“As our cities grapple with climate change, older buildings continue to pump out emissions and rack up energy bills. That’s where submetered heat pumps come in,” Wyse CEO Peter R.J. Mills explains. “These innovative systems not only lessen carbon footprints but also boost resident satisfaction and property values.”

Let’s dive into why this dual approach is shaping the future of sustainable building management:

1.

Why decarbonize multi-residential buildings?

Multi-residential buildings contribute a significant portion of global carbon dioxide emissions. Decarbonizing these buildings is crucial in reducing their environmental footprint and aligning with Canada’s sustainability goals. Furthermore, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability can enhance a building’s market appeal, attracting environmentally conscious residents and investors.

“Our North Star is decarbonization and making buildings more energy efficient,” said Belinda Gilbey, Co-founder and President of BONDI, a leading energy solutions company.

“Buildings account for a huge percentage of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. While new buildings have very clear green construction standards in many jurisdictions, we have a huge stock of these older inefficient buildings. That’s the market we’re addressing and why we see the need to  upgrade the HVAC systems.”

2.

What other advantages can decarbonization offer owners?

Energy-efficient upgrades, such as the installation of heat pumps, offer significant long-term cost savings. Although there will be an upfront investment, lower energy consumption and lower maintenance costs lead to considerable financial returns.

Additionally, modernizing building systems to improve energy efficiency can enhance indoor air quality and occupant comfort. Improved air quality and consistent indoor temperatures contribute to healthier living environments, which can boost resident satisfaction and retention. Investing in a comfortable and healthy living space can reduce vacancy rates and turnover costs.

Heat pumps enhance occupant comfort because they offer better room temperature control for residents and have the added benefit of moderating humidity levels, compared to legacy heating systems.

3.

What role do heat pumps play in decarbonization?

Heat pumps are advanced HVAC systems that transfer heat rather than generate it, leading to exceptional energy efficiency. They provide both heating and cooling, making them versatile solutions for maintaining optimal indoor climates throughout the year. Unlike traditional systems that rely on burning fossil fuels, heat pumps use electricity, which can be sourced from renewable energy.

Heat pumps can deliver three to four times the energy they consume. This efficiency directly translates into lower carbon emissions, especially when powered by renewable energy sources. By replacing outdated, fossil fuel-based HVAC systems with heat pumps, multi-residential buildings can significantly reduce their carbon footprints and move closer to achieving sustainability targets.

“If you retrofit with heat pumps, you decentralize heating and cooling systems out to each individual apartment,” Gilbey says. “That gives owners the option to separately meter the energy consumption for the heat pumps. Now, residents are in total control of what temperature they like to keep their unit at, and they’re responsible for their own energy costs. Adding air conditioning to the suite is a popular amenity and a major upgrade in the eyes of residents.”

4.

What do meters do for existing buildings?

Metering can involve the installation of individual meters to monitor the energy usage of different systems or areas within a building including suites. This granular tracking can enable precise energy management and highlight potential inefficiencies.

“Submetering individual suites empowers residents to take control of their energy use, directly impacting their behaviour and overall energy consumption,” says Mills. “This shift not only benefits the environment but also supports the user-pay model by aligning costs more closely with individual usage. Residents reap the rewards of their conservation efforts.”

5.

What happens when you submeter suites with heat pumps?

When integrated with heat pumps, submetering ensures these systems provides actionable data to the tenants such that they can control the energy consumption for heating and cooling.

“If residents aren’t paying their own bill, there’s nothing making them think twice about cranking the heat and leaving the windows open in the winter. It’s very behavioural.

“Submetering is an important piece of the puzzle for our proposals and our projects to further increase the return on investment (ROI) for heat pumps, which further reduces the overall energy consumption by eliminating baseboards in a building,” says Gilbey.

Mills agrees, “Submetering is a proven tool to lower overall energy consumption. By integrating submetering with heat pump retrofits, we’re providing building owners with a robust solution to meet both their financial and sustainability goals.”

The challenge: Lead the way in creating more sustainable living environments while realizing tangible business benefits.

Decarbonizing existing multi-residential buildings is not just an environmental imperative; it’s a strategic business decision. Embracing technologies like heat pumps and submeters supports long-term operational resilience and aligns with the evolving expectations of residents and regulatory bodies.

The BONDI-Wyse partnership helps owners across Canada do just that.

“When you talk about BONDI and Wyse, our value propositions are very much the same even though we do two very different things: reduce energy consumption and increase value for customers,” Gilbey says. “Working together, we’re pairing two great solutions, a heat pump retrofit and submetering, into one full-scope solution for owners.”

Book a no-obligation project review at sales@wysemeter.com