I. Title of the Best Practice

II. Overview of the Best Practice

A. Special Characteristics of the OEE
1. The OEE has the objective of limiting Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
The OEE is a federal office under the Department of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). The mandate of the OEE is to renew, strengthen and expand Canada's commitment to energy efficiency, with a particular focus on addressing the Kyoto Protocol; this means that the OEE focuses on reducing GHG emissions. The OEE manages 18 programs aimed at moving the market toward improved energy efficiency. These programs target all energy consumers and emphasize partnerships and economic investments. The OEE also supports the work of the National Climate Change Process and implementation of the federal government's Climate Change Action Fund (CCAF). The OEE's activities are authorized under the Energy Efficiency Act. Under this Act, the Minister has the authority to undertake projects, programs and activities to advance energy efficiency.

2. The OEE targets GHGs
The OEE promotes Canadian efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by use of energy, particularly fossil fuels which primarily are associated with CO2 emissions. It targets sectors and activities where they are likely to have the greatest impact.

3. The OEE makes information publicly available regarding the status of implementation of plans and measures.
The OEE maintains its own web site at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca which provides up-to-date information on the latest program developments and OEE initiatives, and provides links to hundreds of related sites around the world. Through the annual publication of The State of Energy Efficiency in Canada, the OEE's key stakeholders are updated on Canada's efforts and successes in meeting this goal. In addition, the Minister of NRCan is responsible under the Energy Efficiency Act, to table an Annual Report to Parliament Under the Energy Efficiency Act. This report provides Canadians with information about the progress of measures by the OEE. Another report, on Trends in Energy Use in Canada, shows how Canadians have become more efficient in their use of energy by estimating the efficiency of energy use in the residential, commercial/institutional, transportation and industrial sectors. This report is available to all Canadians via extensive distribution lists, upon request or on the Internet (http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/dpa/). Through The Climate Change Voluntary Challenge and Registry Inc., the federal government annually submits the report Emission Reductions from Federal Operations (ERFO). This report describes federal operations progress toward meeting the government's emission reductions goal. This report focuses on actions to reduce GHG emissions. NRCan also conducts public information programs to encourage consumers to consider the benefits of higher energy efficiency when buying appliances and refer to the EnerGuide Program as a basic point of reference. The EnerGuide program requires that labels appear on appliances and other equipment and specify minimum energy performance. Such an approach:

ensures that all Canadians become more familiar with the global warming or climate change issue; and

provides them with the information to become more energy efficient.

4. The OEE programs are adapted to local conditions
The OEE promotes the involvement of governmental authorities at the provincial/territorial and municipal levels to adopt and implement more energy efficient measures and programs. To this effect, the OEE works with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program to help Canadian municipalities tackle barriers to reducing GHG emissions in Canada. The OEE works also with utilities, industry and professional associations, environmental groups and the Canadian public in promoting a more efficient use of energy. Finally, NRCan co-funded research to develop the Model National Energy Code for Buildings (MNECB). These codes specify comprehensive minimum energy efficiency standards for new building constructions and are sensitive to variations in regional energy prices. The MNECB has been referenced as good practices in the Ontario Building Code and by thirteen federal departments.

5. The OEE assists preventive actions
The OEE ensures that energy users are informed of efficient uses of energy so that they have adequate information to change their behaviour to become more energy efficient. The affected sectors are: residential, transportation, industrial, commercial/institutional sectors as well as federal government institutions.

Specific programs have been developed to improve energy efficiency in the residential sector. These programs are:

Energy Performance Regulations: set specific performance for certain types of energy-using equipment in order to eliminate the most inefficient energy-using products from the market. Manufacturers and importers of those equipment have to be in compliance with these performance requirements.

EnerGuide Label: requires that appliances and other equipment display a label showing the yearly energy consumption rating of the appliance and positions it on a scale of the most and least comparable models available in a given year. Consequently, manufacturers and importers have to be in compliance with these label requirements.

EnerGuide for Houses: is a national energy performance evaluation and labelling program that encourages homeowners to improve the energy performance of their houses. It provides homeowners with the facts they need to make informed decisions about energy efficiency, whether they are making improvements to their existing home or buying a new home.

