Thermal metering regulations coming to Canada

While oversight of electricity and gas metering has been in place for quite some time, thermal metering has managed to remain unchecked. But soon that’s going to change. By 2026, Measurement Canada plans to have thermal energy metering regulated in a similar fashion as gas and electricity. With the new rules on the horizon, it’s important to ensure the thermal metering set-up property owners and managers have in place today, will meet requirements around how usage is measured tomorrow.

Think of Measurement Canada as the sheriff’s department of the utility world. While its mission is to ensure equity and accuracy where goods and services are bought and sold on the basis of measurement, its job is to come up with rules to ensure consumers are being billed fairly and accurately, and enforce the rules where providers fail to comply.

For thermal metering, this means creating and enforcing guidelines on everything from which thermal meters qualify for installation, to how thermal meters will be inspected, to who will be certified to inspect them. So far we know that by 2021, all new installations must use approved meters, and all meter installations must be initially inspected. By 2026, all unapproved meters must be removed from service. And while there are still details being worked out about the roll-out of regulations, the best way to prepare for the upcoming regulations is to take all possible pre-emptive measures.

Managing the change

Successful businesses know that in order to succeed in this ever-changing landscape, they need to be two steps ahead. When selecting a thermal metering provider, they’ll want to know that they’re taking the right steps to meet the upcoming regulations.

Every provider will have a different plan in place for how they’ll be managing the change in regulations. If a provider is dismissive, or is content with complying with current regulations and doesn’t seem to have a strategy for the future, it could lead to serious problems down the road. Just because a provider can install and bill for thermal meters doesn’t mean they’re using technology that will comply with future guidelines.

To protect yourself, be sure to ask your sub-metering provider what they’re doing to ensure their meters and practices will meet or exceed standards laid out by Measurement Canada. Find out which manufacturer they source their meters from, and what they’re doing to ensure their equipment is providing accurate readings. Check if they have a contingency plan in the event that metering equipment doesn’t comply with future guidelines. Ask if they are involved in conversations with Measurement Canada to understand what they are obligated to do. Will they replace meters at their own expense? Make sure your business won’t be negatively affected by the way your sub-metering provider decides to run theirs.

Remember, it is expected that the new Measurement Canada guidelines will make the owner of the meter ultimately responsible for compliance. Regardless of who owns the meters, it’s most important to have a sub-metering provider you can trust, a partner who can ensure efficient and timely compliance with minimal disruption to service.

Lessons from abroad

In the absence of thermal metering guidelines from Measurement Canada, one way to prepare for the future is to explore how other markets with stringent regulations have managed their transition. In Europe, a spike in demand for thermal energy led to inconsistent standards around thermal metering. In addition, each country had different certification for measurement instruments.

A lack of consistent standards in Europe quickly led to low quality equipment permeating the market, which caused a lack of confidence in thermal energy measurement. To create stability in the marketplace the Measuring Instrument Directive (MID) was established so that manufacturers across Europe were required to follow one set of guidelines for certification. Of course, this change was a good thing for the thermal industry, but what did this mean for meters that were already installed?

As a business compromise, companies were given a transition period of 10 years in which they could continue installing overstocked meters that didn’t meet the new certification guidelines. In the end, meters installed before and during the transition period for MID regulations were grandfathered in. While it’s uncertain if Measurement Canada will go down the same route as their European counterpart and grandfather already-installed thermal meters, there are meters you can select with a good chance of meeting future guidelines. A relatively safe choice is a company with years of experience, such as GWF MessSysteme AG, who have developed their meters to meet European standards.

Right now Measurement Canada continues to develop the thermal metering standards and have engaged the private sector to share their thoughts and recommendations on the subject. Ultimately, the upcoming regulations will help to reinforce and add legitimacy to thermal metering in Canada. Strict regulations will improve the quality of meters and service, and help grow demand for thermal energy metering. The important thing for building managers and developers is to make sure you’re choosing a partner that is already developing best practices in thermal metering. When you have a partner who strives to provide the best service not only today, but also into the future, it’s a lot easier to handle change.

This article was provided by Vince Galloro, Vice President, Installations & Operations at Enercare Inc. Enercare.

Ignition risks of flammable refrigerants probed

Temperature, humidity and room furnishings factor into the risk that flammable refrigerants could pose to buildings and their occupants. The velocity of a refrigerant leak and the degree to which it mixes or settles in the surrounding air volume also affect the probability of ignition and consequent results.

Researchers with the U.S. Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology Institute (AHRTI) have found that, in some scenarios, flames can spread more rapidly than the “low flammability” definition of no more than 10 centimetres or 3.9 inches per second, and that leaks might be particularly problematic in reach-in or walk-in coolers since flammable concentrations could build in these confined spaces and disperse outward when the door is opened. They call for more modelling after discovering that a single system could release refrigerant as either vapour or a vapour/liquid mixture, which alters the assumed risk profile of some of the products under scrutiny.

Last year, AHRTI researchers conducted extensive tests of the ignition risks of flammable refrigerants poised as potential replacements for products with high global warming potential (GWP). The work is part of the low-GWP alternative refrigerants evaluation program and the associated report, released in June 2017, outlines lessons learned thus far along with recommendations for more research and/or further assessment of safety standards and building codes.

The project included calibration tests of refrigerant leaks to measure and compare the effects of different rates of diffusion, locations of release and sizes of leak openings; and parametric tests to assess how ambient temperature and humidity, physical surroundings, leak magnitude and intermixing with lubricating oil contribute to the likelihood and severity of ignition. Researchers also devised four commercial and three residential whole-room scenarios — for example, a packaged terminal air conditioning (PTAC) unit in a motel room — in which they gauged the likely release from a theoretical source then used a candle flame and electrical arcs in an effort to trigger ignition.

“The residential scenarios included refrigerant leakage in residential utility closet spaces; whereas the commercial applications included leakage in a kitchen of a small restaurant, walk-in cooler and convenience store. These applications represent residential split, roof-mounted commercial kitchen air conditioning units and walk-in and reach-in type refrigeration units,” the report explains.

Tests were based on the premise that there is a plausible likelihood of leaks from both idle and operating equipment, including due to accidental ruptures to systems during home renovations and refrigerant release during recharging. Leaked refrigerant could accumulate in a space where the system is located and/or be drawn into ductwork and disseminated throughout a building. However, researchers explored an extreme and largely unanticipated worst case scenario.

