SIMPLIFYING THE COMPLEX - ENERGY AND EMISSIONS PLANNING IN COLWOOD, BC

 

         SIMPLIFYING THE
             COMPLEX
       ENERGY AND EMISSIONS PLANNING IN
                COLWOOD, BC

	
                 	
  

	
  

 

S U M M A RY

The	
  City	
  of	
  Colwood	
  had	
  a	
  vision	
  to	
  dramatically	
  reduce	
  community	
  wide	
  energy	
  use	
  
and	
   greenhouse	
   gas	
   (GHG)	
   emissions.	
   The	
   Local	
   Government	
   (Green	
   Communities)	
  
Statutes	
   Amendment	
   Act	
   (Bill	
   27)	
   provided	
   the	
   impetus	
   to	
   assess	
   what	
   types	
   of	
  
reductions	
  could	
  be	
  achieved	
  through	
  a	
  variety	
  strategies	
  and	
  levels	
  of	
  performance	
  
in	
  different	
  sectors.	
  The	
  City	
  hired	
  the	
  consulting	
  firm	
  Jordan	
  Fisher	
  and	
  Associates	
  
to	
  undertake	
  a	
  simple	
  analysis	
  that	
  would	
  put	
  their	
  targets	
  in	
  context	
  and	
  shed	
  light	
  
on	
   the	
   key	
   factors	
   for	
   success.	
   This	
   simple	
   analysis	
   was	
   an	
   essential	
   early	
   step	
   to	
  
inform	
  the	
  development	
  of	
  a	
  Community	
  Energy	
  and	
  Emissions	
  Plan	
  (CEEP).	
  	
  
       	
  
B AC KG RO U N D

When	
   Colwood	
   began	
   their	
   energy	
   and	
   emissions	
   planning	
   project	
   they	
   had	
   the	
  
benefit	
  of	
  learning	
  from	
  the	
  experiences	
  of	
  other	
  nearby	
  local	
  governments	
  that	
  had	
  
undertaken	
   (or	
   were	
   in	
   the	
   process	
   of	
   undertaking)	
   their	
   own	
   initiatives.	
   These	
  
included	
   the	
   Capital	
   Regional	
   District’s	
   Greenhouse	
   Gas	
   Emission	
   and	
   Energy	
   Use	
  
Inventory1	
   and	
   Community	
   Energy	
   Plan2,	
   the	
   District	
   of	
   Saanich’s	
   Climate	
   Action	
  
Plan3,	
   and	
   the	
   neighboring	
   City	
   of	
   Langford’s	
   Community	
   Energy	
   and	
   Emissions	
  
Reduction	
   Strategy4.	
   After	
   becoming	
   familiar	
   with	
   the	
   work	
   these	
   and	
   other	
  
communities	
   had	
   done	
   the	
   City	
   developed	
   a	
   better	
   sense	
   of	
   what	
   approach	
   would	
  
give	
   Colwood	
   the	
   information	
   suited	
   to	
   their	
   needs.	
   It	
   was	
   decided	
   that	
   a	
   simple	
  
analysis	
  informed	
  by	
  readily	
  available	
  data	
  and	
  the	
  knowledge	
  of	
  City	
  personnel	
  and	
  
local	
   consultants	
   would	
   be	
   pursued.	
   The	
   goal	
   was	
   to	
   find	
   a	
   good	
   balance	
   between	
  
giving	
  the	
  City	
  enough	
  information	
  to	
  guide	
  sound	
  decision	
  making	
  without	
  getting	
  
bogged	
  down	
  by	
  excessive	
  technical	
  analysis.	
  This	
  would	
  allow	
  the	
  City	
  to	
  focus	
  its	
  
limited	
   resources	
   on	
   developing	
   and	
   implementing	
   strategies	
   for	
   reducing	
   energy	
  
use	
   and	
   GHGs.	
   Jordan	
   Fisher	
   and	
   Associates	
   (in	
   collaboration	
   with	
   Victoria	
  
Transport	
  Policy	
  Institute)	
   designed	
  a	
  simple	
  numerical	
  model	
  tailored	
  to	
  the	
  City’s	
  
needs.	
  	
