Our Focus – buildings, transportation & advocacy
Buildings
Our homes, commercial buildings and institutional buildings account for approximately 40% to 50% of the total greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in Bow Valley communities.
BVCA’s Buildings Group will be working to reduce these emissions by doing the following:
Encouraging municipalities to use incentives and regulations to improve the energy efficiency of new buildings and retrofits of existing buildings
Developing educational events and resources to assist builders and homeowners to become more familiar with advances in energy efficiency technology
Encouraging the use of renewable energy sources in heating and powering our buildings
Promoting the use of innovative financing mechanisms to reduce the initial capital burden of financing energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy deployment
With the amount of new building expected in the valley over the next few years the need to reduce the GHG impact of our buildings is urgent. We would welcome your involvement. Please contact bowvalleyclimateaction@gmail.com.
Transportation
Transportation is a significant source of GHG emissions in the Bow Valley. In Canmore, transportation accounted for 40% of the community’s GHG emissions in 2015 (Town of Canmore Climate Action Plan, December 2018), and in Banff, transportation accounted for 58% of emissions (Town of Banff Renewable Energy Transition Roadmap, December 2019).
BVCA’s Transportation Group seeks to decrease the GHGs arising from transportation in the Bow Valley. We will initiate change by doing the following:
Advocating for local infrastructure and municipal programs, policies and by-laws that support active transportation (cycling and walking)
Supporting accessible and efficient local and regional public transit in the Bow Valley
Organizing educational events and campaigns that encourage Bow Valley residents to reduce their GHG emissions from transportation (e.g. information events related to electric bikes and vehicles, anti-idling campaigns, public awareness of community mode share goals etc.)
Advocating for initiatives and infrastructure that reduce GHGs from both local and visitor traffic.
The Transportation Group welcomes new members and new ideas. If you would like to join our group, or have a suggestion for an event or advocacy action related to transportation, please contact bowvalleyclimateaction@gmail.com.
Advocacy
We encourage conversation on climate change via media outlets throughout the Bow Valley. We encourage BVCA members and the public to voice their concerns and comments for publication in letters to the editor, Vox Populi, and other opinion pieces. We promote BVCA events and climate action incentives on social media while also supporting community engagement and partnership on climate change related initiatives.
The Advocacy Group welcomes new members and new ideas. If you would like to join our group, invite guest speakers, or have a suggestion for an event or advocacy action, please contact bowvalleyclimateaction@gmail.com.
