New Westminster – The City of New Westminster has earned an Efficiency in Action Award from FortisBC due to the City’s success in encouraging managers and owners of city rental buildings to participate in FortisBC’s Rental Apartment Efficiency Program (RAP). The program helps identify opportunities for energy and cost savings through rebate-qualified retrofits to apartment suites. While New Westminster is home to about 2.7 per cent of the overall rental apartment stock in BC, the community represents close to 10 per cent of participation RAP.

“It’s great to be recognized for our success in this program, as maintaining affordable housing is a top priority for the City,” said Mayor Jonathan X. Coté. “I’m proud of our Energy Save New West team, as they went out and built relationships with building managers and owners, educating and encouraging them to take part in the RAP program and as a result, invest in their communities.”

Since RAP launched late 2015, close to 10 per cent of New Westminster’s rental apartments have participated, collectively saving more than 10 million litres of water and just over 9,000 gigajoules (GJ) of natural gas, reducing carbon dioxide output by more than 500 tonnes.

“More than 80 per cent of BC’s rental apartment buildings are older than 35 years and many have significant opportunities to save energy and lower energy costs. By promoting this program, the City of New Westminster has shown real leadership in helping reduce energy use in buildings in their community,” said Danielle Wensink, director, conservation and energy management, FortisBC. “And the results of their efforts are clear from number of program participants from their area.”

The program is delivered in New Westminster on behalf of FortisBC by a LEED-certified energy expert, Jordan Fisher of FRESCo Ltd. He notes that participants from New Westminster have reduced their energy use by 12 to 27 per cent, depending on the building size and level of participation.

The City of New Westminster is one of 11 organizations from across BC that were recently recognized for their dedication to conserving energy at FortisBC’s Efficiency in Action Awards. Through their combined efforts, award recipients achieved an estimated 120,000 GJ of annual natural gas savings, which is the equivalent of taking approximately 1,200 gasoline-powered cars off the road. For more about these award-winning projects, visit fortisbc.com/commercialawards.

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Image caption:

City of New Westminster staff pose with FortisBC staff after receiving Efficiency in Action award.
Left to right: Uschi Hopping, Community Relations (FortisBC); Rod Carle, General Manager of Electrical Operations (CNW); Councillor Bill Harper (CNW); Ryan Coleman, Project Coordinator (CNW) ; Jim Lowrie, Director of Engineering (CNW); Mandy Assi, Commercial Accounts Manager (FortisBC); Siraz Dalmir, Key Account Manager (FortisBC)

Contact:

City of New Westminster               
Norm Connolly                                                             
Community Energy Manager                                                  
604-527-4572
www.energysavenewwest.ca                                                                                    

FortisBC
Nicole Bogdanovic
Corporate Communications Advisor

www.fortisbc.com