Leading the Way to Low-Carbon is a case study on the Community Energy Managers (CEM) network in BC led by BC Hydro’s Sustainable Community program. The CEM network illustrates how investing in local government capacity can lead to the development and implementation of innovative climate and energy policies and market transformation. The case study offers a summary of the CEM approach, highlights successful initiatives seeded and scaled through the CEM network, and distills best practices that utilities and government agencies in other jurisdictions can apply to accelerate and scale up climate and energy solutions in partnership with local governments for the climate decade.

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flickrccShinyaSuzuki
bchydro.com
LEADING THE WAY
TO LOW-CARBON
British Columbia earned top rank in the 2019 Canadian Provincial
Energy Efficiency Scorecard. Local government leadership is key
to success. BC Hydro’s Community Energy Managers are leading
the charge.

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H
igh-performance, low carbon
buildings. Well-planned,
walkable, transit-friendly
neighbourhoods. Electric vehicles.
These and other climate solutions are
being adopted by communities across
Canada.
When local governments establish full-
time sustainability positions, provide
resources for the development of
new approaches and support staff
participation in peer networks and
capacity building programs, local
governments can accelerate action at
the scale and pace needed to respond
to the climate emergency. Advancing
low-carbon solutions also improves
quality of life and generates health
benefits, saves local governments
and community members money,
and creates new jobs and economic
opportunities.
Leading the Way to Low-Carbon is
a case study of Community Energy
Managers in British Columbia
supported by BC Hydro’s Sustainable
Community program. The CEM
initiative provides an illustration of
how investing in local government
capacity can lead to the development
and implementation of innovative
policies and market transformations.
The case study offers a summary
of the CEM approach, highlights
successful initiatives, and offers a
distillation of best practices utilities
and government agencies in other
jurisdictions, community foundations
and private philanthropy investing
in climate and energy solutions can
apply.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LEAD THE WAY TO LOW-CARBON COMMUNITIES
LEADING THE WAY TO LOW-CARBON
A Case Study of BC Hydro’s Community Energy Managers
“The work we undertake as Community Energy Managers is both challenging and highly
rewarding. The expertise, education, and professional development training that the CEM
network provides, as well as the variety of backgrounds and perspectives that my fellow
CEMs bring to the network, has equipped me with the skills I need to be a more effective
professional.” Devon Miller, Community Energy Manager, City of Victoria
flickrccPaulKrueger

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BC HYDRO’S SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
BC Hydro is a public utility serving 1.8 million customers in the Province of British
Columbia. BC Hydro’s Sustainable Communities program helps create healthy,
affordable, and low-carbon communities.
The Sustainable Communities program was established in 2008 and contributes
to BC Hydro’s mandate under British Columbia’s Clean Energy Act to meet
two-thirds of all new demand for electricity through conservation and energy
efficiency.
Through Sustainable Communities, local governments can apply for funding to
cover up to 50 percent of a salary for a Community Energy Manager (CEM) to
develop and implement plans to reduce energy consumption (including electricity)
and greenhouse gas emissions.
BC Hydro funds between 15-20 positions across the province. As part of the
program, CEMs participate in a general and issue specific peer networks and group
projects that foster information sharing and collaboration and in trainings that build
professional capacity. To ensure the peer exchanges have the greatest impact
possible, local governments across the province are invited to join regardless of
having a CEM funded position.
Communities with populations of more than 75,000 and demonstrated leadership
in climate action and energy management can apply to the program. This focuses
resources in places where there is the greatest potential to gain significant
reductions in energy use and emissions, and to test solutions for replication by other
communities.
BC Hydro also provides coaching support to smaller communities through the
Community Energy Association. This, in combination with providing access to the
CEM networks means that 40 to 50 local governments are benefitting from the
programs. BC Hydro also provides coaching to achieve low-carbon goals to other
professional organizations such as the Canadian Home Builders’ Association and
Building Officals’ Association of BC.

