Kutenai Place helps save the environment
By Nelson Daily Staff
Energy upgrades at Kutenai Place have saved 36 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, part of a move to conserve power at public sector buildings across the province.
With $156,086 in funding, Kutenai Place was able to trim the tonnage by upgrading through its heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems in the building.
Along with 22 other public sector buildings, there will be enough energy to power 600 homes a year and cut more than 3,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions saved by the recent provincial initiative.
A $7.6 million investment from B.C.’s Public Sector Energy Conservation Agreement (PSECA) kicks off the 23 energy improvement projects in colleges, universities, hospitals, health care centres and other public sector buildings throughout the province.
One of the largest projects is at Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus in Victoria, with a $1.1 million investment in lighting, heating, and air conditioning system retrofits.
It is estimated the projects will save more than $400,000 a year in energy costs.
Since 2008, the B.C. Government has committed $75 million to the PSECA fund. With additional energy conservation incentives from BC Hydro and Terasen Gas, the capital fund has helped achieve annual energy cost savings of more than $7.4 million and GHG reductions over 18,700 tonnes.
B.C.’s carbon neutral commitment, enshrined in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act, is the first of its kind in North America.
All provincial public sector operations, including government ministries and agencies, schools, colleges, universities, health authorities and Crown corporations, have taken steps to be carbon neutral this year.
Carbon neutrality involves measuring emissions, reducing them where possible and offsetting the remainder by investing in projects that reduce GHG emissions.
For more information on B.C.’s carbon neutral quest, visit http://www.livesmartbc.ca/attachments/carbon_neutral_action_reports/CNU_2009.pdf
