Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) is the largest social housing provider in Canada and home to more than 110,000 people living in nearly 60,000 low-and moderate-income households. TCHC owns and manages rental units across 2,100 buildings in Toronto. TCHC’s portfolio contains nearly 50 million sq. ft. of residential space and is a $10-billion public asset. Tenants come from many different backgrounds with a diversity in age, education, language, mental and physical disability, religion, ethnicity and race.
TCHC’s efforts in energy management and sustainability spans more than a decade. The Smart Buildings & Energy Management team collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to deliver a wide spectrum of electricity, natural gas, water and waste programs, which are complemented by tenant engagement and conservation efforts to enhance and sustain savings over time. Multiple teams are involved in conceptualizing various energy management initiatives by defining program objectives. TCHC also partners with all three orders of government, publicly funded agencies, leading industry experts and educational institutions to undertake new energy efficiency initiatives.
Learn more about TCHC’s work.
TCHC reduced natural gas consumption by 9.7 per cent in 2020 from the normalized baseline average of 2013 to 2017 with project highlights including:
The Smart Buildings & Energy Management Team leads conservation and engagement efforts across the TCHC portfolio including:
TCHC is implementing the Yardi Energy Management Software for utility cost and usage management and reporting which include Utility Expense Management (UEM) and Real-Time Metering (RTM).
The software provides TCHC energy management staff with the visibility they need to effectively tract, monitor, and manage TCHC building energy systems portfolio. In addition, the timely alerts can notify staff of issues as they happen. Portfolio level benchmarking, tracking and reporting will help TCHC energy management team identify and prioritize the most impactful savings opportunities.
TCHC reduced electricity consumption by 5.1 per cent in 2020 from the normalized baseline average of 2013 to 2017. Reductions in electricity consumption are attributed to energy conservation measures implemented over the last three years. Highlights include:
TCHC received funding from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH) as part of the Renewable Energy Initiative, for the implementation of renewable energy technologies in social and affordable housing including solar wall, solar domestic hot water heating, geothermal and solar photovoltaic technologies
Approximately 50 locations in the TCHC portfolio have implemented renewable energy projects with a combined solar revenue of approximately $1 million annually.
Disclaimer: Profiles presented are based on information provided by participants. Participants’ GHG emissions performance published are based on utility data submitted and converted to GHG emissions. The emission factors applied aligns with the period of energy data reported (2019). The emission factors utilized for the conversion are calculated based on a combination of sources: Government of Canada (National Inventory Report & Canada’s Proposed Greenhouse Gas Quantification Requirements), Government of Ontario (Guide: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting), The Atmospheric Fund (A Clearer View on Ontario’s Emissions – Electricity emissions factors and guidelines) and Enbridge Gas Inc. (Chemical Composition of Natural Gas).