Simulating the impact and policy implications of telework on home energy use and emissions in Canada

Abstract

Statistics indicate that after the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals have opted to work remotely for at least a few days each week. This study investigates the impact of teleworking on energy consumption and carbon emissions in Canadian homes. Four residential building models, aligned with the 2020 requirements of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC), were investigated across six Canadian climate zones. The findings of this study reveal that the increase in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions due to teleworking varies according to the type of building and the number of thermal zones. For the selected single-zone house models, the maximum increase in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions were 11% and 10%, respectively occurring in a row house two-story building. For the three-zone house models, the increase was 5%. Also, results indicated that full-time teleworking in a four-storey multi-family building with 12.5%, 50% and 100% teleworking ratios increased the total energy of the building by 1%, 4%, and 10%, respectively. The second phase of this study investigated possible enhancements to building energy codes, focusing on the National Building Code of Canada, to address increasing daytime occupancy resulting from teleworkers, retirees, and other occupants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, National Research Council Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Treasury Board of Canada, and Canada Revenue Agency.