Existing Building Commissioning program
Tune up your building’s energy efficiency while reducing costs and increasing market value
Save on Energy’s Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) program is designed to help owners, operators and managers of commercial and institutional buildings in Ontario improve their energy management. Implementing building management best practices will help reduce energy waste, enhance occupant comfort and increase profitability.
Is the EBCx program a fit for my organization?
To qualify for this program, you must be the owner, operator, or manager of a commercial or institutional building and meet the following requirements.
Your facility/facilities must:
- have a minimum of 12 months of consecutive energy data
- have consumed a minimum of 750,000 kWh per annum, not including energy consumed by industrial and manufacturing processes.
- have baseline models meeting the minimum standards. You can refer to the Measurement and Verification (M&V) Guidelines or speak to your commissioning provider for more information
- not have undertaken a commissioning exercise in the last two years
- not be participating in a building accreditation system that requires EBCx as a pre-requisite
- be connected to, or behind the meter of, an electricity customer connected to the IESO-controlled grid or a distribution system
- meet any other eligibility requirements as outlined in the M&V Guidelines below.
And your project must include one of the following measures:
- occupant behavioural measures
- set point and scheduling optimization
- air and water balancing
- other operational and maintenance changes
- equipment repairs and minor replacements.
To help get you started, here’s a list of common EBCx measures:
- Reduce equipment runtime
- Optimize economizer operation
- Eliminate simultaneous heating and cooling
- Optimize supply air temperature
- Optimize zone/setback temperature set points
- Eliminate unnecessary lighting hours
- Optimize ventilation rates
- Optimize static pressure/differential pressure control of fans and pumps
- Add/optimize chilled water temperature reset
- Eliminate passing (leaky) valves
Source: Continuous Optimization Program offered by BC Hydro and FortisBC in British Columbia.
Please refer to the Program Requirements below for the full list of program eligibility requirements and program measures. All measures are subject to review and approval by the IESO. We also recommend that you speak to your commissioning provider for technical assistance.
Don’t have a commercial building?
Visit the programs and incentives web page to find the right Save on Energy program for your business.
What does the program offer?
The EBCx program offers financial incentives to commercial building owners to hire qualified commissioning providers to undertake building recommissioning at their facilities, helping them realize energy savings from improved facility operations and maintenance (O&M) business practices.
The building commissioning process is carried out by an accredited building commissioning provider who will identify potential energy conservation measures and work with the participant to implement recommended building improvements.
The program also provides pay-for-performance incentives for savings achieved through implementation of these practices. The commissioning provider will train participants to engage in ongoing commissioning and to integrate this process into their standard management practices.
Are you a commissioning provider in Ontario?
Sign up for the EBCx and take your business to the next level.
What are the benefits of the program?
By participating in this program, you can:
Increase profitability and property value
Reduce your operating costs and prolong equipment life for higher profits and property value.
Reduce environmental impact
A commissioning provider can help you identify ways to reduce your energy use and achieve a lower carbon footprint.
Develop a continuous improvement mindset
The program provides training on how to improve your building management practices and implement a continuous improvement process, making savings likely to persist over time.
Enhance occupant comfort
From better indoor air quality and thermal comfort to reduced noise, your occupants and their productivity will benefit from improved building management practices.
How does the program work?
The EBCx program has three phases and incentives are available to participants who complete each one.
Hire a CP to investigate your facility, prepare a report and draft a commissioning plan.
- Receive up to $0.06 per square foot of the building area, subject to a maximum of $50,000 per facility and/or 75% of the costs paid by the participant to the commissioning provider to undertake the investigation.
Implement energy-efficiency measures identified in the commissioning plan.
- Receive incentive of $0.03 per kWh of confirmed persisting energy savings, subject to a maximum 30% of the facility’s annual electricity consumption (kWh) calculated using the baseline model or $50,000, whichever is lower. Savings are calculated and verified after the 12-month period.
Receive training from your CP to maintain and monitor systems for one year.
- Receive incentive of $0.03 per kWh of confirmed energy savings, subject to a maximum of 30% of the facility’s annual electricity consumption (kWh) calculated using the baseline model or $50,000, whichever is lower.
Find a commissioning provider near me
To find a qualified commissioner provider near you, click on the links in your area for their contact information.
Download the full list of authorized commissioning providers for the EBCx program.
How do I get started?
To sign up for the EBCx program or for more information email us at EBCx@ieso.ca.