Low Carbon Pathway
Community Energy Transition
The Durham Community Energy Plan is Durham Region’s ambitious strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and seize economic opportunities related to the clean energy transition. It presents low carbon pathway up to 2050 that lays out a set of long-term strategies to reduce GHG emissions while growing our economy.
Durham Community Energy Plan |
The Durham Community Energy Plan will accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy in Durham while simultaneously achieving multiple economic, environmental and social benefits. In response to Regional Council’s climate emergency declaration, in 2021 the Region adopted new community GHG targets, which are: 10% below by 2025, 30% by 2030, and 100% by 2050 from 2019 levels to align with the federal government’s 2050 net zero commitment.
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Durham Greener Homes (Retrofit Accelerator Program) |
Durham Region is proud to launch their Durham Greener Homes program effective April 28, 2022. is a region-wide program developed to provide homeowners with a one-stop shop approach to implementing deep energy home retrofits. The Durham Greener Homes program was identified as a key community-based program in the Durham Community Energy Plan, with a goal to retrofit 200,000 homes by 2050. By collaborating with experts and local institutions, Durham Greener Homes aims to simplify the retrofit process, creating immediate benefits like job opportunities, lower energy consumption, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, leading to resilient homes, and a sustainable environment.
Visit durhamgreenerhomes.ca for program details.
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Durham Greener Buildings |
Durham Greener Buildings is an initiative aimed at supporting the building sector in advancing climate action and sustainability. A key element of this program is a pivotal benchmarking and disclosure program aligned with the provincial Energy and Water Reporting Benchmarking (EWRB) program. Durham Greener Buildings' primary focus is to empower building owners within Durham Region to measure, report, and proactively take action on efficiency and conservation opportunities. The Durham Greener Buildings Program is part of the Region’s Community Energy Plan, and is a key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and respond to Durham Regional Council’s climate emergency declaration. For more information and to learn more, visit DurhamGreenerBuildings.ca
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District Energy |
District energy systems are centralized systems where thermal energy (i.e., heating and cooling) is distributed via underground pipes to multiple buildings in a neighbourhood, district, or campus. It is an alternative to each building having its own on-site heating and cooling systems. District energy is one of the most important decarbonization strategies for Durham Region, and projected to account for 16 per cent of total GHG emissions reductions within the Region’s low carbon pathway. It is particularly critical in high density new development/redevelopment areas that are located close to sources of municipal or industrial waste heat.
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Electric Vehicles |
Vehicles are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Durham Region, representing more than 40 percent of total emissions in 2017. Durham’s Community Energy Plan highlights the critical importance of electric vehicles in meeting the Region’s GHG emissions reduction targets. Electrification of personal, municipal and commercial vehicle fleets is estimated to represent close to 20 percent of the total GHG emissions reductions needed to align with Durham’s “Low Carbon Pathway”. By 2030 all new vehicles purchased in the Region are expected to be zero emissions. The Region is acting on its own vehicle fleets. In November 2019, Durham Region Council committed $10 million in funding towards Durham Region Transit’s first eight battery electric buses and charging infrastructure as a pilot project to inform the transition of the region’s transit fleet to zero-emission buses over the nextension 10 years. In addition to our own Fleet, Durham Region is working with local municipalities and partners to expand the availability of public EV charging stations. In 2021, the Region, together with Ajax, Clarington, Oshawa (in collaboration with Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation) and Whitby will be installing 60 new EV charging stations across 21 municipally-owned and publicly-accessible sites. This initiative is made possible through a $296,000 grant from the Government of Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program. The investment will help to encourage more people to use EVs and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Transitioning to EVs is a key action needed to meet Durham Region’s climate change commitments. EV Chargers in the Region of Durham
Where to find an EV charging station? Find an EV charging station near you or your destination with online maps and mobile apps such as Plugshare or Chargehub. |
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