Study looks at 10 city-owned buildings in Cambridge that emit greenhouse gases
Posted Jul 22, 2025 05:00:00 AM.
Last Updated Jul 29, 2025 04:14:10 PM.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this article suggested that the report was trying to identify culprits, and that it would save $14.1 million. The study only focused on city-owned buildings, not all buildings.
Over the next two decades, $50 million is needed to help bring down greenhouse gas emission at several city buildings, a new study found.
The feasibility study, commissioned by the city, looks at how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a focus on 10 city-owned buildings found to be the biggest emitters.
The buildings mentioned in the study include :
- City Hall
- David Durward Centre / Centre for the Arts
- Allan Reuter Centre / Fire Station 3
- WG Johnson Centre
- Galt Arena Gardens
- Hespeler Memorial Arena
- Duncan McIntosh Arena
- Dickson Arena
- Bishop Operations Centre
- Queens Square library
The report suggests 147 changes to bring these buildings up to the minimum performance set by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Some of these measures include switching primarily to electricity from natural gas and making changes to renewable energy, refrigeration and optimization.
The report finds that this scenario could cost up to $14.1 million over a 25-year life cycle. Meanwhile, it could save up to 400k/year in utility costs by 2050.
“This life cycle costing considers inflation, projected utility costs, capital costs and federal carbon charges,” the report reads.
The goal is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent at these locations by 2033 and 80 per cent by 2043. The city also declared a climate emergency in 2019, and is working with other municipalities in the region to reduce corporate emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
If successful, it would mean a reduction of 1,436 tonnes of CO2 across the 10 buildings per year. According to the Government of Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, this would be the equivalent of 440 cars, 19.2 tankers of gasoline, or 59,833 tanks of propane.
Environment
Over the next two decades, $50 million is needed to help bring down greenhouse gas emission at several city buildings, a new study found.
The feasibility study, commissioned by the city, looks at how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with a focus on 10 city-owned buildings found to be the biggest emitters.
The buildings mentioned in the study include :
- City Hall
- David Durward Centre / Centre for the Arts
- Allan Reuter Centre / Fire Station 3
- WG Johnson Centre
- Galt Arena Gardens
- Hespeler Memorial Arena
- Duncan McIntosh Arena
- Dickson Arena
- Bishop Operations Centre
- Queens Square library
The report suggests 147 changes to bring these buildings up to the minimum performance set by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Some of these measures include switching primarily to electricity from natural gas and making changes to renewable energy, refrigeration and optimization.
The report finds that this scenario could cost up to $14.1 million over a 25-year life cycle. Meanwhile, it could save up to 400k/year in utility costs by 2050.
“This life cycle costing considers inflation, projected utility costs, capital costs and federal carbon charges,” the report reads.
The goal is to reduce emissions by 50 per cent at these locations by 2033 and 80 per cent by 2043. The city also declared a climate emergency in 2019, and is working with other municipalities in the region to reduce corporate emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
If successful, it would mean a reduction of 1,436 tonnes of CO2 across the 10 buildings per year. According to the Government of Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, this would be the equivalent of 440 cars, 19.2 tankers of gasoline, or 59,833 tanks of propane.
Environment
