Actionable Roadmap to Net Zero Ice Rinks: from technical solutions to practical implementation

The Climate Challenge Network is a non-profit organization that brings together collaborative and data-driven programs for municipalities, hospitals, and school boards on building-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction, energy and water efficiency. The network is partnering with a cohort of five municipalities (City of Barrie, City of Brampton, Town of Caledon, Town of Halton Hills and Township of King) to conduct a feasibility study on retrofitting five ice rink facilities (one in each of the five municipalities) to be net-zero carbon. The municipalities are all members of the Mayors' Megawatt Challenge, a program of the Climate Challenge Network.

The ice rink initiative is a response to the declaration of climate emergency by the five participating municipalities, who have set aggressive targets ranging from 50% GHG reduction by 2050 to net-zero emissions by 2030, as stated in their corporate energy management plans.

The initiative will be conducted by an integrated team from the five participating municipalities (energy managers, facility managers, building operators, procurement, finance, asset managers), leading industry experts, and consultants and researchers. The team will determine the most effective net-zero design, implementation plan and support needed to bring each rink to net-zero carbon. The study will incorporate an integrated design process and will collaborate with municipal staff from the start to ensure existing municipal policies, programs and plans are incorporated and supported by this process. The team will develop a net-zero design brief that will lay out the costs and technical specifications for each facility through the four strategies to get to net-zero carbon: energy efficiency, heat recovery, renewables and local credits. The resulting roadmap will guide the pathway to net-zero for all existing municipal facilities across Canada, mapping out the process of developing the technical solutions as well as the policy and organizational innovations needed to scale change.

The expected environmental benefits for the initiative are to target net-zero carbon by 2040 for all five facilities. Economic benefits are estimated at $1,047,266 in cost savings over a 20-year operating period. Social benefits include increased opportunities for community engagement, increased public education and awareness, and increased civic pride and ownership.

Innovative aspect(s):

• The concept of getting to net zero over time using asset management and lifecycle costing is new and will have a significant impact as municipalities reduce their energy costs
• The integration of energy conservation methods, heat (energy) recovery and on-site green energy production is innovative and should lead to a result that is greater than the sum of individual initiatives

Replicability:

A standard design will be developed based on all the learnings from the individual participating rinks, including generic considerations, that can be scaled and applied to other rinks. Through learning from the five rinks that are part of the roadmap process, a toolkit will be developed that will include best practices, standard guidelines and solutions that other municipalities can adopt.