Knowledge is Power: Using Data and Mapping to Reduce Carbon and Energy Costs in Housing

Are you developing a housing energy retrofit program to reduce carbon emissions and tackle energy poverty? This session will feature two initiatives designed to provide planners with accessible data on housing energy use, efficiency opportunities and energy costs: the Canadian Energy End-use Mapping (CEE Map) project and the Energy Poverty and Equity Explorer. We will share research results to date including reviews of community energy and emissions plans and building energy mapping applications, work accomplished to develop an integrated housing data layer and next steps in energy mapping prototyping in support of Kelowna’s Climate Action goals. Results from the Building Energy Mapping and Analytics Concept Development Study will be shared, along with an update on the National Building Layer. The Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioners’ (CUSP) Network will demonstrate the Energy Poverty and Equity Explorer. Until now, policymakers lacked data on where energy cost burdens are occurring and who is being unjustly impacted. The new tool (energypoverty.ca) offers insights for the entire country. CUSP will share preliminary findings on where energy poverty is most acute, who is grappling with it and contributing factors.