RenoSense: encourages owners of existing houses to improve the energy efficiency of their homes when undertaking renovations or maintenance work.

EnerGuide Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning( HVAC): provides consumers with all the information needed to purchase energy-efficient home heating and air conditioning products and provides contractors with the tools they need to increase sales of energy-efficient HVAC equipment.

R-2000 Home: encourages the construction and purchase of new, energy-efficient houses. Home builders volunteer to build to the R-2000 standard, which exceed the energy efficiency level required by building codes and other programs.

Public Information Program: increases Canadian's awareness of the climate change impacts resulting from energy use and encourages consumers to adopt energy-efficient practices and switch to alternative forms of energy. The program produces and markets numerous publications and provides promotional products and marketing support, including exhibits, for all OEE initiatives.

Model National Energy Codes for Houses: aims at increasing the energy efficiency of new buildings and houses by specifying minimum requirements for energy use. The program supports the implementation and adoption of the code by relevant authorities having jurisdiction over buildings and houses in all regions across Canada.

There are also some voluntary labelling programs to assist consumers in selecting most energy-efficient low-rise houses as well as doors and windows;

Programs targeting the transportation sector are as follows:

AutoSmart: is an information-based program that encourages motorists to buy and maintain their vehicles in ways that reduce fuel consumption, save money and reduce GHG emissions.

FleetSmart: provides private-sector fleet managers with information, workshops, technical demonstrations and training programs on fuel-efficient practices for fleet vehicles.

Motor Vehicle Fuel Efficiency: encourages automobile manufacturers to produce vehicles that meet voluntary average fuel consumption targets for new cars, vans, and light-duty trucks.

EnerGuide for Vehicles: encourages vehicle manufacturers to attach an EnerGuide label to all new cars, vans and light-duty trucks sold in Canada. The label indicates the vehicle's fuel consumption rating and estimated annual fuel costs and can be used by consumers to select the most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets their needs.

Programs for the industrial sector are largely based on voluntary commitments to targets and action plans. These programs are:

Industrial Energy Efficiency Initiatives: is a voluntary government-industry alliance that helps Canadian industry identify energy efficiency potential, establish energy efficiency targets, implement and manage programs as well as report on progress and celebrate accomplishments. There are two good example of such an alliance: the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation (CIPEC), whereby Canada's manufacturing and mining industries define sector-specific, energy-efficiency targets and implements action plans and measures for target achievement, and reports on progress annually; and the Industrial Energy Innovators which encourages commercial/institutional and industrial establishments and municipalities to voluntarily invest in energy-efficient equipment and practices to reduce the operating costs of their facilities.

It should be mentioned that the industrial sector, along with other sectors, are affected by the two regulatory initiatives under the OEE (Energy Performance Regulations and EnerGuide Labelling) and the Model National Energy Code for Buildings.

The three following programs target directly the Commercial/Institutional sector.

Model National Energy Codes for Buildings: aims at increasing the energy efficiency of new buildings and houses by specifying minimum requirements for energy use. The program supports the implementation and adoption of the code by relevant authorities having jurisdiction over buildings and houses in all regions across Canada.

Commercial Building Incentive: provides financial incentives to incorporate energy-efficient technologies and practices into designs for new commercial, institutional and multi-unit residential buildings.

Energy Innovators: encourages commercial/institutional establishments and municipalities to voluntarily invest in energy-efficient equipment and practices to reduce the operating costs of their facilities.

There are also programs to ensure that federal departments meet the Greening of Government Operations Energy and Environmental goals associated with Canada's Climate Change commitments. These programs are:

Federal Buildings Initiative: NRCan helps other federal government departments improve the energy efficiency of their existing buildings and heating equipment.

FleetWise: provides federal fleet managers with the information and tools needed to improve their operational efficiency of fleets, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fleet operations, and accelerate the use of alternative transportation fuels.

The National Energy Use Database (NEUD) supports the development of Canadian energy end-use data, knowledge and analytical capabilities. The NEUD also supports the collection of data on energy consumption at the end-use level, the characteristic of energy-using equipment and buildings, the behaviour of Canadian consumers toward energy use, and the adoption of energy-efficient technologies.

