Local businesses are being asked to come clean (literally) and divulge the carbon footprint of their buildings.
Building Benchmark BC is a program that collects information related to energy consumption that hopes that large municipal and private buildings share their reports and assess themselves alongside the “green” standard.
In a news release, Mayor Malcolm Brodie said that the city strongly advocates using building energy benchmarking to work towards being a low-carbon community.
“As a proud municipal participant in Building Benchmark BC, we encourage building owners and property managers of larger residential, commercial and industrial buildings to register with the program in order to help build on the momentum that’s already underway, and to receive the benefits the program offers,” he said.
2020 marked the first year of Building Benchmark BC, where Richmond had shared energy benchmark data on 22 civic buildings such as libraries and community centres.
In addition, 36 private sector buildings also participated in the program including QuadReal Property Group on Westminster and No. 2 Road and Concert Properties between Crestwood Place and Viking Way.
City council adopted the Community Energy and Emissions Plan in 2014.
According to the city’s website, this includes the goal of reducing the city’s carbon footprint, equivalent to 900,000 tonnes CO2, by 25 per cent in 2050.
