EVERTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED IN THE BUILDING ENERGY CHALLENGE!
We are here to help you succeed. We’ve assembled a number of resources that can provide support and assistance as you participate in the BEC. The Participant’s Kit will be available in the Participants Zone once you have completed registration and shared your building on ENERGY STAR. The kit includes concrete resources for implementing your energy-saving measures, and marketing tools to promote your accomplishments.
CONSULT OUR BLOG!
It contains a lot of useful information for you.
Resources
All details for the Energy Challenge are available in the Participant’s Guide, available here for download.
Thanks to your participation, we were able to carry out a comparative analysis for all the participating buildings, all categories combined. (This document is available in French only)
A guide for owners and managers of buildings and property holdings designed by Transition énergétique Québec and the Ivanhoe Cambridge Real Estate Chair (available in french only).
RETScreen is a Clean Energy Management Software system for energy efficiency, renewable energy and cogeneration project feasibility analysis as well as ongoing energy performance analysis.
In an effort to assist federal clients achieve the ambitious targets set under the “Federal Sustainable Development Strategy” and the “Greening Government Strategy” NRCan-GGS is proud to announce the first of a series of e-learning courses, now available on NRCan YouTube. These e-learning modules will help you better understand and manage the energy and greenhouse gas emissions of your buildings.
Interesting references on the commissioning of existing buildings (CxBE), recently produced by NRCan
Informative webinars to increase your knowledge and thus make the most of your BEC project.
Frequently asked questions
Why should I participate?
6 good reasons to participate!
• Make a real impact on reducing GHGs and energy consumption
• Develop a concrete energy management strategy
• Improve your sustainable energy performance
• Reduce your energy costs and operating budgets
• Access unique resources to implement energy-saving measures so that your BEC is a success
• Benefit from a dynamic showcase and a positive public image for your organization
How much does it cost to register for the Building Energy Challenge?
It’s absolutely free!
Throughout the Challenge, measuring the performance of participants' buildings and making comparative analyses of energy consumption is carried out by means of the free, easy to use online tool from Natural Resources Canada: ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager. The Participant's Guide contains instructions for downloading and entering your data.
Will my GHG emissions be revealed or made public?
Not at all. BOMA Quebec will not share or publish a participant's data without his or her explicit consent. If you grant consent, your accomplishments might be shared with other participants and with the industry at large by means of special participant profiles, case studies, the BEC website, etc.
Does the BEC also apply to shopping centres? In many cases we don't have access to 100% of energy consumption data due to the fact that some accounts are managed by tenants.
We encourage tenants to also create their own Portfolio Manager account and to share their rental space with building owners and managers (in a group, as described in the guide). If managers are unable to get their tenants involved in the BEC, they can compete only in the indoor common area category.
What information must be entered in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool?
You must indicate your energy consumption data (e.g. electricity and natural gas) for the 12-month period preceding the deadline. In addition to energy consumption data, the following information must also be provided:
• Type of building
• Gross floor area
• Occupancy rate
• Types of energy used
• Operating hours
• Consult the Participant's Guide for more information.
How can I obtain a weather normalized EUI if I don't know the energy consumption of my tenant(s)?
In certain building categories, the building manager cannot have full access to the energy consumption figures for rented premises. Although preferable, they are not necessary to obtain a weather normalized EUI for the purposes of the BEC.
You can submit incomplete energy consumption data if you do not have access to all the information. Indicate which sectors you are providing energy consumption data for, and enter the appropriate building floor area. Such buildings can still obtain a weather-normalized site EUI so long as you have provided data for 12 consecutive months.
What are the basic performance measures used in the BEC?
The measures of performance are energy use intensity (EUI) of the site, as well as weather-normalized energy use, and GHG emissions.
How are energy savings verified?
• Your details of energy use will be verified to determine whether your reduced energy consumption is linked to energy efficiency measures, and not to changes in energy use in the building
• Energy savings are validated by the BEC jury, which is composed of energy efficiency specialists
• Visits of the site will be planned as needed.
What sort of support will I receive from the BEC?
Once your building is shared with the BEC on ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager, you will have access to the Participant's Kit in your BEC account. The kit includes:
- an action guide
- information about grants and subsidies
- practical information and references
- marketing and mobilization tools for tenants
The BEC will also offer participants training sessions, presentations and documents to assist you throughout the competition.
Can I register in the Collaboration category if I don't have any tenants?
Unfortunately, this qualitative section is only for owners whose tenants are involved in the BEC project and who are willing to demonstrate their commitment.