Greening Government Operations

Strategies and/or Comments

NRCan has committed to meeting specific goals through both the federal and the departmental sustainable development strategies. That includes the long-term goal of reducing emissions by 17% from a 2005 baseline by 2020. The Low Carbon (LoC) NRCan initiative was put in place to contribute to meeting the specific greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals outlined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). Its primary focus is to reduce energy consumption at the 17 building sites that currently produce about 94% of NRCan’s total GHG emissions. To ensure it has the largest possible impact across the organization, it also focuses on IT and the workplace.

The initiative includes a number of activities such as the development of the site-specific energy management plans, implementation of energy efficiency measures, space consolidation, a reduction in the number of printers, server consolidation; building retrofits; certifying NRCan’s larger existing facilities to the BOMA BESt environmental system and undertaking an ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard Pilot Project.

In addition to the LoC NRCan initiative, the department has an implementation strategy for FSDS Targets 8.1-8.4. The strategy defines targets to be achieved and the scope of projects included.

 Specifically, for Target 8.1 the proposed strategy is to:

1. Assess these types of projects using Athena’s Life Cycle Assessment tool (i.e., embodied effects)
2. Require energy simulation results (i.e., operating effects)
3. Commit to meeting Green Globes Design Globes for new buildings.

Buildings larger than 1,000 m2 and costing more than $1M will be within scope. If the application of Green Globes Design is deemed inappropriate, due to the special nature of the department’s facilities, a justification will be placed on file.

Strategies and/or Comments

The Low Carbon (LoC) NRCan initiative contributes to the departmental commitment of meeting the specific goals outlined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). Its primary focus is to reduce energy consumption at the 17 building sites that currently produce about 94% of NRCan’s total GHG emissions. To ensure it has the largest possible impact across the organization, it also focuses on IT and the workplace.

The initiative includes a number of activities such as the development of site-specific energy management plans, space consolidation, a reduction in the number of printers, server consolidation, building retrofits, certifying NRCan’s larger existing facilities to the BOMA BESt environmental system and undertaking an ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard Pilot Project.

In 2011-12, NRCan began a pilot of the ISO 50001 Standard in the building sector by developing and implementing an energy management system for one of its buildings. The second year of the pilot shows a 17% reduction in electrical use and an estimated 10% reduction in building heating.

In addition to the department's LoC initiative, the department has an implementation strategy for meeting FSDS Target 8.2:

1. Minimum level of assessment: BOMA BESt Level 1
2. The appropriate threshold (dollar value or floor area): 1000 m2 
3. Applicable building types: All NRCan-owned buildings over 1000 m², excluding sheds, garages and warehouses.
4. Industry-recognized assessment tool used: BOMA BESt

Level achieved: Five (5) buildings achieved BOMA BESt Level 3. Level 3 is met when a building meets all Best Practices and achieves a score of 80-89%.  They include:

• CanmetENERGY Varennes Research Centre, Varennes, QC (Certified 2008-09, under recertification)
• Laurentian Forestry Centre, Sainte-Foy, QC
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 2 (Solid Fuels Research), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 3 (General Office and Laboratory), Ottawa, ON
• Central Experimental Farm, Building #5, Ottawa, ON

15 buildings achieved Level 2 certification.  Level 2 is met when a building meets all Best Practices and achieves a score of 70-79%. They include:

• 555 Booth Street, Ottawa, ON
• 2617 Anderson Road (Geomatics Administration and Laboratories Building), Ottawa, ON
• Building 1, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, ON
• Building 3, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, ON
• Building 7, Central Experimental Farm, Ottawa, ON
• Pacific Forestry Centre, Victoria, BC
• 3484 Limebank Road (Armco Building), Ottawa, ON
• 2464 Sheffield Road (Warner Building), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 1 (Central Heating Plant), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 4 (Hydrogenation Laboratory), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex Building 5, Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 6 (Petroleum Process Laboratory), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 9 (Diesel, Ground Control and Explosives Laboratory), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 10 (Mining Research Laboratories), Ottawa, ON
• Bells Corners Complex, Building 12/12A, Ottawa, ON

Two (2) buildings achieved Level 1 certification. Level 1 is met when a building meets all Best Practices. They include:

• Northern Forestry Centre, Edmonton , AB
• Geological Survey of Canada, Calgary, AB

 The remainder of the Department's inventory will be assessed by 2013-14.

Whether certification was sought: Yes (all buildings certified by the applicable regional BOMA Office)

Rationale for traffic light indicator selected: Department is on track to achieve the target, as per departmental strategic framework.

Strategies and/or Comments

The Low Carbon (LoC) NRCan initiative contributes to the departmental commitment of meeting the specific goals outlined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). Its primary focus is to reduce energy consumption at the 17 building sites that currently produce about 94% of NRCan’s total greenhouse gas emissions. To ensure it has the largest possible impact across the organization, it also focuses on IT and the workplace.

The initiative includes a number of activities such as the development of site-specific energy management plans, space consolidation, a reduction in the number of printers, server consolidation, building retrofits, certifying NRCan’s larger existing facilities to the BOMA BESt environmental system and undertaking an ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard Pilot Project.

