Energy use in Canada: environmental impacts and opportunities in relationship to infrastructure systems

Abstract

Canada exhibits high per capita energy consumption. This paper examines energy use in Canada by region and sector, focusing on four sectors most relevant to civil engineering activities: residential, commercial–institutional, construction, and transportation. Environmental impacts associated with major energy sources including coal, petroleum products, natural gas and electricity are reviewed. The relationships between energy consumption and infrastructure design are analysed. Opportunities for reductions are identified in building design, water and waste-water systems, urban form, and transportation. Large improvements in commercial and residential energy efficiency can be achieved through the implementation of existing technologies in building upgrades, retrofits, and rebuilds. Increasing surface albedos and more extensive use of vegetative shading and consideration of the geometric properties of urban canyons and their microclimatic effects also allow for considerable energy savings. The incorporation of mixed-modal transit, walking and cycling paths, and community-scale design as elements of long-term transportation planning and the development of alternative transportation technologies have the potential to considerably reduce per capita energy use. The development and implementation of alternative energy supply technologies include energy recovery from waste-water treatment.Key words: energy, infrastructure, urban, sustainability, sustainable development.