  
	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
1	
  http://www.crd.bc.ca/climatechange/documents/energy_inventory.pdf	
  
2	
  http://www.crd.bc.ca/climatechange/documents/crdenergyplan.pdf	
  
3	
  http://www.saanich.ca/living/climate/plan.html	
  
4http://www.cityoflangford.ca/documents/brochures/CEERS/DRAFTCEERS_Feb%

202010.pdf	
  

	
                                                                                                             2	
  

 

T H E TOOL: A                     SIMPLE NUMERICAL                             MODEL

The	
   model	
   used	
   on	
   the	
   project	
   provides	
   a	
   simple	
   method	
   for	
   assessing	
   potential	
  
reductions	
  in	
  community	
  wide	
  energy	
  use	
  and	
  GHG	
  emissions.	
  It	
  allowed	
  the	
  project	
  
team	
   to	
   explore	
   a	
   myriad	
   of	
   combinations	
   of	
   different	
   strategies	
   and	
   levels	
   of	
  
performance	
   in	
   different	
   sectors	
   providing	
   a	
   simple	
   picture	
   of	
   what	
   it	
   will	
   take	
   to	
  
achieve	
  desired	
  reductions.	
  The	
  model	
  can	
  be	
  used	
  with	
  a	
  “top	
  down”	
  or	
  “visionary”	
  
approach	
   to	
   target	
   setting	
   (e.g.	
   “what	
   will	
   it	
   take	
   to	
   achieve	
   a	
   33%	
   reduction	
   in	
  
community	
  wide	
  GHG	
  emissions	
  by	
  2020”?),	
  a	
  “bottom	
  up”	
  or	
  “pragmatic”	
  approach	
  
(i.e.	
   “if	
   we	
   take	
   these	
   particular	
   steps,	
   what	
   type	
   of	
   reductions	
   can	
   we	
   achieve”?),	
   or	
  
a	
  combination	
  of	
  the	
  two.	
  Results	
  are	
  shown	
  both	
  as	
  totals	
  for	
  the	
  whole	
  community	
  
(accounting	
   for	
   growth)	
   as	
   well	
   as	
   on	
   a	
   per	
   capita	
   basis,	
   which	
   is	
   particularly	
   useful	
  
for	
  communities	
  with	
  high	
  growth	
  projections	
  (such	
  as	
  Colwood).	
  The	
  scope	
  of	
  the	
  
model	
   generally	
   follows	
   that	
   of	
   the	
   provincial	
   Community	
   Energy	
   and	
   Emissions	
  
Inventory	
   (CEEI),	
   though	
   it	
   can	
   incorporate	
   other	
   local	
   considerations.	
   It	
   can	
   be	
  
adapted	
   to	
   communities	
   at	
   any	
   scale	
   and	
   expanded	
   to	
   include	
   more	
   detailed	
  
technical	
  analysis	
  and	
  spatial	
  modeling	
  (using	
  GIS)	
  where	
  appropriate.	
  
	
  
The	
  modeling	
  process	
  starts	
  with	
  a	
  preliminary	
  analysis	
  to	
  create	
  a	
  baseline	
  profile	
  
of	
  the	
  community’s	
  energy	
  use	
  and	
  emissions	
  and	
  a	
  “simple	
  growth”	
  projection.	
  This	
  
projection	
   shows	
   what	
   total	
   energy	
   use	
   and	
   emissions	
   will	
   be	
   in	
   the	
   future	
   if	
   per	
  
capita	
   figures	
   remain	
   as	
   they	
   are	
   and	
   the	
   community	
   grows	
   at	
   a	
   given	
   rate.	
   The	
  
preliminary	
  inputs	
  include:	
  
	
  
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N 	
  A N D 	
   L A N D 	
   U S E 	
  
                       On	
  road	
  energy	
  use	
  (from	
  CEEI)	
  
