OGGO Committee Report
If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.
The Clerk Pursuant to Standing Order 109 of the House of Commons, the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates Committee has requested a Government Response within 120 calendar days, or by October 11, 2013, to its twelfth report entitled, “Powering” the Future of Federal Buildings: Energy Efficiency as a Goal. On behalf of the Government of Canada, we would like to thank the Committee for its work and recommendations. We are pleased to provide members of the Committee with our response to the recommendations in the Report, with which we generally agree. In order to address the Committee’s recommendations, the Government’s Response is structured under four themes that demonstrate the Government’s commitment to the cost-effective enhancement of the energy efficiency of federal buildings: leadership and policy framework; strategic planning and partnerships; implementation, measurement and reporting; and awareness, education and training. Our Government remains focused on what matters to Canadians—jobs and economic growth and ensuring Canada’s economic advantage today will translate into the long-term prosperity of tomorrow. The Government of Canada is committed to the sound stewardship of federal assets. Energy efficiency efforts by all custodian departments and agencies lead to better value for money for Canadians by reducing the cost of government operations. Energy retrofit activities provide business opportunities for Canadian companies that manufacture and install energy-saving upgrades.
The Report emphasizes the importance of a framework with stringent targets, policies and processes. Theme 4 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), titled “Shrinking the Environmental Footprint, Beginning with Government,” sets the policy framework for government-wide actions to reduce the environmental footprint of federal government operations. The FSDS 2010-2013 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target for government operations provides the overarching driver to reduce departments’ buildings GHG emissions, and through these efforts costs to taxpayers. The target calls for a reduction of GHG emissions by 17% by 2020 relative to 2005 levels. Almost 90% of the emissions covered by the GHG target are related to building energy use. Energy efficiency improvements are some of the most cost-effective strategies to reduce GHG emissions. As indicated in the 2012 FSDS Progress Report, released in February 2013, the government is on track to achieve a 12% decrease in emission levels relative to the base year by fiscal year 2020-2021, although a projected gap of about 5% highlights the need for additional efforts in order to achieve the 17% federal target. It also notes that the projected decrease is subject to change over time as departments analyze their data, refine their strategies and adopt new technologies. In addition, the FSDS 2010-2013 includes four green buildings targets, which underpin the government's efforts to manage federal real property more sustainably, including the improved management of energy, waste and water. As of 2012-13, 1908 existing Crown-owned buildings have been identified for environmental performance assessment, accounting for 80% of fully occupied buildings greater than 1000 m2. FSDS guidance materials for departments and agencies promote the use of enabling activities and tools, such as energy benchmarking, lifecycle assessment and integrated design approaches, in order to support the implementation of cost-effective energy efficiency facility improvements. Federal real property custodians are supported in their efforts by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The latest FSDS can be found at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/dd-sd/default.asp?lang=En&n=CD30F295-1.
FSDS custodian departments and agencies have adopted the use of a strategic framework for articulating their approach to reducing the environmental footprint of their buildings, and responding to the requirements of the buildings targets established under FSDS 2010-2013. As a strategic planning tool, the framework provides departments and agencies with the needed flexibility to adopt the technologies, management systems, and assessment and certification systems that are best suited to their building portfolio based on their operational realities. Supported by the Office of Greening Government Operations at PWGSC and NRCan’s Office of Energy Efficiency, FSDS custodian departments and agencies are responsible for implementing and achieving these targets, making energy efficiency and the resulting cost savings a collaborative endeavor. Achieving an energy-efficient building can have a number of benefits, including cost reductions, a reduced environmental impact, and positive effects on job creation. Collaboration with key partners, including the private sector, is continuing through the Federal Buildings Initiative program which leverages private sector investments and expertise to improve the energy efficiency of federal buildings and drive down costs. Specifically, Federal Buildings Initiative projects have saved $43 million in energy annually, which directly benefits Canadian taxpayers. In addition, under the Clean Energy theme of the Government of Canada’s Clean Air Agenda and with the support of provinces, territories and other authorities having jurisdiction, such as municipalities, NRCan has worked with the Canadian Commission on Building and Fire Codes of the National Research Council to improve the energy efficiency of new commercial buildings. This resulted in the development and publication of the 2011 National Energy Code of Canada of Buildings, (NECB 2011), which is 25 percent more energy efficient than the previous code, published in 1997. Work is already underway to develop a more stringent Code by 2016.
The FSDS puts in place a reporting regime that is aligned within the Government of Canada reporting cycle. All departments bound by the Federal Sustainable Development Act (2008) are required to report on their plans and progress related to their FSDS targets as part of their Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports. These reports include information related to the number of buildings that have been assessed, those that have achieved a high level of environmental performance and also the total GHG emissions associated with their building inventory. Progress achieved is published on an annual basis as part of the Greening Government Operations Supplementary Information Table for implicated departments and agencies. This information can be found at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/index-eng.asp. In addition, the FSDS Progress Report is published at least every three years to help make Canadians aware of government-wide progress achieved on the various FSDS targets. It can be found at: http://www.ec.gc.ca/dd-sd/default.asp?lang=En&n=CD30F295-1. This year, NRCan introduced ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager in Canada, an online energy benchmarking tool providing departments with a means to identify, track and report on the energy performance of their buildings, and to prioritize opportunities for improvement. This tool can help departments better understand where energy efficiency gains can be made in the federal real property portfolio leading to future cost savings. It will be broadly promoted to the FSDS community and made available to all building custodians at no cost.
The FSDS aims to incent managers to act, equip building operators with the training necessary to increase energy efficiency and increase employee awareness, engagement and training. The Office of Greening Government Operations at PWGSC and the Office of Energy Efficiency at NRCan support the efforts of departments by offering communities of practice, training, and other educational opportunities. In addition, guidance materials highlight best practices, including the Federal Buildings Initiative program. The Federal Buildings Initiative, which is led by NRCan, has worked with representatives from numerous federal organizations to help them implement successful retrofit projects since its inception in 1991. The Government of Canada continues to offer this program to federal departments and agencies. As of 2012, there have been over 80 retrofit projects, covering approximately one-third of federal floor space and attracting millions of dollars in private sector investments. These Federal Buildings Initiative projects have demonstrated on average a 15-20 percent energy savings, driven cost savings, and have also helped reduce the impact of operations on the environment. The Government of Canada is committed to the sound stewardship of federal assets. Energy efficiency efforts by all custodian departments and agencies lead to better value for money for Canadians by reducing the cost of government operations. Energy retrofit activities provide business opportunities for Canadian companies that manufacture and install energy-saving upgrades. We would like to thank members again for the work undertaken by the Standing Committee. Yours sincerely, Diane Finley |