In addition to the department's LoC initiative, the department has an implementation strategy for meeting FSDS Target 8.3:

Where lease or lease renewal options are being considered (e.g., where the Crown is anticipating changing landlords), bidders must submit life cycle assessment (LCA) results for their leased space (structural materials and finishes). The Athena LCA Impact Estimator tool allows the user to input energy simulation results to calculate operating effects alongside embodied effects. These energy simulation results will be required. The lease with the lowest energy simulation results, within available resources, will be chosen.

This does not apply to occupancy instruments with Public Works and Government Services Canada.

NRCan has two leases that will require renewal within the next 5 years. The nature of these agreements (memorandum of understanding with provincial organizations and/or lease agreements that are in support of a research agreement) are such that a change in location or landlord is unlikely. As per the department’s FSDS Implementation Strategy, these types of lease renewals are not within scope. Nonetheless, as with all real property agreements, due diligence and options analysis will be carried out.

Rationale for traffic light indicator selected: Strategic framework that outlines considerations for this target has been completed.

Strategies and/or Comments

The Low Carbon (LoC) NRCan initiative contributes to the departmental commitment of meeting the specific goals outlined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). Its primary focus is to reduce energy consumption at the 17 building sites that currently produce about 94% of NRCan’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To ensure it has the largest possible impact across the organization, it also focuses on IT and the workplace.

The initiative includes a number of activities such as the development of site-specific energy management plans, space consolidation, a reduction in the number of printers, server consolidation, building retrofits, certifying NRCan’s larger existing facilities to the BOMA BESt environmental system and undertaking an ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard Pilot Project.

In addition to the department's LoC initiative, the department has an implementation strategy for meeting FSDS Target 8.4:

Projects larger than 1,000 m² and costing more than $1 million will be within scope. If the application of Green Globes Design is deemed inappropriate, due to the special nature of the department’s facilities, a justification will be placed on file.

No new projects within this category have been identified.

Rationale for traffic light indicator selected: Strategic framework that outlines considerations for this target has been completed.

Note: NRCan assists other Canadian federal organizations (departments, agencies and Crown corporations) in making energy efficiency improvements through the Federal Buildings Initiative, which is identified as a best practice under the FSDS. Administered by NRCan’s Office of Energy Efficiency, the program offers an array of services to assist Government of Canada organizations in reducing the energy consumption of their facilities. It includes training, preliminary energy audits, access to consultants, and support for implementing energy efficiency upgrades that lead to reduced energy and water use, GHG emissions and operating costs.

Strategies and/or Comments

A baseline adjustment was made to 2005/06 data to account missing utility data at Atlantic Forestry Center and corrections to Natural Gas and Steam conversion factors.

A correction for 2011/12 data was made to account for missing utility data and transcription error.

Targeted GHG emissions sources include buildings and fleet. NRCan’s buildings account for approximately 96% of the departmental GHG emissions.  Fleet accounts for the remaining 4%.

Excluded emission sources are some observatories, seismographic stations, field stations and other remote areas.

Buildings

1. Emission reductions since 2005-06 are due to several initiatives such as the implementation of projects in 2009-10 and 2010-11 via the Accelerated Infrastructure Program (e.g., lighting upgrades, roof upgrades/replacements, envelope sealing/upgrades, chiller and boiler replacements, etc.), annual Building Management Plans (BMP) projects, sector-funded energy reduction projects as well as implementation of various activities under the Low Carbon (LoC) NRCan Initiative.
2. The LoC NRCan Initiative was approved by the Deputy Minister in September 2010 and includes many activities to reduce GHG emissions such as:
   • Energy retrofit projects
   • Recommissioning and Continuous Building Optimization
   • Piloting the implementation of the ISO 50001 Energy Management Standard at one facility in Bells Corners
   • IT projects (e.g., desktop hibernation for all NRCan computers and printer device reduction)
   • Clean technologies demonstration projects
   • Workspace consolidation
   • Employee engagement and energy awareness training
3. Base year emissions reported in FY 2011-12 RPP have been recalculated due to discovery of missing utility information.
4. Rationale for traffic light indicator selected – As per the mandatory implementation strategies for target 8.5 in the FSDS, the department has:
   • Reported (and adjusted as required) baseline GHG emissions.
   • Set a departmental GHG reduction target
   • Developed and put into action an implementation plan (via the LoC NRCan Initiative) to achieve the departmental GHG reduction target

Fleet

1. NRCan is significantly reducing its vehicle inventory as it focuses on innovative strategies to reduce employee reliance on ground transportation. These strategies include limiting vehicle travel to meetings by utilizing advanced video conferencing technologies. By limiting travel, it is projected that NRCan's vehicle fleet will have been reduced by as much as 65% (by the end of fiscal year 2012-13) since its inception as a department in 1995, e.g., from 700 vehicles to 245.
2. Only vehicles required to deliver specialized program related tasks will remain as part of NRCan's inventory. These vehicles will adhere to strict retention parameters that are best suited to enhance environmental efficiency and reduce costs.
3. Any new vehicle acquisitions will meet the standard of being the most fuel efficient within the required class, further reducing its environmental impact.

