2024.12.02 |
2024 is on pace to be the hottest year on record globally, beating out records set in 2023. Toronto is no stranger to the ever-present effects of climate change, with increases in the frequency and intensity of heat waves across the city. Buildings are the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto, accounting for a significant 56% of emissions. As the city pushes toward its ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040—transforming how buildings are designed, constructed, and retrofitted is essential.
Toronto’s Net-Zero Building Strategies
The City of Toronto has introduced policies to encourage the decarbonization of its building stock through its Existing Buildings: Net Zero Strategy and the Toronto Green Standard. The Existing Buildings: Net Zero Strategy focuses on making retrofits more accessible to building owners through expansion of retrofit financing and streamlining of the retrofit approval process. Aggressive and pragmatic retrofit measures are needed considering an estimated 476,000 homes and buildings in Toronto must be retrofitted to meet net zero by 2040. This requires a staggering pace of 27,400 residential retrofits and thousands of commercial, industrial, and institutional upgrades annually through 2040. The Toronto Green Standard targets new builds, setting out sustainable design and performance requirements for new developments.
Challenges on the Road to Net Zero
Many stakeholders in the buildings industry have concerns that increased regulations related to net zero goals will delay construction, translating to fewer buildings being built, in turn exacerbating issues such as housing affordability. Meanwhile, many building owners are still hesitant to retrofit their buildings as it is viewed as too expensive with uncertain return on investment.
Leveraging Innovative Technology as a Solution
The buildings industry is booming with cutting-edge technologies that support the adoption of green building practices. For example, QEA Tech uses sophisticated AI models to quantify energy loss for every square inch of the building envelope and pinpoint specific causes of energy loss within the envelope. This level of detail enables our technology to recommend retrofit solutions that are customized to the energy loss issues of a specific building, ensuring that building owners can maximize both energy savings and return on investment. This makes retrofit planning and implementation a much more affordable process for building owners, allowing them to prioritize retrofits based on areas of energy loss. Furthermore, QEA Tech creates a measurable 3D digital twin of the building that enables detailed visual inspections of the building envelope. In addition to evaluating issues and risks on existing buildings, the measurable digital twin enables builders to monitor the progress of their construction projects in real time, increasing efficiency and mitigating against project delays.
Financial Benefits of Green Building Practices
Sustainable building practices can yield long-term financial and environmental returns. For example, a 29-story condominium in Etobicoke was built with energy efficiency prioritized. The building benefits from a 41% reduction in energy use compared to its conventionally built sister building and saves a notable $125,000 a year in energy costs. Additionally, QEA Tech recently analyzed a Toronto-based Hospital which had undergone building envelope retrofits. Annual energy costs for retrofitted windows were 29% lower compared to old windows and 82% lower for retrofitted walls compared to old walls.
Building a Greener Future
Toronto’s path to net-zero hinges on a collective commitment to green construction and retrofitting existing buildings. While challenges persist, adoption of innovative technology can bridge gaps, ensuring progress without compromising affordability and efficiency.
Visit QEA Tech’s booth (#653) at The Buildings Show, occurring December 4-6 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, to learn more about how our AI-driven building envelope energy audits can make planning and developing green buildings a seamless process.
