LESSONS FROM BUILDING NORTH AMERICA’S
GREENEST HOTEL IN TORONTO
Part of the
MaRS BEST PRACTICES SERIES
Date: Produced by: Generously supported by:
July 9, 2009
Moderator:
Tom Rand
Cleantech Practice Lead, MaRS

Carbon Reduction and Climate Change:
“climate change … could alter the way we live in the most
Fundamental way. … It is life itself that we battle to preserve.”,
Margaret Thatcher, 1989, Address to U.N. General Assembly
Cleantech = Third Industrial Revolution
Global Targets: as Political Responses align with Scientific Realism …
50% - 80% reductions by 2030 – 2050.
“Green”: Reduction in energy use, carbon emissions.
Buildings: 50%-75% of carbon emissions in large urban centers,
40% overall.
( What about Water? - only 2.4% of Toronto’s electrical consumption is used
for water treatment and delivery. )

Our Target: 75% reduction in carbon emissions (BAU)
on an on-going basis – sustainable operations.

Existing Standards:
LEED
BOMA
TRCA
Pragmatism: Avoid “paralysis by analysis”:
Use existing case studies as first-order feasibility study.
Introducing: The “ no-CaRbon.As.by.Product.” Model
Platinum: no carbon at all.
Gold: Planet Traveler.
Fail: Green Hotel Association.
The Basic Lessons …
Technologies exist, that stand on economic merits.
( If we can do this, anyone can do this. )
The problems are soft, not hard (people, process, capital)

Us: Existing shell, limited south exposure.

Partnering with the City of Toronto
Opening up the Laneways and Parks
Savings: 50-70% of heating/cooling

20% of hot water

Entire building’s lighting = a two-slice toaster.

10 kw system: All electrical power, except the heat pumps.
Easily 10% of total power.

Technology Energy Reductions
Geo-exchange 40 %
Solar Thermal 7.5 %
Solar PV 15% (up to 25%)
Power-pipetm 7.5%
LED Lighting/switching 5%
Total: 77.5% (Up to 85%)
Cost: < $200,000 = 5% of buildings value
Monthly Savings: $ 2500 / 15% return / 6.5 year payback

Three Ways to Estimate (besides guessing …):
1. Comparable Building, Comparable Use.
2. Measure performance of equipment.
eg. Ground loop, Solar Thermal, Power-pipe
3. Model the building’s energy use.
eg. City of Toronto Efficiency grant $2500

“Green” Hotels Association, Membership requirements (greenhotels.com) :
- Occupancy sensors to control lights, AC/heat, TV
- Linens changed between guests or on request only (towels on floor or in tub)
Estimated carbon savings: 5-10%
The Hotel Association of Canada's (HAC) Green Key Eco-Rating Program
Their audit is “administered entirely online”
Awarded your key “within minutes!”
Estimated carbon savings: ??
If you’re not reducing carbon use – significantly – it’s just ‘feel-good’ marketing.

Economic Disconnect # 1: Carbon is still free to emit.
Solution: Put a price on carbon.
Economic Disconnect # 2: Developers do not pay energy bills.
Solution: Incentivize a new Geo-Utility, or Retrofit-Utility.

Education: If you don’t know about it, you can’t install it.
Solution: Strong third-party support of “best practices” (eg. Manitoba Hydro)
Technology support, not vendor support. Visible public advocacy.
Capital: Need lots of patient capital.
Solution 1: Unlock 5% of property value in a mortgage.
Solution 2: Green Bonds! Like a Canada Savings Bonds, backed by government.
Money earmarked for building retrofits,
Interest paid with savings,
Administered by commercial banks.
See www.greenbonds.ca

Powering Canada’s Cleantech Industry
and Economic recovery.
Tap 5% of real estate value across the country:
- Reduce Canada’s carbon emissions by 30% -
- Create jobs and build a Canadian Cleantech industry -
(Clean Energy Developments, Enerworks, Power-pipe, Morgan Solar…)