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Department of Energy
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October 20, 2014

Our meetings with national decision-makers are coming together as Efficiency Matters on the Hill is less than a month away. We've confirmed Jay Kholsa, assistant deputy minister, NRCan and John Knubly, deputy minister at Industry Canada, among others. And we also have a CEEA members-only meeting set up with DND's Maurice Arsenault, director, Architecture and Engineering Services. There is still space to participate in our November 18 event to raise awareness about the business of energy efficiency. Participation is free for members and sponsors. Registration for non-members is $1,000.

CEEA's EE Education Tool helps students and employees across Canada find courses to boost their careers

CEEA has created an online education tool to take advantage of the growth in the energy efficiency market. With the recent IEA update that investment in energy efficiency markets worldwide in 2012 was between US$310 billion and US$360 billion that must mean energy efficiency is also a job creator, right? There are lots of stats flying around on that. Some of the most convincing come from an overview from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute. It reports an estimated 380,000 people were employed in the
US energy efficiency MORE BLOG

CEEA MEMBER UPDATES
Ecosystem Inc. wins AEE's 2014 Energy Project of the Year: The award is in the Region 1 category for its work with Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital.

Philippe Dunsky to oversee energy efficiency in Manitoba: Dunsky Energy

Philippe Dunsky will help Manitobans save energy.

Consulting's president will create an arm's-length body to set and measure targets for Manitobans to conserve more power.

Electricity Human Resources Canada names its 2014 leader of the year: Congratulations to Brian Bentz, president and CEO of PowerStream.

Electro-Federation's 2014 scholarship program recipients announced: The 19-year old program is supporting 56 students.

On-bill financing comments by CEEA: Sent to the Ontario Ministry of Energy, the alliance requests market research to define the market for OBF.

New sponsors for Efficiency Matter on the Hill: Thank you sponsors! Reception sponsor CUFCA, national digital media sponsor CSA Group and TIAC at the friend level will all be in Ottawa Nov. 18.

POLICY BRIEF
Canada
TAF's call for a global treaty on energy efficiency: This common sense appeal was made by Julia Langer in the Toronto Star.

NRCan and US DOE announce enhanced energy collaboration: The agreement includes more coordination on EE standards.

US
US government reveals solar & energy-efficiency measures: The roll out includes US$68 million of loans and grants toward 540 renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects and new commercial building codes. The measures are expected to save businesses and homes US$10 billion through 2030. 

Ohio's FirstEnergy to end energy efficiency programs: Expected to take place by the end of the year, the utility maintains it will lower monthly electric bills.

PROGRAMS & FINANCING
Ontario launching green bonds for infrastructure projects: This makes Ontario the first government in Canada to issue green bonds and its first project will be the Eglinton LRT. It received nearly $2.4 billion in orders.

Hydro Ottawa funds energy savings projects for homeless agencies: There will be capital improvement projects for 10 agencies.

The UN & World Bank's Global Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform: This includes roadmaps to help double the global rate of EE by 2030. 

California makes electric cars more affordable for low-income residents: Jerry Brown's goal is to have one million zero-emission and near-zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2023.

US DOE supports HVAC innovation: The department has given nearly US$8 million to support research and development of the next generation of HVAC technologies.

UK allots an additional £100 million for household energy efficiency: It's part of the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, which has had its problems.

GREAT READS
How to cut residential energy use: This Wall Street Journal piece was hugely popular on Twitter, most likely due to the fact that it looks at the utility programs that do and don't work for consumers -- look at the negative rebound effect of energy efficient air conditioners.

Tackling climate change will cost less than we think: From Forbes, building an energy efficient, decarbonized economy is a necessary and massive shift, similar to the adoption of computers.

Behavioural Change vs. Automatic Controls: From the 2 Degrees Community, this discusses the limitations of behavioural change when it comes to saving energy.

How to get solar and energy efficiency to play nice: From Energy Efficiency Markets, a look at the US solarize movement and the competition between EE and solar.

New York Times op-ed confuses the facts: Climate Progress addresses the
Times op-ed which confused the facts about energy efficiency.

CLIMATE CHANGE
The UN Climate Summit in New York led to a slew of announcements, some impressive, others less so. Here are some of the highlights:

Right before the summit the Rockefellers, and other heavy hitters from the Global Divest-Invest coalition announced they are divesting US$50 billion in fossil fuel investments to fight global warming. Denmark announced it aims to be fossil fuel free by 2050 and Iceland commits to that as well, but without a deadline. France committed US$1 billion to the UN's Green Climate Fund for developing nations and China committed US$6 million. In all governments, investors and financial institutions are mobilizing US$200 billion for the fund by December 2015. And what did Canada announce? Minister of the Environment Leona Aglukkaq told the UN Canada was a clean energy leader that was doing its part to cut emissions -- there was also the announcement of three new vehicles and fuels regulatory initiatives to help curb GHG emissions from cars and trucks.

Meanwhile, in other climate change news....
Environmental watchdog says Canada will miss its Copenhagen Accord target: The report says we're not going to cut the GHG emissions we need to by 2020. Emissions were to be cut to 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020. The government press release defended its position with "Our Government continues to take action to protect the environment while supporting economic growth and prosperity",  highlighted the new fuel regulations and its responsible development of the oil sands.

Naomi Klein on climate failure: This Salon interview discusses her new book and how it comes down to the climate or our current economic system - we can't have both.

Report shows green businesses get a higher return on equity: More please. CDP says S&P 500 leaders that are actively managing & planning for climate change generate superior profitability.

US Pentagon report gets climate change: It highlights the security risks of climate change which include more terrorism, food shortages & infectious diseases.

Biggest carbon emitters don't always bear the brunt of climate change: See flooding risk country by country.

EE & BUILDINGS
Data centres join US DOE Better Buildings Challenge: The 19 centres commit to cut energy use by at least 20 per cent over the next decade.

New York City to overhaul energy-efficiency standards of public buildings: Mayor De Blasio pressures private landlords to follow suit and commits the city to an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. 

Ford invests over US$25m in LED lighting at global manufacturing facilities: Expected to cut its energy use by $7 million a year, Canadian locations include Windsor and Oakville, Ontario.

US DOE requires water, EE verification in new & retrofitted federal buildings: The rule goes into effect November 13.

AWARD WINNERS
2014 Nobel Prize in physics goes to the inventors of LEDs: Congratulations to I. Akasaki, H. Amano and S. Nakamura. 

2014 ENERGY STAR Market Transformation Awards: Whirlpool Canada receives ENERGY STAR Manufacturer of the Year while Home Depot Canada, Hydro Quebec and Midhaven Homes are also lauded, among others.

HSBC Place wins NB Premier's Outstanding EE Project Award: The retrofit is projected to have $109,000 in annual energy savings.

EE STATS
The world's 10 biggest energy gluttons: Unfortunately Canada made Oilprice.com's list.

Canadian homebuyers are green-minded: 81per cent of GTA homebuyers prefer walkable, transit-friendly areas and would trade a big house and yard for a smaller townhouse. And 41per cent of Canadians would buy a home with energy efficiency upgrades over granite countertops or hardwood floors.

EE discussed at board-level by 89 per cent of UK manufacturers: That from Siemens research on six key manufacturing areas.

Green Growth report on how to control climate change and create jobs: From the Center for American Progress, it discusses how green investments and addressing climate change can help gain 2.7 million jobs.

Norwegian home produces twice as much energy as it uses: The house was made for the Research Centre on Zero-Emission Buildings.