REMI

FRPO introduces new environmental standards

The program aims to lower energy consumption in apartments and promote green practices
Monday, November 11, 2013
By Erin Ruddy

The Federation of Rental-Housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) has introduced a set of environmental operating standards to its Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP) in an effort to assure apartment residents that their homes will be managed by companies committed to environmental activities.

Ugo Bizzarri, chair of the FRPO, says he is proud of what he believes will contribute to lowering energy consumption and creating greener apartment communities across Ontario, now and into the future.

“As the first tenant-focused, quality-assurance program of its kind in North America, the CRB Program assists Ontario residents in identifying well-run, well-managed apartment buildings and homes,” Bizzarri says. “We are now strengthening that quality commitment with the introduction of 10 new environmental operating standards. These new standards will set the base-line for environmental operating practices across our industry.”

Bizzarri says that within the next few months, more than 950 multi-residential apartment buildings housing more than 225,000 residents will be active in the program.

The first property management company to enroll in the program was the Minto Group.

At the program’s launch event in Ottawa this past October, Troy Pelletier, director of facilities management at Minto, spoke enthusiastically about the introduction of the new standards.

“Greening our buildings has been a mainstay of Minto’s apartment communities for years,” he said. “The expansion of the CRB program to include environmental operating standards continues the momentum the program has developed and resonates with Minto’s commitment to better, greener, healthier communities for our residents and staff through resident and staff education, and energy and resource saving retrofits.”

Ontario Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli also expressed equal support: “This is excellent news as it will directly benefit the almost three million Ontarians who live in apartment buildings, bringing conservation programs right to their doors.”

Ottawa Deputy Mayor Steve Desroches praised FRPO and its grassroots approach to actively engage apartment residents. “It will help reduce water and energy consumption and promote more effective waste and recycling, which will greatly contribute to reducing the daily environmental operating footprint across Ottawa area apartment communities,” he said.

“FRPO’s new environmental standards fit well with the city’s strategy as a leader in environmental stewardship. The city has a number of environmental strategies and policies aimed at promoting environmental protection initiatives such as the green building strategy, the water efficiency strategy and the energy conservation strategy, as examples.”

Moving forward, training and education will be critical components in the rollout and implementation of these new environmental standards at CRBP members buildings. Over the next few months, hundreds of apartment building employees will access a special training program which will engage front-line staff to be more aware of the energy resources their buildings are using, and identify opportunities to reduce consumption. Training will also focus on how to connect their residents to conservation practices through awareness and education.

“The success of the CRBP’s Environmental Standards depends on our members working effectively together with their residents to strengthen and support a greener environment,” says Ted Whitehead, director of certification at FRPO. “By engaging and encouraging residents to do the small painless things to conserve energy like turning down the thermostat, or turning off lights when they leave for work, or recycling their garbage and waste correctly — then everyone wins. We can create a culture of environmental caring and greener apartment communities across Ontario.”

Erin Ruddy is the editor of Canadian Apartment Magazine. 

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