TAF has launched a new decision support tool for municipal planners, the Building Energy Efficiency Policy Calculator – or BEE-Cal for short. The Excel-based tool allows users to calculate the estimated local impacts of various municipal energy efficiency options that range from tighter building standards to financial incentives and energy reporting.
The BEE-Cal provides a preliminary analysis that can help initiate or inform a dialogue around energy efficiency on the municipal level. In addition to estimating carbon emissions reductions, the BEE-Cal also gauges potential energy savings, local job creation, and improved social equity through a number of metrics.
The BEE-Cal allows users to:
- Customize energy efficiency policies for a number of municipalities across Canada (through an embedded extensive database);
- Compare potential impacts of different policies or groups of policies;
- Estimate the potential benefits of energy efficiency policies;
- Conduct a sensitivity analysis of a single policy using different impact levels, time length policy is in effect, and building types;
- Assess whether a package of policies is sufficient to meet municipal goals or targets.
Please not that the BEE-Cal can only be used on Windows operating systems.
Quick links:
- Download the BEE-Cal tool
- Check out the quick start guide
- Take a closer look at the methodology
- Watch the complete tutorial video
- Ask a question or share your results by emailing towerwise@taf.ca
The BEE-Cal is not just for policy makers and municipal planners, it’s also a great research tool and discussion starter for community groups and other stakeholders interested in city-level action on energy efficiency.
The BEE-Cal tool is part of TAF’s Building Value project and was made possible by the generous support of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation. Video services were partially donated by DL Productions.
