They shoot, they score…energy savings!

And the MVP award goes to the City of Surrey for their hard work, dedication and collaborative efforts that will net significant year-over-year energy and cost savings at their facilities. The City of Surrey took advantage of FortisBC’s support and rebate programs to reduce energy use through upgrades to their heating and hot water equipment.

Through working together, we see the potential to help other municipalities save energy, money and even reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Big win

Within larger city facilities, keeping temperatures comfortable, as well as heating water for everything from showers to pools and ice resurfacing, can be energy-intensive. The City of Surrey took the initiative to upgrade and install the most cost-effective and energy-efficient equipment available, saving energy and money as well as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

The City of Surrey installed eight high-efficiency boilers and one high efficiency hot water tank at three of their facilities and two heating plants. Natural gas boilers are part of the system that heats the building and the water throughout the facilities. These high-efficiency units are also easier to maintain, further reducing ongoing maintenance costs for the city. The Surrey Sport & Leisure Complex was one of the facilities that received the upgrades, helping reduce the amount of energy used when the Zamboni’s resurface the ice. Additionally, because there are three ice areas in the complex, an efficient boiler also helps meet the demand for hot water for the facility.

With high energy demands in Surrey facilities, upgrading to high-efficiency boilers help reduce operational costs.

Savings add up

These upgrades move the city towards their climate action goals in an affordable way.  The expected energy savings will be approximately 3,000 gigajoules per year. In other words, this will lower greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 152 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, or the equivalent emissions of driving a gasoline-powered car between Vancouver and Montreal more than 150 times. This adds up to significant year-over-year cost savings as the city expects to save $17,000 annually.

There is no I in team

Because the City of Surrey upgraded to high efficiency equipment, they also received rebates totaling over $104,000 from FortisBC. And with FortisBC tripling its investment in energy-efficiency programs over the next four years, even more support is available to the city as they target additional facilities for upgrades.

These upgrades continue to show the innovative ways that the City of Surrey is continuing to operate now and for their future.

Building a path to a cleaner future

Having collaborative efforts like this one shows the ways in which we are all working towards reducing emissions and working toward a lower-carbon future. Through our Clean Growth Pathway, FortisBC sees natural gas a part of the solution in reaching a lower carbon energy future and we are dedicated to working with municipalities, organizations and customers on delivering on these goals. The City of Surrey provides us with an excellent example of how installing high efficiency natural gas systems is an affordable and effective way to meet provincial and municipal climate action goals.

To learn more about FortisBC commercial rebates visit: fortisbc.com/rebates

Working with the City of Surrey shows that when we collaborate together, it’s a win for everyone.