NEWS RELEASE
WINDFALL CENTRE
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With more than 20 years leading environmental sustainability programs and supporting communities within York Region, Windfall Ecology Centre is creating pathways to build back better through the launch of the ClimateWise Building Challenge.
The ClimateWise Challenge hopes to bring awareness to the climate crisis, drawing in building owners, managers, and tenants to compete in a friendly awards and recognition competition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve building energy efficiency. The initiative is modelled after the successful Energy Star Battle of the Building competition, a U.S Environmental Protection Agency program.
“The ClimateWise Challenge is all about working with building owners, managers, and tenants in a spirited competition to reduce greenhouse gas emission,” states Brent Kopperson, Founder and Executive Director of Windfall Centre. “Competitive building challenges have emerged as a cost-effective way to motivate large numbers of people to take deliberate action to reduce emissions in the workplace.”
The impact of COVID-19 has strengthened the call to action to build back better. The ClimateWise Challenge compliments the climate action efforts made by the Town, including the recent climate emergency declaration and the Community Energy Plan. The pathways that the ClimateWise Challenge provides will reduce building sector energy use, which makes up over 25 per cent of the town’s energy use, through education, innovation, and collaboration.
Windfall Centre is leading this initiative with the support of the York Region municipalities, including the Town of Newmarket’s Mayor John Taylor, “I want to congratulate Windfall Ecology Centre for their leadership in this area for so many years and supporting our communities in best practices and guidance around the environment and climate change.”
“I’m asking Newmarket businesses and building owners to step up and do our town proud by participating in the ClimateWise Challenge,” Taylor said.
This free initiative is open to building owners, property managers, and tenants within York Region. Recognition and achievements will be presented throughout the competition at a regional level at the York Region Sustainability Awards. As a regional ally of BOMA Toronto, participants of the ClimateWise Challenge can also be recognized provincially at the BOMA Toronto Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) awards.
Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient business economy and environment in the Town of Newmarket, York Region, and beyond.
To learn more about the ClimateWise Challenge and answer the call to take action on climate change, visit www.ClimateWiseChallenge.ca
Windfall Ecology Centre is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to building sustainable communities. We have served the York region community for 20 years.
The ClimateWise Business Network is a program of the Windfall Ecology Centre. ClimateWise Business Network works with local businesses and organizations by providing one-on-one support and guidance in setting environmental targets and seeing the returns of investing in sustainability.
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