This year we have 10 impressive Efficiency in Action Award winners who are leading the way in saving energy and reducing associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as promoting energy safety.

FortisBC is proud to present the winners of the 2024 Efficiency in Action Awards with their award plaques (L to R): Asad Ahmed, PLK BC Restaurant Inc.; Garry Peters, Avery Farms; Jennifer Park & Dave Weiner, CopCan Civil LP; David Silva, Aboriginal Housing Management Association; Jackie Hogan, University of the Fraser Valley; Dayle Krahn, Baptist Housing; Elissa Gamble, Hawthorne Seniors Care Community; Jeson Mak, Fraser Health; Eric Schulz, City of Chilliwack; Derrick Dar, Liberty Foods.

High-efficiency refrigeration

You know all those chilly aisles of deli meats and ice cream in your local grocery store? They use a significant amount of energy to keep food fresh, as you can imagine. Liberty Foods is a family-owned grocery store in Fruitvale, B.C., and they reached out to us to see how they could become more energy-efficient. Taking advantage of our electric foodservice rebate program, they installed new high-efficiency refrigeration equipment and reduced their annual electricity use by 212,640 kWh—more than 30 per cent of their energy consumption. We recognized their efforts with our Small Commercial award.

Early adopter of innovative technology

Demonstrating their commitment to using innovative technology, the University of the Fraser Valley’s (UFV) Trades and Technology Centre in Chilliwack has been taking part in our gas absorption heat pump (GAHP) early adopter program. They’re installing seven GAHP’s to provide heating and supplemental cooling to the centre while helping to lower energy use and associated GHG emissions, which is why they’ve earned the Medium Commercial award. Once the project is complete, the GAHPs will be part of a demonstration and training lab that will serve as an educational tool for courses at the centre where the university can track real-time energy use. The facility will also be open to property managers, engineers and contractors who want to learn more about GAHP technology.

In addition to the cost savings resulting from lower energy consumption, upgraded HVAC systems at UFV create a more comfortable environment for students and staff, which can positively impact learning and productivity.

Doran Hoge, director of energy and sustainability, University of the Fraser Valley

Double pilot program participant

Taking part in one of FortisBC’s pilot programs can be a great way to lower the cost of purchasing and installing innovative, energy-efficient equipment. Our Large Commercial award winner participated in not one, but two of our pilot programs. Baptist Housing provides rental housing, independent living and long-term care for seniors in the Lower Mainland, Interior and on Vancouver Island. To help ensure the comfort and well-being of their residents, Baptist Housing participated in our commercial gas engine-driven heat pump (GEHP) pilot program, installing these units at their locations in White Rock and Victoria. In addition, they participated in our GAHP pilot program, installing these units at three locations in Kelowna.

Energy efficiency upgrades have significantly enhanced our organization's operations by reducing operational costs, minimizing environmental impact, and improving overall sustainability… These projects have not only reduced our energy costs but also strengthened our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

Erich Klein, director of sustainability and maintenance, Baptist Housing

Energy-efficiency education and retrofits for Indigenous housing

The first “for Indigenous, by Indigenous” housing authority established in Canada, the Aboriginal Housing Management Association (AHMA) has won our Community award for their efforts to improve energy efficiency in members’ homes and buildings, helping to lower energy bills and increase comfort. They used our Energy Conservation Assistance Program, where participants work with an energy coach on identifying areas for improvement and get free energy-saving products like LED lightbulbs, water-efficient showerheads and weatherstripping. They also participated in our Indigenous Communities Conservation Program.

AHMA’s aim to provide safe and affordable housing for Indigenous peoples is a big reason that we’ve focused on finding opportunities to improve energy efficiency in our members’ homes and buildings. Not only do these opportunities help us to lower energy bills, but they also provide additional comfort to the residents who live in the buildings receiving these upgrades.

