Victoria City Hall Energy Assessment and Net Zero Roadmap

The Victoria City Hall Energy Assessment and Net Zero Roadmap project will involve a full energy audit of the City Hall facilities, including building envelope and mechanical systems, to provide a road map for achieving net zero carbon emissions and 100% renewable energy supply in its operations. The purpose of the study will be to [1] establish immediate term guidance on boiler replacement options to inform an already ongoing process, [2] establish guidance in terms of wider retrofits and mechanical system replacements/upgrades as well as size of on-site renewable energy systems, and [3] provide a roadmap for implementing these items. It is anticipated that replacing the existing boiler system has the potential to lead to a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions alone, if switched to an electric system. However, the overall goal of this study reach net-zero carbon emissions and 100% GHG reduction through the development of the energy roadmap.The first phase of the study will be an energy audit, including a baseline energy assessment of City Hall’s current operations. It will also include identification and analysis of boiler replacement options; of additional retrofits and mechanical system replacements and/or upgrades; and of the size of on-site renewable energy system that will enable net-zero energy performance. The findings of this energy audit will inform the net-zero roadmap. The roadmap will include life cycle costing and potential GHG reduction for each energy conservation measure. It will also lay out an implementation plan, including prioritization and phasing recommendations for each option, and a set of short, medium, and long term actions that can be presented to Council for consideration along with future capital renewal replacement projects for City Hall.The project aligns with Victoria’s Climate Action Program Council Report, which commits the city to an 80% reduction in GHG emissions and 100% Renewable Energy by 2050. It also builds upon the city’s Facility Condition Assessment and Capital Plan, as the replacement of City Hall’s heating system is a current asset management priority. The study will inform decision-making around current and future asset management approaches to City Hall, ensuring that upgrades are made in accordance with the net-zero roadmap. Victoria’s City Hall is a landmark heritage building, and so establishing a retrofit strategy toward net zero carbon will provide an ambitious and innovative show of leadership by the City of Victoria, and has the potential to provide lessons learned to inform policies and approaches to other heritage buildings in Victoria and other municipalities.