“Because of the way we approached these experiments, some relatively low probability events were forced to occur,” they observe. “Several of the tests would actually be outside of proposed standards — i.e. more refrigerant was leaked into the space without the mitigation proposed for by the standard.”

Those standards are likewise tagged for reassessment and revision as research continues.

“Cursory evaluation of hazard mitigation systems suggests refrigerant detection systems will need to have a faster response time than the 30 second response time that had been originally envisioned. More investigation is needed,” they add.

Q&A: Knowing Your Apartment Funding Options

Cranes are in the air as apartment construction activity increases in markets across Canada. No doubt, these are opportune times for apartment builders, and ones that require a nuanced understanding of the markets and respective lending options.

With a bird’s eye view of what’s taking shape, we reached out to Jeremy Wedgbury and Aaron Cameron from First National Financial LP.

Why is it important to stay on top of apartment market trends?

Jeremy: The market for the construction of apartment buildings is very active, and it’s currently being driven by a strong commercial real estate market and sustained low interest rates. That said, developers need to remember that each sub-market varies greatly in supply and demand drivers, market rents, legislation, and loan structuring terms offered by local and national lenders.

Aaron: And that’s just it; First National has many clients who are developing properties right across the board – from Halifax to Victoria and all spots in between – so being able to speak to those markets and understand the intricacies between them is critical to our borrowers.

How are those markets different?

J: We see regional differences based on the preference of tenants and the economics associated with the rental rates they are prepared to pay. Tenants in Toronto and Vancouver have been accustomed to paying higher rents per square foot on small suites for many years to landlords in the shadow condominium rental market. Other markets that have not had robust condominium markets are starting to follow that trend with higher quality downtown rental buildings that are commanding rental rates well above existing product. The big question will be, how deep is this market for high end rentals in smaller markets? Monitoring this absorption is critical to borrowers and lenders alike.

A: Given our exposure to developers nationally, we have access to firsthand knowledge of absorption rates, rental rates, and concessions that are being provided to lease up new buildings. For example, in many cases we see pre-leasing rates in new developments in Halifax of 30% to 40% or more prior to completion, while the current situation in Calgary would see up to 12 months to lease up with generous incentives.

What are developers’ financing options when it comes to taking advantage of this activity?

J: There’s no shortage of conventional and CMHC insured apartment construction financing options out there for developers. The critical component continues to be the depth of the borrower’s development experience and the best mortgage terms are offered to groups with strong experience and covenants. There is also a steady supply of mezzanine lenders that act as a shadow covenant for primary lenders to support developers with shorter track records.

A: Although interest rates remain low, a significant risk is on the horizon for developers are the steadily increasing interest rates we have been seeing since May. Builders that are forecasting completion in 12 to 24 months must recognize the risk of higher long-term interest rates by the time they complete their projects. First National has developed certain products which allow our clients to lock interest rates up to six months earlier in the process, thereby mitigating some of this risk.

J: Where First National makes things easier, however, is we offer a greater range of financing solutions than you might get with a bank. We’re like a “one stop shop” in that our clients have access to a broad range of products, including conventional products, CMHC insured products, and even higher leverage products that help developers spread their equity more effectively.

CMHC has also come out with new programs as well?

A: Yes. On May 15, 2017, CMHC launched a new direct lending program to developers which should be a big boom to construction financing. It’s a very appealing and supportive program where funds are directed through CMHC and not the lender, so it has some very advantageous terms to it.

First National can also provide access to CMHC’s new affordable program where borrowers can get up to 95% loan to cost. That’s dramatically higher than what you’d find in the conventional market, which is typically 75-80% loan to cost.

That seems beneficial for small developers…

J: It really is. It’s fair to say the conventional market has been well supplied for large developers and, perhaps to a lesser extent, medium-sized builders. Small developers, though, are always challenged to get financing because the banks don’t have the same relationship with them. Products like the affordable program out of CMHC will really benefit smaller developers who may have the expertise to tackle a bigger project but might not be getting support from their bank.

Jeremy Wedgbury (Senior Vice President, Commercial Mortgages) and Aaron Cameron (Senior Manager, Commercial Operations) are with First National. For more, visit www.firstnational.ca.

Baltimore apartment welcomes first refrigerated lockers

A 183-unit luxury apartment community in Baltimore, Maryland, is the first of its kind to offer residents refrigerated lockers. Produced by Smiota, Inc., a Silicon Valley start-up, the lockers serve as a premier service amenity, allowing residents of 2Hopkins to enjoy round-the-clock access to their shipments via smartphone.

“There has been an uptick in demand for food-delivery services, and we’ve closely observed the trends of companies, such as Blue Apron, HelloFresh and Instacart,” said Elaine De Lude, vice president of LIVEbe, which operates the building. “2Hopkins is using an innovative solution to conquer a real challenge, and we believe this is a state-of-the-art amenity that will provide a true benefit to our residents.”

The storage system, which debuted in August, features eight refrigerated lockers and 62 dry lockers designed to allow food deliveries to stay fresh longer.

2Hopkins is already among the most amenity-rich apartment communities in the area. The building features stunning views of the city, a 21st-floor resident lounge and fitness center, yoga studio, state-of-the-art bike storage and repair area, pet spa with large and small dog areas, a community host/concierge, garage parking and resident-curated events. The penthouse level features remote controlled blinds and special corridor designer finishes.

The inclusion of this new amenity supports the findings of a study by the National Multifamily Housing Council, which revealed that package management solutions are the most sought-after amenities, aside from location, for apartment tenants.

Edmonton leads transition to low carbon future

Commercial and residential buildings account for 42 per cent of the energy consumed and 40 per cent of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Edmonton. As a result, energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions in commercial buildings is a critical component of Edmonton’s transition to a low carbon, sustainable energy future.

The Federal Government’s 2016 Pan Canadian Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change outlines strategies for achieving emissions reduction targets and economic benefits. It clearly signals the intention that energy reporting and disclosure for both commercial and residential buildings will be regulated nationwide as early as 2019.

