Whereas as described in the Canada Green Building Councils Energy Benchmarking, Reporting Disclosure in Canada: A Guide to a Common Framework, mandatory energy benchmarking and reporting is a low cost, market-based means to enable buildings to reduce energy costs and GHG emissions; And whereas the Province of BC is a signatory to both the Pan-Canadian Framework on Climate Change and Clean Growth, and the Pacific Coast Climate Leadership Plan, both of which commit the Province to implement benchmarking requirements for larger buildings; And whereas a provincially administered benchmarking requirement similar to that adopted by the Province of Ontario would be most impactful and administratively simple; And whereas climate change threatens BC communities, and action in the built environment is necessary to mitigate climate change and realize economic opportunity: Therefore be it resolved that the Province be requested to develop a requirement that buildings above a size threshold benchmark their energy performance and report this information to the province annually, and that the resulting data be available to local governments to inform their climate policy and programs.
Ministry of Energy, Mines Petroleum Resources The Province of British Columbia recognizes that energy efficiency is one of the lowest cost ways to reduce energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the five jurisdictions that make up the Pacific Coast Collaborative, and as a contributor to the Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, the Province supports building energy benchmarking as an important tool to achieve energy efficiency and climate objectives for the built environment. The Province continues to explore policy and program options in relation to energy benchmarking for commercial and large multi-unit residential buildings in BC.