Shahed Shafazand, energy project manager, Aboriginal Housing Management Association

Waste not, want not

Ironically, ice rinks produce a lot of heat while making and maintaining ice. In many ice rinks, that ‘waste’ heat is sent to a water tower on the roof where it escapes into the atmosphere. But the City of Chilliwack has now installed a heat recovery system at the Chilliwack Coliseum—home to the B.C. Hockey League’s Chilliwack Chiefs—that is capturing that heat and delivering it via 200 metres of underground piping to swimming pools, hot tubs and dehumidifiers in the neighbouring Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre. They’re saving an estimated 6,800 GJ of gas per year, and the city estimates they’ll save around $72,000 a year in energy consumption costs. We’ve given them our Municipal Public Sector award.

Waste Heat reclaims from arena ice plants are a win win scenario. If you are upgrading any boilers or HVAC systems in nearby corporate facilities, you should check to see if integration is viable.

Darrell Lindhout, director of recreation and culture, City of Chilliwack

Making hospitals more energy-efficient

The largest regional health authority in B.C., Fraser Health has a five-year Planetary Health Strategy which includes the goal of reducing their impact on the planet. As part of their efforts to use resources efficiently, they took part in both of our gas heat pump pilot programs, installing GAHPs and GEHPs in two Lower Mainland hospitals (the Cedar Pavilion and Maple Pavilion in Langley Memorial Hospital and the Shirley Dean Pavilion in Surrey Memorial Hospital). These high-efficiency units provide space heating and supplementary cooling, helping to ensure patient comfort while reducing their energy usage by an estimated 11,618 GJ of gas per year. Fraser Health has won our Provincial Public Sector award this year.

Seniors care centre invests in efficiency and patient comfort

Another GEHP pilot participant, Hawthorne Seniors Care Community is a nonprofit in Port Coquitlam providing safe, affordable care for seniors. As you can imagine, reliable heating and cooling is a priority of theirs, to help ensure the comfort of their residents. At the same time, they’re committed to saving energy. That’s why they were keen to participate in the GEHP pilot program, installing four of these gas heat pumps along with automated controls to manage building temperature and help enhance the quality of life for their residents for many years to come. They’ve earned our Innovation award this year.

Having secure and reliable heating and cooling isn’t just a matter of comfort in a care community. It is a matter of safety and fundamental to good care. We take that responsibility very seriously and this pilot was very helpful in adding new technology and improved temperature security. These heat pumps will make a very big difference in the quality of life for the people we care for today and for many years to come.

Elissa Gamble, chief executive officer, Hawthorne Seniors Care Community

LED lights lead to lower-cost lettuce

Imagine a 50,000 square foot vertical farm full of towers, where up to 10,000 heads of lettuce can be produced daily, regardless of the season. If you think this innovative operation would need a lot of electricity to keep their growing conditions just right year-round, you’d be correct. But Avery Family Farms, a multigenerational family-owned farm in Okanagan Falls, B.C., has now installed specialty LED lights to reduce their energy consumption and operating costs. This allows them to compete with field-grown produce while helping to achieve their sustainability goals, saving an estimated 538,208 kWh of electricity annually, and earning our Industrial customer award.

Electricity is a significant operational cost when growing head lettuce indoors in a highly controlled environment. Sustainable energy solutions improve crop yields and quality, allowing Avery Family Farms to better serve B.C. consumers and contribute to food security in our province.

Rachelle Peters, quality assurance manager, Avery Family Farms

A better way to fry chicken

Higher-efficiency vat fryers are helping a Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen franchisee save an estimated 2,720 GJ of gas per year, helping them lower their energy use. PLK BC Restaurant Inc. installed the new fryers in 10 locations on Vancouver Island and in the Lower Mainland, earning our Foodservice award.

We have seen better cooking results, with less maintenance.

Asad Ahmed, VP of development and operations, PLK BC Restaurant Inc.

Industry leader in safe construction practices

When you’re building roads and bridges, clearing land, doing construction management and more, you’re going to be doing a lot of digging—and that can mean damaging gas lines and other underground utility equipment if you’re not careful. However, Copcan Civil LP, a construction company based in Nanaimo, B.C., has prioritized the safety of their employees and the public, showing by example how to minimize risk by clicking or calling before digging, and following the steps to avoid damaging underground equipment. We’re recognizing their dedication with our Safety award.