Part 1 of energy audits towards a portfolio-wide upgrade by Toronto Community Housing

Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) is a not-for-profit corporation of the City of Toronto tasked with providing housing and social support for some of Toronto’s most vulnerable citizens. TCH has more than 2,240 buildings with approximately 60,000 rental units. TCH has an ambitious new mandate to reduce its energy and water consumption across its portfolio by 25% by 2028. To begin this process, the corporation selected qualified energy auditors to conduct audits of their least performing buildings to identify priority energy conservation measures for implementation. The first phase of audits completed in 2020, while the second is underway for completion at the end of summer 2021. The second phase was split into two groups and two distinct GMF applications : this first application will conduct ASHRAE level ll audits on 41 buildings. The feasibility analysis will include in-suite ventilation, advanced heating and cooling controls, heat pumps, high performance building envelopes, lighting retrofits, high-efficiency windows, and HVAC equipment upgrades. These retrofits will also result in several social benefits such as improved thermal tenant comfort from the upgrade of the building envelope and the heating and cooling systems. The health and safety of the building occupants will improve from better air quality and upgraded security features. Innovative aspect(s): - In terms of scale, the impact of this study may lead to significant environmental, social, and economic outcomes. Replicability: - TCHC has a large portfolio of aging buildings. Results from these audits will help establish a baseline for all of the organization’s buildings and drive retrofits across its housing stock. Affordability: - The expected 25% energy reductions in consumption will reduce TCHC’s future utility expenses and are expected to extend the overall life of TCHC’s assets through deferred maintenance. Based on previous studies conducted at TCHC, the anticipated cost savings from the implementation of the identified energy conservation measures (ECMs) are approximately $3.45M. These savings will ensure that the buildings maintain a 100% affordable unit mix. (Project description from original funding application)