Building energy benchmarking programs are a common approach that has lead to improved building energy efficiency and reduced GHG emissions in more than 20 North American cities. These programs provide building owners and managers with a measure of their building’s performance and allow for comparisons with other buildings. This informs changes to building operations and can facilitate energy retrofits resulting in energy savings. Energy benchmarking programs provide annual, accurate building data allowing for a tailored approach to energy efficiency – further supporting climate targets and stimulating market transformation.

There is a well-established body of research supporting the economic benefits of benchmarking and subsequent energy retrofits. Investments in energy efficiency have been shown to lead to an increase in rental fees and that energy efficient buildings attract higher rental fees than less efficient buildings. Evidence is also growing that the competitive advantages of green buildings translate into higher overall value in the marketplace and higher sales prices.

City of Edmonton launches Building Energy Benchmarking Program

Edmonton’s Building Energy Benchmarking program uses utility consumption data provided by building owners and property managers to generate and share energy performance metrics with participants. Annual energy consumption information is collected from large buildings including commercial, light industrial, municipal, institutional, mixed-use, and multi-unit residential buildings (typically targeting those greater than 20,000 square feet) and the information is used to benchmark building energy performance across Edmonton’s large building stock. It also informs energy efficiency improvements in buildings through an information-action feedback loop with program participants. The long-term goal is to have all large buildings in Edmonton participate annually.

Building owners and operators can realize environmental, social and economic benefits by participating in Edmonton’s Building Energy Benchmarking program. In the short term, benefits can include:

Competitive advantage in the market achieved through leadership recognition that boosts reputation;
Potential to influence the direction of future provincial and federal regulation of energy use in buildings;
Access to the City of Edmonton’s tenant education workshops (resources and toolkits) and benchmarking support services;
Eligibility for partial funding for a comprehensive building energy audit;
Recognition as a leader through the City’s recognition program.

In the long term, program participants will:

Help improve energy efficiency and reduce city greenhouse gas emissions;
Be eligible to receive an energy label that communicates the energy performance of your building;
Increased property value and tenant satisfaction and reduce operating costs;
Contribute to municipal, provincial and federals climate targets.

Sustainability can’t be achieved by any one organization or community alone. It’s only when everyone works together and does their part that the big changes will happen. This program can inspire thousands of changes in buildings across the city – from how buildings are built to how they are maintained and operated.

Edmonton’s Building Energy Benchmarking program is a critical element of city’s strategic objective to reduce energy use in buildings. The program is aligned with energy-related strategic planning initiatives at all levels of government and is especially impactful in Alberta where electricity is primarily generated by burning carbon-intensive fossil fuels and where energy efficiency leads to significant greenhouse gas reductions.

Participate in Edmonton’s Building Energy Benchmarking Program

Edmonton is the first Canadian municipality to host a building energy benchmarking initiative. As part of its own leadership in GHG emissions reductions, the City of Edmonton is committing to have 20 city-owned buildings, including city hall, participate in the pilot program in the first year.

Edmonton large building owners and property managers are invited to sign up to participate in this voluntary pilot by reporting their energy usage for 2016 to the City of Edmonton using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. Participants will benefit from technical support, customized building benchmarking reports, tenant education workshops and financial incentives of up to $1,500/building to offset commercial energy auditing costs. Year one participants are asked to register by September 15, 2017 and will be expected to comply to a data sharing deadline of September 29, 2017.

Lisa Dockman is senior environmental project manager at the City of Edmonton. Visit edmonton.ca/energybenchmarking for more information. Contact: [email protected] or 1-855-999-8012.

Boosting energy efficient upgrades may lower energy demand

Lighting, and computer and HVAC equipment were identified as key areas for potential energy savings in the commercial real estate industry. These energy efficient improvements, along with other items in the residential sector, could help Canada reduce its energy consumption by up to 15 per cent by 2035, according to a new Conference Board of Canada report.

The report, Doing More with Less: Energy Efficiency Potential in Canada, flags prime residential energy savers as household electronics, space heating and lighting.

According to the International Energy Agency, about two-thirds of economically feasible global energy efficiency measures have not been implemented. In Canada, electricity and natural gas utilities are largely responsible for the implementation of energy efficiency measures. The largest efficiency improvements will result from their actions, such as incentive programs to install energy efficient equipment or appliances, conducting energy audits, and performing energy efficient retrofits.

While energy efficiency improvements can help lower Canadian demand for energy, it is not a complete solution to help Canada meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals. Efficiency measures could also include more policy instruments, such as land-use measures, equipment and building performance standards, and renewable subsidies.

“While energy efficiency is associated with several benefits, energy efficient measures have not been fully adopted to the extent that it would be economically efficient to do so, in part due to market and consumers behavioural failures,” said Len Coad, research director, energy, environment and transportation policy. “As Canada transitions towards a lower carbon future, energy efficiency could contribute to our efforts to address climate change by reducing both the country’s energy intensity and growth in energy demand.”

Canada currently ranks among the most energy-intensive of OECD countries, as well as among the highest GHG emitters per dollar of GDP produced.

The National Energy Board expects that Canada’s energy demand will continue to grow at an average annual rate of 0.7 per cent, reaching 13,868 petajoules (PJ) by 2040. A range of energy efficiency improvements could result in as much as a 15 per cent reduction in energy consumption, about 5 per cent below the 2017 level for residential, commercial and industrial energy use.

From a climate change perspective, however, the contribution of energy efficiency policies will be smaller. Electricity in Canada currently comes from sources that are approximately 80 per cent renewable or very low emissions and could be near 100 per cent by 2035. The most important contribution energy efficiency gains can make is to reduce the need for hydrocarbons to provide heat.

Albion Library first with trans-friendly signage

The washroom signage might appear unremarkable on first glance, except for two words. The stereotypical male and female silhouettes are accompanied by the text “trans friendly.”

In other words, said architect Andrew Frontini, principal at Perkins+Will, visitors are free to use the facilities based on their gender identity.

The new Albion Library, opened earlier this summer, is the first of Toronto’s 102 branches to introduce gender-neutral washrooms. And this is just one of the ways the accessible, one-storey facility promotes inclusivity by design in the diverse community it serves.

Located in Etobicoke, in one of the city’s priority neighbourhoods, the facility provides a venue for employment and skills programming as well as an opportunity for visitors to use technology they may not have at home, from computers to 3D printers. There are books too, of course, including collections in languages such as Chinese and Punjabi.