The above OEE programs provide assistance to all segments of the Canadian population and support proactive actions.

B. Reasons for Inclusion as a Best Practice
1. The OEE is a challenging and emerging initiative.
The OEE manages NRCan's energy efficiency programs with a strong, central corporate image, a comprehensive information dissemination strategy and proactive and preventive approaches to promoting energy efficiency. The OEE maintains links with sources of energy efficiency technology developments and uses their knowledge, expertise and information to strengthen the programs and introduce innovative approaches to energy efficiency. As Canada's national energy efficiency leader, the OEE will continue to search for these opportunities. The OEE has been a platform at the national level to work with energy efficiency (EE) programs at the provincial and municipal levels. It will expand its partnerships with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, utilities, industry and professional associations, environmental groups and the Canadian public.

The OEE has had significant success in changing behaviour of affected parties with respect to their use of energy. This success could be used by other countries to start implementing similar measures or to add new measures to existing programs.

2. The OEE can contribute to the formation of future measures to prevent global warming.
The OEE incorporates federal regulatory measures that apply across the country. Since OEE's non-regulatory measures promote energy efficiency best practices, they could also be part of additional measures to be proposed in the future.

The OEE regularly adjusts its activities to further enhance its delivery of mechanisms to improve Canada's energy efficiency. Through the annual publication of The State of Energy Efficiency in Canada, the OEE's key stakeholders are updated on Canada's efforts and success in meeting this goal.

Achieving Canada's Kyoto commitment will require new and expanded initiatives that respond to energy efficiency opportunities throughout society. The OEE's programs provide a strong foundation for further actions.

3. The OEE will be a useful reference when social actors in G8 countries and other developed countries implement domestic measures.
The OEE promotes energy efficiency which is identified as a key element of Canada's Climate Change (CC) strategy. About 80% of Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions are in the form of carbon dioxide generated by our use of energy, particularly fossil fuels. Using energy more efficiently will reduce these emissions and can foster the development of innovative technologies and processes that will lead to new economic opportunities for Canada and other countries. The extensive information provided by the OEE programs could be used by developed and developing countries to start similar programs or to add some of OEE's programs to their CC initiatives. Such information could be obtained on OEE web site at http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca, which provides up-to-date information on the latest program developments and OEE initiatives, and provides links to hundreds of related sites around the world.

C. Problems and their solutions
The OEE brings together NRCan's non-R&D energy efficiency and alternative transportation fuels programs under a single organization with a strong, central corporate image, a comprehensive information dissemination strategy, and a proactive approach to promoting and alternative transportation fuels.

III. Categorizing the Best Practice

1. Classification(s) (Indicate main classification(s) only.)
( X ) Regulatory Approach (Policy approaches - regulations, incentives, etc)
( X ) Practical Action (Action undertaken independently by a social actor)
( X ) Social Network Mechanism (Cooperative structure)

2. Social Actor(s) Involved (Indicate main social actor(s) only)
( X ) Citizens
( X ) Central government
( X ) Local government
( X ) Business

3. Sector(s) (indicate main sector(s) only.)
( X ) Energy
( X ) Household
( X ) Transportation
( X ) Industrial Enterprises
( X ) Other (Non-Industrial) Business
( X ) Agriculture / Land Use / Forestry
( X ) Other (Please specify) -- Commercial / Institutional

4. Target Greenhouse Gas(es)
( X ) CO2
( X ) CH4
( X ) N2O
( ) HFC
( ) PFC
( ) SF6
( ) Other (Please specfy.)

IV. List of Attachments

1) Brochures related to the OEE programs.
2) The Energy Efficiency Act.
3) Report to Parliament Under the Energy Efficiency Act (1996-1997).
4) The State of Energy Efficiency in Canada, Annual Report of the OEE, 1999.
5) Energy Efficiency Trends in Canada 1990 to 1996, June 1998.

V. Person to be contacted for more information about this Best Practice.

Neil MacLeod
Director General
Office of Energy Efficiency
Energy Sector
Natural Resources Canada
TEL: (613) 995-0081
FAX: (613) 947-4120
e-mail: nmacleod@nrcan.gc.ca