Strategies and/or Comments

1. Our department’s EEE implementation plan (Departmental E-waste Plan) includes all of the required elements (e.g., reuse and recycle of surplus equipment), as per the mandatory implementation strategies listed in the GGO targets table.
2. All NRCan locations across Canada (16 facilities) are part of the EEE implementation plan.
3. All disposals are subject to the recommendation of the Departmental Assets Manager, who ensures compliance with the Departmental E-waste Plan.

Rationale for the traffic light indicator selected: Department has achieved 100% of locations with an EEE implementation plan fully implemented.

Strategies and /or Comments

1. Continued monitoring and management.

Strategies / Comments

1. NRCan is currently establishing an internal paper consumption baseline.
2. Method for determining paper consumption will be based on tonnage of paper recycled per annum.
3. Method used for determining number of office employees: Number of active email user accounts.
4. Number of office employees subject to the target: 5927 office employees (includes seasonal staff, visiting scientists, students, etc.).
5. Certain reduction initiatives occurred prior to baseline year; e.g.: Double sided printing set as default printer setting.
6. Rationale for the traffic light indicator selected: Department is on track for meeting the target.
7. This target must be realized through the individual actions of NRCan employees who are not limited by the organization in the amount of paper that they are individually allocated. The department already has a number of guidelines and campaigns (e.g., green meeting initiative) which promote the sourcing of paper from certified sustainable sources. In addition, NRCan is exploring new activities that may have an impact on the printing and paper consumption habits of NRCan employees (e.g., executive tablet trial)

Strategies and or/ Comments

1. NRCan adopted a green meeting guide by March 31, 2011.
2. NRCan's videoconference services have been transferred from our department's Information Technology Services (ITS) to Shared Services Canada (SSC). ITS will work with SSC to provide statistics on videoconference use and will continue to promote videoconference services—if such services are a factor in saving travel.

Strategies and /or Comments

1. Dollar value of vehicles that meet the target relative to total dollar value of all vehicles in the Department.
2. Number of vehicles that meet the target relative to total number of all vehicles in the Department.
   This target requires that criteria to identify when a vehicle is right-sized are defined.
3. It requires the availability of inventory counts / assets management data for reporting, but does not require the availability of procurement data.
4. Consideration must be taken when setting the percentage for the target to ensure that vehicles will not need to be prematurely disposed of to meet the target.
5. PWGSC prepares the Government Motor Vehicle Ordering Guide (GMVOG) every year, taking into consideration the efficiencies, including fuel efficiency. In 2012-13 NRCan purchased 5 new vehicles across Canada. All of them are selected from GMVOG.

Note: NRCan is reducing its fleet operations. It closed the vehicle pool in the National Capital Region on November 30, 2012. Special purpose vehicles will be managed by sectors; non-specialized vehicles are disposed (with the exception of one vehicle, to be disposed by fall 2013).

Strategies  and/or  Comments

1. This has been in place since 2009.

As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish SMART targets for training, employee performance evaluations, and management processes and controls, as they pertain to procurement decision-making.

Strategies and/or Comments

Why this green procurement training target is SMART:

1. Specific: Refers to specific nature / type of training and target audience
2. Measurable: Information is available from regional procurement personnel (HR-related) files (An electronic certificate is issued upon completion of the training.)
3. Achievable: Training is “learner friendly”: easily accessible, i.e. online (24 / 7)
4. Relevant: In-house training used: Canada School of Public Service course on Green Procurement (C215)
5. Time-bound: Date established for target completion, i.e. 100% (March 31, 2014)

Other reporting considerations:
The Green Procurement training implementation experience in the National Capital Region is used as a model to follow for the implementation of similar regional training. Our fully launched National Workload Sharing for Procurement and Contracting enables successful attainment of this objective.

Employee performance evaluations for personnel of procurement and materiel management:

Strategies and /or Comments

 Why this self-selected green procurement performance evaluationtarget is SMART:

1. Specific: Refers to specific positions (non manager and non functional head personnel) and functional area (procurement).
2. Measurable: information is available from our procurement module (e.g. for service transactions valued at >$5K a mandatory checklist which includes environmental considerations is completed by the RC Manager).
3. Achievable: Contribution of and support for green procurement policy objectives will be reviewed as part of annual evaluations (Performance Feedback Reports).
4. Relevant: Environmental considerations may be applied to all procurement requests (albeit to varying degrees* and subject to client specifications).
   * e.g. to a lesser extent with services than goods
5. Time-bound: Date established for target completion, i.e. 100% (March 31, 2014).

Management processes and controls

Strategiesand/or Comments

1. A 100% of the procurement consolidation was achieved by March 2013. With Shared Service Canada (SSC) taking over the payment of wireless devices and the creation of its own consolidation process with the aid of the service providers, at the time of preparation of RPP the implementation is at about 100%. The introduction of SSC prevents any future devices from being acquired outside of the Government Cellular Service contract.
2. By consolidation of wireless services procurement under SSC, a responsible management of wireless hardware purchases and disposal is attained.