The regional branch is so valued that, based on community input, Toronto Public Library scrapped its plan A, which was to renovate and add on to the original circa-1970s building. This approach would have closed the facility for up to two years during construction, said Susan Martin, manager of branch capital planning and implementation at Toronto Public Library.

“The community basically said, ‘We would rather you not renovate our branch, because we can’t be without it for two years,’” she said.

Working with Perkins+Will, Toronto Public Library developed plan B, which was to build a new facility on the under-used parking lot, allowing the existing facility to stay open for all but a final three-week stretch during the move from one to the other.

Albion Library serves a multi-cultural community comprising 85-per-cent visible minorities, including many recent immigrants.

“Almost like an architectural ambassador, it welcomes people to Canada and welcomes people to the city,” said Frontini. “We really tried to create a place that is peaceful and beautiful and brings nature into an interior space through these courtyards.”

The furnished, landscaped courtyards carve sky-lit pockets out of the facility’s square footprint, which brings daylight inside and delineates different zones. On either side of the courtyards, the building, which might otherwise be boxy, features peaked upper corners that emphasize important program areas including a large space called the “urban living room.”

Liberated from book shelves, the flexible space features modular furniture, including ottomans outfitted with built-in power outlets, which can be moved out of the way or rearranged for events.

Elsewhere, many of the bookshelves rise only 52 inches, providing unimpeded views from the circulation desk through to other zones, such as the Early Literacy Centre, which is for the under-five set, and the Childhood Discovery Centre, which is for six to 12-year-olds. Martin explained that a lot of space is allocated to kids because demographic studies showed that the community had a greater-than-average proportion of youngsters compared to the rest of the city.

The facility not only gives kids, and others, access to technology, but also hosts programming that teaches students skills such as coding and robotics, which, as Frontini pointed out, may open up potential career paths for them from a younger age.

While the former facility had integrated new technology as it became available, its infrastructure was less than ideally suited to some of today’s service requirements, having been constructed in a pre-computer era, observed Martin.

“Albion was also built at a time when there was a massive service desk and a pass-around security system,” she added. “The way library services are delivered now has really moved away from a giant, central desk, like a fortress, to something much smaller and less prominent.”

Its incompatibility with current service requirements was one of two key reasons the former facility was tagged for a major renovation. The other, more pressing reason was that it required work to maintain a good state of repair.

“All of the HVAC systems were past their end of life, there was no exterior insulation because it was a concrete block building, there were structural problems with sections of the roof because of the original building design,” explained Gail Rankin, senior manager, facilities management, Toronto Public Library.

The new 29,000-square-foot facility introduced features including a cooled garbage room, which Rankin said helps control odour as the facility manages high volumes of waste. One source of garbage, the washrooms, is tailor-made for ease of maintenance based on past experience.

“We’ve been perfecting our washroom design over the last 10 years to make it easy to clean,” said Rankin.

As examples, she cited the large-scale tiles for the floor and walls, which cut down on grout, and the floating sinks, which eliminate water build-up in counter-top corners.

In addition, the new facility gave the library an upgraded building automation system and a green roof complete with solar installation.

Outside, the facility is defined by a façade clad in glazing and crowned with a fringe of multi-coloured tiles.

“They’re free-hanging vertical strips of the terracotta to make a screen that you can see through, kind of like a fence into the courtyards,” said Frontini.

Behind the building, there are community gardens that will be programmed by local groups, who will have access to a storage facility for their tools at any time from the exterior.

And the site of the former facility is now being transformed into a lushly landscaped parking lot that will double as a plaza, accommodating events such as farmers’ markets.

In first couple of weeks after it opened, Albion Library avoided the dip in attendance normally seen in new facilities, which Martin attributed to the abbreviated closure. Quite the opposite, the digital counters documented a close to 50-per-cent year-over-year increase in foot traffic.

At least one of Albion Library’s inclusive features is due to be rolled out to the rest of Toronto Public Library’s 101 branches as they undergo capital improvements: the trans-friendly washroom signage. So far it has been well-received, Martin reports, and there are plans to host related library programming that will be developed with input from the local LGBT community.

Michelle Ervin is the editor of Canadian Facility Management & Design.

Arno Matis a finalist for Radical Innovation Award

Vancouver-based Arno Matis Architecture’s Vertical Micro-Climate Resort (VMR) concept has been named one of three finalists in the New York Radical Innovation Design competition, an annual globally renowned competition on hospitality innovation.

Put on by a global leader in hospitality development, The John Hardy Group, the award aims to discover concepts that have the power to change the hotel industry.

Chosen from more than 65 entries from 24 countries, this year’s finalists represent the latest in hotel design and offer a glimpse at the future of travel. The three professional finalists will compete for the grand prize of $10,000.

Called the Vertical Micro-climate Resort, the hotel is designed to run solely on hydro-power and maximize natural sunlight. Using natural thermal and solar technology, this mountain-top resort concept near the southern tip of Vancouver Island provides a warm and bright year-round indoor/outdoor tropically-inspired environment for guests.

Resort grounds are naturally brightened by concave-shaped towers that use reflective guardrail systems to redirect additional light downward. Natural light apertures on the deck slab refract additional light into the suites and indoor amenity spaces. Geothermal heat warms cliff-edge pools, while greenhouse-like pool cabanas make the retreat space enjoyable even in a wintry climate.

The other two finalists are a treetop hotel resort and a ‘Play Design Hotel’ that functions as both an incubator and living lab for designers.

The finalists will present their concepts in October to an audience of hotel developers, owners, executives and designers who vote for the grand prize winner.

The runner-up will take home $5,000, and the student winner will receive a $1,500 prize and opportunity to pursue a scholarship at at University of Nevada, Las Vegas for a Master’s of Architecture Degree in Hospitality Design.

U of T acquires parcel of land near St. George campus

The University of Toronto is laying the groundwork for future academic initiatives by acquiring four acres of land bordered by College Street and Spadina Avenue, near its St. George campus.

The purchase of the land will allow the university to shape the future use of a prominent gateway to its campus. The site is currently occupied by The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, which is one of U of T’s fully affiliated hospital partners. CAMH will continue to operate on the site as long as needed. The hospital’s lease will expire in 2038, with an option to renew for another 20 years.

“This is great news for U of T,” said Meric Gertler, U of T president, in a press release. “This investment will benefit future generations of faculty and students, and will allow the university to continue its work as an important city builder.”

