Solving Vancouver Buildings’ CO2 Emissions Conundrum

Pace Solutions’ Sustainability Manager, Will Wilson, shares insight on reducing emissions in Vancouver’s built environment

According to Vancouver’s original ZEB (Zero Emissions Building) Plan, 2020 was supposed to be the year all new commercial and residential buildings were required to be carbon neutral. That ambitious target has been pushed to 2030, but it exists because buildings in urban areas account for nearly 25% of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Buildings in BC spend millions of dollars per year on energy (a significant portion of their operating costs) to run their hydronic boiler systems. Most buildings last around 75 years and will require expensive energy-saving upgrades to lower emissions. Traditional upgrades, like boiler replacement, have a long simple payback of over 15 years. From a practical standpoint, structures built in the 70s may not appear to be worth upgrading, even though they could potentially last to the end of the 21st century.

Common emission reduction methods in buildings include 1) reducing temperatures in common areas, 2) encouraging occupants to lower suite temperatures, 3) investing in more efficient equipment, and 4) spending more on servicing to increase efficiency. Building owners will tell you that these options often fall short of expectations.

However, there is a cost-effective and easy-to-apply energy saving additive to hydronic boiler systems that can help buildings reach GHG emissions goals without a substantial capital investment on equipment, excessive labour, downtime or occupant intervention.

FortisBC, the Vancouver area’s largest natural gas provider, is offering its customers a substantial rebate on the pioneering water additive EndoTherm®. When added to system water, it lowers energy consumption and emissions up to 15%, helping buildings reach GHG emission goals with an average simple payback of under two years, made shorter by the rebate.

To validate the effectiveness and cost savings to customers, FortisBC independently reviewed many EndoTherm® customer case studies covering a wide range of industries. One case study involved BC Housing, British Columbia’s largest affordable housing provider, implementing EndoTherm® in 12 multi-unit residential buildings to help reach emissions reduction targets.

“I was skeptical of EndoTherm at first,” said Bill MacKinnon, senior manager of energy & sustainability at BC Housing.  “BC Housing decided to try a pilot of the product in 12 of our buildings. We realized 5% to 8.4% heating energy savings over the course of our study, resulting in a 2.7- to 4.5-year payback.”

To apply for the rebate or for more information, contact Pace Solutions. Pace offers EndoTherm® as part of its Eco Program, which reduces maintenance costs and protects buildings’ systems. To learn more contact sustainability@pacesolutions.com or visit www.pacesolutions.com. Connect with Pace Solutions on LinkedIn.