In 2016 BOMA Quebec laid the foundations for what would become the Building Energy Challenge (BEC), Quebec’s first energy performance competition for buildings. Our vision? To create a competition that would inspire and encourage property managers and major players to focus their efforts on energy transition.

After two years of questioning, discussions, meetings and preparation, the first edition of the BEC came into being. In Year 1 a total of 157 buildings and 39 building management companies were on board, and took concrete actions to improve building energy performance.

We’ve come a long way since then but let’s not mince words, we still have a long way to go. We ended Year 4 with 214 participating buildings in some 50 municipalities across Quebec. More that 100 building managers and 48 management companies took part in the adventure, and that number continues to grow!

It was thus with great pride that the entire BOMA Quebec team brought the real estate community together on June 7 to announce the names of the winners and the final results of this first edition during our Energy Challenge Gala, which took place in Montreal at the Salon Richmond.

(Mario Poirier, program director, and Geneviève Gauthier, chair of the technical committee, the two co-instigators of the BEC)

(Pierre-Yves Lord, host of the Energy Challenge Gala)

Over a four-year period, participants reduced their energy consumption by more than 17%, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of nearly 9000 homes! From 2018 to 2021, they also reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an average of 24%, which is 14 percentage points above the objective of 10%! View the highlights at vidéo des faits saillants. Discover the winners at gagnants 2018-2021 de la 1re édition du DÉI.

BOMA Quebec is an exceptional community. It is also a community that takes its responsibilities seriously. We note a positive and promising engagement in our sector. We want to help our members become part of the solution by making use of our resources and programs that, little by little, are making a difference. The BEC is part of that approach, and far be it from us to stop it now.

Building on what we have learned and making good use of our network and support, we are now embarking on the second edition of the BEC with renewed energy and determination. It is an even more ambitious challenge, conceived by the industry for the industry, with the long-term vision of a carbon neutral sector by 2050.

Will you be part of it? Check our website at site du DÉI 2.0 and jump into action, if you haven’t done so already.

We strongly encourage building owners and managers to take advantage of the Building Energy Challenge to undertake or continue energy transition projects in their buildings. It is an excellent vehicle for designing and implementing an energy improvement plan with tangible, measurable objectives, and for joining a community of experts and playing an active role in energy transition.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our partners who support the competition year after year – the City of Montreal, the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Hydro-Québec, Énergir and Sofia – thanks to whom the BEC is able to pursue its important mission.

I would also like to thank the Governance Committee and the Technical Committee (le comité de gouvernance, le comité technique) and the entire BEC team. They all worked very hard to make this gala a success. Bravo and thank you.

My sincere congratulations to all the finalists and the winners. You are truly an example to follow and hopefully an inspiration to many. Being a leader means showing the way, which you have done so well. Thank you.

Thanks to the efforts of all of you, mentalities are gradually changing and practices are evolving. In short, the real estate sector is changing for the better.

It is by the sum of our actions that we will multiply our impact.

Linda Plante
President, Board of Directors
BOMA Quebec