Incentives offered for green energy use. (Construction).

Fuelled by energy savings and some financial help from Natural Resources Canada, architects across Canada and Northern Ontario are signing on to a unique incentive program aimed at promoting the design of better energy efficient buildings.

Lakehead University's Advanced Technology Centre in Thunder Bay and the Cree Village Eco-Lodge in Moose Factory are two of the more advanced projects in the North under construction as part of the federal government's Commercial Building Incentive Program.

The Commercial Building Incentive Program (CBIP) offers financial incentives to incorporate energy efficient technologies and practices into the designs of new commercial and institutional building programs.

Financial incentives of up to $60,000 will be awarded to building owners whose designs meet CBIP requirements.

An eligible building design must demonstrate a reduction in energy use by at least 25 per cent when compared to the requirements of the Model National Energy Code for Buildings.

The incentive program was born out of the Kyoto Protocol discussions, and since the program was launched in 1998, 198 buildings across Canada have been approved under CBIP as of late July, projects that are either occupied or under construction.

And the program is gaining momentum with 1,196 further expressions of interest waiting in the wings, says Michel Lamanque, account manager with the CBIP program.

The educational and health sector lead the way in Ontario for projects registered in the program, but increasing interest is coming from the private sector for office buildings.

"Most of these projects are really innovative and most of the time go beyond average energy efficiencies and enter the green building approach."

Typically most of these projects employ dimmer switches for lighting, use passive solar energy technology and utilize natural lighting and ventilation wherever possible.

Lamanque says clients are very pleased so far with the results.

Though still working to gathering hard data from the architects on the building costs of this green approach versus conventional methods, the program's first 10 buildings show the average energy savings is 32.2 per cent better than the model energy code, an average of $3.52 per square metre in cost savings.

Through informal discussions, they are finding any incremental costs of utilizing green technology over conventional designs are nominal in more energy efficient buildings.

"Once you reach 40 to 45 per cent better than model energy code, they really don't cost more, they meet budget, they're better and they cost the same price.

"Because in a better building your systems are smaller, it's better insulated, and if you add it all up you have a building with smaller energy load.

Other projects in the works across the North awaiting approval include proposals in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Cheimsford, Chapleau, Red Lake, Dryden, Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout and Atikokan.