EWRB – What You Need To Know

The 2018 Ontario Regulation 506/18 requires all privately owned buildings 50,000 square feet or larger to report their energy and water consumption annually. This includes commercial or industrial buildings and multi-residential buildings with more than 10 units. Here's everything you need to know about Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB).

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What is EWRB and What Do You Have to Report?

EWRB requires you to report your building’s consumption of water, electricity, and gas usage. In addition, you’re tasked with keeping your building information updated. This includes property identification, gross floor area, and property use details. Buildings are also obligated to conduct an audit every five years. Buildings must submit their consumption data by July 1^st of every year.

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Who has the Right to Report?

Buildings are allowed to self-report or hire a third party to report for them. If they chose the option of self-reporting, board members and building staff are both eligible to complete the reporting process. If you decide to go the third-party route, the acceptable parties include an energy-reporting employee, an engineer, or the Corporation’s management team.

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How to Report

There are three steps to the reporting process:

• Data collection: location and ownership, building square footage, occupancy and space usage, annual water, electricity, and gas/fuel usage.
• Verification: data verification is required to be completed in the first year and then every five years by a professional or accredited body.
• Reporting: reporting is done though the ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager®.

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Who is Exempt from Reporting?

If your building meets the following requirements, you are not required to report:

• More than 50% of the building is utilized by a public agency.
• A data centre, television studio, or trading floor occupies more than 10% of the building.
• Facilities for manufacturing, commercial, agricultural, or industrial processing that take up more than 10% of the building
• The building is less than 50,000sq. ft.
• If the building was recently completed, with an occupancy certificate issued within the relevant reporting period.

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How Long Does The Reporting Process Take?

Collecting data directly from the utilities can take 4-6 weeks depending on the utility. Each utility has a different procedure for accepting and requests.

Once all data is collected, (either from the utility, or gathered invoices) building managers should be able complete their EWRB report in a day's time.

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How Can you Use Your Data to Drive Down your Utility Costs?

Keller Engineering’s EWRB report will bring to light any inefficiencies present in your building. This will enable you to implement efficient practices where possible. For example, if your water consumption is too high it may suggest a significant water leak. Other efficiency practices include using a higher efficiency mechanical systems or installation of energy efficient light bulbs.

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Kellers' Reporting Service

When you partner with Keller, you’ll receive management of the entire reporting process, access to a high-quality online reporting portfolio manager, and you relax knowing you won’t have to take on additional administrative duties.

Let us help ensure that your condominium corporations and clients are EWRB compliant by July 1, 2024. Partner with Keller Engineering, we have a team ready to help. Click here to take a look at our process.