                       On	
  road	
  emissions	
  (from	
  CEEI)	
  
	
  
B U IL D IN G S 	
  
                       Current	
   energy	
   usage	
   (from	
   CEEI	
   and	
   other	
   local	
   data	
   such	
   as	
   heating	
  
                        oil	
  usage)	
  
                       Current	
  emissions	
  (from	
  CEEI	
  and	
  other	
  local	
  data	
  such	
  as	
  heating	
  oil	
  
                        usage)	
  
	
  
W A S T E 	
  
                       Solid	
   waste	
   emissions	
   (from	
   regional	
   data	
   using	
   the	
   “waste	
  
                        commitment”	
  method)	
  
                        	
  
G R O W T H 	
  R A T E 	
  
                       Informed	
   by	
   census	
   data,	
   the	
   regional	
   growth	
   strategy,	
   and	
   general	
  
                        staff	
  knowledge.	
  
	
  
	
                                                                     3	
  

 

Once	
   the	
   baseline	
   profile	
   and	
   “simple	
   growth”	
   projections	
   have	
   been	
   created,	
  
internal	
   and	
   external	
   stakeholders	
   are	
   engaged	
   and	
   the	
   community’s	
   goals	
   and	
  
priorities,	
   as	
   well	
   as	
   potential	
   strategies,	
   are	
   identified.	
   Next,	
   a	
   “target	
   analysis”	
   is	
  
performed	
   by	
   experimenting	
   with	
   variables	
   that	
   relate	
   to	
   both	
   physical	
   and	
  
behavioral	
  changes.	
  Examples	
  from	
  each	
  sector	
  are	
  given	
  below:	
  
	
  
TRANSPORTATION	
  AND	
  LAND	
  USE	
  	
  
D RIVING	
   L ESS : 	
   	
  
                       Smart	
  Growth	
  Land	
  Use	
  and	
  Infrastructure	
  	
               The	
  analysis	
  accounts	
  for	
  
                        	
   e.g.	
   the	
   portion	
   of	
   residents	
   living	
   in	
            the	
  role	
  each	
  variable	
  
                        compact,	
   mixed-­‐use	
   neighborhoods;	
   quality	
                   plays	
  in	
  reducing	
  driving,	
  
                        of	
   transit,	
   cycling,	
   and	
   pedestrian	
                         based	
  on	
  research	
  done	
  
                        infrastructure	
                                                            by	
  the	
  Victoria	
  Transport	
  
                       Trip	
   Reduction	
   and	
   Mobility	
   Management	
                     Policy	
  Institute.	
  E.g.,	
  it	
  is	
  
                        Marketing	
  Programs	
  	
                                                        assumed	
  that	
  (all	
  else	
  
                        	
   e.g.	
   prevalence	
   of	
   school	
   transportation	
                  being	
  equal)	
  residents	
  
                        management	
  programs,	
  ride	
  sharing	
                                        who	
  live	
  in	
  compact,	
  
                       Note:	
   shifts	
   in	
   transportation	
   mode	
   split	
             mixed-­use	
  neighborhoods	
  
                        associated	
   with	
   the	
   above	
   are	
   provided	
   as	
          will	
  drive	
  20%	
  less	
  than	
  
                        secondary	
  indicators	
                                                                   those	
  who	
  don’t.	
  	
  
                              	
  
V EHICLE	
   F UEL	
   E FFICIENCY	
   I MPROVEMENTS 	
  
	
  
S HIFTS	
  TO	
   C LEANER	
   F UEL	
   S OURCES 	
  
             	
  
BUILDINGS	
  
I MPROVEMENTS	
  TO	
   E XISTING	
   B UILDINGS 	
  
                           Significant	
   retrofits	
   (degree	
   of	
   improvement	
   and	
   retrofit	
   rate	
   based	
  
                            on	
  age	
  of	
  building	
  stock	
  from	
  census	
  data	
  and	
  ecoENERGY	
  statistics)	
  
                           Minor	
  retrofits	
  and	
  simple	
  energy	
  management	
  
	
  
