Capital Regional District
From ClimateNetworkWiki
The Capital Regional District (CRD) is the regional government of 13 municipalities and 3 electoral areas within and surrounding the City of Victoria, British Columbia. The 13 municipalities consist of Central Saanich, Colwood, Esquimalt, Highlands, Langford, Metchosin, North Saanich, Oak Bay, Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, Victoria and View Royal. The 3 electoral areas are Juan de Fuca, Southern Gulf Islands and Salt Spring Island. The CRD is responsible for governance and services including planning, water supply, waste management, and parks within the Capital Region. With these mandates, the CRD plays a fundamental role in climate-change planning and policy on southern Vancouver Island.
Facts on the Ground
Community Energy Plan
In order to come up with a comprehensive and practical plan to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and identify energy efficiency and renewable energy opportunities, the Board of Capital Regional District (CRD), in October 2003, developed the Capital Region Community Energy Plan (CRD, 2008). The Community Energy Plan (CEP) framework is laid out in following five steps:
- Conduct a baseline emission analysis for municipal operations and the community
- Develop and set energy and GHG reduction targets for both municipal operations and the community
- Establish a regional action plan to reduce energy use and GHG emissions from municipal operations and throughout the community
- Establish a program to implement the action plans that will reduce GHG emissions
- Monitor, verify, and report GHG reduction achievements and improve the action plan in terms of adaptive management.
According to the CRD website, the CEP has taken on the first three of the five-step process. Step 1, Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Use Inventory was completed in 2004 and is currently available to the public. Steps 2 and 3 of the CEP, according to the CRD website are in draft form and under review by the joint advisory and working committees. The report is now available on the CRD's website: CRD Community Energy Plan.
Summary of the Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Use Inventory
The 2004 Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Use Inventory includes a backcast to 1995, as a baseline year, and a forecast to 2012 under a ‘business-as-usual’ scenario (i.e. without any conservation actions). The inventory indicates that energy consumption has risen since 1995 (from 30.7 million gigajoules (GJ) to 32.2 million GJ in 2004) (94 GJ per person), and is predicted to rise if no action is taken (SENES Consultants Limited, 2004). On the other hand, GHG emissions decreased by 13% from 1995 to 2004 primarily due to a reduction in emission from the Hartland landfill after an installation of a methane gas capturing and combustion system, which in turn helps produce “green” electricity for the CRD (Riddell, Hutcheson, Lomas,. n.d.) According to the inventory, increasing GHG emissions will offset the 13% reduction by 6% and result in an overall reduction of 7% by 2012 (SENES Consultants Limited, 2004). In addition, energy consumption and GHG emissions were also measured for buildings, transportation and solid waste disposal:
Distributions of energy consumption:
- Buildings: 64%
- Transportation: 36%
Distributions of GHG emissions:
- Transportation: 52%
- Buildings: 42%
- Solid Waste: 06%
Note: The "buildings" category includes residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
Community Energy Plan: Vision
The CEP principles, in the following, provide a vision to guide the CEP plan:
- Build partnerships with municipalities and other stakeholders;
- Capitalize on synergies that exist between other initiatives;
- Leverage investments within the region;
- Establish strategic linkages between the CEP and “core” elements of the region’s values and goals; and
- Enhance environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Community Energy Plan: Goals
The future projections in the energy/GHG inventory indicate that further action is necessary to prevent the current increasing trend in both energy use and GHG emissions from continuing. In response, the CEP defines six goal areas for action. These include
- Improve the energy efficiency of buildings;
- Increase transportation efficiency;
- Encourage energy efficient land use planning;
- Diversify the energy supply;
- Educate and engage residents and businesses;
- Demonstrate local government leadership;
Community Energy Plan: Action
According to the CEP, each goal has several initiatives for action that have already been defined in the final report or have already been underway. It is up to the local government in the region to show leadership in initiating and implementing these actions. However it is important to take in consideration that the government needs local support and action by the community for implementation. In other words, the action goals will require the participation of many agencies, stakeholders, and consumers of energy in the region.
