OTTAWA - The Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), today announced that Richmond School District #38 in British Columbia has been approved to receive funding for a second project from NRCan to make its buildings more energy-efficient. "Richmond School District #38 is pooling its efforts with the Government of Canada to make a difference in addressing climate change," explained Minister Efford. "Organizations that increase energy efficiency in their buildings help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money at the same time." Richmond School District #38's newest project focuses on lighting and electrical systems, including T-8 lamps, compact fluorescent lights, electronic ballasts, reflector systems, light-emitting diodes and motion sensors in 42 of the district's 54 schools. Funding for Richmond School District #38's second project is possible because of the success of its first, which received $250,000 in 2001. That project involved energy management systems; motors and drives; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems; and water heating. Originally planned in 18 schools, the project grew to include more than 48 schools, with significant increases in energy savings. Government of Canada funding for the projects, which comes through NRCan's Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE), totals close to $300,000, with cost savings adding up to more than $450,000. The projects will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 3,000 tonnes, which is equivalent to the emissions from about 600 family cars. The OEE helps increase energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy, including existing commercial and institutional buildings, and offers funding for implementation of energy saving retrofits. Since 1998, more than 175 retrofit projects have received funding, resulting in an average reduction in energy consumption and GHG emissions of 20 percent. For more details on the OEE, visit the Web site at oee.nrcan.gc.ca. Additional funding for this initiative was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget. The Government of Canada's approach to climate change is focused on making the right choices for Canada. This will ensure that the actions taken contribute to the long-term goals of building a sustainable economy for the 21st century, a healthier environment and strong communities, while affirming Canada's place in the world. For more information, media may contact: Tom Ormsby Ghyslain Charron Office of the Minister Media Relations Natural Resources Canada Natural Resources Canada Ottawa Ottawa (613) 996-2007 (613) 992-4447 Background The Energy Innovators Initiative (EII), a program managed by Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan's) Office of Energy Efficiency, encourages commercial and institutional organizations to invest in their facilities through energy-efficiency retrofits. To join the EII, organizations send a letter of commitment to the Minister of Natural Resources Canada and then apply for Energy Retrofit Assistance (ERA) funding. Currently, more than 1,440 organizations - representing about 30 percent of the floor area of the commercial and institutional sectors in Canada - are members of the EII. The EII offers two types of financial incentives - ERA (P) for retrofit planning activities and ERA (3) for retrofit implementation projects. Since 1998, the EII has approved more than 390 ERA (P) planning activities and more than 200 ERA (3) implementation projects for a total government investment of more than $40 million. In April 2004, the EII introduced a new policy that allows successful projects to apply for subsequent funding over and above the maximum of $250,000. Richmond School District #38 is one of the first organizations to benefit from this policy. Richmond School District #38 In November 2001, the EII provided Richmond School District #38 with $250,000 for a project involving energy management systems; motors and drives; heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems; and water heating. Originally planned in 18 schools, the project grew to include more than 48 schools, with significant increases in energy savings. The total project cost was more than $5.4 million. The project, completed in January 2003, is saving the district more than $800,000 in energy costs and an estimated 55,000 gigajoules (more than 14 million equivalent kilowatt-hours) in energy consumption each year. It is also reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 2,500 tonnes, which is equal to the emissions of more than 500 family cars. In June 2004, the EII approved a second round of funding for the district, supporting new energy-efficiency retrofits across most of its schools. The EII investment is more than $48,300. The second project focuses on lighting and electrical systems, including T-8 lamps, compact fluorescent lights, electronic ballasts, reflector systems, light-emitting diodes and motion sensors in 42 of its 54 schools. The project is expected to cost more $1.8 million and should finish later this year. It will provide projected savings of more than $120,000 and more than 6,400 gigajoules (1.8 million equivalent kilowatt-hours) annually. The estimated GHG emissions reduction of 640 tonnes is equivalent to the emissions of 128 family cars. The funding from NRCan allows the school district to conduct a larger retrofit project than they would have otherwise. Savings from these projects are reinvested in the educational system.
