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Caledon–the greenest town in Ontario?

“With five distinct energy management goals, Caledon’s Corporate Energy Management Plan not only illustrates the Town’s commitment to remain on the forefront of energy management, but also provides a solid framework to achieve our mandate of reducing waste, maximizing efficiencies and generating clean energy.”
– Marolyn Morrison, mayor of Caledon

With the approval of the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act, any municipality could be required by the government to embark on or prove the existence of an energy plan, said Caledon, adding that it recognized the need to enhance its current strategy in order to meet these requirements.

“The key to meeting these goals was to develop a plan that would ensure acceptance from all employees of the town,” it said.

After researching different resources in the marketplace to assist with its energy plan, the town chose to work with 360 Energy Inc., based on the company’s fit to help “drive internal and external resources to provide input into the development of the plan and to support and approve energy management activity when the plan was completed.”

“The first step was to ensure the energy team knew the town’s current status regarding energy management and where energy was being consumed,” said Caledon. By developing a baseline of energy consumption by location and utility, the town went with a three-pronged approach to energy management, which encouraged the elimination of waste, maximizing efficiency, and optimizing energy supply, it explained.

The next step would be to produce a database of energy consumption and cost, and monitor the data for variations, provide facility evaluations, highlight areas of possible improvement, and provide energy information for reviews.

On the technical side, Caledon has said the two have partnered to develop a plan to implement new lighting at facilities, a new street light pilot program, daylight sensor controls, waste heat recovery projects, and the generation of solar energy.

In the facilities, a waste heat recovery project will capture heat from equipment and discharged water and reuse it, rather than procuring new energy to meet its needs, said the town.

“Daylight sensor controls, implemented in 2012, will reduce the use of electricity by assessing the amount of natural light in the building and using it instead of additional lighting,” it added. “Solar photovoltaic MicroFIT projects will be used to generate electricity with the intent of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is estimated that this project will generate $20,000 annually.”

MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP

360 Energy has also identified “a number of processes” for the maintenance and upkeep of public buildings within Caledon, it said.

Additionally, an incentive program is set to be developed by 2012 as a method of encouraging a competitive environment to bring about conservation among facilities and individuals within the organization. Finally, facility managers will receive energy management training and an intradepartmental energy management team will be created to ensure “good energy management throughout the organization.”

“360 Energy Inc. has a proven process that qualifies, educates and supports organizations in developing an energy plan that is best suited to an organization’s specific needs – an approach that has fit the requirements of the town of Caledon very well,” said the town. “The savings that result will be able to be reinvested in future projects and ensure the sustainability of the Town of Caledon’s energy management program.”