Community Energy Plan: Scenarios
As a basis for a Board decision on reduction targets, a set of scenarios have been defined with cost ranges. These three scenarios are:
- Selective Measures – Energy use and GHG emissions continue to increase
- Hold the Line – Energy use continues to increase, GHG emissions are held at near levels
- Comprehensive – Energy use and GHG emissions decrease
The CEP Steering committee and working group have endorsed moving forward with the Comprehensive scenario.
Community Energy Plan: Implementation and Monitoring
A timeline for the plan implementation starting in 2007 to 2012 has been proposed. A guiding committee will monitor implementation of the CEP, report on the success of the CEP and adjust or improve the action plan as an adaptive learning process.
In short, the following expanding pyramid provides a useful mental picture to summarize the Community Energy Plan Framework.
The plan presents a vision with complementary principles, practical goals, actions, scenarios, and implementation and monitoring strategies as a guide to reduce energy use and GHG emissions in the Capital Region. These steps can help us set a framework that can be useful for other potential goals in the future.
Though an energy consumption and GHG inventory was completed in 2004 for the CRD there are a few short comings on the CRD website. The inventory report was the first step of a five-step process by the CRD Community Energy Plan that was completed and published on the website. The inventory report was used as a basis to complete steps two and three, which are comprised of targets and action plans for energy and GHG reduction. However, according to the District of Saanich website, the CEP report, which should include steps two and three, was reported to be completed in 2006, but has not been released publicly in the Capital Region Community Energy Plan as of 2008. On the other hand, a progress report of the CEP on January 24, 2007 states that steps two and three of the CEP are still in draft form being reviewed by the CEP Steering committee and are scheduled to be release in early 2007; therefore, the website is not up to date. Also, an April 2007 report states that work on steps two and three has been carried out and this summary report of the Capital Region Community Energy Plan is attached as Appendix A to the document; however, it turns out to be a blank page. Therefore, there needs to be greater clarity of information available to the public.
Community Energy Plan: References
- Capital Regional District (CRD). 2008. Community Energy Planning. Available at: http://www.crd.bc.ca/climatechange/communityenergyplan.htm CRD. Retrieved on 29 January 2008.
- Haslam, D., Steeves, D. 2008. B.C. To Fund World-Leading ClimateResearch. News Release. Available at: http://www.uvic.ca/pdf/2008OTP0011-000089.pdf. Retrieved on 29 January 2008.
- Riddell, C., Hutcheson, L., Lomas, N., n.d. Hartland Landfill: Benefical Use of Landfill Gas. Available at: http://www.crd.bc.ca/waste/hartland/documents/landfill_gas.pdf. Retrieved on 29 January 2008.
- SENES Consultant Limited. 2004. Greenhouse Gas Emission and Energy Use Inventory. Available at: http://www.crd.bc.ca/airquality/documents/energy_emissions.pdf. Retrieved on 29 January 2008.
- The Sheltair Group. 2006. Capital Region Community Energy Plan: Final Draft
- Saanich Official Community Plans. Available at: http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/business/development/plan/ocp.html. Retrieved on 23 September 2008.
What are climate solutions for the CRD?
