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The territorial government’s housing agency, Housing NWT, is hoping to make the homes in its portfolio more sustainable – and is going to the public for help.
The news follows the release of the territorial government’s latest energy action plan, which outlined how the GNWT hopes to develop more renewable energy and cut back on greenhouse gas emissions.
While the territory is currently trying to hit a 2030 emissions target, Housing NWT says its draft Energy Management Strategy will look even further ahead – to 2050.
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In Housing NWT’s words, the draft strategy promises to:
- reduce the energy use intensity of its portfolio by 15 percent below 2016 levels;
- increase capacity to manage and maintain energy solutions;
- increase the use of renewable energy for space heating to 40 percent by 2030; and
- increase partnership opportunities in energy projects.
The agency says it will release a finalized strategy and an associated three-year action plan by the spring.
Housing NWT says emissions from its housing stock actually rose slightly between 2016 and 2020, though the agency says there are a range of reasons for that, including more days in 2020 cold enough for Yellowknife homes to have likely used their heating. The number of homes operated by Housing NWT also rose in that time, and the agency says its existing homes are ageing, which contributes to gradually worsening performance.
While the forthcoming strategy will focus on long-term goals like skills training and economic development opportunities, a news release on Wednesday states that the three-year action plan – dubbed a “blueprint” – will contain “realistic, achievable, and cost-effective strategies and solutions” for the near future.
A draft of that blueprint document is not yet available. Housing NWT said it wants to use feedback and ideas from the territory’s residents to inform development of the blueprint.
Residents and organizations are invited to weigh in online.
