BDA-OSM
Building Decarbonization Alliance Open-Source Model (BDA-OSM)
The Building Decarbonization Alliance presents the Building Decarbonization Alliance Open-Source Model (BDA-OSM), a tool dedicated to assessing the decarbonization of Canada’s new and existing residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. Designed for policymakers, the BDA-OSM evaluates the effects of various building decarbonization strategies across Canada’s diverse regions.
BDA-OSM Access
There are three ways to access the BDA-OSM, tailored for various use cases.
- BDA Website Dashboard The most simple and user-friendly way to view the BDA-OSM results for pre-populated scenarios is to access the dashboard below.
- Download the BDA-OSM Python Script and files from GitLab For a deeper dive into BDA-OSM raw data, input files, output files and python script, visit the Energy Modelling Hub GitLab database. This is the best option for users to customize input scenarios, or to modify detailed measure and system input assumptions to run through the model.
- IDEA visualization dashboard on GitLab To visualize customized scenario outputs, the user can run the IDEA platform on the Energy Modelling Hub GitLab database.
Scenario Description:
The BDA-OSM has been prepopulated with the following scenarios. The methodology for each scenario is outlined below. Additional scenarios will be added to the BDA-OSM over time, and these will be reflected on the Website Dashboard.
Scenario 1: Reference Case (Ref)
The reference or “business as usual” base year is calibrated to the Natural Resources Canada 2020 Comprehensive Energy Use Database (CEUD) database. The past 5 years of HVAC and DHW user adoption data were used to calculate an average user adoption trend. This ratio of user adoption trends is assumed to be static and applied to extrapolate trends beyond 2020.
For BDA-OSM version 1.0, the only existing policy reflected in the reference case is the Canada Clean Electricity Regulations, which assumes a net zero electricity grid in all jurisdictions by 2035. No other existing or potential policies are included in the reference case.
Scenario 2: Fossil Fuel Ban (FF Ban)
Scenario 2 simulates a phased fossil fuel ban on heating equipment. This scenario assumes that existing equipment is replaced at end of life. This scenario also assumes that central heat pumps are installed to replace central AC units at the end of their service life, in line with our Cool Way to Heat Homes Report. We also assume that 80% of all air source heat pumps installed are Cold Climate heat pumps.
The fossil-fuel ban is phased as follows:
2030: No new fossil fuel-based heating can be installed in new residential buildings.
2035: No new fossil fuel-based heating can be installed in existing residential buildings, and no new fossil fuel-based heating can be installed in small commercial buildings.
2040: No new fossil fuel-based heating can be installed in medium and large commercial buildings.
Scenario 3: Fossil Fuel Ban + New Building Code (FF Ban & NBC)
Scenario 3 is the same as Scenario 2 but includes the addition of an improved thermal envelope. In this scenario, all new residential and commercial construction is built to be Net Zero Energy Ready and uses the highest level of thermal envelope in the BDA-OSM.
Contact Us
We are currently working on an updated version of the BDA-OSM to be released late 2024. The BDA is in the process of setting up working groups for development and data review. If you have any inquiries, or are interested in getting involved, please contact OSM@buildingdecarbonization.ca.