The Energize Vancouver logo of Vancouver's downtown

New Energize Vancouver hub set to accelerate the shift to healthier, more climate resilient buildings

March 19 2024 –

The newly launched Energize Vancouver resource hub will support Vancouver’s large existing building owners to track and improve energy performance and reduce building emissions. Owners and property managers of large office, retail and multi-family buildings in Vancouver can now access the hub to report their building’s energy-use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ahead of the June 1, 2024 deadline. 

What is Energize Vancouver?

Energize Vancouver is a multi-year initiative dedicated to upgrading and retrofitting Vancouver’s large existing commercial and multi-family buildings to provide healthier, safer, and more comfortable indoor spaces, while reducing emissions and improving energy performance. The new resource hub is designed to support building owners and managers in understanding and complying with current and upcoming requirements, including: 

  • Energy and Carbon Reporting (starting in 2024): Annual reporting of energy-use and carbon pollution for buildings larger than 100,000 square feet (9,290 square metres). 
  • Greenhouse Gas Intensity (GHGi) Limits (starting in 2026): Compliance with specified annual GHGi limits for office and retail buildings (100,000 square feet and above), which will progressively lower over time. 
  • Heat Energy Limits (starting in 2040): Meeting specified limits for natural gas and district energy consumed by office and retail buildings (100,000 square feet and above). 
  • Future compliance: Stay informed about upcoming regulations and proactively plan for retrofits, efficiency measures and investments in renewable energy sources to reduce GHG emissions. 
  • Resources: Energize Vancouver includes detailed reporting requirements, how-to-guides, videos, supports and help center access. 

Energize Vancouver features

To avoid fines and penalties, building owners and managers need to plan ahead and report their energy use and GHG emissions on time. Visit Energize Vancouver to learn more, and sign-up to the mailing list for information and deadline reminders.

Background

As part of the City’s Climate Emergency Action Plan commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by 50 per cent by 2030, Council approved the Annual Greenhouse Gas and Energy Limits By-law (205 KB) to:  

  • Reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced by existing commercial and multi-family buildings.  
  • Accelerate the shift to healthier, more affordable, and more resilient homes, offices, and retail stores.  

The City is phasing the bylaw’s implementation to prioritize larger buildings with more capacity to retrofit and make energy-efficiency upgrades. Providing a clear regulatory roadmap and phasing implementation also provides building owners and managers time to understand the current performance of buildings, investigate incentives and financing, and plan any needed improvements or equipment replacement in their capital plans.