Our workshop on February 23 was a total success, judging by participant’s reaction and media coverage. Over 40 people attended and spent the day probing the underlying causes of “What’s stopping us from making the residential sector totally green?”.
As we wait for the final workshop proceedings, Patrick Langston of The Ottawa Citizen wrote this:
"Lack of public awareness and financial aid is stymieing the greening of Canadian homes, according to participants in a workshop promoting eco-building techniques earlier this week.
More than 40 participants tried to understand why the green movement is not going faster, since homes generate one-tenth of Canada's greenhouse gases, and technologies, innovations and practices are available to reduce emissions by 60 per cent by 2030.
"The workshop, which is part of a two-year research project by the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management on transitioning to a sustainable society, took place the same day the provincial government announced Ontario's Green Energy Act to promote residential energy efficiency.
"Yet participants made it clear that basic information about the availability, cost, and economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency technologies is lacking among everyone, from developers and buyers, to real estate agents and lenders."
Peter Kovessy of the Ottawa Business Journal writes that at our workshop, “several green residential experts said previous government incentive programs, aimed at encouraging home energy efficiency upgrades, have a mixed record at best.
Rather than public subsidies, participants at a workshop examining barriers to reducing the impact of climate change in the residential sector suggested the government do a better job promoting measurable standards for home energy efficiency.”
In addition to some of the leading participants such as Mathew Sachs of Urbandale, and David Foster of the Canadian Home Builders Association, Kovessy makes reference to three MBA student presentations, which extracted lessons learned from the evaluation of past programs in energy efficiency in the eighties and nineties.
In referring to low number of houses that had been built under the R-2000 program, “by that standard the program has not been very successful, concluded Anne Murray Choudhary, a University of Ottawa MBA candidate who analyzed evaluations of the program conducted up to 1995.
In that time period, only 6,500 homes were built to the standards, she said, noting there was low public awareness and a high amount of paperwork required of builders.
Likewise, the Canadian Oil Substitution Program, in place between 1980 and 1985 to reduce the country's reliance on foreign oil, was "not particularly" effective, said another MBA student, Jason Spears.
The government handed out $715 million in subsidies to homeowners to switch their heating systems from oil to alternatives. While the program led to nearly $2 billion in conversions, two-thirds of surveyed participants said they would have made the switch regardless, said Mr. Spears, adding regional differences, such as the lack of natural gas access in Atlantic Canada, hampered the effectiveness of the one-size-fits-all program.
The Canadian Home Insulation Program was similarly established in 1977 and ran for a decade to shield the country from possible future oil shocks by saving energy used for space heating, explained MBA candidate Benedicte Losfeld.
The program only achieved 17-per-cent energy savings among participants, off from the expected 30 per cent, said Ms. Losfeld.
Interim project chair Tom Brzustowski said there hasn't been enough emphasis on management in sustainability discussions given the main impediments tend to be institutional, jurisdictional and cultural, rather than technological.
"There seems to be no shortage of knowledge or innovation," he said. "Maybe we've been too preoccupied with ideas and haven't spent enough time putting things into practice."
Feb 9, 2009
Overcoming barriers to innovation and change: the creation of a new international agency to promote renewable energy.
Last month marked the creation of a new international agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), exclusively focused on the promotion of renewable energy technologies.
More than 120 government delegations from across the world attended a conference in Bonn. The Agency’s statute was signed on January 26, 2009 by a total of 75 nations, a broad cross-section of developing and industrialized countries. Canada did not attend.
The initiative was led by Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Poland.
“The founding of IRENA is a milestone on the road towards a future-oriented energy supply. It is a clear sign that the global energy paradigm is changing and that more and more governments are committed to accelerating that shift.”
“The aim of the new Agency is to work throughout the world to close the gap that exists between the enormous potential of renewables and their current relatively low market share in energy consumption. IRENA is the first international organisation to focus exclusively on the issue of renewable energies, addressing both the industrialized and the developing world. The main work of IRENA will be to advise its members on creating the right frameworks, building capacity, and improving financing and the transfer of technology and know-how for renewable energies. IRENA seeks to cooperate closely with other international organisations and institutions active in the field of renewable energy.”
