Impact of an Energy Efficiency Regulation in Northern Canada

• Main Authors: Thirunavukarasu, Asok, Ge, Hua, Athienitis, Andreas
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: SURFACE at Syracuse University 2018
• Subjects: Remote Communities; Extreme Cold Climates; Energy Efficient Housing; Policy; Engineering Physics; Physical Sciences and Mathematics; Physics; Yellowknife; Canada
• Online Access: https://surface.syr.edu/ibpc/2018/PE1/6; https://surface.syr.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1347&context=ibpc

Extreme cold climates and Canada’s sparsely populated Northern regions have limited human and infrastructural capacity making it difficult to build energy-efficient homes. Despite such differences, homes are built based on codes and standards developed for Canada’s South. In 2008, a by-law was passed in Yellowknife, Canada requiring a minimum EnerGuide Housing (EGH) rating of 80 for all new single-family and two-family residential buildings. The EnerGuide’s Energy Rating Service (ERS) program is an energy assessment program for residential housing formerly known as the EnerGuide Rating for Houses (EGH). Homes are rated between 0 to 100; lower numbers represent homes that are less efficient and 100 represents an airtight and well-insulated house that is net-zero energy. 1002 homes from the City of Yellowknife evaluated since 1950s were studied from the ERS database, Performance metrics studied include energy intensity, EGH rating, ACH rating, window types, the thermal resistance of the building envelope, primary heating and hot water heating equipment’s efficiencies, total electricity used, and total energy used. The analysis identified the current state of housing in Yellowknife, past and present housing trends, and determined the effect of the city of Yellowknife’s new building by-law had on housing performance. The preliminary finding shows a pathway to significantly improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock in Yellowknife. This regulation shows other municipalities in Canada that legislations pushing energy efficient buildings can be very effective.