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COMMUNITY ENERGY MANAGERS DRIVE POLICY
AND MARKET TRANSFORMATION
The Community Energy Manager program combines vision with practical tools to
achieve policy and market change. CEMs are encouraged to think big and work
together to achieve ambitious goals.
Peer networks are a critical component of the initiative. Sustainability teams in
local governments are small and under-resourced yet must manage multiple
issues within climate change and energy portfolios. Each issue is complex, making
it time-intensive and difficult to research, develop, implement and measure
policies and programs.
Briefings, workshops, and CEM discussions facilitated by BC Hydro’s Sustainable
Communities team make it possible to generate solutions at a fast pace by
providing access to the latest research, policy developments, and best practices
as well as opportunities to collectively problem-solve, advance new initiatives
and distribute responsibilities. A CEM in one local government, for example, can
focus on creating a commercial building energy retrofit policy knowing they can
leverage the research, policy design, and organizational change approaches being
developed by another CEM to tackle energy retrofits in homes.
Sustainable Community Support - Group Ideation Projects

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flickrccKishR
INNOVATION HIGHLIGHTS
Promoting Electric Vehicle Adoption:
In December 2017, Richmond City Council adopted amendments to the
City of Richmond’s Zoning Bylaw, requiring all new residential parking
spaces in new developments be EV Ready (i.e. feature an energized
electrical outlet capable of providing “Level 2” charging). This work was led
by Richmond’s Sustainability Manager, a BC Hydro co-funded position. The
city was the first local government in North America to put in place such a
comprehensive policy. Thanks to implementation funding from BC Hydro’s
Sustainable Communities program, the City of Richmond engaged with
stakeholders, developed a costing study and technical business case and
produced implementation recommendations for developers, designers,
property managers and others. A guide for local governments was also
created based on lessons and within six months, eight local governments
in the CEM network adopted Richmond’s same ambitious EV charging
requirements.
Building a Clean Transit Network:
Accelerate Kootenays is Canada’s first community-driven clean
transportation network. East Kootenay, Central Kootenay and Kootenay
Boundary Regional Governments with support from the Community
Energy Association, worked with six partners including the federal and
provincial governments and BC Hydro to create and implement a strategy
for expanding the adoption of electric vehicles as a way to cut emissions,
foster innovation and contribute to the tourism economy. The CEM for
the District of East Kootenay helped spark and implement Accelerate
Kootenays which installed more than 50 chargers along a 1,870-kilometre
loop and launched an education campaign in 2018 to promote its usage.
In less than a year, charger activity increased by 52 percent, use of 9,250
litres of gas was displaced, and 21 tonnes of carbon emissions were
eliminated. The model is being adopted by six regional governments in
Northern and Central British Columbia, and by two economic development
collaboratives in Southern Alberta.
“Working with other CEMs, continually learning about effective strategies
to reduce emissions and putting them into practice in our community is a
stimulating and creative process. Municipalities are achieving monumental
wins, such as higher performance energy standards and 100 per cent
‘electric-vehicle-ready’ parking stalls in new construction.” Maggie
Baynham, Senior Sustainability Planner, District of Saanich

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flickrccUSDA
Moving to High Performance, Low-Carbon Buildings:
In 2016, the City of Vancouver was the first community in North America
to adopt a net-zero energy building code. BC Hydro supported its research
and development which helped spur and inform the creation of the BC
Energy Step Code - a voluntary standard in the BC Building Code that
sets a performance-based pathway to achieving net-zero energy ready
buildings by 2032, a goal in the province’s 2018 climate action plan. Local
governments can use the BC Energy Step Code to incentivize or require
energy efficiency in new construction. The experience in British Columbia
illustrates local governments can successfully test the waters for future
code updates. CEMs participated in the Energy Step Code Council, a multi-
stakeholder working group that helped shape the provincial approach and
contributed to a framework
to guide local governments in
the adoption of code bylaws.
A series of informational
webinars, and peer-learning
groups were offered via the
Community Energy Manager
networks to support code
implementation and execution
of a communications and
outreach strategy. As of July
2019, 16 local governments
adopted the code in building
bylaws.
Homeowner Tool for Making Smart Energy Choices:
With funding from BC Hydro, the District of Saanich put in place a home
energy labelling requirement in 2018. Energy labels provide a tool to
assess energy performance of a home when making purchasing or
renovation decisions. By the end of 2019, 43 percent of new homes
permitted in the district will disclose the home’s energy rating as well as
the annual end-use energy consumption for space heating, water heating,
lighting, on-site renewable energy contributions, energy intensity, GHG
emissions and total heated floor area. The District of Saanich lead a
study on adoption of home energy labels as part of implementing the BC
Energy Step Code for the CEM network. Subsequently, five other local
governments adopted similar energy labeling programs.
“The CEM network is very valuable to me in my role to both
understand what other BC cities are implementing and share what the
City of Vancouver is doing. When multiple jurisdictions have similar
efficiency incentives or requirements, it optimizes the regional supply
chain price. The Community Energy Manager network helps this
happen.” Chris Higgins, Green Building Planner, City of Vancouver
Source: Lessons From the BC Energy Step Code

