Description
How neighbourhoods are designed can affect the energy efficiency and energy generation opportunities for decades after construction. Development review processes must incorporate our long-term energy goals.
For example, buildings in neighbourhoods can be oriented to maximize rooftop solar potential, allow for community energy systems, and consider energy generation, distribution, and storage at different sites.
This action will be led by the Region of Waterloo and Area Municipalities and their engineering, planning & building divisions with support from local utilities and WR Community Energy.
WR Community Energy is currently leading a study on region-wide High Performance Development Standards for new building construction in partnership with the Region of Waterloo and area municipal planning & building services departments.
- Following this study and the identification of measures, such as energy planning, the appropriate processes can be developed for municipal development application review.
- Concurrently, during upcoming Official Plan reviews policy will also need to be developed to support the requirements for energy planning as a required study and product for review.
- Municipal Engineering Development Standards Manuals will need to be updated with the energy planning standards, process, and requirements.
- Finally, utilities staff or other expertise will need to be identified to carry out the development review of energy plans.
High-Performance Development Standards (HPDS) is underway and you can follow the progress at EngageWR.
You can also check out the WRCE 2024 Year End Report here.
CITY OF WATERLOO
The City of Waterloo has requirements for select new builds to conduct an Energy Study as part of the planning applications process.
TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH
The Township of Woolwich will consider policies in the new Official Plan to see new subdivisions consider addressing this.
CITY OF CAMBRIDGE
WR Community Energy is currently leading a study on Region-wide High Performance Development Standards (HPDS) for new building construction in partnership with the Region of Waterloo, utilities, and area municipal planning and building services departments. Following this study and the identification of measures, such as energy planning, the appropriate processes can be developed for municipal development application review. Concurrently, during the upcoming Cambridge Official Plan review (starting in 2025), policies will also need to be developed to support the requirements for energy planning as a required study and product for review. Municipal Engineering Development Standards Manuals will need to be updated with the energy planning standards, process, and requirements. Finally, utilities staff or other expertise will need to be identified to carry out the development review of energy plans.