N EW	
   B UILDINGS	
   B UILT	
  FOR	
   H IGHER	
   P ERFORMANCE 	
  
                           Residential:	
  
                                       • Unit	
  mix	
  (i.e.	
  detached,	
  attached,	
  5	
  stories;	
  
                                             informed	
  by	
  permit	
  records)	
  
                                       • Unit	
  size	
  (informed	
  by	
  trends	
  in	
  local	
  development	
  and	
  
                                             building	
  practices)	
  
                                             	
  
	
                                                                     4	
  

 

                     Commercial	
  and	
  Residential:	
  
                                       • Energy	
  intensity	
  	
  
                                       • Emissions	
  intensity	
  of	
  energy	
  sources	
  
                                           	
  
                     	
  Note:	
  industrial	
  buildings	
  were	
  not	
  included	
  as	
  data	
  was	
  not	
  available	
  
	
  
SOLID	
  WASTE	
  
	
  
                Reductions	
  in	
  the	
  volume	
  of	
  waste	
  sent	
  to	
  the	
  landfill	
  
                 	
  
Figure	
   1,	
   below,	
   outlines	
   variables	
   from	
   each	
   sector	
   that	
   are	
   used	
   to	
   develop	
   the	
  
sector	
  specific	
  and	
  overall	
  community	
  targets	
  for	
  energy	
  use	
  and	
  GHG	
  emissions.	
  

Figure	
  1:	
  Variables	
  used	
  in	
  target	
  setting	
  
	
  
           	
  Note:	
  quantitative	
  target	
  analysis	
  is	
  supplemented	
  by	
  qualitative	
  analysis	
  
           where	
   appropriate.	
   For	
   example,	
   a	
   comparison	
   of	
   the	
   broader	
   community	
  
           benefits	
   of	
   mobility	
   management	
   strategies	
   vs.	
   vehicle	
   fuel	
   efficiency	
  
           improvements	
   was	
   undertaken,	
   providing	
   additional	
   context	
   to	
   planning	
  
           priorities.	
  	
  

	
                                                                 5	
  

 

The	
   “target	
   analysis”	
   is	
   an	
   iterative	
   process	
   and	
   stakeholders	
   are	
   engaged	
  
throughout.	
   This	
   process	
   leads	
   to	
   the	
   creation	
   of	
   a	
   scenario	
   that	
   includes	
   primary	
  
and	
   secondary	
   targets	
   associated	
   with	
   desired	
   levels	
   of	
   performance.	
   Strategies	
   and	
  
key	
   projects	
   that	
   will	
   help	
   achieve	
   these	
   levels	
   of	
   performance	
   are	
   outlined	
   along	
  
with	
  a	
  monitoring	
  protocol	
  to	
  help	
  the	
  City	
  track	
  it’s	
  performance	
  over	
  time.	
  These	
  
are	
   then	
   refined	
   and	
   developed	
   into	
   a	
   comprehensive	
   CEEP.	
   Figure	
   2,	
   below,	
  
outlines	
  this	
  process.	
  

Figure	
  2:	
  Energy	
  and	
  Emissions	
  Modeling	
  and	
  Planning	
  Process	
  	
  

	
                                                               6	
  

 

P RO C E S S , E N G AG E M E N T                     AND        G OV E R N A N C E

The	
   project	
   was	
   initiated	
   by	
   staff	
   that	
   saw	
   the	
   need	
   for	
   a	
   plan	
   that	
   would	
   help	
   them	
  
understand	
   the	
   role	
   that	
   various	
   strategies	
   and	
   levels	
   of	
   performance	
   in	
   each	
   sector	
  
could	
   play	
   in	
   reducing	
   community	
   wide	
   energy	
   use	
   and	
   GHG	
   emissions.	
   	