For more information, see www.irena.org
More than 120 government delegations from across the world attended a conference in Bonn. The Agency’s statute was signed on January 26, 2009 by a total of 75 nations, a broad cross-section of developing and industrialized countries. Canada did not attend.
The initiative was led by Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Poland.
“The founding of IRENA is a milestone on the road towards a future-oriented energy supply. It is a clear sign that the global energy paradigm is changing and that more and more governments are committed to accelerating that shift.”
“The aim of the new Agency is to work throughout the world to close the gap that exists between the enormous potential of renewables and their current relatively low market share in energy consumption. IRENA is the first international organisation to focus exclusively on the issue of renewable energies, addressing both the industrialized and the developing world. The main work of IRENA will be to advise its members on creating the right frameworks, building capacity, and improving financing and the transfer of technology and know-how for renewable energies. IRENA seeks to cooperate closely with other international organisations and institutions active in the field of renewable energy.”
For more information, see www.irena.org
Feb 5, 2009
Program update: What's stopping us from making the residential sector totally green
Here's a program update to our February 23 workshop at U of Ottawa Telfer School, as of Friday, February 6 2009.
We have reached 75% of our registration objective. So hurry, space is limited.
Some of our presenters and resource persons as of today:
Hugh MacLeod, Associate Deputy Minister to the Premier of Ontario: Climate Change
Peter Love, Chief Energy Conservation Officer,Conservation Bureau, Ontario Power Authority
Ralph Torrie, Navigant Consulting
David Foster, Director of Environmental Affairs,Canadian Home Builders’ Association
Gordon Shields, Executive Director,Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition
Dana Silk, General Manager, Envirocentre, Ottawa
Chris Higgins, Coordinator, LEEDR Canada for Homes, Canada Green Building Council
Bob Linney, Canadian Real Estate Association
Tom Green, project manager, EQuilibrium™ Housing, CMHC
Representatives from City of Ottawa, Ville de Gatineau
Preliminary results from the Telfer School research project
on barriers to innovation and change
For program background, click here
For registration, click here
We have reached 75% of our registration objective. So hurry, space is limited.
Some of our presenters and resource persons as of today:
Hugh MacLeod, Associate Deputy Minister to the Premier of Ontario: Climate Change
Peter Love, Chief Energy Conservation Officer,Conservation Bureau, Ontario Power Authority
Ralph Torrie, Navigant Consulting
David Foster, Director of Environmental Affairs,Canadian Home Builders’ Association
Gordon Shields, Executive Director,Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition
Dana Silk, General Manager, Envirocentre, Ottawa
Chris Higgins, Coordinator, LEEDR Canada for Homes, Canada Green Building Council
Bob Linney, Canadian Real Estate Association
Tom Green, project manager, EQuilibrium™ Housing, CMHC
Representatives from City of Ottawa, Ville de Gatineau
Preliminary results from the Telfer School research project
on barriers to innovation and change
For program background, click here
For registration, click here
Feb 4, 2009
Inconvenience with public transit: A barrier to innovation and change
With the end of the disastrous two-month public transit strike in Canada’s National Capital, people are wondering what can OC Transpo do to regain its former popularity among commuters. Mike Kesterton of the Globe and Mail has pointed us to an interesting story by Fox News about novel technologies that would make public transit more convenient, eliminating some of the current barriers:
TransitTracker
"For commuters who have to choose between breakfast and catching the bus, companies such as TransitTracker keep tags on buses and trains so you can track them online or on your cell phone.
The system follows your ride's actual location — not an estimated schedule — so you know exactly when it will arrive at your station or stop." It’s currently being used in Portland, Oregon.
iNap
"Once you're on that train or bus, you can finally get back to what matters most: going back to sleep.
Thanks to an ingenious iPhone application called iNap (get it here) , the phone's built-in GPS device will track your location (as long as you're above ground) and set off an alarm when you're near your destination — not too soon, not too late, leaving you little excuse to be grumpy when you actually arrive."
