Successful integrated energy management involves detailed planning to make sure your municipality meets its regulatory requirements while maximizing the payback on energy efficiency and generation projects. LAS Energy Services Division staff routinely updates the following tools to help you do just that.  Please make use of the resources contained on this page and let us know about any new ones you think we should add.  

AMO/LAS Energy Workshop Materials

• Workshop Materials

AMO Templates

• Energy Planning Matrix
• Energy Savings Idea Submission Form

Cash Flow Analysis Spreadsheet

• Simple excel sheet enables user to construct simple life cycle cost analysis for an energy project of their choice.

Case Studies

Clean Air Foundation’s Switch the State Program

• Switch the 'Statisa thermostat replacement and collection program delivered in partnership with heating and cooling contractors and wholesalers across Ontario. The goal of the program is to encourage the uptake of more energy efficient programmable thermostats and to provide a safe and responsible disposal option for older mercury-containing thermostats. 

Combined Heat and Power Resources

• Combined heat and power (CHP or cogeneration) systems produce both electricity and useful heat using a combustible fuel. The recovered "waste" heat from the power generation can be provided to a heating and/or cooling load (e.g. via an absorption chiller). This link contains the RETScreen Software Combined Heat & Power (Cogeneration) Model that can be used to evaluate the energy production and savings, costs, emission reductions, financial viability and risk for central-grid, isolated-grid and off-grid cogeneration (CHP) projects. The software can model a wide variety of projects ranging in size from large scale coal-fired steam turbine central plants or natural gas-fired gas turbine - combined cycle central plants connected to district energy networks, to biomass-fired distributed energy systems providing cooling, heating and power to institutional and commercial buildings and industrial facilities, to stand-alone energy supplies for commercial and institutional buildings, to small-scale remote reciprocating engine CHP systems. Training material, e-Textbook / Guides, and Case studies are also included.
  

Directory of Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Programs in Canada 

• This engine can search for all government and utility run programs by sector in Ontario or any other province.  

Energy Conservation Leadership Act, 2006

• This Act enables cabinet to set standards for municipal energy plans.

Energy Efficiency Act, 1990

• This Act enables cabinet to set standards for various appliances.

Energy Savings Opportunities Guidebook  (Natural Resources Canada)

• A Start to Finish guide about spotting energy efficiency opportunities including simple methods for identifying savings opportunities, along with a checklist of opportunities.  A criteria is provided for the assessment of the benefits associated with a savings opportunity.
  

ENERGY STAR® Savings Calculator

• The Canadian ENERGY STAR Simple Savings Calculator is an interactive software tool designed to show volume buyers or procurement officials the direct economic and environmental benefits of purchasing an energy-efficient product. It can compare the costs of purchasing multiple energy-efficient products with those of conventional product. Using local utility rates, projected savings can be calculated from reduced energy consumption and maintenance costs.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star @ work - Find out how you can save energy and fight global warming by making many of the same green choices at work that you make at home.
  

Federal Buildings Initiative Audit Standards Guidelines

• The report summarizes energy audits by levels: namely yardstick, screening, walkthrough and engineering. A description of each is provided along with sample terms of reference for requesting an audit, sample forms and graphs, approximate costs and time to completion. The report also summarizes the auditing requirements for Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan’s) Federal Buildings Initiative (FBI), specifically for energy performance contracting. The report may be taken as a guideline document for energy auditing with NRCan’s FBI and Energy Innovators programs.

Financing Materials Guide

• This straightforward guidebook walks the user through the pros and cons of contracting versus doing a program yourself with brief discussion of financing options that include self-financing, loans, energy performance contracts.

Hiring an Energy Auditor

• An energy audit, also called a feasibility study or technical assistance report, is often necessary to identify technically viable and cost effective energy projects that will reduce energy use and operating costs in your facility. The following manuals are meant of offer tips on what to look for in selecting an auditor and developing contracts. LAS encourages capacity building at the local level so while we realize some municipalities will hire Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) we advise them to very carefully develop a contract that not only includes verification and performance measures but also knowledge transfer to local staff.
• The Californian Energy Commission’s How to Hire an Energy Auditor to Identify Energy Efficiency Projects
• HRAI Energy Efficiency Contractors Network

Municipal Building Retrofit Program

• FCM MBRP
• MBRP Materials

Marketing Your Facility Department

• Promoting the achievements of facility staff is crucial to obtaining lasting success within the municipality. This article from the November 2009 edition of Buildings magazine has some great tips for promoting the good work of facility managers to senior management.