The move comes at an important time for U of T as it considers its long-term land use through a review of its Secondary Plan and prepares for a major revitalization of King’s College Circle through its Landmark project.

The newly acquired land is across the street from the recently renovated facility that houses the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at One Spadina Crescent, which is gaining renewed prominence as a landmark of the city. The acquisition of the nearby parcel of land will create an important link to this site and continue the university’s efforts to create a welcoming entrance to its St. George campus from the west.

“This is a rare chance for us to acquire a strategic piece of property within our campus precinct and make sure it will be used in ways that support our academic mission for years to come,” said Professor Scott Mabury, U of T’s vice president of operations. He went on to add that the purchase is the most significant addition to the campus in decades.

U of T is purchasing the property from a fund managed by Brookfield Asset Management for $123 million. The site includes three buildings built in 1968, a house on College Street currently being used as office space and a parking garage. The majority of the purchase will be funded with long-term debt, with some money coming from reserves and cash.

Long-term, the university intends to consult broadly as it develops plans for the site, which is likely to be the home of future academic, research, innovation and residential projects for students, faculty and staff.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the university,” added Mabury. “This is a once-in-a-generation chance for us to shape this major intersection where the university and the city meet. We have an obligation to future students and researchers to make this investment and ensure this land is available for their use for decades to come.”

Building CRE value with digital real estate

To compete in the digital economy, innovative commercial real estate (CRE) companies will act now to maintain control of their “location” or digital real estate, to reduce operating costs for themselves and their tenants and put in place inbuilding digital processes so they, and their tenants, will better “know” their customers.

The iPhone was introduced at 6:00 PM on June 29, 2007, and in a mere 10 years has completely changed the market for commercial real estate, now even threatening core CRE valuations.

Location, once the very basis for the valuation of real estate assets, has been displaced by a 4.7 inch multi-touch, place-of-business and point-of-sale, carried in your pocket and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

People can now work and communicate from almost anywhere, so they spend less time in the office and may well work from where they want to live, rather than live where they need to work. At BuiltSpace we have employees spread across eight time zones, connected by technology, and their mobile phones.

Employers, unsure where employees will be located, want more flexibility and control of their space. Long term, single location leases are being replaced with real-estate-as-a-service that puts bums-in-seats by the hour, wherever those seats are needed.

Online retail forgoes expensive showrooms in favour of a thrifty, data-driven business model, where products may be delivered directly from distribution centre to the end customer. The online customer doesn’t get the touch, try and feel experience found in bricks and mortar stores, but they may get one-hour home delivery, for less.

But the greatest competitive advantage to the online business model is the detailed customer knowledge captured as people navigate the internet, leaving clues about where they have been, what they’ve seen, and what they are looking for. “How can I help you?” at the front desk, is simply no match for Google Analytics. Online, it’s data, data, data – captured and used by digital operators long before the customer hits “Checkout”.

To compete in the digital economy, bricks and mortar real estate needs to cut operating costs, amp-up “touch, try and feel experiences”, but also be more like online, leveraging Google-like data analytics, so that they can better “know” customers, long before and long after, the point of sale. It’s the new CRE business model “bricks, mortar and data.”

Building a digital platform

In Assets vs. Access: A Digital Reality for Commercial Real Estate a team of Wharton researchers propose that CRE companies create value by buying or building a technology platform, not unlike Facebook or LinkedIn for real estate participants. They say:

Value: Envision a digital platform and virtual network (like a Facebook or LinkedIn for real estate participants) where you partner and co-create with tenants, suppliers and employees in a new business model — allowing them to participate and share in the value that your network brings.

The authors’ envisioned platform certainly isn’t today’s CMMS, enterprise workplace management, enterprise field service, enterprise asset management or even enterprise resource planning software. In fact, it’s not “enterprise” at all. They are talking about digitizing real estate assets, creating a hub, organized around the real estate assets themselves, that connects tenants, suppliers and employees within individual properties and across entire real estate portfolios. We call it a digital real estate platform and it is available today.

By digitally connecting the people within buildings, on a common technology platform, real estate operators can better utilize bricks and mortar assets; capturing better knowledge of what those people are doing in the buildings and deliver dramatically lower operating costs for their tenants, while helping them find new revenue opportunities.

Bricks, mortar and data: A new business model for CRE

We started out talking about how Apple, by introducing technology, has permanently changed commercial real estate. Ironically, Apple (one of the most marketing-savvy technology companies out there) isn’t completely online. Their technology-enabled bricks and mortar stores lead the retail industry, typically generating more than $5,000 per square foot in annual revenues. People queue to get into Apple’s showcase stores, heavily staffed by knowledgeable service teams, where they can touch, feel, try, experience, and learn. Apple’s model: bricks, mortar and data.

Rick Rolston is the founder of BuiltSpace, a software as a service provider whose platform uses the power of mobile to data-enable the work that people are doing to buildings, providing radical transparency and visibility to processes and performance, that allows you to transform your business and be a disruptor.

Kitchener redevelopment brings rare opportunity

A heritage landmark built in 1910 by Bell Telephone Company remains a part of Kitchener, Ontario’s storied past, and will soon transform into a mixed-use property, bringing 46,000 square feet of prime office space to the downtown core.

Once home to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 50 and known as the birthplace of Kitchener blues because it hosted several greats from Buddy Guy to Koko Taylor, 48 Ontario Street North was left vacant for some time until the city bought it in 2001.

This month, the city approved the sale of the 14,000-square-foot red brick building to winning bidder Voisin Capital whose proposal aims to maintain and restore heritage features and boost the overall vitality of area.

In With the Old. In With the New

Developers are keen on preserving the front façade and the building’s lobby and grand staircase, while restoring other key heritage features. The designated heritage site will require replacement of heating, ventilation, plumbing and electrical systems, including an elevator.

An existing parking lot will transform into a modern, light-filled addition, with two extra stories added to the property and 2000-square feet of ground-floor retail space. A two-storey glass lobby featuring a green living wall will offer access to the retail and an elevator serving the upper floors.

As it stands, there aren’t many historic buildings left in Kitchener that can be redeveloped into the kind of office space many modern users are searching for.

“The options that exist in downtown Kitchener tend to be relatively small floorplates of 3,000 to 4,000 square feet, or larger floorplates in tall towers,” notes Frank Voisin, president of Voisin Capital.

