The City of Burnaby has shown its leadership in energy efficiency by signing up to be a pilot community in the provincial Community Action on Energy Efficiency (CAEE) initiative - Phase 2. Through MEMPR’s CAEE program, pilot communities are focusing on advancing energy efficiency through municipal policies and bylaws - read the Local Government Policy Instruments Initiative program for more details.

During the ESP incentive pilot that was conducted March 2006 - March 2007, community members had access to provincial grants for energy efficient retrofits to single and row housing, multi-unit residential buildings affordable housing and small commercial buildings.

Burnaby's EnergyFit Program

Since 2004, the City has been installing a $5.9 million building retrofit for the top 49 energy consuming City facilities. The project will reduce City facility energy consumption by 14%! Beside the projected guaranteed saving of $400,000 annually when it is complete, other benefits include the reduction in water consumption, operational cost and green-house gases, and the improvements in living comfort.

In conjunction with the facility improvements, the City has been conducting a staff energy-awareness program to promote energy conservation.

Facility upgrades include:

• High efficiency lighting upgrades
• Water conservation upgrades
• Building envelop upgrades
• Liquid thermal pool covers
• High efficiency ceiling insulation
• Automation (control system) upgrades
• High efficiency boiler furnace replacement
• Mechanical efficiency upgrades

Burnaby's energy saving measures have generated very positive feedback. For example, the new reflective low-emissivity ceilings at Kensington and Burnaby Lake Ice Arenas, have provided not only energy savings but also an overall 30% improvement in lighting levels and a harder ice surface. Local hockey players and ice-skaters are very impressed! Another very visible measure was the fluorescent lighting retrofit which was completed in August 2005. The new T-8 fluorescent lights are 30% more efficient than the original T-12 type.

Behind-the-scenes, there are many measures that have been started which save the City both energy, water and money. They include sealing up the building envelope, water consumption limiting devices and high efficient boiler replacement. The largest energy saving measure of the project is the installation of computerized controls for heating, cooling and ventilation systems. These controls will allow us to manage the indoor conditions and demands by monitoring and controlling the mechanical equipment. All energy saving measures have been completed in September 2006.

For further information, please contact Richard Ching at 604.294.7226 or email at richard.ching@burnaby.ca