TransitTracker
"For commuters who have to choose between breakfast and catching the bus, companies such as TransitTracker keep tags on buses and trains so you can track them online or on your cell phone.
The system follows your ride's actual location — not an estimated schedule — so you know exactly when it will arrive at your station or stop." It’s currently being used in Portland, Oregon.
iNap
"Once you're on that train or bus, you can finally get back to what matters most: going back to sleep.
Thanks to an ingenious iPhone application called iNap (get it here) , the phone's built-in GPS device will track your location (as long as you're above ground) and set off an alarm when you're near your destination — not too soon, not too late, leaving you little excuse to be grumpy when you actually arrive."
Feb 2, 2009
What's stopping us from making the residential sector totally green?
A special workshop on identifying barriers to change and innovation
to reduce impacts of climate change in the residential sector
When: Monday, February 23, 2009, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Room 4101
55 Laurier East, Ottawa, K1N
The residential sector in Canada generates at least one tenth of greenhouse gases. These emissions can be reduced by as much as 60% by the year 2030. All this requires is the deployment of known technologies, innovations, and practices, already in the market.
What's stopping us from reaching that objective?
Key questions to be addressed:
What have we learned?
Over the last thirty years we have tried to reduce usage of fossil fuels. Many of the necessary technologies already exist and are available in the market. Refinements and improvements are always possible, but there is enough available already to make a big difference. So what have we learned from these years of federal, provincial, and municipal efforts to reduce energy consumption of Canada’s residential sector?
What are the barriers to change?
Identify major themes and obstacles, including jurisdictional, legal/economical, and behavioural challenges
What are some common themes?
Discuss common themes and possible integrated areas of intervention.
Program
- Overview of objectives and sustainable visions
- Some of the presenters and resource persons:
Hugh MacLeod, Associate Deputy Minister
to the Premier of Ontario: Climate Change
Peter Love, Chief Energy Conservation Officer,
Conservation Bureau, Ontario Power Authority
David Foster, Director of Environmental Affairs
Canadian Home Builders’ Association
Gordon Shields, Executive Director
Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition
Dana Silk, General Manager
Envirocentre, Ottawa
Also
- Preliminary results from the Telfer School research project
on barriers to innovation and change
- Recent case studies
- Breakout into groups and sharing of past experiences
- Synthesis and priorization of major barriers to innovation and change
- Next steps
To register, click here
to reduce impacts of climate change in the residential sector
When: Monday, February 23, 2009, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, Room 4101
55 Laurier East, Ottawa, K1N
The residential sector in Canada generates at least one tenth of greenhouse gases. These emissions can be reduced by as much as 60% by the year 2030. All this requires is the deployment of known technologies, innovations, and practices, already in the market.
What's stopping us from reaching that objective?
Key questions to be addressed:
What have we learned?
Over the last thirty years we have tried to reduce usage of fossil fuels. Many of the necessary technologies already exist and are available in the market. Refinements and improvements are always possible, but there is enough available already to make a big difference. So what have we learned from these years of federal, provincial, and municipal efforts to reduce energy consumption of Canada’s residential sector?
What are the barriers to change?
Identify major themes and obstacles, including jurisdictional, legal/economical, and behavioural challenges
What are some common themes?
Discuss common themes and possible integrated areas of intervention.
Program
- Overview of objectives and sustainable visions
- Some of the presenters and resource persons:
Hugh MacLeod, Associate Deputy Minister
to the Premier of Ontario: Climate Change
Peter Love, Chief Energy Conservation Officer,
Conservation Bureau, Ontario Power Authority
David Foster, Director of Environmental Affairs
Canadian Home Builders’ Association
Gordon Shields, Executive Director
Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition
Dana Silk, General Manager
Envirocentre, Ottawa
Also
- Preliminary results from the Telfer School research project
on barriers to innovation and change
- Recent case studies
- Breakout into groups and sharing of past experiences
- Synthesis and priorization of major barriers to innovation and change
- Next steps
To register, click here
For further information: makingithappen@telfer.uottawa.ca
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