For companies entering the market or expanding there, low-rise buildings with street front presence and large floorplates in the 8000 to 12,000 square foot range are rare. Developers hope to almost double the existing floorplate at 48 Ontario and also add 36,000 square feet above grade, with the chance to add two more floors. Currently, not many buildings in downtown offer this kind of space.

“Of those buildings, the vast majority have already been redeveloped and leased to some of the best technology companies and professional services firms,” he adds. “For the right user who doesn’t just want to be lost in a large tower, needs the larger floorplates and wants street front presence, 48 Ontario is really the only game in town.”

Attracting the Office Crowd

Construction on the estimated $12 million redevelopment is expected to start within a year. With dozens of amenities within walking distance—Centre in the Square, the Kitchener Market, the KW Symphony, THEMUSEUM, new restaurants—placing office space in the ground floor wasn’t an option as it wouldn’t really add to the vibrant street activity.

“Potential tenants going after the same talent as Google and other large companies situated nearby will be paying employees quite well,” Voisin envisions. “There are going to be 300 people on Ontario Street who aren’t currently there, who will want to go to restaurants after work or grab coffee on their break. Overall, it will benefit retailers by having high paid employees on that strip.”

Modern elements outside of the building itself will bode well for less car-dependent tenants. The light-rail-transit (LRT), set to open in early 2018, is within 300 metres. The bus terminal is 200 metres away and the Duke and Ontario parkade across from the site has more than 450 parking spaces and indoor covered bike storage.

“The plan is to take advantage of the full opportunity of the site by using the existing parking lot and intensifying the property so it meets the needs of modern users who don’t need parking,” Voisin says. “Not every property in the core needs its own parking the way they did 50 years ago. This will be a perfect opportunity to eliminate it, intensify the site and bring more vibrancy to that area.”

Storied Spaces

Kitchener has evolved over the past 15 years from a more desolate place to a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly community. Once faced with the harsh reality of job losses in the manufacturing sector, the city turned the cards by investing in new sectors like technology and digital media, closing streets for events to create a buzz and transforming empty buildings into valuable assets.

Now, investors see even more to come for the city. This is the fourth project Voisin Capital is undertaking in the core His company has already invested in the adaptive reuse of other historic properties there like 8 Queen, 41 King and Catalyst 137, an old tire warehouse that will serve as the world’s largest technology accelerator focused on the Internet of Things.

As the city’s revitalization plan continues to evolve the downtown core, it’s subsequently impacting the office market and attracting global companies, like Deloitte, who are situating themselves near the city’s Innovation District. Deloitte is working with Allied REIT to expand and renovate a former hide house for their local offices, in turn preserving Kitchener’s industrial past.

“Downtown Kitchener used to have a really high vacancy rate and was not a place where tech companies would locate, instead moving to North Waterloo near the University of Waterloo campus,” says Voisin. “We’ve seen the rise of another generation of tech companies, many of whom have gone down to (Silicon Valley) and come back to Kitchener/Waterloo for the talent, low cost of living and better quality of life. They’re primarily employing millennials and locating within downtown Kitchener.”

As tech companies move back in, there is generally “no vacancy among good quality assets.” More condos are being developed or announced, the LRT is nearing completion and more shops and restaurants are opening their doors.

“It’s a complete transformational change in downtown Kitchener from what it was five to 15 years ago,” says Voisin. “That trend certainly gives me the confidence that downtown Kitchener is a great place to invest in.”

Turning down the volume on noise complaints

In buildings containing multiple dwelling units, it is inevitable that residents will hear their neighbours. Condominium lawyers are frequently contacted about noise issues. People often ask: Just how much noise is too much? What kinds of noises are condominium residents expected to put up with, and when is the condominium corporation required to step in? Should the neighbours be blamed, or poor construction? Can the developer be held accountable for noise transmission in new condominium buildings?

Condominium corporations can implement and enforce rules to eliminate noise caused by behaviour issues such as raucous parties. This article discusses noise that cannot be addressed through behavioural changes.

Noise transmission can also be attributed to construction or design deficiencies. Fortunately, noise problems caused by the building itself can be resolved through remedial work. There is an improving understanding of sound attenuation. More importantly, the provincial authorities, responsible for building standards, are finally taking notice of this problem and are preparing to introduce requirements relating to sound transmission that could cut down on noise complaints.

Condominium corporations should retain engineers with expertise in noise issues if construction or design deficiencies may be causing or contributing to noise complaints. This is because sound engineers can confirm whether there is a problem that needs to be addressed and provide concrete recommendations on how the situation can be improved.

Using specialised equipment, acoustical engineers can objectively measure the volume of noise entering a unit. If the condominium is subject to rules or agreements regarding permissible levels of noise, the level of noise entering the unit can be compared against the requirements to determine whether it is excessive. If the condominium does not have requirements pertaining to the transmission of noise, acoustical engineers can compare the noise levels against recommended guidelines for sound exposure in dwelling units. If the noise is within acceptable levels, the complaint might be dismissed. If the noise is considered to be excessive, further action will be required.

If an engineer determines that noise being transmitted into a unit exceeds required or recommended levels, the condominium corporation must investigate and intervene where it is appropriate to do so. Individuals exposed to high levels of noise often report sleep deprivation and adverse impacts on their physical and mental health. Condominium corporations are required, by section 117 of Ontario’s current Condominium Act, to ensure that dangerous conditions do not exist within units or the common elements. Permitting unacceptable levels of noise in a unit is a breach of the act because it can physically harm residents.

There are two ways of addressing excessive noise transmission: by eliminating either the source of the noise or its path of transmission. In some cases, the problem may be resolved at its source by replacing outdated equipment or servicing equipment with moving parts. If this is not possible, the path of noise transmission should be addressed.

Noise can be transmitted through building components such as floors and walls. Structure-borne noise transmission, or vibration, is a common problem in condominiums because mechanical equipment is often installed in close proximity to dwelling units. Impact noise, due to objects being dropped or dragged, is common where dwelling units are stacked. Structure-borne noise can be addressed by isolating the source of the noise from the structure. “Isolators” such as hangers, springs, or rubber pads can be used.

