Livesmart B.C.'s Business Energy Advisor Service Program will not live forever.

The energy efficiency program for business owners is set to switch off at the end of March, leaving only six weeks to book an appointment to save energy.

"It is a very successful program in our region," said Chamber of Commerce CEO Jennifer Brandle-McCall. The Prince George Chamber is the local administrator of the province-wide initiative. Under Livesmart, an energy auditor will come to a local business and inspect it for ways to prevent energy loss and improve not only the environment but also the bottom line. "Our ratio of audits to retrofits - that is, actually doing something with the information obtained in the audit - is very high. So business owners and operators weren't just interested in the information, they also acted on the suggestions."

The business advisory program has been operational in Prince George since 2011 under the guidance of Sorin Pasca.

"Every time I meet with someone, I'm timing how long until they ask 'what's the catch?'"

But, Pasca said, there is no catch. "They're saving energy, but they're also saving money. It's money back in their pocket."

The audit takes only about an hour, and the recommendations come in a report produced within a few days of the site visit. In addition to spotting energy-sucker hotspots in your business, Pasca can also sometimes give advice to the business owners about products on the market or grants available to address the situation. Some of the suggestions pertain to business behaviour (Are the lights left on in empty rooms? Are windows left open in winter?) for which the changes cost nothing but the savings are instant.

"There is definitely a thirst for more of this knowledge," said Brandle-McCall. "We have experienced a real demand for the program. We have our fingers crossed that we will actually get to operate the program longer, it would be our desire to see it carry on for our local businesses because there has been that definite interest. But since we haven't heard that the program might be extended, we have to conduct ourselves under the deadline we have. If anyone wants to book an appointment, it has to be while scheduling allows between now and the end of March."

For details please contact Sorin Pasca at so...@pgchamber.bc.ca or 250.562.2454.