   The	
   City	
  
Engineer	
  provided	
  a	
  report	
  to	
  Council,	
  who	
  approved	
  the	
  allocation	
  of	
  a	
  portion	
  of	
  
the	
   City’s	
   gas	
   tax	
   funds	
   to	
   create	
   a	
   CEEP	
   and	
   directed	
   staff	
   to	
   propose	
   the	
   specific	
  
terms	
  of	
  reference	
  for	
  the	
  project.	
  Staff	
  worked	
  with	
  Jordan	
  Fisher	
  and	
  Associates	
  to	
  
develop	
  the	
  terms	
  of	
  reference,	
  which	
  were	
  submitted	
  to	
  and	
  approved	
  by	
  Council.	
  
The	
  project	
  later	
  received	
  support	
  from	
  BC	
  Hydro,	
  who	
  provided	
  both	
  funding	
  and	
  
significant	
  guidance	
  throughout	
  the	
  project.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   project	
   was	
   overseen	
   by	
   a	
   “core	
   team”	
   of	
   City	
   personnel	
   that	
   included	
  
representatives	
   from	
   the	
   Planning,	
   Engineering,	
   and	
   Building	
   departments	
   as	
   well	
  
as	
   a	
   member	
   of	
   Council.	
   The	
   core	
   team	
   met	
   with	
   the	
   consultant	
   periodically	
   and	
  
sought	
   input	
   from	
   other	
   City	
   personnel	
   as	
   needed.	
   They	
   reported	
   to	
   the	
   recently	
  
established	
  Mayor’s	
  Task	
  Force	
  on	
  Energy	
  and	
  Economic	
  Development,	
  which	
  is	
  made	
  
up	
  of	
  staff,	
  elected	
  officials,	
  and	
  a	
  broad	
  range	
  of	
  community	
  leaders.	
  These	
  include	
  
representatives	
  from	
  the	
  building	
  and	
  development	
  sector,	
  community	
  non-­‐profits,	
  
Royal	
   Roads	
   University,	
   and	
   the	
   other	
   members	
   of	
   the	
   business	
   community.	
   	
   The	
  
project	
  team	
  also	
  sought	
  to	
  engage	
  the	
  broader	
  community	
  through	
  workshops	
  for	
  
key	
  stakeholders	
  and	
  the	
  general	
  public.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   modeling	
   results	
   gave	
   City	
   personnel	
   a	
   much	
   clearer	
   understanding	
   of	
   what	
  
energy	
  use	
  and	
  emissions	
  reduction	
  targets	
  could	
  be	
  realized	
  if	
  particular	
  levels	
  of	
  
performance	
   in	
   different	
   sectors	
   were	
   achieved.	
   This	
   was	
   a	
   critical	
   early	
   step	
   in	
  
developing	
   the	
   CEEP	
   and	
   the	
   strategies	
   that	
   will	
   help	
   the	
   City	
   realize	
   those	
   levels	
   of	
  
performance.	
   The	
   City	
   used	
   the	
   results	
   of	
   this	
   work	
   to	
   inform	
   their	
   Official	
  
Community	
  Plan	
  (OCP)	
  amendment,	
  passed	
  by	
  Council	
  in	
  May	
  2010,	
  which	
  met	
  the	
  
requirements	
  of	
  Bill	
  27	
  and	
  set	
  a	
  target	
  of	
  reducing	
  community	
  wide	
  GHG	
  emissions	
  
by	
  33%	
  from	
  2007	
  levels	
  by	
  2020.	
  Figure	
  3,	
  below,	
  shows	
  how	
  different	
  strategies	
  
can	
  contribute	
  to	
  this	
  reduction:	
  

	
                                                                        7	
  

 

Figure	
  3:	
  Targeted	
  GHG	
  Emission	
  Reductions	
  from	
  Key	
  Strategies	
  	
  
	
  
The	
  timeline	
  for	
  the	
  project	
  included	
  a	
  few	
  months	
  of	
  discussions	
  between	
  the	
  City	
  
and	
   the	
   consultant	
   to	
   define	
   the	
   project	
   scope	
   and	
   receive	
   Council	
   direction.	
   That	
  
was	
  followed	
  by	
  about	
  4	
  months	
  of	
  engagement,	
  analysis,	
  and	
  strategy	
  development,	
  
leading	
  to	
  the	
  first	
  draft	
  of	
  the	
  CEEP.	
  The	
  draft	
  is	
  currently	
  undergoing	
  review	
  and	
  
revisions	
  and,	
  after	
  a	
  public	
  open	
  house,	
  will	
  be	
  put	
  before	
  Council	
  for	
  adoption.	
  	