Noise can also travel directly through wall and ceiling assemblies. Some residents report hearing their neighbour speak in a low voice. This problem is usually caused by poor construction or poorly designed wall assemblies. One condominium, which was converted from a church, experienced severe noise transmission between dwelling units. Investigation revealed that the demising walls (between units) did not even reach the ceiling! This construction flaw in the lofty ceilings was hidden behind large structural beams.

All of the noise issues described in this article can be attributed in some way to the builder. The builder may have failed to install mechanical equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, failed to ensure that construction was completed according to the specifications, or designed a building without proper soundproofing. However, this lawyer is not aware of many cases where builders have been held accountable for noise transmission into residential units. Most buildings experiencing noise transmission between units actually meet or exceed building code requirements. The problem is that the building code has not addressed noise transmission in a meaningful way.

In 2010, minimum standards for sound transmission were introduced into the National Building Code. The 2010 code requires demising walls between residential units to be designed to prevent a certain amount of noise transmission. However, the 2010 code only mandates requirements pertaining to wall assembly design. The 2010 National Building Code does not address structure-borne noise transmission from materials flanking demising walls and does not contain any limit on the volume of noise that can enter a dwelling unit. Consequently the 2010 code does not address the practical reality of noise transmission.

Fortunately, the situation is changing. In 2015, the National Building Code was revised to include minimum requirements for apparent sound transmission (ASTC) and materials flanking demising walls. “Apparent sound transmission” is the total sound that enters a residential unit through all possible transmission paths. The 2015 code therefore regulates the volume of noise actually heard by residents, as opposed to regulating construction features. When the new building code requirements are implemented in Ontario, dwelling units experiencing excessive noise will not meet code. It is anticipated that as a result of these changes, condominium purchasers will be able to hold builders accountable for noise issues through Tarion or through construction deficiency lawsuits. These requirements may be phased into the Ontario Building Code in January, 2019.

The changes to the building code will not be retroactive. Buildings that met code when they were constructed are considered code compliant. Existing condominiums can still work towards quieter units. The following steps may help to reduce noise transmission:

Require rugs and acoustical under pad on at least 75 per cent of flooring within dwelling units. This will dampen sounds coming into units and will minimize sound reverberation within units.
Require all equipment, including washers, dryers, treadmills, and speakers, to be on vibration isolators.
When noise issues are reported, retain a contractor to ensure all holes and gaps between units are sealed. Poorly sealed electrical outlets and pipe penetrations can result in sound (and smoke) transmission.
When replacing mechanical equipment or building components, ensure soundproofing is factored into the design. Although this will no doubt increase the cost of the work, it is likely to reduce problems in the long run.
When units are renovated, insist upon materials and designs with high soundproofing ratings (especially when carpet is being replaced by hardwood flooring).

Sound transmission into dwelling units is incredibly frustrating for affected residents. Noise issues should not be ignored. Condominiums that address noise issues will have happier residents and, in all likelihood, higher market values.

Megan Mackey is a partner at Shibley Righton LLP.

Building and energy leaders urge shift to net-zero energy

Leading building and energy professionals across ten organizations released a letter to Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna in light of the Energy and Mines Ministers’ Conference in New Brunswick last week. The letter urges quick and complete implementation of the building-sector commitments set out in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, which was adopted eight months ago.

“Moving to an ultra energy-efficient, low-carbon building sector is a win-win for Canadians: when energy efficiency in our homes and buildings goes up, our carbon pollution and utility bills will go down,” said Karen Tam Wu, director of the Buildings and Urban Solutions Program, Pembina Institute.

Energy use in homes and buildings accounts for nearly a quarter of Canada’s carbon pollution. A net-zero energy ready building is so efficient it could generate the amount of energy it uses on an annual basis with on-site renewable energy. It’s also estimated that an energy-efficient home can lower energy bills by up to 50 per cent.

The group is pressing for improved energy efficiency, reduced energy costs and more green jobs with these key federal actions:

Drive momentum toward “net-zero energy ready” new construction;
Accelerate retrofits and emissions reductions in existing buildings;
Improve energy-efficiency standards for appliances;
Catalyze private investment in energy efficiency through strategic use of public funds;
Lead by example with public buildings.

Specific recommendations include: setting a clear expectation for provinces that all new construction should be net-zero energy ready by 2030, supporting provinces in requiring mandatory home energy labelling at time of listing, developing a comprehensive strategy for existing buildings, and requiring new publicly owned buildings to be built to net-zero energy ready standards as of this year.

The Pembina Institute, The Atmospheric Fund, and Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance initiated the letter. Its signatories include Architecture Canada, Équiterre, and MaRS Advanced Energy Centre.

Colliers expands its Kamloops team

Colliers International has expanded its Kamloops operations, adding four new advisors to the team: Mona Murray, who has assumed the position of managing broker, Tanya Cokran, Stephan Klausat and Ken Ellerbeck.

Colliers’ bolstered presence in Kamloops is in line with the firm’s strategy to enhance its B.C. Interior business, according to Kirk Kuester, executive managing director, British Columbia.

“With the addition of Mona and her team, Colliers now services over 80 per cent of the province’s population, better positioning us to meet and exceed the needs of our regional, national and international owner, developer and occupier clients,” he said. “We are thrilled to have them join us and enable us to elevate our capabilities in both the region and province.”

Colliers Kamloops’ new advisors join Colliers from MCM Real Estate, a boutique firm that specialized in commercial sales and leasing, property management and consulting

“Our team is excited to leverage Colliers’ award-winning platform and global network, along with our in-depth experience and knowledge of the Kamloops real estate market, to deliver unparalleled advisory in the region,” said Murray. “We share Colliers’ commitment to expertise and service excellence and look forward to helping our clients achieve greater business success through effective real estate strategies.”

Murray has 36 years of experience in commercial real estate, founding a property management and brokerage company and serving as its president and managing broker for more than 25 years, and heading up MCM in the last decade. She also actively participates in the Chamber of Commerce, Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association and North Shore Business Association.

Colliers’ B.C. Brokerage practice is headquartered in Vancouver, with additional offices in Surrey, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna and Kamloops, and includes some 130 licensed brokerage professionals.

Office market faces evolving dynamics in 2017: report

The office market is experiencing an important shift as 2016 trends continued to play out in the first half of 2017. They will likely shape Canada’s office market in the future as the sector adjusts to the changing dynamics, according to Avision Young’s Mid-Year North America and Europe Office Market Report.