Energy
To look at alternative energy options in the region and to see which energy can be produced locally but still at an affordable cost. Need to look at other regions around the world with similar geographies and perhaps find something that can work for our area
Buildings
Buildings consume 64% of energy consumed in the region, and produce 42% of GHG emissions
Initiative 1- Support the Energy Efficient Building Plan for BC
Initiative 2- Encourage energy effiency in development and rezoning processes through guidance documents and checklists
Initiative 3- Promote building energy efficiency through incentives
- partial property tax holidays
- permit fee waivers for energy efficient development
- direct rebate programs
Initiative 4- Incorporate energy labeling into buildings
- Providing energy information allows purchasers to understand long term operational requirements of their home
Initiative 5- Lobby federal and provincial governments for funding and regulatory updates
- Building codes are federal and provincial jurisdictions
- Local governments have ability to encourage energy efficient design through property development and rezoning processes
Food
Food security is defined as "the condition in which all people at all times can acquire safe, nutritionally adequate, and personally acceptable foods in a manner that maintains human dignity"(Putting Food and Food Policy on the Table, 2006). In order to achieve this, sustainable and secure local food and agricultural systems in the capital region need to be supported. To address local challenges the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CR-FAIR) and the CRD Roundtable on the Environment Healthy Communities Sub-Committee (RTE HCSC)have a created a framework and plan of action based on the determinants of health which are affected by local and global political,social,economic and cultural conditions.Currently the Island only produces about 10% of the food consumed which means much of our food travels long distances to reach local consumers. The need to promote local food security is growing in importance as we face the impacts of climate change. The full report can be read at Putting Food and Food Policy on the Table
Ecology
Economy
Transportation
The CRD outlines the following initiatives in its 2007 "Capital Region Community Energy Plan," to increase transportation efficiency within the CRD.
Initiative 1: Improve Transportation Options and Choices
This can be accomplished by promoting the energy efficiency objectives of the CRD TravelChoices strategy, improving regional public transit service in the region, and by promoting ridesharing programs. A regional “non-motorized transportation plan” to increase walking and cycling conditions should also be developed.
Initiative 2: Promote Efficient Transportation
By creating Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) in major destination areas, and promoting trip reduction programs. Implemeningt a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) marketing program and developing local parking management programs at the municipal and/or neighbourhood level, as well as investigating the opportunities for innovative incentives to reduce vehicle use.
Initiative 3: Encourage the Use of Fuel Efficient Vehicles
By providing preferential parking spots for selected vehicles based on fuel efficiency, size, or fuel type, and investigating the opportunities for incentives for businesses that use smaller and more fuel efficient vehicles. The Provincial Government should also be encouraged to expand the PST exemption for energy efficient vehicles.
Resources
Air Quality in the Capital Regional District, November, 2006
Greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption are closely tied to air quality. In recognition of this, an inventory of common air contaminant emissions was carried out by SENES Consultants Limited and presented to CRD’s Environment Committee. [1]
One Day
One Day is a community engagement part of the Community Energy Plan, which provides incremental steps to reduce energy use, at home and on the road, to make the Capital Region a more sustainable place.
- One Day partners with BC Ministry of Environment, [BC Ministry of Community Services, BC Hydro, BC Transit, Department of National Defence, Federation of Canadian Municipalities, Hudson's Bay Company, and Terasen Gas.
LEED
The Canada Green Building Council outlines the requirements for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The site also has case studies of LEED certified buildings here in Canada, including the CRD district headquarters in Victoria, in order to give concrete examples of LEED buildings and the benefits received from building under these strict environmental guidelines. [2]
Light House Sustainable Building is an excellent source for information about green building initiatives (LEEDS, etc) and materials. The website includes a news feed, discussion board, and acts as a resource centre for those seeking alternatives to standard building materials. This website also serves as an instructional tool intended to assist those wishing to make their existing home more energy efficient, or how to build a new home using sustainable materials.[3]
Sustainable Building and Construction Initiative is a global partnership between UNEP and worldwide leading companies, to promote and support sustainable solutions in the building and construction sector. Their website provides stakeholders with a common platform to promote the adoption of sustainable building practices. [http://www.unesbci.org/ ]
Saanich Carbon Neutral Plan, September, 2007
This document contains the Saanich Council’s approval of the Carbon Neutral Plan for implementation in 2008. The two main strategies include a reduction of 10% of municipal (corporate) GHG emissions by 2010 and the establishment of a municipal carbon-neutral reserve fund.[4]
TravelChoices: A Long-Term Transportation Strategy for the Capital Regiion, April, 2005
The goal of this report is to set stage for planning transportation throughout the region by 2026, giving priority to the movement of both people and goods. The main mission is providing alternatives to driving alone.[5]
The Community Energy Association
The Community Energy Association acts as a support to local governments in BC to introduce energy efficiency and renewable energy in community design, infrastructure and community engagement[6].
