Buildings and Infrastructure
The City’s Energy Management Program (EMP) strives to effectively manage and
reduce energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through three main ways;
1. Energy conservation - reduce the overall demand for energy (eg increased energy use awareness and improved operational control to reduce waste).
2. Energy efficiency - reduce the energy required for operations (eg lighting retrofits to more efficient technologies).
3. Renewal and clean energy - increase the use of renewable energy and reduce the carbon intensity of emissions (eg. installation of solar thermal energy systems).
The main action areas of the City's Energy Management Program is to facilitate energy reduction initiatives, embed best energy management practices into corporate processes, and maximize external funding support. With Council and senior management support, the EMP has been successful at delivering energy reduction projects and tracking other corporate energy efficiency results over the past decade.
Overview
Through the implementation of a variety of projects and initiatives, as well as working collaboratively within the City, the EMP supports continued improvements in corporate energy use and efficiency. The City's EMP is integral to the long term goal of maintaining carbon neutral operations through projects that reduce and optimize natural gas use.
Without past investments and improvements to corporate energy efficiency, it is estimated that the City's energy use would have been approximately 25% higher in 2017, equal to an increase of 11 GWh.
EMP Achievements - 2008 - 2016 EMP Highlights
Energy conservation work at the City has cumulatively saved over 69.0 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy since 2008 (which is equal to enough conventional energy to power the City's corporate operations for an entire year). Other key metrics associated with these cumulative savings since that time include:- Avoided approximately $3,500,000 in energy related operational costs,
- Over 9,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) avoided, which is equal to the annual emissions from 2,800 Richmond cars.
- Execution of external partnerships and agreements that included over $2,000,000 in funding to support EMP associated projects and programs.
Current City Energy Management Program Highlights EMP Goals for 2018 and Upcoming Projects
Numerous energy efficiency projects were completed over the past year that will provide benefit to the City including avoided energy use, cost, and GHG emissions. The following are the key metrics that the City achieved with the completed projects in 2017.
- Will avoid over $70,000 in energy utility operational costs.
- Over 2,000,000 kWh in future electricity and natural gas use reduction (equal to the power used in 45 homes in Richmond in a year), and
- More than 200 tonnes of GHG emissions avoidance (equal to the emissions from over 60 Richmond cars).
The largest component of these anticipated energy and cost savings is from the completion of an equipment replacement and optimization project at Watermania. Other energy efficiency related projects included, street light fixture upgrades, corporate parking lot fixture upgrades, and lighting and building control upgrades.
EMP Goals for 2018 and Upcoming Projects
The following key energy initiatives are in various stages of implementation, and are scheduled to be completed in 2018:
- Complete the major equipment replacement and upgrade at Thompson Community Centre, including the revitalization of the geo-exchange field on-site.
- Complete building automation system upgrades and improved energy monitoring capabilities at Thompson Community Centre, Fire Hall No. 4 and No. 5, and at the Community Safety Building.
- Complete the commissioning of the City's first solar photovoltaic system at Fire Hall No. 1.
2015 Corporate Energy Management Update (Summary)
2015 Corporate Energy Management Update (Full Report)
For further information on past Corporate Energy reporting, please see the links below.
2014 Corporate Energy Management Update (Summary)
2014 Corporate Energy Management Update (Full Report)
2013 Corporate Energy Update Report – Summary
2013 Corporate Energy Update Report – Full Version
2012 Corporate Energy Update Report - Summary
2012 Corporate Energy Update Report - Full Version
2011 Energy Update Report - Summary
2011 Energy Update Report - Full Version
2010 Alexandra District Energy Utility By-law Report
For more information on the ADEU, please contact John Irving, Director of
Engineering, at 604-276-4140 or john.irving@richmond.ca.
Contacts
Poroshat Assadian
Corporate Energy Manager
Phone: 604-244-1239Email: poroshat.assadian@richmond.ca
Alen Postolka
District Energy Manager
Phone: 604-276-4283Email: alen.postolka@richmond.ca