CLIENT: Environment Canada

CHALLENGE: The impacts of a changing climate are already evident in Canada and around the world. While the causes of climate change and the impacts on human health and the environment have become increasingly understood, there is still a limited understanding of how it will affect the Canadian economy.

SOLUTION: Marbek explored economic models of climate change and identified climate change economic impact functions on areas of relevance to Canada, with consideration for different Canadian regions. Marbek presented a review of 33 existing models and economic impact studies in various sectors including coastal infrastructure, forestry, agriculture, water, energy, health, tourism and transportation. Marbek also assessed and described 18 economic impact functions related to these sectors that can be used in future economic analyses. The study concluded with a gap analysis and recommendations.

RESULT: This study provided a comprehensive overview of the methods that can be used to assess the economic effects of climate change on key economic sectors in Canada. Environment Canada is using our recommendations to develop economic tools and models for climate change policy analysis.

CLIENT: Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC)

CHALLENGE: The client wanted to develop a vision of building performance in North America based on an aggressive uptake of green building construction and renovation practices. They wanted to highlight the potential environmental, social and economic benefits of reducing the environmental footprint associated with building design, location and operation.

SOLUTION: Marbek analyzed the potential environmental benefits, examined factors behind notable green building successes and the difficulties associated with green building construction, and outlined public and private measures for fostering the adoption of green building construction and renovation practices in North America. We took a “bottom up” approach by developing building archetypes and modeling aggressive, but achievable, adoption rates for green building practices in homes and commercial buildings in Canada, Mexico and the United States. We modeled the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s 2030 challenge and a more aggressive “deep green” scenario, and analyzed the energy and greenhouse gas impacts for all three countries.

RESULT: This work provided a platform for policy makers to consider: 1) the nature of the building market in North America; 2) the potential environmental implications of achieving accelerated market penetration of green buildings; and 3) how policy approaches might support achieving higher market penetration rates.

CLIENT: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME)

CHALLENGE: Climate change is anticipated to have far-reaching impacts on Canada’s water resources, including changes to the hydrologic cycle and water availability. These impacts are just starting to be investigated, and policy makers are faced with a lack of information on the state of water use in Canada and a poor understanding of the monitoring needs to assess and track hydrologic changes over time. The policy solutions to reduce risk and improve adaptation are complex since each solution comes with costs and uncertainties. The relationship between water and energy resource use, in particular, necessitates well-considered policy decisions.

SOLUTION: Marbek helped build a knowledge foundation for CCME jurisdictions by: 1) Identifying (with JF Sabourin and Associates) the potential hydrologic impacts of climate change in Canada, including snow, ice, coastal and freshwater impacts; 2) Identifying methods and tools to monitor changes in the hydrologic parameters, useful vulnerability indicators and options to address data gaps; 3) Identifying (with Dr. Jim Bruce, Dr. Rob de Loe and Rick Findlay) watersheds that are most vulnerable to water scarcity from climate change impacts; 4) Analyzing the implications of water conservation initiatives on water use in four key economic sectors that are highly reliant on water, and; 5) Assessing the implications of climate change and water scarcity on water availability in Canada.

RESULT: The results are helping CCME jurisdictions monitor climate change impacts and plan adaptation measures by identifying the likely changes in watersheds across the country, including those most vulnerable to water scarcity, identifying a range of techniques to monitor these changes and prepare for timely action, and identifying strategic impacts and trade-offs associated with water conservation initiatives.

CLIENT: Environment Canada

CHALLENGE: The Canadian Energy Efficiency Working Group (EEWG), established under the Energy Sector Sustainability Table, consisted of leading experts on energy efficiency, including senior industry leaders, senior government officials, heads of agencies involved in energy efficiency, leading NGOs in the field, and highly respected consultants and academic researchers. The Working Group identified the need to carry out an analysis of energy efficiency in Canada.

SOLUTION: Marbek and Michael Margolick helped facilitate the development of principles, researched and produced a comprehensive “Foundation Paper on Energy Efficiency in Canada”, and developed a series of eight issue papers on Energy Efficiency Targets, Personal Drivers, Corporate Decision-Making, Long-term Potential in Urban Design, Energy Affordability, Barriers to Utility Demand-side Management, Voluntary Advanced Standards and Labels, and Factors Affecting the Impact of Energy Efficiency Incentives.

RESULT: Based on these issue papers and the guidance and insights of the Working Group members, Marbek summarized the principles, foundation and recommendations for each issue, as well as core recommendations to the federal government.

