The Energy Benchmarking Program

As another year draws to a close for the Energy Benchmarking Program (EBP), it's an opportune moment to reflect on its origins and the positive impact it has had on faith communities.

The EBP was Initiated by Faith & The Common Good (FCG), through Greening Sacred Spaces (GSS), the EBP began in 2017 across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA); over five years, 103 congregations eagerly participated in this pioneering effort.

FCG played a pivotal role in guiding these faith communities towards practical and economical climate action by measuring and reporting their annual energy consumption. Each faith community received an annual energy report for a 5 year time period, which included a comprehensive yearly dataset of electricity and natural gas usage. The reports also included detailed total energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy costs. Faith communities were also provided with benchmarking charts, enabling them to gauge their energy efficiency against the 100+ other congregations enrolled in the program.

The program unearthed key insights for its participants. In Ontario, the program underscored that natural gas consumption typically propels a building's greenhouse gas emissions due to its higher emissions per unit of energy compared to electricity. It also spotlighted the economic challenges in transitioning to cleaner electrical appliances, as electricity emerged as the pricier energy source.

Faith communities, dedicated to reducing energy consumption, embarked on an inspiring journey of energy-efficient retrofits. From embracing LED lighting to overhauling boilers, these communities took tangible steps to minimize their environmental impact. Other energy-efficient retrofits consisted of replacing windows and doors, installing motion sensors, thermostat controls, and/or building automation systems as a result of their benchmarking reports.

Integral to the program's success were dedicated Benchmarking Coordinators who supported and mentored participants across various faith traditions. Michelle Singh, Executive Director of FCG, highlighted the program's significance in reducing carbon footprints and lowering energy costs for faith buildings nationwide.

During this time, GSS Ottawa began a collaborative pilot project with the United Church of Canada on Project Footprint to track the emissions of United churches in the Ottawa area. After completing this project, GSS Ottawa recognized that although many faith communities are interested in becoming energy efficient, they struggle to gather their own energy data.

Following the results of this local initiative and the success of the Energy Benchmarking Program in GTHA, GSS Ottawa launched its own version in 2019, inspired by the positive outcomes observed elsewhere. During the EBP’s first 3 years, GSS Ottawa helped 50 participating faith communities take practical, cost-effective action by raising awareness and understanding of their building's energy use and emissions. The program was funded through grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, along with the Ottawa Community Foundation, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and the Sustainable Capacity Foundation. 

Similar to the success of the program in the GTHA, The EBP has lead to some exciting new green initiatives in the Ottawa Area as well:

• Carleton Memorial United Church has started on a number of energy retrofits, and has since hired a property manager to help with repairs to make the building greener & more energy efficient. They have switched to LED lighting and replaced windows & doors to improve the air sealing of the building. Their goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030!

• With the guidance of GSS and the Energy Benchmarking Program, the Chinmaya Mission Ottawa were able to perform a Do-It-Yourself energy audit & conduct some fixes themselves with the help of volunteers. This included fixing a leaky toilet, getting sealants on their doors and film on their windows, and replacing their water tank.

•  The Ottawa Bahá’í Centre has implemented a number of energy saving retrofits. They changed all their compact fluorescent lighting to LED lighting, including their exterior sign. They also replaced their gas water-heater tank with a tankless electric water-heating system. They hope to replace their HVAC system, and possibly to install solar panels in the future. 

The success of the Energy Benchmarking Program in both the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and Ottawa stands as a testament to the power of community-driven climate action. As faith communities continue to embrace energy-efficient practices, they set a powerful example of environmental stewardship and resilience. The EBP has not only helped these communities reduce their carbon footprints and energy costs but also fostered a spirit of collaboration and innovation. Moving forward, GSS is committed to expanding this impactful program, ensuring that even more faith communities across Canada can join the journey toward sustainability. Together, we are building a greener, more sustainable future for all.

Emily Sayadi is a Sustainability Intern with Greening Sacred Spaces