Integrated Energy Mapping for Ontario Communities Lessons Learned

Publication Date: November, 2011

Link to External Website: http://www.canurb.org/s/CUIPublicationIntegratedEnergyMappingOntario-bs7g.pdf

Abstract

Integrated Energy Mapping for Ontario Communities (IEMOC) was a collaborative initiative of the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), Ontario Power Authority (OPA), CanmetENERGY a division of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), and participating municipalities and local distribution companies (LDCs). The IEMOC project set out to analyze the impacts of population and employment growth; land-use and transportation planning decisions; and building and transportation energy efficiency measures on energy consumption for four Ontario municipalities: Guelph, Hamilton, Barrie, and London. As part of the study, each participating community received an Integrated Energy Mapping Strategy (IEMS) report that outlined strategies for buildings, transportation, and energy generation that could be implemented within the municipality to reduce energy and carbon emissions. Communities also received a series of energy maps which visually illustrated how buildings and transportation spatially consume energy across the municipality. Energy maps were produced for a recent baseline as well as for projected energy use under Business as Usual, High Efficiency and Ultra High Efficiency cases in the future (year 2031). In addition, communities received an integrated, spatially referenced database which included energy data provided by local distribution companies, the Municipal Properties Assessment Corporation (MPAC), as well as future building and transportation projections developed using city growth management and planning reports and input from staff. As part of the process, the following five activities were undertaken in each community:

• Evaluated energy reduction opportunities for new and existing buildings;
• Reviewed the application of cost-effective alternative technologies and renewable fuels;
• Assessed the potential to reduce the impact of transportation related energy use;
• Visualized energy use of buildings and transportation using maps through Geographic Information Systems (GIS); and,
• Developed a tool to monitor, evaluate and verify progress towards meeting energy and greenhouse gas objectives.

This Integrated Energy Mapping for Ontario Communities - Lessons Learned Report was prepared to document the energy mapping process that was used on the IEMOC project, to outline challenges encountered during the process, and to provide lessons learned from these challenges so that other Ontario communities can repeat and improve the process.

This project was supported by CanmetENERGY by the Program of Energy Research and Development through a grant and contribution.