Free Training: Energy Efficiency for Building Operators & Maintenance Staff
The Energy Efficiency for Building Operators and Maintenance Staff (EEBO) training is being offered for free by the City of Toronto in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Energy Training (CIET). Enrollment is limited to 20 participants. To submit an expression of interest, register for our Navigation and Support Services.
Interested in hosting the Energy Efficiency for Building Operators training at your building? As a host, part of the training will take place on-site at your building. Trainers will conduct an Energy Hunt, through which you will receive a customized energy profile for your building as well as targeted energy and cost-saving opportunities. Please read the requirements below and reach out to us at bbp@toronto.ca to apply.
The Energy Efficiency for Building Operators and Maintenance Staff (EEBO) training is designed to engage, motivate and empower building operators and managers through hands-on, highly interactive training. This iteration of the training is aimed specifically at multi-unit residential buildings that are three storeys or more above grade within the City of Toronto.
Training Overview
In this one-day, in-person training, instructors help participants understand how energy behaves, how it is used in facilities and how to control it through operational actions across various building systems. Physical demonstrations, calculations, worksheets, role plays and case studies highlight energy-saving opportunities in lighting, pumps, fans, building envelope components, HVAC, refrigeration, building automation systems and more.
A key feature of the course is the Energy Hunt, which takes participants out of the classroom and into a walkthrough of the building’s systems and daily operations. The insights gathered are then applied back in the classroom, where participants learn to calculate energy savings based on the opportunities identified. On average, organizations who conducted the CIET Energy Efficiency for Building Operators (EEBO) Energy Hunts identified a:
17 per cent reduction in GHG emissions
13 per cent drop in energy costs
$39,000 annual energy cost savings
116 tons of mitigated CO₂ emissions
This training is offered at no cost (regular fee: $1,295). The final location and date will be announced shortly.
Who Should Take This Training
Building operators and maintenance and facility staff know their building better than anyone. They are uniquely positioned to discover and act on energy savings opportunities that will reduce building maintenance costs and overall operating costs. This training is ideal for the following individuals associated with a multi-unit residential building three storeys or more above grade located within the City of Toronto:
Building or facility operators and supervisors
Building or asset managers
Energy managers
Sustainability managers
Building maintenance staff
Benefits for Participants & Host Buildings
Participants
After this training, your staff will be equipped to:
Determine how building operations impact energy consumption and how to identify energy waste
Determine how to improve energy efficiency through building maintenance and operations
Apply expertise on how to conduct simple energy savings calculations and explain savings to others
Apply building control strategies used to reduce energy consumption and cost
Optimize HVAC systems
Reduce energy consumption through equipment selections and replacement
Host Buildings
By hosting this training, your organization will:
Gain a customized energy profile of your building, highlighting inefficiencies and significant opportunities for savings
Receive a professional infographic summarizing the Energy Hunt findings and recommendations, ideal for internal reporting or stakeholder engagement
Learn the framework for scaling this Energy Hunt to other properties in your portfolio
Empower your staff to take ownership of energy performance and contribute to sustainability goals
Reduce operating and maintenance costs and CO₂ emissions through smarter use of equipment and systems
Eligibility & Application Process
To submit an expression of interest for this training, please register for our Navigation and Support Services. If you are already a participant in our Navigation and Support Services, or are interested in hosting the training at your building, please contact bbp@toronto.ca.
All participating buildings must meet the following eligibility criteria at the minimum:
Be a multi-unit residential building three storeys or more above grade and located within the City of Toronto
Hosting the EEBO training offers many benefits. In addition to the eligibility criteria above, the host building must also meet the following requirements.
Infrastructure and Resources
Provide a conference/meeting room
In the same building (or close vicinity) as where the Energy Hunt will take place
Has space for 20 to 25 people
Wi-Fi, projector/large monitor for presentations, flip chart
Availability of on-site contact to discuss logistics ahead of and during the course
Access to the building spaces for the Energy Hunt (building walkthrough). An ideal building to profile has the following characteristics:
The building would like to reduce their annual energy usage/costs
Frequent and recurring complaints/problems with thermal comfort
The building has a DDC/BAS system
Frequent equipment repairs and servicing
Complex HVAC systems
Ongoing performance issues
Availability of building operator to assist with questions about the building and its equipment ahead of, during and immediately after the course
Building Data Requirements
Three to four years of monthly gas and electricity data and water consumption data (actual meter readings and meter reading dates)
Shared access to Energy Star Portfolio Manager property details or a screenshot of the main page showing metrics for subject building
An energy audit report and/or existing building commissioning report and/or building condition assessment (BCA)
