Communities | Community Energy Planning

Energy efficient communities don't just happen—they take time and some well-thought-out effort.
The first step is to have a plan. To help, CanmetENERGY has developed a Community Energy Planning Guide External Hyperlink. The Guide provides a roadmap to follow to become an energy-efficient "Factor-2" community.

Factor-2 communities

Factor 2 means reducing fossil energy and the resulting emissions by a factor of 2 – i.e becoming 50% less dependent on fossil fuels.

Factor-2 communities are developed by applying energy-efficient design practices, policies and technologies aimed at reducing demand on non-renewable resources.

Becoming Factor 2 is all about managing energy. It means understanding the role energy plays in the community, where it comes from, and how best to supply it and use it to build a community that supports a high standard of living within a thriving eco-structure.

Becoming Factor 2—one step at a time

To help communities become Factor 2, CanmetENERGY's Community Energy Planning Guide provides a step-by-step roadmap.

  1. Develop a vision. Define the economic, environmental, and social future for your community.
     
  2. Figure out where you are now. Collect baseline energy-consumption data to see where you stand relative to the vision.
     
  3. Set goals and targets. Establish goals and targets that will enable the community to progress toward Factor 2 a step at a time.
     
  4. Identify the action to take. Define the programs and projects needed to reach those goals.
     
  5. Implement and monitor the actions. Put the programs and projects into action, and monitor the results to see how you are progressing.

The Community Energy Planning Guide expands on each step in detail. It also provides other valuable information, including lists of contacts and funding programs, and examples of successful energy planning in communities.

Download the Community Energy Planning Guide. (PDF document, 5 986,7 Ko)