CLIENT: South Africa Department of Minerals and Energy

CHALLENGE: To prepare for the first South African National Standard for Energy Efficiency in Buildings, the client wanted to survey international energy-efficiency building standards for possible transferability, develop descriptions of current practices in commercial buildings, and investigate the energy savings and cost implications of various energy-efficiency measures.

SOLUTION: Marbek surveyed and compared commercial building standards and guides from South Africa, Canada (Model National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings – MNECB), the United States (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers – ASHRAE 90.1) and the United Kingdom. Based on these, we recommended design guidelines and performance criteria for building air-tightness, ventilation rates, lighting systems, HVAC equipment, domestic hot water equipment and renewable energy technologies. We then guided the development of archetypes for several commercial building types in three South African geographical areas and created DOE-2 building energy simulation models to develop cost-effective thermal performance recommendations for building roofs, walls and windows. We also conducted sensitivity analysis of the recommendations based on future electricity rates.

RESULT: Marbek’s recommendations were incorporated into the South African National Standard (SANS) for Energy Efficiency in Buildings.

CLIENT: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

CHALLENGE: Nigerian non-governmental organizations identified the need to increase the country’s capacity to adapt to the effects of climate change, thereby reducing negative impacts on the livelihoods of vulnerable people in the country.

SOLUTION: Through a joint venture with CUSO-VSO, Marbek is the executing agency for this four-year, $4.75 million project. Through consultation and collaboration with Nigerian stakeholders from all regions and sectors, the project supports a small research program that explores the country’s vulnerabilities to climate change impacts. Specific project elements include: scenarios and socio-economic studies; supporting community-based adaptation projects in six vulnerable communities to pilot an assessment of their capacity to cope with climate change, and using the experiences to recommend broader-based adaptation strategies; communicating with Nigerians about climate change adaptation and providing communications support; integrating the knowledge and lessons learned into a new comprehensive, sustainable and gender-sensitive strategy to support climate change adaptation, and; planning the implementation of a national climate change adaptation strategy.

RESULT: The project is increasing the capacity of the Nigerian government to meet its international commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and is increasing the capacity of government and civil society stakeholders to take informed, equitable, sustainable and gender-sensitive action on climate change adaptation at the community, state and national levels.

CLIENT: Ontario Ministry of Environment (MOE)

CHALLENGE: As a jurisdiction responsible for managing community wastewater systems, the Province of Ontario is faced with many challenges, including increasing public awareness of sewage management issues, limited resources, aging infrastructure, climate change and the implementation of the Canada-wide Strategy for the Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent.

SOLUTION: Marbek (with Stratos and Stantec) worked with the Ministry’s municipal wastewater program staff to: 1) Evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, service excellence, sustainability and adaptability of the program, including considerations of the drivers and challenges; 2) Develop a management framework to help the Ministry respond to future policy directions and drivers; 3) Draft operational performance measures and service standards for consideration, and; 4) Develop an action plan for continuous program improvement.

RESULT: The Ministry is using the evaluation conclusions and action plan to inform short- and long-term program budgets and plans.

CLIENT: Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME)

CHALLENGE: Climate change is anticipated to have far-reaching impacts on Canada’s water resources, including changes to the hydrologic cycle and water availability. These impacts are just starting to be investigated, and policy makers are faced with a lack of information on the state of water use in Canada and a poor understanding of the monitoring needs to assess and track hydrologic changes over time. The policy solutions to reduce risk and improve adaptation are complex since each solution comes with costs and uncertainties. The relationship between water and energy resource use, in particular, necessitates well-considered policy decisions.

SOLUTION: Marbek helped build a knowledge foundation for CCME jurisdictions by: 1) Identifying (with JF Sabourin and Associates) the potential hydrologic impacts of climate change in Canada, including snow, ice, coastal and freshwater impacts; 2) Identifying methods and tools to monitor changes in the hydrologic parameters, useful vulnerability indicators and options to address data gaps; 3) Identifying (with Dr. Jim Bruce, Dr. Rob de Loe and Rick Findlay) watersheds that are most vulnerable to water scarcity from climate change impacts; 4) Analyzing the implications of water conservation initiatives on water use in four key economic sectors that are highly reliant on water, and; 5) Assessing the implications of climate change and water scarcity on water availability in Canada.

RESULT: The results are helping CCME jurisdictions monitor climate change impacts and plan adaptation measures by identifying the likely changes in watersheds across the country, including those most vulnerable to water scarcity, identifying a range of techniques to monitor these changes and prepare for timely action, and identifying strategic impacts and trade-offs associated with water conservation initiatives.