Municipal Lighting

• Lighting: HID Versus Fluorescent for High-Bay Lighting  and High/Low-Bay Applications: Fluorescent or Metal Halide?  The new fluorescent fixtures designed for high-bay applications have seven advantages over similar HID fixtures: lower energy consumption, lower lumen depreciation rates, better dimming options, faster start-up and restrike, better color rendition, more pupil lumens, and reduced glare.
• Lighting Design Lab - Information and resources related to facility and outdoor lighting options for municipalities

Natural Resources Canada’s Search for a Contractor Directory

Natural Resources Canada Technical Fact Sheets

The Office of Energy Efficiency has produced a number of helpful fact sheets as part of the Energy Innovators Initiative. These double-sided 8.5 x 11 sheets provide specifications on a range of technologies including HVAC systems, lighting, motors, and digital controls to name a few.  

Download the fllowing fact sheets:

• Auto Vent Dampers for Boilers & Furnaces Technical Fact Sheet
• Boilers for Heating Plants Technical Fact Sheet
• Chiller Technical Fact Sheet
• Compressor Technical Fact Sheet
• Digital Controls Technical Fact Sheet
• Economizers for AC Units Technical Fact Sheet
• Guide to Energy Efficient Motors
• Heat Recovery for Kitchens Technical Fact Sheet
• Improving Boilers and Heaters
• Lamp and Ballast Technical Fact Sheet
• Lighting Controls Technical Fact Sheet
• Lighting for Gyms Technical Fact Sheet
• Premium Efficiency Motors Technical Fact Sheet
• Variable Frequency Drives Technical Fact Sheet

Newsletters

• Heads Up Energy Efficiency - an electronic newsletter from Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE).

Online Conversion Tool

• Enables users to convert any unit of energy in seconds.

Recommissioning Tool

• The Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE)'s Building Optimization Processes webpage provides a step-by-step chart of the various phases and activities of commissioning and recommissioning. The tool also provides a glossary of terms for these and other building optimization approaches.

Recommissioning Guide

• This Recommissioning Guide for Building Owners and Managers illustrates how building owners and managers can successfully use recommissioning as a cost-effective method to reduce expenses and increase revenue through improved building operations. The more an owner is involved in the recommissioning process, the lower the costs, the larger the benefits, and the longer the impact. This guide was created to address the opportunities that owners and managers have to significantly increase the benefits of recommissioning in their buildings. Additionally, it is intended to provide guidance for recommissioning participants by setting expectations regarding the process and outcomes of recommissioning.

RETScreen International

• This free software can be used to evaluate the energy production and savings, life-cycle costs, emission reductions, financial viability and risk for various types of energy efficient and renewable energy technologies (RETs). It also includes product, cost and climate databases, and a detailed online user manual.Available free-of-charge in English and French plus several other languages.

Self-Assessment Matrix

• The assessment process of your organization or facility can be simplified by using matrices focused on Energy Management, Technical Capacity,  Monitoring and Targeting, plus Awareness and Information. After completing the high-level assessment, detailed matrices provide further assistance in assessing the energy performance of a specific system or piece of equipment including Air-Conditioning Systems, Small Power Equipment, Lighting, Hot Water, Building Energy Management Systems, Building Fabric, Boilers, plus Space Heating.

Solar Ready Homes

• The Solar Ready Guidelines specify a number of design considerations and modifications builders can make to new attached and detached homes in preparation for the installation of a future solar

Water/ Wastewater Retrofit RFP Resource

• Although water and wastewater treatment facilities provide an invaluable service to their communities, they are also the largest energy consumers in many cities and towns.The Energy Efficiency RFP Guidance provides information and tools to help cities and towns gain access to the energy savings potential in their water and wastewater treatment facilities. It includes ready-to-use language to request consideration of measures including high speed blowers, sensors and process controls, variable frequency drives, nutrient removal processes, and more.