(Please note, visit the pilot projects page for more information and updates).
What is the purpose of the pilot projects?
How are you coordinating the projects coast-to-coast?
What are the key sectors targeted by the CaGBC for the pilot projects?
How did you choose the pilot participants? How are their participation costs covered?
Can pilot project participants achieve a LEED certification?
What is the timeframe for each building sector to participate in the pilot projects?
Q. What is the purpose of the pilot projects?
There are valuable new features being integrated to the next generation of LEED Canada, so it’s vital that we develop, assess and evaluate those enhanced features against actual buildings. The feedback we gain from the pilots will provide key insights such as actual performance baselines in the areas of water and energy conservation. The assessments of the new online reporting tool will help us fine-tune its functions and ensure it meets the needs of the building industry now and in the future.
Q. How are you coordinating the projects coast-to-coast?
Through a competitive process (RFP posted on the CaGBC home page on November 23, 2007), the CaGBC secured the services of Enerlife Consulting to develop the online reporting tool, and recruit and coordinate the pilot projects.
Q. What are the key sectors targeted by the CaGBC for the pilot projects?
The first set of pilots involve K-12 schools, government, utilities and commercial buildings. After this group has worked with the new certification tool, we will take their learnings and feedback and apply that to the next group. That means continual improvements on the tool, and a next generation of LEED Canada that best meets the needs of each building sector.
Participation is voluntary and the cost to be involved is the responsibility of the participants.
Q. How will participant feedback and recommendations be incorporated into the next generation of LEED Canada?
Findings from the pilot projects will inform the design of the reporting tool and the performance indicators for their respective sectors. Participants will report on these findings at the CaGBC national summit in Toronto, in June 2008 .
Q. Can pilot project participants achieve a LEED certification?
Participants are welcome to register for certification, and in fact their involvement in the pilots will give them insight into the enhanced features and functionality of the next generation of LEED including scaling up across their building portfolios. However their role as pilot participants is to assess and aid in the development of the certification tool; they can’t be certified by a tool that is under development so certification cannot be achieved through the pilot process.
Q. What is the timeframe for each building sector to participate in the pilot projects?
We are still finalizing the timing for each building sector’s inclusion in the pilot projects. Currently, K-12 schools, utilities, commercial and government administrative buildings are engaged in the first pilot program. We’ve planned for university campuses to be included in the next round of pilots, along with two other building categories.
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