Greenhouse Gas and Energy Use Inventory for the Capital Region 2004
This document, written by SENES Consultants Ltd, contains a detailed baseline analysis of greenhouse gases, air contaminants, and energy consumption levels for the different municipalities and areas within the Capital Regional District in 2004. [7].
Land Use Planning in the Capital Region
A comprehensive, graphical representation of current land use in the CRD can be found at http://www.crd.bc.ca/maps/index.htm. Map layers range from Electoral District Boundaries to Unprotected Green Space.
A quick reference guide to land use planning and development agencies in the CRD can be found at http://www.crd.bc.ca/jdf/bylaws/helpfulcontacts.htm. This guide gives full contact information as well as summaries of responsibilities of each agency.
CRD's Model Pesticide Use By-Law
Victoria is rightfully known as the “city of gardens,” enticing millions of tourists each year to travel here. Unfortunately, this beauty comes with a price tag to the local urban ecology and health of Victoria’s citizens. A study for the David Suzuki Foundation found that, “over 6,000 Canadians suffer from acute pesticides poisoning every year.” What’s worse is that children are the casualties of this poisoning, consisting of almost half (David Suzuki Foundation) of the Canadians afflicted. In 2003, British Colombians purchased 4,666,000 kilograms of pesticides (Capital Region District). On a more national and global scale, pesticides are responsible for putting thirty-seven percent of endangered species at risk (Clayton, 2007) and the WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that three million individuals are poisoned each year (CAPE Website, 2008). With such large numbers, it remains evident that our community has great potential for harming the natural environment, but we also have the power to help ensure its protection (with the right motivation). Recently, the city of Victoria, has chosen to convert its “green” label from face-value to a call for action to become more sustainable. The city joins the path of 135 other municipalities across the country in its banning of the cosmetic use of pesticides. The city has currently enacted a model by-law which will be enforced commencing January, 2009. For more information go to, http://www.crd.bc.ca/rte/pest/modelbylaw.htm
Hartland Landfill Pilot Projects, Residential Organics
The CRD is conducting two residential organics collection pilot projects in the municipalities of Oak Bay and View Royal. The purpose of the pilot projects is to determine how best to collect these materials at the curb. Criteria to be evaluated include: cost effectiveness, technical reliability, waste diversion, ease of implementation, participation, public acceptance, optional collection frequency and outreach needs. http://www.crd.bc.ca/waste/organics/pilot.htm [8]
2005 Solid Waste Stream Composition Study [9]
Staff report on Residential Organics Pilot Projects [10]
Design Tools
TRIZ and Eco-Innovation
There is significant overlap in the philosophies of TRIZ and sustainable design. Specifically, the tools and methodologies from TRIZ can be used to improve Eco-Innovation.
Eco-Innovation is the process of developing new products, processes or services which provide customer and business value but significantly decrease environmental impact. Eco-Innovation goes one step beyond Ecodesign in that it aims to develop new products and services that are not based on redesign or incremental changes to the existing product but rather on providing the consumer with the function that they require in the most Eco-efficient way. For example, function-oriented redesign solutions that 'dematerialize' the product and replace it by a service.
A fundamental concept of TRIZ is that all systems will evolve towards an increased degree of ideality: an ideal system being one that does not exist but its function is delivered. Innovation following this law of ideality could encourage sustainable design. TRIZ develops innovation tools by extracting generic principles from patents. These generic principles could be useful to support Eco-Innovation by providing principles or operations enabling more function-oriented redesign solutions.
