Residents visiting recreation centres, the library and other municipal facilities in Ajax can help reduce energy consumption as the Town launches the second annual Battle of the Buildings challenge.
The Ajax energy challenge runs from Sept. 1 through Dec. 31 and involves seven Town-owned facilities competing to reduce their energy use by at least 10 per cent.
Staff, residents and other facility users are being encouraged to make small changes that can reduce wasted electricity, natural gas and hot water while helping lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Seven Ajax buildings join energy challenge
The 2026 Battle of the Buildings includes a mix of recreation, administrative, library and emergency-service facilities.
Participating buildings are:
- Ajax Community Centre
- Audley Recreation Centre
- McLean Community Centre
- Ajax Town Hall
- Ajax Operations Centre
- Ajax Public Library — Main Branch
- Ajax Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters
Energy performance will be monitored throughout the four-month competition using the Town’s energy-management software.
The system will allow staff to follow how participating buildings perform and determine which facility achieves the strongest results.
Residents can help reduce energy waste
The challenge is not limited to municipal employees.
Ajax is asking residents and other people using the participating facilities to watch for everyday situations that could contribute to unnecessary energy consumption.
Visitors who notice dripping taps or showers are encouraged to alert staff so problems can be addressed.
Keeping exterior and facility doors closed can help heating and cooling systems maintain indoor temperatures without using unnecessary energy.
Residents using recreation-centre change rooms can also reduce hot-water use, cutting both water and the energy required to heat it.
The initiative focuses on practical changes that can be made without major renovations or expensive new equipment.
McLean Community Centre won first competition
This year’s challenge follows the inaugural Battle of the Buildings held in 2025.
McLean Community Centre finished as the winning facility during the first competition.
The program demonstrated how changes in building operations and everyday behaviour could contribute to measurable energy reductions.
Ajax is bringing the challenge back for a second year with the same broader goal of encouraging both staff and the community to pay closer attention to how municipal facilities use energy.
Mayor Shaun Collier said the program demonstrates that sustainability is a shared responsibility and that relatively small actions can produce meaningful results.
Competition aims for at least 10% reduction
Participating facilities will aim to reduce energy consumption by at least 10 per cent by the end of the competition.
That target applies to the buildings taking part in the challenge rather than to all residential, commercial and municipal energy consumption across Ajax.
Town staff will evaluate the results once the competition finishes and recognize the facility that performs best.
The initiative also gives Ajax an opportunity to identify energy-saving practices that could continue after the competition ends.
Challenge runs through end of December
The Ajax energy challenge officially begins Sept. 1 and continues until Dec. 31.
For residents, participating does not require registration or a major lifestyle change.
Instead, the Town is asking people using its facilities to pay attention to simple actions such as keeping doors closed, reporting water leaks and reducing unnecessary hot-water use.
With seven municipal buildings participating, Battle of the Buildings gives Ajax residents a direct way to contribute to local energy conservation while visiting facilities they already use throughout the community.
