Canada

Client: Natural Resources Canada

Timeline: 2010

The Project

The Urban Archetypes Project was initiated by CanmetENERGY (formerly the CANMET Energy Technology Centre) within Natural Resources Canada in 2005. The project represent new research linking energy consumption with neighbourhood urban form and demographics.Thirty-one neighbourhoods in eight participating municipalities – Ottawa, Coquitlam, Regina, Whitehorse, Halifax, Calgary, Clarington and Lethbridge – were selected and a library of case studies developed containing energy profiles of average households within each neighbourhood for personal vehicles, household heat, hot water, and electricity for lighting and appliances.

Two separate data analyses were undertaken as part of the Urban Archetypes project: the original correlation analysis and the supplementary correlation analysis Urban Archetypes Project Data Analysis Report (2008) and Data Analysis: A Supplementary Report (2009).

Our Role

• Editing the final report

• writing a report summarising the results for broad distribution

Our Approach

SSG viewed this project as a key undertaking in allowing a better understanding of  the relationship between energy and urban form.  The results of this work provide a valuable resource that is helping to inform practitioners across Canada.