FE Magazine 2009 No. 5 Sep-Oct - FRPO

Fair Exchange • September / October 2009
The preliminary results were remarkable
and at this point raise more questions
than answers about energy usage
in multi-unit buildings. A summary of
the data is listed below, and ranks the
12 pilot buildings based on energy
usage intensity per unit area (square
feet). Energy consumption is expressed
as ekWh/ft 2 , a unit of measurement
that converts electrical and thermal
energy consumption into equivalent
kilowatt hours and divides the total by
the square footage of the building.
The 12 buildings represent a diverse
range of rental complexes based on
location, age, number of housing units
and average monthly rent. Energy usage
was measured based on 36 months of
utility data collected from 2005 to 2008.
Some key findings include:
• The building with the highest
energy usage consumed double
the ekWh/ft 2 as the building with
the lowest energy usage.
• The building with the lowest
monthly rent had the lowest
ekWh/ft 2 , while the building with
the highest monthly rent has the
highest ekWh/ft 2 .
• Building age and size has
very little apparent effect on
energy consumption
• Two buildings located in Ottawa
(average high 10.9ºC; average low
1.1 ºC) had some of the lowest
levels of energy consumption,
compared to buildings with the
highest levels of energy consumption
in Toronto(average high
12.7ºC; average low 5.6 ºC).
These preliminary results illustrate the
important effect of tenant behaviour on a
building’s energy usage levels. Since previous
studies prepared for the OPA show
FRPO-RONA tenant energy survey.
that tenant behaviour is responsible for
up to 80% of electricity consumption1,
the impact of the usage of appliances,
electronics, and lights by tenants are likely
a significant factor behind variations in
energy usage in apartment buildings.
Next Steps
As part of the FRPO-OPA pilot
project, tenants in the pilot buildings
will be surveyed on their usage
of electricity and their patterns for
using lights, appliances, laundry
facilities as well as any other devices
within their units. RONA helped by
providing an energy-efficiency kit
incentive for tenants who respond
to the survey. The resulting responses
will help us have a better understanding
of ways to improve energy
conservation in rental housing.
Landlords and property managers
have a big role to play in helping their
tenants improve energy conservation
in their buildings. In addition to
physical measures to improve a building’s
energy efficiency, which will also
be tested in the FRPO OPA Pilot
Project, providing education and
awareness to tenants is equally if not
more important.
FRPO OPA Rental Housing Conservation Pilot Project
Benchmarking Report
Building # of Year Average Energy
Rental Built Monthly Consumption
Units Rent (ekWh/ft 2 )
(1) Ottawa 83 1973 $835 19.9
(2) Mississauga 87 1970 $997 24.4
(3) Ottawa 168 1973 $847 24.9
(4) Burlington 119 1971 $1112 25.1
(5) Brampton 287 1983 $1050 29.1
(6) Brampton 271 1984 $1085 29.2
BENCHMARK MEDIAN 29.6
(7) Toronto 58 1969 $950 30.1
(8) Brampton 270 1983 $1050 30.2
(9) Brampton 287 1984 $1090 30.6
(10) Toronto 180 1965 $910 30.7
(11) Toronto 58 1969 $950 31.3
(12) Toronto 139 1965 $1200 39.1
Note: All buildings gas heated, bulk-metered.
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