Ensuring that the Canadian built environment runs as energy efficiently as possible goes a long way in helping the nation reach its climate change goals, while providing economic benefits to building owners. somewhere between focusing on the energy efficiency of building components and focusing on the efficiency of the building as a whole is the concept of assessing building systems. Standards can go a long way in establishing guidance and best practices for assessing the energy efficiency of building systems and CSA Group has not only developed several key documents but is in the process of establishing a Technical Committee (TC) to develop the first ever standard focused on Building Energy Systems (BES). Built environment stakeholders should be looking to have the components of their building systems – including heating and cooling systems, lighting, and office equipment – as well as exploring alternate forms of energy like photovoltaic (PV) – in their efforts to running a net-zero energy building. Testing and certification for these building elements for energy efficiency can build a solid foundation for overall improved building efficiency and decreased operational costs.

This paper explores:

• Federal and provincial mandates in the energy efficiency realm
• Key standards that support BES
• Testing and certification needs to assess the energy efficiency of individual building components
• Advances in testing processes for PV and energy storage, and their role in BES