Junction Geo

Junction Geo

Comfortable Homes, Locally Powered

 

Building on our partnership with Project Neutral, Green 13 is working to help older urban neighbourhoods achieve carbon neutrality. Over the past years, our efforts have included engaging the community in measuring residential GHG emissions, educating the public on energy efficiency and supporting the individuals to take steps towards carbon footprint reduction. While there are many actions people can take on their own, we recognize that decarbonization requires larger systemic change.

Our most recent project - Junction Geo - is aiming to find solutions on the community level, and support residents in reducing GHG emissions from heating and cooling homes, by bringing district-based geoexchange systems to the Junction area. (To see how geoexchange heating and cooling works, click here.) 

Junction Geo was selected by the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) Agents of Change: Climate Solutions accelerator program as a promising project for reducing GHGs. The program is supported and funded by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC). Our project has also received the proceeds from this year's Function in the Junction, an annual fundraising event organized by Junction Residents Association.

Green 13 had a successful collaboration with the Public Good Initiative (PGI), a public policy consultancy connected with the University of Toronto’s Public Policy Graduate Program. The PGI team conducted research on district geoexchange systems and produced an excellent report Implementing District Geoexchange Systems in Canada: An Examination of Opportunities and Constraints.

Junction Geo has partnered with Groundswell Energy, a new geoexchange utility company to work on the technical feasibility study, as well as define a business model and policy framework to support development of district-based geoexchange systems.

Green 13 has started talks with Toronto Region Conservation (TRCA) to initiate a development of a Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Plan (SNAP), including, but not limited to, community energy planning.

In addition to the above mentioned organizations, Green 13 has been supported for this project by:

  • Ward 13 Councillor Sarah Doucette
  • The Atmospheric Fund (TAF) - providing technical support
  • The City of Toronto, Environment and Energy Division - providing the data needed for the feasibility study