Since 2018, most privately-owned large buildings in Ontario have been required to report their water and energy consumption as part of the Ministry of Energy’s Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative. A daunting prospect for many, EWRB ultimately delivers countless benefits, making the upfront stress of annual compliance worth it.
In the short-term, building operators can expect to achieve improved energy efficiency and utility savings; in the longer term, they’ll reap the rewards of benchmarking — a tool used to capture meaningful data and enable better decisions about where and how to maximize efficiencies over time.
Although the 2020 data obtained from previous EWRB years has yet to be shared publicly, there’s no doubt large building owners will benefit when it happens.
“Benchmarking allows large building owners to compare their energy and water performance against other similar buildings in their region,” says Justin Tudor, President, Keller Engineers. “With that knowledge, they can make system adjustments accordingly, then monitor whether or not they are making sufficient progress. Ultimately, EWRB facilitates more accurate, measurable results, and helps generate best practices that will lead to better, healthier buildings overall.”
By 2023, annual reporting will be required for any building with a total gross square footage of at least 50,000 including multi-residential high-rises, low-rises and large townhome complexes. According to Tudor, a good rule of thumb is that if your building has more than 50 units, you will need to report your water and energy consumption on July 1st every year.
While some building owners and condominium corporations may choose to self-report their findings by appointing a staff member to the task, others may prefer to outsource the responsibility to an accredited third party. Either way, the regulations do require independent verification of data by a qualified person in the first year of reporting and every five years thereafter.
Key Steps
For those preparing for EWRB compliance by July 1st, 2022, here is an overview of what to expect:
STEP 1 – Data collection
Allow yourself ample time to gather all the detailed information needed to complete the EWRB report. This includes location and ownership, gross floor area, use type, EWRB ID number, and energy and water usage data for the required period. Typically, your EWRB number is provided via written notification through the Ministry of Energy, otherwise it may be obtained by emailing EWRBSupport@ontario.ca.
STEP 2 – Data verification
For the first year (and every five years thereafter), an accredited body or certified professional must verify your data.
STEP 3 – Data reporting
Completed reports must be submitted by the July 1st deadline through your Energy Star Portfolio Manager account.
For the complete Ontario EWRB support guide, click here.
Need help from an expert?
For those seeking assistance (and peace of mind) from an outside service provider, Keller Engineers has the expertise to get the job done right. Whether you are looking for end-to-end management of data collection, verification, and reporting, or simply someone to help with first-year verification or management of the online reporting tool, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, we offer an array of services to meet your every need.
Please click here for a detailed look at Keller’s EWRB services or visit: www.kellerengineering.com
