Energy and water reporting and benchmarking for building owners
If you own a large building, you likely need to track and report its energy use through the Government of Ontario’s Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative. Learn more about EWRB, the reporting process and how we help make it easier for you.
What is EWRB?
EWRB is an Ontario Ministry of Energy program. It requires owners of large buildings to:
Track
Record their building's energy and water use
Report
Submit this data annually to the Ministry of Energy
Benchmark
Compare their building's performance against similar ones
The goal is to provide building owners with insights into their energy use. This helps them identify ways to save power and water.
Who needs to report?
The EWRB requirements apply to:
Commercial, industrial and institutional buildings
Buildings that are 50,000 square feet or larger
Multi-unit residential buildings
Apartment and condominium buildings that are 50,000 square feet or larger
The provincial government's website hosts the most up-to-date schedule and a list of specific criteria. To see if you have to report your property’s energy use, visit Ontario.ca/energyreporting.
How do I report?
As a building owner, you are responsible for reporting your energy and water data. Here’s a general overview of the steps:
Create an account
Register and create an account on the Ontario government's Portfolio Manager website. This is an online tool used for reporting.
Collect data
Gather your building's electricity, natural gas and water consumption data.
Request data from Hydro Ottawa
You can request whole building aggregated electricity consumption data directly from us using our online form. We’ll provide the data in a format suitable for reporting.
Enter data
Input all your collected energy and water data into Portfolio Manager.
Submit report
Complete and submit your annual report through the Portfolio Manager website by the deadline of July 1 each year.
Getting electricity data from Hydro Ottawa
We can provide the electricity consumption data you need for your EWRB report.
How to request data | Online request form: Use our online form to request your building's aggregated electricity consumption data. | Authorization: You may need to provide authorization to access this data, especially if you’re a property manager or consultant acting on behalf of an owner. | Timeline: Submit your request well in advance of the provincial reporting deadline of July 1. This gives us time to process your data and schedule any follow-ups. Requests submitted after June 1 may not be processed by the deadline. |
What you'll need | Before filling out the request form, gather: Your building’s EWRB ID (assigned by the Ministry of Energy) | Account numbers for all meters tied to the building (at least one is required) Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) roll number and property code (if available) | Your building’s gross floor area (in square feet) |
Confidentiality and data aggregation
We provide aggregated data. This means we combine the readings from every meter in your building, ensuring individual customer privacy is protected. When we release data, all information about individual tenant consumption is hidden. There must be a minimum of five individual accounts for us to aggregate, to ensure anonymity.
Webinar: Learn how to collect whole-building electricity data
Watch our webinar to learn more about collecting whole-building electricity data. This is essential for initiatives like EWRB and the City of Ottawa’s benchmarking program.
In this webinar, you’ll learn about:
- The value of benchmarking and tracking your consumption data
- Your responsibility to report your building’s energy use
- Requesting electricity data from Hydro Ottawa
- Using your data effectively
- Sharing your data with the City of Ottawa
Questions?
Have questions about requesting your electricity data for EWRB? Contact us.
To learn more about the EWRB initiative, see the Ministry of Energy’s guide to energy and water reporting.