  
	
  
P O L IC Y F R A M E WO R K

While	
   Bill	
   27	
   provided	
   the	
   impetus	
   to	
   undertake	
   an	
   OCP	
   amendment	
   that	
  
incorporates	
  targets,	
  policies,	
  and	
  actions	
  with	
  respect	
  to	
  reducing	
  GHG	
  emissions,	
  
the	
  City	
  was	
  already	
  working	
  towards	
  these	
  goals.	
  The	
  City’s	
  2008	
  award	
  winning	
  
OCP	
  already	
  incorporated	
  numerous	
  policies	
  geared	
  towards	
  developing	
  complete,	
  
compact,	
   and	
   efficient	
   communities	
   and	
   reducing	
   GHG	
   emissions.	
   The	
   existence	
   of	
  
the	
   gas	
   tax	
   fund	
   enabled	
   the	
   City	
   to	
   dedicate	
   the	
   financial	
   resources	
   required	
   to	
  
undertake	
  the	
  project	
  and	
  BC	
  Hydro’s	
  Sustainable	
  Communities	
  program	
  provided	
  
additional	
  funds	
  and	
  support.	
  
	
  
While	
   further	
   policy	
   and	
   program	
   development	
   will	
   follow	
   the	
   completion	
   of	
   the	
  
CEEP,	
   the	
   City	
   has	
   already	
   initiated	
   a	
   number	
   of	
   programs	
   to	
   help	
   achieve	
   their	
  
goals.	
  For	
  example,	
  a	
  partnership	
  with	
  Royal	
  Roads	
  University	
  has	
  been	
  established.	
  
This	
  has	
  led	
  to	
  a	
  variety	
  of	
  collaborative	
  efforts,	
  which	
  started	
  with	
  members	
  of	
  the	
  
project	
  team	
  making	
  presentations	
  to	
  students	
  so	
  they	
  could	
  learn	
  how	
  these	
  types	
  
of	
  initiatives	
  are	
  undertaken	
  and	
  become	
  involved	
  in	
  making	
  positive	
  change	
  in	
  the	
  
community.	
   A	
   group	
   of	
   students	
   is	
   now	
   engaged	
   directly	
   with	
   the	
   City,	
   one	
   of	
   whom	
  

	
                                                                  8	
  

 

has	
  become	
  the	
  volunteer	
  community	
  energy	
  engagement	
  coordinator.	
  The	
  group	
  is	
  
already	
  collaborating	
  with	
  the	
  City	
  and	
  BC	
  Hydro	
  to	
  implement	
  simple	
  home	
  energy	
  
retrofits	
   for	
   low-­‐income	
   households.	
   Another	
   project	
   has	
   been	
   undertaken	
   by	
   the	
  
local	
   non-­‐profit	
   Climate	
   Action	
   West	
   Shore	
   (CAWS)	
   in	
   collaboration	
   with	
   the	
   City	
  
and	
   the	
   West	
   Shore	
   Chamber	
   of	
   Commerce,	
   which	
   led	
   to	
   the	
   creation	
   of	
   Colwood	
  
Community	
   Place,	
   “a	
   local	
   living	
   network	
   intended	
   to	
   help	
   you	
   discover	
   ways	
   you	
  
can	
   go	
   green,	
   go	
   local,	
   grow	
   local	
   veggies	
   and	
   our	
   local	
   economy	
   while	
   building	
   a	
  
thriving	
  city”5	
  
	
  
CHALLENGES                                                                             AND                            B R E A K T H RO U G H S

The	
   intention	
   behind	
   the	
   modeling	
   efforts	
   employed	
   was	
   to	
   simplify	
   the	
  
complexities	
   of	
   community	
   energy	
   use	
   and	
   emissions	
   to	
   inform	
   decision-­‐making.	
  
