Increasing energy performance and efficiency at Toronto’s Artscape Wychwood Barns

In collaboration with the City of Toronto, Toronto Artscape Inc. will complete a feasibility study to explore cost-effective options to decommission and replace a non-functional geothermal system at a mixed-use affordable building complex. Findings from the study will directly inform the retrofitting needs to improve the efficiency and climate change resiliency of the building and increase the affordability of its 26 social housing units.

In 2008, GMF supported the construction of Artscape Wychwood Barns (AWB), a building combining affordable housing, a community food bank and an arts and culture space. The funding allowed the building to integrate various energy-efficiency measures, which included the installation of a ground loop geothermal system. As a result, AWB became Toronto’s first heritage reuse to earn LEED certification. However, since its opening, many of the sustainable design features intended to ensure AWB’s energy efficiency have not performed as anticipated.

In order to support continued sustainability, AWB requires a technical study to assess solutions for the geothermal system’s shortfalls. The study will perform a thorough energy audit, which will include an assessment of heating, cooling, circulation and building-automation solutions to achieve a minimum of 25% energy consumption reduction against both the current building baseline and the Ontario code standard. The study will also evaluate thermal comfort and air quality. This initiative will result in a schematic design of proposed solutions and a greenhouse gas reduction model.

Innovative aspect: The resulting retrofit project will decommission a geothermal system yet maintain affordability by increasing the energy efficiency of the building.

Replicability: Energy-efficient designs are not without their limitations, and findings from this study may provide lessons to other housing providers that face similar challenges in optimizing system performance. The applicant will also explore increasing staff capacity for managing energy-efficient systems and developing tenant capacity to engage in future energy-management activities.

Affordability:

The study will focus on the following aspects of sustained affordability for tenants:

• Reduced maintenance costs by decommissioning a deficient geothermal system
• Directed cost-savings to reserves and to the building’s asset management plan
• Improved Facility Conditions Index2 and reduced operating costs through best practices and proven technologies