Benchmark Study on Green Buildings - Royal Architectural Institute ...

Energy Star & various rebates:
The Energy Star labeling system is also used in Canada and tells consumers the energy
efficiency and usage of various appliances, buildings, etc. Promoted by the OEE in
Canada, Energy Star certified products are energy efficient and can save users money on
utility bills, as well as reduce greenhouse gas output and energy consumption in the
places where these products are used. As well as the savings obtained through the
efficiency of the products themselves, certain companies and provincial governments
offer financial incentives for the purchase and use of Energy Star certified products. For
example, Hydro Québec is offering a 50$ mail-in rebate on the purchase of a new Energy
Star qualified refrigerator of at least 8.5 cubic feet. The program runs from April 1 2006
to December 31 2006, and the refrigerators must be purchased and delivered in Québec.
Another Energy Star incentive is the Ontario government’s “Every Kilowatt Counts”
program, which will provide a $500 cash rebate when homeowners replace their outdated
central air conditioner with an Energy Star qualified unit. There is also a $50 rebate
available for a tune-up and a $75 rebate on the supply and installation of a programmable
thermostat. All work has to be done by a contractor registered with the Conservation
Bureau of the Ontario Power Authority to be eligible for the rebate. The Energy
Efficiency Fund (FEE) is a program run by Gaz Métro and provides financial incentives
for a variety of energy conservation practices. In terms of incentives for the use of Energy
Star certified products, the FEE will offer owners of residences supplied by Gaz Métro
for heating purposes a $5 per square feet rebate with the purchase of high energy
efficiency Energy Star windows and sliding doors, up to maximum of $500. The Province
of Saskatchewan started offering a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) exemption for Energy Star
qualified appliances on April 1 2005. Appliances eligible for the PST rebate are Energy
Star approved refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers and clothes washers. The tax
exemption applies to the sale or long-term lease (rentals for a continuous period of at
least one year) of a new qualifying appliance. Combined clothes washer/dryer units are
eligible for an exemption of 60% of the PST payable when the unit is sold for a single
price. Saskatchewan also started a similar PST exemption program for household
furnaces and boilers on November 8 2005. Correspondingly, the BC provincial
government eliminated provincial sales tax from the purchase of qualified Energy Star
high efficiency furnaces, boilers and heat pumps between February 16 2005 and April 1
2007. For a complete list of the various financial incentives for the purchase and use of
Energy Star products in Canada, see
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/incentives.cfm?attr=0.
Green Municipal Fund (GMF):
The Green Municipal Fund (GMF) is an initiative from the Federation of Canadian
Municipalities (FCM) and the Federal Government, and consists of a $550-million
endowment from the Government of Canada to stimulate environmental projects by
municipal governments and their partners that generate measurable environmental,
economic, and social benefits. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions is a priority of the Fund,
as is improving local air, water and soil quality, and promoting renewable energy. Since
its inception in 2000, the GMF has been operating as an interactive granting and lending
fund with a strong focus on helping municipalities develop and maintain
innovative environmental projects within their communities. To do this effectively, the
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