Name
Interactive Roundtables - Round 1
Date & Time
Tuesday, June 13, 2023, 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM
Kevin Lockhart Michel Méthot Sheida Shahi Mathieu Brossard Kelley Bush Pawel Mekarski Jessica Martin-Thompson Katie Shuter Karine Cazorla Matt Poirier Stephane Chayer Michael Jemtrud Lilya Mincheva
Description

Each roundtable has a different topic and attendees can select the round table that they would like to participate in. Roundtable leaders will spend the first 15 minutes meeting the delegates and providing a case study / lessons learned log / industry update and then moderate a 30-minute discussion with the group where they can give feedback and ask questions. The final 10 –15 minutes will be spent on agreeing on 3 -5 industry recommendations regarding the topic. A selection of these recommendations will be shared with the whole audience and all of them will be summarized in the post-event report.

Options:

  • Barriers to fight against climate change: How to reconcile the urgency for action and the short-term objectives of companies?

    Part 1: Discussion around existing dualities based on two case studies (a Fortune 100 company and a non-profit organization)

    · Economic interests versus ecological issues

    · Short-term leadership versus long-term environmental commitment

    · Creativity in developing technical solutions versus strict and rigorous procurement processes

    · Quantifiable vs. non-quantifiable measures of success such as level of awareness and engagement

    Part 2: Recommendations for a balanced approach to sustainable investing from an investor's perspective

    · Why investors are reluctant to commit to sustainable investment and why this should change

    · SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) to explore sustainable investment opportunities and identify winning strategies
    Leader: Michel Méthot, Executive Vice president, Eastern Canada, SOFIAC 
     

  • Industry update: Considering embodied emissions in retrofit projects This round table will include an overview of the Embodied Emissions Guide for Local Governments, a first of its kind guide to list strategies local governments can implement to reduce embodied emissions.
    Leader: Jessica Martin-Thompson, Climate Initiatives Specialist, Community Energy Association

     

  • Industry update: Rising radon gas levels in Canada: Incorporating radon reduction into energy retrofitting:

    Energy renovations often change a home’s ventilation patterns, as buildings are tightened or sealed to reduce energy loss. This can have a direct consequence for indoor air quality (IAQ). One contaminant in particular, radon gas, appears to be especially impacted by energy retrofits.  Long-term exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Canadian governments are increasingly promoting energy retrofits to homeowners through awareness campaigns, grants and subsidies. These efforts are important as incentives for saving money for residents and helping to address climate change. It is also important to raise awareness and consider their impacts on indoor air quality, such as radon, with a goal of balancing human health and energy retrofit goals. 
    Leaders: Kelley Bush, Pawel Mekarski and Mathieu Brossard, Managers, National Radon   Program and Quebec Regional Specialist, Health Canada 

 

  • Industry update: Level-setting dialogue on codes: What you need to know and how to prepare
    This round table industry update will include: what is happening across the provinces and what level of adoption is taking place, how the new Canadian Board for Harmonized Construction Codes (CBHCC)      operates and how to engage them; and an update on what the new code for existing buildings will mean for real estate owner/developers?
    Leader: Kevin Lockhart, Efficiency Canada 
     
  • Lessons learned: Enabling deep-retrofit projects through innovative value generation - Multi-objective optimization for deep decarbonization and circularity, reuse and recycling
    Leader: Sheida Shahi, CEO, Adaptis
     
  • Industry update: Regulatory and policy tools to accelerate retrofit market transformation
    Leaders: Karine Cazorla, Policy and Program Design Lead, Canada Green Building Strategy, Natural Resources Canada and Matt Poirier, Director of Policy, Building Decarbonization  Alliance (BDA)
     

  • Co-creation: How to bring financial institutions to the table and unlock innovative solutions for deep retrofit financing
    Leaders: Katie Shuter, Advisor, Decarbonization and Cleantech, BMO and Stephane Chayer, P.Eng., D.I.M, Strategic Advisor to the President, Concordia University
     

  • Industry exchange: What is the role of the investment community in fostering climate resiliency in real estate? 
    Leader: Lilya Mincheva Senior Relationship Manager, Canada Principles for Responsible Investment
      
  • Industry exchange: Deep energy retrofit pilot project -- Île-Bizard Sociocultural Center.
    This round table will discuss the design solution and the overall pilot-pipeline-capacity building strategy.
    Leaders: Michael Jemtrud (McGill University), Carlo Carbone (Université du Québec  à Montréal), Christopher Baldwin (Carleton University), Antoine Mathys (McGill University)