Commercial energy audits in Ottawa

• Energy Benchmarking and Auditing Program (Better Buildings Ottawa) (voluntary): Voluntary: the City says participation in its program is voluntary and builds on existing (EWRB) reporting. Open to all Ottawa buildings except small residential (under four storeys). Participants share ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager data and get a free Energy Performance Scorecard and Insights Report; the City says it is 'exploring options' to arrange lower-priced thermal scans. No city by-law found. Ontario's EWRB (O. Reg. 506/18) applies to buildings 50,000 sq ft+. Source
• Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) - O. Reg. 506/18 (in force): Buildings 50,000 sq ft (4,645 m2) and larger. Buildings 100,000 sq ft and larger need a certified professional to verify data in the first reporting year and every five years after. Source
• Broader Public Sector energy reporting - O. Reg. 25/23 (in force): Applies by organization type (public agencies), not floor area. Source

• Commercial Custom Audits & Studies - Energy Assessments and Meters (Enbridge Gas (Ontario)): Pays up to 50% of eligible costs for energy audits, engineering feasibility studies, steam trap surveys/audits, air and water balancing and metering. The cap depends on the address's previous-year gas use: up to $6,000 (100,000 to under 3,000,000 m3), up to $10,000 (3,000,000 to under 10,000,000 m3), up to $20,000 (10,000,000 m3+, institutions only). Institutions max $20,000 per project; other commercial sectors max $10,000 per project. Details
• Affordable Housing Multi-Residential Program - energy assessment (Enbridge Gas (Ontario)): Up to $8,000 for an energy assessment (up to $40,000 per housing provider) to find natural gas savings in affordable housing buildings. Details
• Save on Energy Small Business Program (Save on Energy (IESO)): Free on-site assessment by qualified Save on Energy representatives, then free installed upgrades: up to $3,000 for lighting and up to $2,500 for refrigeration and smart thermostats (up to $5,500 total). Details
• Existing Building Commissioning (EBCx) Program (Save on Energy (IESO)): Funds retro-commissioning. Investigation phase: up to $0.06 per sq ft, max $50,000 per application or 75% of the participant's cost for the commissioning provider. Implementation and persistence phases: $0.03 per kWh of confirmed/persisting savings (each capped at 30% of annual consumption or $50,000, whichever is lower). Details
• XLerate Program - Project Feasibility Study funding (Save on Energy (IESO)): Project feasibility study (PFS) funding at a 50% cost share; project incentives of $300/MWh up to 75% of eligible costs (max $15 million per project). Details
• BizEnergySaver Program (local initiative) (Save on Energy (IESO)): Free on-site assessment plus direct installation, with instant discounts applied on the invoice (most VFD upgrades now free). Details

• Level 1, walk-through: a site visit and bill review that benchmarks the building and lists low-cost measures.
• Level 2, energy survey and analysis: where the energy goes, with savings and cost estimates per measure. Most incentive applications use this level.
• Level 3, detailed analysis: monitoring and modelling for capital-intensive projects.

Ask which level a quote covers. Audits are done by engineering firms and energy consultants; look for a P.Eng. and credentials such as the Certified Energy Manager (CEM). How commercial energy audits work.