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COMMUNITY ENERGY MANAGER NETWORK
BC Hydro’s Community Energy Managers are generating breakthrough solutions
and replicating them across the province. The model has been adopted by other
organizations including FortisBC. A number of factors are contributing to success.
These best practices can be leveraged by utilities or senior levels of government
in other jurisdictions to enhance the adoption of energy efficiency and low-carbon
solutions at the local level.
Long Term Investment in Municipalities
BC Hydro’s investment in local governments through the CEM program
gives municipalities the resources and confidence necessary to
pursue bold, complex and technical policies. The quick succession of
implementation of new approaches by multiple cities in the region
provides the market with greater certainty, consistency and streamlined
transitions to low-carbon alternatives. Funding collaborative processes
strengthens relationships and builds trust among CEMS and between
local governments, BC Hydro, the Provincial government, and industry.
Full-Time Staff Positions
A commitment from BC Hydro to pay for up to 50 percent of the costs
for a two year position with the possibility of renewal makes it easier to
gain internal and council approval for adding a role dedicated to reducing
community-wide energy use and emissions. The grant period is long
enough to allow CEMs to produce results that justify continuing the
position and in some cases, using local government tax revenues to pay
for the position which ultimately provides the most stability to advance
progress over time.
KEYS TO SUCCESS

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Multiple, Flexible Funding Streams
Through the Sustainable Communities program, CEMs can apply for
grants to cover research, policy development and implementation costs.
This funding is critical as it supports long-term policy development
work and piloting new approaches. Local governments can also tap
into funding BC Hydro offers for Corporate Energy Managers focused
on reducing energy use and emissions in municipal buildings and fleets
and/or Building Energy Managers who work in planning departments to
improve compliance with existing regulations and promote adoption of
the BC Energy Step Code.
Peer Learning and Ideation
By participating in the general and issue specific networks, CEMs shorten
the timeline for policy and program development through information
sharing and collective problem solving. They can address multiple issues
at once by distributing workloads across the CEMs and exchanging
outcomes.
Capacity Building
The Sustainable Communities team increases the capacity of CEMs to
excel by providing them with templates and coaching to set goals and
workplans and measure results, training to improve critical skills such as
public speaking and organizational change management, and workshops
on emerging issues.
Streamlined Processes
The process to apply for staff and project implementation funding and
report on outcomes is clear and efficient. Local governments can redirect
staff time spent on administration to the delivery of energy and emission
reductions.
CEMs are propelling low-carbon solutions forward in communities across British
Columbia. The program illustrates the importance of investing in staff positions,
capacity building and peer collaboration networks to achieve the transformational
policy and market shifts that can address the climate emergency and promote
thriving communities into the future.
Leading the Way to Low-Carbon was researched and written by Social Capital Strategies, Inc. on
behalf of the Canadian Urban Sustainability Practitioner network. The case study was informed by
interviews with CEMs from Richmond, Saanich, Surrey and Vancouver and with Robyn Wark, Team
Lead of Sustainable Communities for BC Hydro. Social Capital Strategies also reviewed program
materials (i.e. workplan templates, schedule of trainings) and the websites of the cities referenced
above.