“Evolving trends and varying fundamentals are challenging stakeholders to adapt more now than ever before – not just in Canada, but globally,” states Bill Argeropoulos, Principal and Practice Leader, Research (Canada) for Avison Young. “On the Canadian front, the prevailing trends include urban intensification, transit-oriented development, consolidation, workplace design and millennials’ live-work-play preferences.”

He says demand from traditional sectors has been “patchy,” as technology and the co-working spaces are transforming the marketplace as major leasers. moving from the fringe of urban cores and into major city towers.

“Co-working space providers have expanded rapidly due to the need to cater to startups, entrepreneurs and the increasing demand for affordable workplaces on flexible lease terms,” he says. “Notably, U.S.-based WeWork has leased big blocks of space in Vancouver and Toronto after opening its first Canadian location in Montreal in 2016. Meanwhile, e-commerce is another ubiquitous driver, prompting firms such as Amazon (in Toronto) and home-grown Shopify (in Toronto and Ottawa) to grow their real estate footprints.”

As laid out in the report, here are some Mid-Year 2017 Canadian Office Market highlights:

Canada recorded 12-month absorption of more than 3.7 million square feet (msf). Losses in some western markets, largely in Calgary and Edmonton and, to a lesser extent, in Winnipeg, were offset by gains in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.
Negative absorption in Calgary and Edmonton and new development in most markets raised the national office vacancy rate 70 basis points (bps) year-over-year to 12.1 per cent; vacancy increased in five of 11 markets. Not surprisingly, Calgary had the highest vacancy (23.5 per cent); Winnipeg once again had the lowest (6.6 per cent), while Edmonton saw the biggest change (+530 bps to 17.2 per cent).
Due to disproportionate negative absorption and new supply, downtown markets posted an 11.3 per cent vacancy rate at mid-year 2017 – up 160 bps in the past 12 months. Vacancy was higher in seven of 11 downtown markets; four remained in single digits, while six were below the national downtown average. Toronto’s record low of 3.3 per cent was the lowest downtown vacancy in Canada – and the lowest among major markets in North America.
Owing to robust positive absorption (led by Toronto and Montreal), suburban markets combined for a 13.6 per cent vacancy rate at the midway point of 2017 – marginally lower than at the same mark in 2016. Apart from Winnipeg (4 per cent), double-digit vacancy prevails across Canada’s suburban markets. However, vacancy declined in seven of 11 markets year over-year, with five markets below the national suburban average.
Developers added almost 10 msf of new office space in the past year, increasing Canada’s inventory to more than 527 msf. Almost two-thirds of the supply was added to the nation’s downtown markets. Exacerbating vacancy levels, Calgary saw the most deliveries overall and downtown, slightly ahead of Toronto.
Undeterred by supply-demand imbalances across markets and taking a long-term view, developers had almost 13 msf under construction (48 per cent preleased) at mid-year 2017 as downtown construction outpaced the suburbs by more than a two-to-one margin. Toronto had the most space under construction overall (6.4 msf) as well as the most downtown space (5.3 msf) being built, while Montreal had the most suburban space underway (1.3 msf). Year-over-year, Toronto saw the largest development pipeline increase (+1.8 msf), while the greatest decrease took place in Calgary (-3.9 msf) as the city’s construction cycle draws to a close.
Average downtown class A gross rents increased $0.52 per square foot (psf) year-overyear to $41.42 psf at mid-year 2017 – led by Vancouver ($53.50 psf) and Toronto ($49.16 psf). Regina ($39.50 psf) edged out Vancouver ($37.25 psf) to boast the highest suburban Class A gross rents. Suburban class A gross rents jumped an average of $1.48 psf year-over-year.

JLL launches PM services in Calgary

Real estate and investment management firm JLL has launched new property management services in Calgary, Canada.

The property management group will be led by Ron Fiell based in the JLL Calgary office with practice leads in each city/region providing service with local expertise backed by global real estate knowledge.

“The property management industry is highly competitive and JLL’s management platform offers a level of service and customization that many national and regional firms cannot. JLL is able to bring resources, innovative ideas and national purchasing power to our clients,” says Fiell, vice-president of JLL’s property management group.

Building on its global reputation as an industry leader in property management, this introduction is consistent with JLL’s growth strategy and focus on expanding its Canadian business.

With this addition, JLL Canada is able to offer its clients integrated real estate services, including Capital Markets Investment Sales, Agency leasing, Corporate Services, Project Development Services, Valuation and Consulting and Facilities Management.

“The introduction of property management services is in line with our vision of becoming a key player in the Canadian commercial real estate industry. By leveraging our extensive suite of services, our teams are able to better service our clients as well as further expand the JLL brand” says Brett Miller, CEO, JLL Canada.

The Canadian team will be helping owners and investors to reduce risk, operating costs and occupant turnover by applying global best practices, proven engineering capabilities and the latest technology tools in property management.

JLL has more than 55 million square feet of management assignments in Canada, and more than 4 billion square feet globally. The company operates nearly 300 corporate offices in 80 countries.

Ontario funds local projects to reduce GHG pollution

Ontario will be investing up to $100 million in local projects that aim to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution by launching a new program for municipalities across the province. The Municipal GHG Challenge Fund is part of the province’s Climate Change Action Plan and is funded by proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market.

The initiative will support projects such as renewable energy and energy efficiency retrofits to municipal facilities and making energy efficiency upgrades to drinking water or wastewater treatment plants, in an effort to achieve long-term and cost-effective pollution reductions.

The province is inviting municipalities to submit applications for the fund by Nov. 14, 2017. Selected projects will be announced in 2018. Any Ontario municipality with a community-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory, emissions reduction targets and a strategy to reduce emissions is eligible to apply. Each municipality may request up to $10 million per project.

Municipalities with a population of less than 10,000 that do not have a community-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory, reduction targets and a plan, can apply for the Very Small Municipalities Stream using the same application. The province will be hosting webinars on the Municipal GHG Challenge Fund in September to help applicants better understand the program and its requirements.

“Our government is investing proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market to support innovative community-led action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution,” said Chris Ballard, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, in a press release. “Municipalities play a key role in helping Ontario fight climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy and the Municipal GHG Challenge Fund will help support their efforts.”