Londoner's share their City Green Stories
YMCA's New Lighting Technology Retrofit
A Story About Building Improvements
In June 2012, London Hydro's Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) program assisted the YMCA's Centre Branch by making their pool area better lit and more energy efficient. Funded by the OPA's saveONenergy Retrofit program, but distributed to utility companies like London Hydro, the centre branch received $3,727 to help cover labour and materials. This helped keep the centre costs to a minimum, allowing more dollars to be spent on its members.
3M Canada Company Chiller VFD Retrofit
A Story About Building Improvements
Through London Hydro's Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) program, 3M Canada Company took advantage of the OPA's funded saveONenergy Retrofit program. The commercial office building improved its operating and energy systems to achieve better efficiency. The biggest conservation upgrade was to its HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air conditioning) system where a variable frequency drive (VFD) on the original chiller, which cools water to allow AC in the summer, was installed. London Hydro contributed over $47,000 to the project.
Canada Games Aquatic Centre
A Story About Building Improvements
In 2016, the Canada Games Aquatic Centre renovation project was recognized and awarded the 2016 QUEST Smart Energy Communities Award – Real Estate Sector. QUEST (Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow) is a leader developing Smart Energy Communities that improve energy efficiency, enhance reliability, cut costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Every year it recognizes leadership and innovation in advancing Smart Energy Communities in Canada.
London Optimist BMO Sports Centre
A Story About Renewable Energy
October 21, 2011 was the opening for the London BMO Sports Centre; owned and operated by the London Optimists. Known as one of Canada's largest sports centres, the facility installed 5 MaxSUN(TM) solar LED lighting systems at the front entrance leading to the parking lot. The 5 LED streetlights were designed, installed and engineered by ProQuip International. They are powered off-grid by solar panels, which are placed on top of 30 foot high steel poles.
Walk to work
A Story About Walking
I walk to work almost every day, approximately 30 min each way. It's wonderful to see many of the same people on my route and share a smile or stop for a few minutes to chat. It makes me feel good about my community. I promote walking and active transport as a way of life regularly on Twitter at #walktowork, #walking, #passionatepedestrian
Rechargeable Ice Edgers
A Story About Green Purchasing
In 2012, Facilities, Parks & Recreation and Fleet Services began a review on the operation of rechargeable ice edgers for the City of London's artificial ice rinks and arena facilities. In terms of electricity savings, the rechargeable ice edgers offsets the exhaust fan use when using ice edgers that operated originally with gasoline.
Condensate Heat Recover Project at Centennial Hall
A Story About Reducing Waste
Since the end of 2009, Centennial Hall designed a new condensate heat recover project that reduced heat-waste and energy costs. By preventing the hot condensate (which was being generated by the steam converter) from being dumped down the drain, the condensate heat recover project has saved approximately $45,000. This is part of a $90,000 overall project. The building is heated using hot water, which in turn requires electricity to heat the hot water. The project's annual electric savings is around 24, 450 kwh/ year or over $3,000 per year.
W12A Landfill Leachate Pumping Station and Force Main
A Story About Industrial Process Improvements
In 2011, the W12A Landfill site installed a leachate pumping station and force main in order to pump leachate to the Greenway Pollution Control Plant in London. This strategic plan prevented trucking the leachate from W12A to the Dingman Pumping Station. The upgrade reduced W12A Landfill odour and trucking costs by $280,000 in annual operation costs.
ECHO Power Equipment
A Story About Building Improvements
Starting in December 2010, ECHO Power Equipment initially spent $73,000 in materials and labour to retrofit their small warehouse building. By receiving $24,000 from London Hydro's Electricity Retrofit Program, it will take about 10 years for ECHO Power Equipment to pay this project off. From January to August 2011, the energy savings was about $8,495 or a reduction of 83,189 kwh within the first 7 months (January to July 2011) of the project operating.
The Grand Theatre
A Story About Building Improvements
At the arts and culture level, the Grand Theatre received almost $70,000 in incentives from the Ontario Power Authority (via London Hydro retrofit program) for its energy project completed in September 2010. Certain key features included 42 exit signs, 24 dimmable CFLs (compressed fluorescent lights) (for the replacement of incandescent bulbs) and 12 occupancy sensors to control uneconomical habits, and to improve operations and safety procedures.