Ecosystem Energy was founded 30 years ago. How did it begin and what has changed since then?
After finishing university, Andre Rochette experimented with worm composting and controls before he teamed up with Richard Tremblay, an experienced engineer committed to innovation, to establish the company that became Ecosystem Energy. At the time, energy efficiency was still a new idea but they saw potential to help clients reduce energy bills through what were then novel approaches like efficient lighting and dual-energy heating. Early on, efficiency was the company’s goal, not only energy efficiency but also efficiency of the market - Andre rejected the old model of design-then-build-then-hope-it-works and built a business that re-connects engineering design and construction to focus on the results that matter to clients. Added to that is a third pillar: having fun at the same time! 30 years later those three tenets are still at the core of who we are.
What has changed? The evolution of the industry. In the 90’s energy conservation in buildings was not top of mind – neither were concepts like net zero. It is great to see that what we have been doing for decades is now gaining traction, becoming more and more mainstream -- like the move towards electrification and heat pumps and away from steam and fossil fuels. We started doing this in Quebec three decades ago.
Let us move on to the company’s portfolio today. What are your main business activities, and where?
Deep energy retrofits in existing occupied buildings is all we do at Ecosystem. We help clients with their energy transition goals, enabling them to increase the efficiency of their energy infrastructure while also achieving decarbonization targets. Each project delivers a different suite of outcomes our clients are looking for – whether it is smart asset renewal, GHG reduction, tenant comfort, resiliency, steam to hot water conversions, progress on the path to net zero, etc.
Our team delivers projects start to finish. We also believe engineers should be accountable for the solutions they design so we engineer, procure, construct and commission all the projects we undertake.
Today we are working with institutional and private clients in both Canada and the US. We started in Quebec, expanded to Ontario in the early 2000s, then New York City in 2011. Today we also have offices in Boston, Washington DC, Columbus, and Los Angeles.
Do you think your business will get increasing attention given the global sustainability goals that have been set for 2050?
Absolutely. We see the market evolving and maturing. ESG no longer is merely discussed at the board level but is being operationalized. As a company focused exclusively in this space, we are well-positioned in terms of our expertise and experience for where the market is headed.
What are some of the current projects you are particularly proud of?
We are doing a lot of work in higher education, for instance with the University of Toronto. They have an incredibly ambitious goal: to go beyond net-zero carbon emissions and become climate positive by 2050. As part of their Climate Positive plan, the University initiated Project Leap, which we are working on with a partner. This project is intended to eliminate half of the campus’ current carbon emissions. The University did an outcome-based procurement process to identify its partner, which spurred innovation from the market and resulted in an accelerated path to achieving their goals - six years ahead of what they initially had projected.
Another project we are really proud of is our work at the International Tailoring Company Building, one of the first Local Law 97 projects in a multistory residential building in Manhattan. LL97 is NYC legislation for buildings 25,000 square feet and up to reduce their GHG emissions. The city is imposing an escalating system of fines, but building owners are not alone - both the NYC Mayor’s Office and NYSERDA, a state agency, are providing financial and logistical support for building owners to make the necessary improvements. Our deep-energy retrofit included reducing carbon emissions by electrifying heating and cooling needs through heat pumps; giving residents in-unit control over their heating and cooling – something not that common in NYC apartments; and using heat recovery, one of our specialties, to take the heat from one area of the building where it is not needed and transfer it over to where it is needed. This project is one of the first to achieve LL97 2030 compliance. We have showed that it can be done, and that it can be done in a fiscally prudent way.
Is affordability an issue? We know that sustainable housing should mean not just green but also affordable.
It is a challenge. But it can be done. By working in partnership with clients and getting alignment across stakeholder groups, everyone comes to see a problem and an opportunity in the same way. For example, we had a client we worked with for a whole year on stakeholder engagement so we could converge on the path that delivered the greatest value - much needs to be done to show that these initiatives are not just good for the environment but are also good for business.
The other challenge concerns the efficiency of developing an energy or sustainability plan in the first place. Many plans just sit on a shelf because they are not practical. We prefer an approach to planning that is directional and dynamic, one that provides flexibility and adaptability to take advantage of the changes in the market, such as new technology or new financial incentives, or changes in how buildings or campuses are being used.
Affordability starts with political will – regulations, incentives, and market dynamics play an important role. That has to be coupled with ensuring architects and engineers are focused on the right outcomes, the right KPIs. Layer smart planning on that and sustainability becomes more accessible.
Do you have a final message to our readers?
We all have a responsibility to tackle climate change.
Existing infrastructure is an untapped source of direct energy and carbon reduction, and strategic reuse and repurposing of what is already in place. To achieve sustainability goals, you need to be practical, aligned and outcome-oriented. And then together we can accelerate the much-needed energy transition.
