York Region municipalities and businesses have heard the call to action to participate in the ClimateWise Challenge. We are excited to welcome 60 municipal buildings and 15 commercial buildings into the free, friendly award and recognition competition. Click the link below to read which York Region municipalities and businesses have joined.
With more than 20 years leading environmental sustainability programs and supporting communities within York Region, Windfall Ecology Centre is creating pathways to build back better through the launch of the ClimateWise Building Challenge.
Local businesses have felt the significant challenges that COVID-19 has brought on this past year. Amid the pandemic, there have also been opportunities on how to build back for small to medium sized businesses. Reesor’s Markets, a member of the ClimateWise Business Network, can attest to this, having been awarded a membership subsidy from TD to continue to drive sustainability efforts in 2021.
We are pleased to announce that 407 ETR has joined the ClimateWise Business Network as a member. 407 ETR is on a mission to set ambitious and realistic sustainability targets. The partnership with ClimateWise provides access to an extensive member network to learn best practices, create a culture of sustainability and help develop greenhouse gas reduction goals.
A new greenhouse gas intensity metric will be rolled out to Canadian users of the Energy Star Portfolio Manager benchmarking tool. The new metric will provide an ability to compare your building’s total GHG intensity against a similar regional reference building. Natural Resources Canada is hosting a complimentary webinar to introduce the new metric and discuss what it means for your buildings.
An exciting initiative just launched! Green Economy Canada has launched the SME Net-Zero Pathways: Manufacturing pilot project in partnership with Pembina Institute. ClimateWise members Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. (Home of MadeGood and GOODTO GO) and Reesor's Market & Bakery join the first cohort of businesses to explore how they can get to net zero emissions.
Registration for the 2021 ClimateWise Challenge is now open! If you are a building owner, manager, or tenant, you can take part in this exciting opportunity to take action on climate change while reducing costs and increasing asset value. Register one or more of your buildings today!
Joining us today is Steven Costa, the National Solutions Developer of Energy Storage and Distributed Energy at Ameresco, Inc. Steven will discuss understanding and improving your building's existing energy infrastructure and facility use profiles.
Joining us today is Graham Seaman, P.Eng., LEED AP, CEM, the Director of Sustainability and Asset Management for the City of Markham. Graham will discuss the municipal energy plan and long-term vision to reach net zero by 2050.
City of Markham's Municipal Energy Plan (MEP) – Getting to Zero
Joining us today is Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO for The Regional Municipality of York. Wayne announces his endorsement and support for the ClimateWise Challenge and speaks to the steps York Region has taken to tackle the climate crisis.
Join in on the fun! A virtual preview introducing the ClimateWise Building Challenge, hosted by ClimateWise Business Network, will begin on November 30. The weeklong preview will include presentations with messages from key industry and municipal figures in York Region.
We're thrilled to be working alongside BOMA Toronto to deliver the ClimateWise Building Challenge to achieve economic and environmental benefits.
On November 5, 2020 BOMA Toronto held their 2020 race2Reduce Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) awards event virtually. The event was a big success that we were proud to be part of. During the awards, Brent Kopperson, the Founder and Executive Director of Windfall Centre was honoured to provide a congratulatory statement to the winners and participants of the race2race program. The success of the program paved the way to bring a building challenge to York Region under our ClimateWise Business Network program.
York Region municipalities and businesses have heard the call to action to participate in the ClimateWise Challenge. We are excited to welcome 60 municipal buildings and 15 commercial buildings into the free, friendly award and recognition competition. Participating in the ClimateWise Challenge has many benefits, including regional recognition in the York Region Sustainability Awards and provincial recognition in the Greater Toronto BOMA CREST Awards.
75 buildings from these organizations have committed to climate action:
As a Regional Ally of BOMA Toronto, ClimateWise Business Network invites you to explore the business and environmental benefits of joining the ClimateWise Challenge. Book a consultation by clicking the button below to learn more.
The following piece was originally published in NewmarketToday.ca
With more than 20 years leading environmental sustainability programs and supporting communities within York Region, Windfall Ecology Centre is creating pathways to build back better through the launch of the ClimateWise Building Challenge.
The ClimateWise Challenge hopes to bring awareness to the climate crisis, drawing in building owners, managers, and tenants to compete in a friendly awards and recognition competition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve building energy efficiency. The initiative is modelled after the successful Energy Star Battle of the Building competition, a U.S Environmental Protection Agency program.
“The ClimateWise Challenge is all about working with building owners, managers, and tenants in a spirited competition to reduce greenhouse gas emission,” states Brent Kopperson, Founder and Executive Director of Windfall Centre. “Competitive building challenges have emerged as a cost-effective way to motivate large numbers of people to take deliberate action to reduce emissions in the workplace.”
The impact of COVID-19 has strengthened the call to action to build back better. The ClimateWise Challenge compliments the climate action efforts made by the Town, including the recent climate emergency declaration and the Community Energy Plan. The pathways that the ClimateWise Challenge provides will reduce building sector energy use, which makes up over 25 per cent of the town’s energy use, through education, innovation, and collaboration.
Windfall Centre is leading this initiative with the support of the York Region municipalities, including the Town of Newmarket’s Mayor John Taylor, “I want to congratulate Windfall Ecology Centre for their leadership in this area for so many years and supporting our communities in best practices and guidance around the environment and climate change.”
“I’m asking Newmarket businesses and building owners to step up and do our town proud by participating in the ClimateWise Challenge,” Taylor said.
This free initiative is open to building owners, property managers, and tenants within York Region. Recognition and achievements will be presented throughout the competition at a regional level at the York Region Sustainability Awards. As a regional ally of BOMA Toronto, participants of the ClimateWise Challenge can also be recognized provincially at the BOMA Toronto Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) awards.
Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient business economy and environment in the Town of Newmarket, York Region, and beyond.
To learn more about the ClimateWise Challenge and answer the call to take action on climate change, visit www.ClimateWiseChallenge.ca
Windfall Ecology Centre is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to building sustainable communities. We have served the York region community for 20 years.
The ClimateWise Business Network is a program of the Windfall Ecology Centre. ClimateWise Business Network works with local businesses and organizations by providing one-on-one support and guidance in setting environmental targets and seeing the returns of investing in sustainability.
Charting the path for SMEs to reach net-zero emissions
Article taken from Green Economy Canada
Canada has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Yet, how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — the backbone of our economy — can be leveraged to reach this necessary and ambitious goal has been largely overlooked. To help address this gap, Green Economy Canada, in partnership with the Pembina Institute, has launched the SME Net-Zero Pathways: Manufacturing pilot project.
This pilot project has three phases.
We are currently working with the first cohort of businesses which include: Almac Industrial Systems, Heeman’s, London Brewing Co-operative, Reesor’s Markets, Riverside Natural Foods, and Rodlin Instruments. These businesses are seeing a growing awareness of net-zero targets from customers, suppliers, competitors and regulators, but have indicated they need more guidance on how their own operations can reach net-zero and the business case to do so. This pilot will help them develop a net-zero roadmap and give them an opportunity to identify the supports they need to carry out the changes like specific policies from the government, green lending rates from financial institutions, peer-learning from similar businesses, and guidance to leverage and communicate their net-zero commitment to customers.
Save the date! Green Economy Canada is hosting their second webinar on the Sustainable Development Goals on February 25. This is a great opportunity to learn how your business can set targets, measure progress, & report on your Sustainable Development Goals.
Jeff Ranson, Regional Director for the Greater Toronto Area chapter of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), joins us today for day two of the ClimateWise Building Challenge virtual preview.
Kicking off our weeklong virtual preview and celebration of the ClimateWise Challenge is Mayor John Taylor from the Town of Newmarket, Ontario and Brent Kopperson, Founder and Executive Director of Windfall Ecology Centre. Mayor Taylor speaks on the importance that municipalities in York Region place on energy reduction practices invites all York Region Mayors and commercial business to participate in this initiative as we collaborate in the transition to a low carbon economy.
ClimateWise Business Network, the Windfall Ecology Centre program hosting the ClimateWise Building Challenge, is a recognized Regional Partner of the BOMA Toronto race2Reduce program.
As a Regional Ally, ClimateWise offers enhanced outreach and support to public and private sectors in York and surrounding regions and provides resources to help them move their organizations toward more sustainable and low carbon operations.
The collaboration between BOMA Toronto and ClimateWise brings synergy and economies of scale to the mutual efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission from the buildings sector.
Reporting to the ClimateWise Business Network Program Manager, the Event Coordinator will be responsible for assisting with event coordination by managing attendee administration, budgets and liaising with venues including logistics design and management of on-site and virtual sessions.
The Atmosphere Fund (TAF) announced a $40 million Canada fund in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, City of Toronto, and the Government of Canada, bringing the total assets to $90 million. The significant green impact fund will drive further collaboration with cities across the GTHA community as well as Canada on bold new climate actions.
Financial assistance is available to help commercial and institutional building owners and operators implement the ISO 50001 energy management system standard. Implementing ISO 50001 within your organization will result in energy and cost savings and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The third episode of the Getting to Net Zero webinar series will seek to better understand the challenges and opportunities through a panel discussion with local business leaders who are pursuing a net zero strategy. Save your spot today!
ClimateWise Business Network founding member, the Regional Municipality of York, has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers for 2020 by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Mediacorp is Canada's largest publisher of employment-related periodicals.
In 2019, Maple Leaf Foods became the world's first major carbon neutral food company. Patrick Huynh of Maple Leaf Foods will join Stephen Boles of AET Group Inc. to discuss the company's carbon management journey and its benefits.
In the second episode of our popular Getting to Net Zero webinar series, we will present the what, why, and how of carbon offsets. Space is limited and the first webinar in this series filled up fast.
In the second episode of our popular Getting to Net Zero webinar series, we will present the what, why, and how of carbon offsets. Space is limited and the first webinar in this series filled up fast.
For the 2020 reporting year, the Government of Ontario will accept the submission of data to the Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative until October 1, 2020. This is intended to be a one-time relief extension due to COVID-19. The Benchmarking Help Centre remains open to help with Portfolio Manager questions.
ClimateWise founding member Alectra Utilities was selected by The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) for its 2020 Environmental Excellence award. One of Alectra's signature accomplishments is reducing almost 1500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since 2016 - representing a 15% decrease in emissions. Congrats!
Officially launched by Newmarket Mayor John Taylor, the Mayors' Energy Challenge sets up a friendly competition between York Region municipalities to aid commercial building owners in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The Toronto Waldorf School is a private, not-for-profit independent school in Thornhill. It operates 12 months a year which includes child care, JK to grade 12 and summer camp. The building is owned by the school, has 73,000 sq feet of usable area space. It is heated electrically and uses no natural gas.
There are two types of eligible recipients for the funding:
The funding will be used to reimburse eligible project costs as follows:
Eligible project expenditures include salaries and benefits, professional, scientific and technical fees specific to the energy management system, fees for data collection, benchmarking and analysis services, metering equipment, as well as other expenditures directly related to the project.
For more information, refer to Financial assistance for commercial and institutional buildings.
