In hopes of getting the district back on track to hit its emissions-reduction target, Saanich wants to make energy-performance reports mandatory for large buildings.
Council has unanimously endorsed a motion requiring energy-use reports for buildings over 30,000 square feet starting in 2026.
“This really allows us to get a better understanding of what kinds of programs we can offer that would help bring those numbers down, reduce the emissions, intense energy consumption, and providing incentives to help switch people to alternatives,” said Mayor Dean Murdock.
The program will not include single-family homes or ground-oriented buildings like townhouses and only residential buildings with more than five units would be included.
Staff said they would use the data to develop targeted programs, communications, policies and incentives for larger buildings. A staff report says modelling suggests buildings in Saanich generate an estimated 160,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year, representing approximately 32 per cent of the total emissions.
But without actual measurement, it’s difficult to identify how to tackle the problem, staff said.
“We’re doing it to collect data so that we can develop better policy,” said Coun. Karen Harper. “I think it’s extremely important that we do continue down this road of getting as much data as possible so we can make policy decisions that will help us.”
Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff said the goal is to inspire change to ultimately reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, adding the phased approach will help get more buildings on board.
The program will eventually apply to all buildings that are 10,000 square feet or larger — about 675 buildings in the district.
Reporting will be voluntary starting June 1, 2025.
As of June 1, 2026, buildings over 30,000 square feet will report their numbers from 2025, and in 2027, the program would apply to buildings over 10,000 square feet.
About 100 buildings in Saanich participate in a similar voluntary program in B.C. that began in 2020.
The enhanced municipal program comes as Saanich faces the prospect of missing its greenhouse-gas reduction targets.
A report to council noted the district has reduced its greenhouse-gas emissions by about 16 per cent from the 2007 benchmark level, but is a long way from hitting its target of cutting emissions in half by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.
Council this week endorsed a staff initiative to take another look at the climate plan it put in action in 2020.
“Clearly we want to be on target and making headway,” said Murdock, adding it gets harder to reduce emissions as you go along that path. “The easy stuff comes first and you get into the more complex and costly solutions as you get deeper into emissions reduction. The hard reality is there’s a lot of difficult work yet to come.”
Saanich staff have suggested the existing climate plan be updated given changes in the cost of living, increased electrification, new government policies and rising extreme-weather events. The majority of the 131 recommendations in the 2020 climate plan have been implemented and are either ongoing or achieved, staff said.
The updated plan will be developed over the next 18 months and focus on climate-change mitigation and adaptation.
The plan is likely to include a new climate risk assessment and greenhouse-gas target, establishing a renewable energy supply, water use, air quality and “embodied emissions” — all the greenhouse-gas emissions that come from producing materials.
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