Given	
   the	
   large	
   number	
   of	
   potential	
   considerations	
   in	
   community	
   energy	
   and	
  
emissions	
   planning	
   it	
   was	
   a	
   challenge	
   to	
   create	
   a	
   model	
   of	
   the	
   community	
   that	
  
captured	
   the	
   major	
   drivers	
   while	
   still	
   being	
   simple	
   enough	
   to	
   be	
   useful.	
   By	
  
simultaneously	
  engaging	
  people	
  with	
  a	
  range	
  of	
  expertise,	
  collaboratively	
  distilling	
  
the	
   most	
   important	
   factors,	
   and	
   identifying	
   the	
   best	
   available	
   data	
   to	
   represent	
  
them,	
   the	
   team	
   was	
   able	
   to	
   meet	
   this	
   challenge.	
   The	
   analysis	
   that	
   was	
   undertaken	
  
struck	
   a	
   good	
   balance,	
   giving	
   City	
   personnel	
   the	
   key	
   information	
   they	
   needed	
  
without	
  leading	
  to	
  “paralysis	
  by	
  analysis”.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   other	
   major	
   challenge	
   inside	
   the	
   local	
   government	
   was	
  
                                                                                                             The analysis that
(and	
   is)	
   the	
   fact	
   that	
   staff	
   have	
   an	
   abundance	
   of	
   other	
   high	
  
                                                                                                              was undertaken
priority	
   work	
   on	
   their	
   plates.	
   Given	
   that	
   much	
   of	
   this	
   work	
  
                                                                                                                    struck a good
relates	
   to	
   immediate	
   issues	
   it	
   can	
   be	
   challenging	
   to	
   find	
   the	
  
time	
   to	
   address	
   long	
   term	
   planning	
   issues	
   and	
   influence	
                         balance, giving
broader	
  community	
  change.	
  The	
  City	
  is	
  continually	
  working	
  to	
                             City personnel
address	
   this	
   challenge,	
   in	
   part	
   by	
   leveraging	
   relationships	
                                     the key
with	
   numerous	
   community	
   organizations	
   like	
   Royal	
   Roads	
                              information        they
University,	
   Climate	
   Action	
   West	
   Shore,	
   and	
   the	
   Chamber	
   of	
                      needed without
Commerce.	
   This	
   has	
   helped	
   the	
   City	
   of	
   Colwood	
   accomplish	
                                 leading to
much	
   more	
   than	
   they	
   could	
   have	
   on	
   their	
   own	
   and	
   fosters	
   a	
              “paralysis    by
more	
  collaborative	
  spirit	
  in	
  the	
  community.	
  	
                                                            analysis”.
	
                                                                                                                                    	
  
     	
  
	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  	
  
5	
  http://www.colwoodcommunityplace.ca/	
  

	
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 9	
  

 

R E S U LT S

The	
  results	
  of	
  the	
  project’s	
  modeling	
  efforts	
  gave	
  Colwood	
  personnel	
  a	
  much	
  better	
  
understanding	
   of	
   what	
   will	
   be	
   required	
   to	
   achieve	
   significant	
   reductions	
   in	
  
community	
   wide	
   energy	
   use	
   and	
   GHG	
   emissions.	
   In	
   addition	
   to	
   showing	
   what	
  
overall	
   reductions	
   could	
   be	
   achieved	
   it	
   also	
   showed	
   the	
   corresponding	
   per	
   capita	
  
reductions,	
  which	
  are	
  often	
  easier	
  to	
  understand.	
  The	
  analysis	
  highlighted	
  the	
  role	
  
that	
  key	
  factors	
  in	
  each	
  sector	
  could	
  play	
  and	
  identified	
  additional	
  indicators	
  to	
  help	
  
monitor	
   progress.	
   For	
   example,	
   reducing	
   the	
   amount	
   of	
   driving	
   in	
   the	
   community	
  
