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| A partnership
between Memorial University and the federal government
will look into energy improvements to all 49 buildings
of the St. John's campus. Some buildings, like the Arts
Building pictured here, are over 40 years old. |
Memorial University is seeking to improve its energy use, with
help from a Government of Canada program that assists institutions
plan their building renovations to achieve energy efficiency.
John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), applauded
the university’s efforts to make its buildings more energy
efficient while speaking on corporate social responsibility
at Memorial’s Business Day events March 5.
“By pooling our funding dollars, the Government of Canada
can help institutions like Memorial save money and, at the same
time, help the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions
that contribute to climate change,” said Mr. Efford.
Enerplan Consultants will develop an energy master plan for
the university and look at possible energy improvements to all
49 buildings of the St. John’s campus. Memorial is seeking
savings in addition to those achieved through a previous retrofit
program. In the early 1990s, adding energy-efficient lighting,
building controls and other technologies resulted in approximately
$650,000 in annual savings. Preliminary analyses indicate that
new retrofits could lead to additional savings of 10 to 12 million
kilowatt-hours or $700,000 a year at current energy costs.
The Government of Canada is contributing $25,000 – almost
50 per cent of the total planning costs – for this energy
master plan through NRCan's Energy Innovators Initiative (EII).
The EII helps increase energy efficiency in existing commercial
and institutional buildings, and offers assistance for energy
retrofits. Since 2001, it has funded more than 250 planning
projects, which are expected to result in retrofit projects
that will reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Memorial has been a member of the EII since 1995. Further details
on the EII, a program administered by NRCan’s Office of
Energy Efficiency, can be found on the Internet at www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/eii.
Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February
2003 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. |
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| Next
issue: April 8, 2004
Questions? Comments?
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