Canadian Cities Advance Emissions-neutral Buildings

Calgary and Edmonton are working to support information-sharing on reducing emissions in the built environment sector

The Canadian cities of Calgary and Edmonton are partnering with the environmental charity Ecotrust to progress an emissions-neutral building strategy in Alberta. Professionals in the building, construction and renovation industries now have a resource with the Emissions-Neutral Buildings Information Exchange (Enbix) to support information-sharing on reducing emissions from buildings in the state.

Low-carbon Building Practices

Over the next four years, Enbix will be developing a variety of platforms to enable the local building industry to share knowledge and build capacity for low-carbon building and renovation practices across Alberta.

“We are creating momentum for action with Enbix that will build over the next several years and beyond,” said Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek. “Building capacity for emissions neutral construction across the whole development ecosystem – from construction to manufacturing, supply, training, operating and more – is critical in getting us to net-zero buildings by 2050.”

In early 2024, the Calgary Community of Practice will launch, providing a forum for Calgary-specific collaboration, while still learning from experiences across Alberta. With funding now committed to the programme, Enbix will continue to expand the ways in which it shares market research, industry experience and training, including webinars, site visits, communities of practice, technology demonstrations, training sessions and more.

“Collaboration initiatives like Enbix will help us go faster towards net zero, together,” says Claire Beckstead, leader of community energy, The City of Calgary. “With building code standards moving rapidly toward net-zero standards, the industry needs support to get ahead of new regulations. And in Calgary, reducing the GHG emissions from buildings means we are making progress toward our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”

The City of Edmonton and the City of Calgary are the main funders of Enbix, with a contribution of $1.7 million and $1.4 million respectively. In addition to serving as the driving force behind Enbix, Alberta Ecotrust is providing a $600,000 contribution from its Climate Innovation Fund.

Commercial and residential buildings are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions across Canada. In Calgary, buildings account for about two-thirds of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The City said the greatest opportunity to see immediate greenhouse gas reductions is in retrofitting existing buildings, and developing new buildings to net-zero standards.

“We have heard from industry leaders about the need to build better for commercial and environmental reasons, and to prepare for the adoption of higher tiers of building code in Alberta,” said Andrea Linsky, director, Emissions-Neutral Buildings, Alberta Ecotrust Foundation. “Enbix is here to work with industry to advance more affordable emissions-neutral buildings, by sharing information, fostering innovation and strengthening collaboration.”

As founding partners, the Calgary Construction Association and Smart Sustainable Resilient Infrastructure Association (SSRIA) have been involved in developing the exchange. They will continue to advise the startup and initial operations as leaders in the industry and will participate in the Exchange’s Executive Advisory Committee.  

The Alberta Ecotrust Foundation is an environmental charity working to create a healthier environment for all Albertans. It is a founding member of the Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) network. LC3 supports cities and communities in reaching their carbon emissions reduction potential.

As an LC3 Centre, Alberta Ecotrust received a $43.4 million endowment from the federal government to create the Climate Innovation Fund. The fund provides programming in Calgary and Edmonton, taking on the role of an accelerator, complementing and advancing the climate leadership work undertaken by the municipalities.