Concerns with energy saving plans

Yet, the owners must be wary. There are unscrupulous management companies and board members who will sign contracts for energy saving projects that will drain the condo's reserve funds and drive the corporation into long-term debt.

Why? Perhaps they believe that the energy saving swill offset the renovation costs. Perhaps they are fanatical environmentalists and perhaps there may be secret kickbacks to be had.

Owners stripped of democratic rights
There is reason to believe that new changes to Ontario's Condominium Act may allow the board to spend the corporation's reserve funds on green projects without requiring the owners' approval or even being informed of their plans prior to the contracts being signed.

It certainly appears that our provincial government has no faith that the owners know what is best for their corporation.

Mandatory energy use reporting
On 03 March 2014, the city’s parks and environment committee asked staff to report back in one year with a proposed energy efficiency by-law that would apply to large commercial and multi-residential buildings. (This includes condominiums.)

Toby Heaps was one of the people who pitched the idea for mandatory energy use reporting to Toronto. He is a founder of Corporate Knights, a media and research company based in Toronto. It focuses on promoting an economic system where prices fully incorporate all social, economic and ecological costs and benefits.

In his view, the proposed by-law needs to be mandatory in order to be effective.

Purpose
The intent to have every large building in Toronto measured on how much energy and water it consumes per square foot. The politicians can then decide what form of incentives and penalties they may wish to impose, if any, on the buildings they feel consume too much energy and water.

While writing the by-law, the city's staff are expected to consult with the usual stakeholders including building owners (condo owners, I wonder?) and property managers.

An interim report, due August 2014, will outline possible criteria by which buildings would be included in the program. It will also include a rough implementation schedule.

I wonder how well all these glass towers will rate if this by-law is adopted.

Just fake it
In effort to be ‘green,’ some property owners misuse the coveted LEED designation. A New England Center for Investigation Reporting article claims that some developers use the LEED designation but have no interest in actually spending the time and money it takes to actually get certified.

Why green building has hit the wall, and what to do about it
In an article in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Jerry Yudelson states that many developers and building owners are not seeking LEED certification because it is too expensive and time consuming.

Costs are real: Just the required commissioning services in LEED can add $0.50-$1 per square foot to the cost of a building. Add in the consulting costs, which can easily run into six figures, and one begins to understand why for most owners and developers pursuing green building certification, unless mandated by policy or driven by government incentives, is something for which they are increasingly saying deciding, “no thanks.”
 
Perceived benefits are slight: In most cases, the benefits include savings in energy efficiency that would be achieved in most cases without a green building certification, claims for improved employee health and productivity backed by weak empirical evidence, and better PR and marketing benefits for developers, etc.

Owners and developers would prefer a certification process that’s simpler, cheaper and more useful.

Want to cut energy use?
Do we really want to cut energy and water use? How about at the same time we save billions in wasteful government subsidies? All of this is possible with one guaranteed government policy.

All energy should be sold at its actual market cost. No government subsidies to any link of the chain from supply to end use. When the price goes to the roof, Canadians will voluntarily use a lot less.

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