(an	
  important	
  component	
  of	
  the	
  Transportation	
  and	
  Land	
  Use	
  sector)	
  is	
  influenced	
  
by	
   variables	
   like	
   the	
   portion	
   of	
   residents	
   living	
   in	
   compact,	
   mixed-­‐use	
  
neighborhoods.	
   These	
   and	
   other	
   variables	
   combine	
   to	
   give	
   us	
   the	
   potential	
  
reductions	
   and	
   additional	
   indicators	
   (such	
   as	
   transportation	
   mode	
   split)	
   are	
  
developed	
   into	
   a	
   monitoring	
   protocol	
   to	
   help	
   the	
   City	
   track	
   its	
   performance	
   over	
  
time.	
   Similarly,	
   in	
   the	
   Building	
   Sector,	
   key	
   factors	
   like	
   efficiency	
   improvements	
   in	
  
new	
   buildings	
   are	
   influenced	
   by	
   variables	
   such	
   as	
   the	
   size	
   of	
   units,	
   the	
   unit	
   mix,	
   and	
  
energy	
  intensity.	
  	
  
	
  
While	
   the	
   model	
   itself	
   is	
   quantitative	
   in	
   nature,	
   qualitative	
   assessments	
   of	
   key	
  
strategies	
   were	
   included	
   in	
   the	
   project	
   where	
   appropriate.	
   For	
   example,	
   while	
   the	
  
model	
   showed	
   that	
   improvements	
   in	
   vehicle	
   fuel	
   efficiency	
   would	
   achieve	
   the	
  
largest	
   reductions	
   in	
   energy	
   use	
   and	
   GHG	
   emissions,	
   a	
   qualitative	
   assessment	
  
highlighted	
  the	
  importance	
  of	
  mobility	
  management	
  (e.g.	
  through	
  better	
  community	
  
design,	
   active	
   transportation	
   and	
   transit	
   infrastructure)	
   in	
   meeting	
   broader	
  
community	
   goals.	
   Another	
   useful	
   component	
   of	
   the	
   project	
   was	
   the	
   creation	
   of	
   a	
  
CEEP	
   Concept	
   Map	
   (Appendix	
   1),	
   which	
   visually	
   illustrates	
   the	
   main	
   community	
  
energy	
  and	
  GHG	
  considerations.	
  	
  
	
  
The	
   modeling	
   results	
   provided	
   the	
   basis	
   for	
   the	
   development	
   of	
   policies	
   and	
  
strategies	
   that	
   support	
   more	
   sustainable	
   practices	
   in	
   land	
   use,	
   transportation,	
  
buildings,	
   and	
   waste	
   management.	
   They	
   also	
   reinforce	
   the	
   importance	
   of	
   existing	
  
policies	
   aimed	
   at	
   improving	
   community	
   sustainability,	
   such	
   as	
   those	
   contained	
   in	
  
Colwood’s	
  OCP.	
  The	
  model	
  was	
  tailored	
  to	
  the	
  needs	
  of	
  the	
  City	
  of	
  Colwood	
  but	
  can	
  
easily	
   be	
   adapted	
   or	
   expanded	
   to	
   address	
   the	
   priorities	
   of	
   other	
   communities.	
   By	
  
starting	
   the	
   analytical	
   process	
   by	
   identifying	
   the	
   information	
   that	
   will	
   be	
   most	
  
useful	
   to	
   local	
   government	
   personnel,	
   and	
   building	
   the	
   model	
   around	
   that,	
   local	
  
governments	
   can	
   ensure	
   that	
   their	
   efforts	
   give	
   them	
   results	
   that	
   are	
   easy	
   to	
  
understand	
  and	
  inform	
  better	
  decision-­‐making.	
  	
  
	
  
	
                                                                      10	
  

 

Appendix	
  1:	
  City	
  of	
  Colwood,	
  CEEP	
  Concept	
  Map	
  
	
  
	
                                                       11