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Some Condominiums Will Have New Obligations Under the Green Energy Act

A new regulation under the Green Energy Act will require condominium corporations in buildings that are at least 50,000 square feet and have more than 10 units to report on their energy and water use.

The timelines are as follows:

• For condominium corporations in buildings that are at least 100,000 square feet, the first report is due on July 1, 2019;

• For condominium corporations in buildings that are at least 50,000 square feet, the first report is due on July 1, 2020.

All areas inside the building, including the common areas, should be included in the gross floor area. Exterior and open-air spaces, such as parking lots, are exempt. If the corporation encompasses two or more structures, then the gross floor area is the total of the square footage of all the structures.

A corporation will need to provide information on the gross area of the building, the energy and water use in the building, and other information as set out in “Ontario’s Large Building Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking Requirement: Data Elements” document. The report must cover details on the previous year. For example, a report that is due on July 1, 2019 will contain information on water and energy consumption from January to December 2018.

The reports are submitted through Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager website. To register an account, the assessment roll number, property code, and an Ontario Energy Water Reporting and Benchmarking ID is required. Property codes for specific building types can be found on Ontario’s Ministry of Energy website while the Energy Water Reporting and Benchmarking ID can be obtained from the Ministry of Energy.

Once the corporation is in its second year of reporting, information about energy and water consumption at the building will be published in the Ministry of Energy’s data catalogue.

For more information, check out the Ministry’s Guide to Energy and Water Reporting here.