these buildings that surround us, built at different times and according to the standards that were in effect in the past, are often operated, heated and air-conditioned using natural gas, oil and other fossil fuels.
That is to say that there is a lot to do, but how?
The appeal of the new?
There is inevitably something very appealing about the idea of imagining new buildings, choosing the materials, developing the spaces and aiming to achieve LEED certifications.
However, it must be recognized that the greenest buildings and the buildings of the future are those that have already been built.
Just as reduction and reuse are at the top of the hierarchy of the “3RVs” in terms of residual materials management (reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery), the renovation and modernization of existing buildings remain the most advantageous and promising options. of future.
In Quebec, dozens of large-scale buildings that were built in the 19e and XXe centuries have been the subject of an energy efficiency project. Often, with modest investments, we manage to decarbonize by 50% to 70%, thus winning hands down the game of comparing the carbon footprint over the total life cycle compared to a brand new building. .
In fact, it is because the analysis of the environmental footprint of new buildings generally ignores the calculation of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to the construction that energy retrofit projects – which in the jargon allow to move from “brown” buildings to “green” buildings – must be a priority.
The incentive before the obligation: it is better to act now
In order to facilitate this transition, governments have been able to create a favorable environment with the help of financial incentives in the form of subsidy programs promoting building decarbonization work. However, it’s a safe bet that these incentives will not last forever.
Eventually, these programs will give way to obligations forcing owners to reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
For example, within two years in Montreal, all owners of 2,000 m² or 25 or more dwellings will be responsible for annually disclosing the sources and quantities of energy used by their buildings.
This is the first step in a trend that is set to accelerate. The most visionary building managers will have understood that there is a triple advantage to acting quickly: avoiding future regulatory constraints, taking advantage of financial incentives that allow decarbonization projects to be financed in just a few years, and standing out in the eyes of tenants and users of spaces.