When households and businesses save energy, they also save the taxpayer money and valuable resources.
Another year of maximizing energy savings has been granted by the provincial government. An extension of the LiveSmart BC Program was provided for both residential and commercial property owners.
"It was unexpected to have a second year of this program but to have a third is a real bonus," said Jennifer Brandle-McCall, CEO of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, the agency that hosts the commercial program in the local region. Business energy advisor Sorin Pasca is based at the local chamber office, visiting any business that wants a free, independent assessment of how to save themselves energy money.
"It has taken a long time to get the word out to businesses about what I do," he said, grateful for the extension of the program. "A lot still think it's part of some campaign to sell something. I still get called 'the BC Hydro guy' sometimes. We are here to help small businesses. We don't sell anything. We just want to help you save money on your energy bill. We will take a look at how you use heating, cooling and lighting and how that can be improved."
The chamber had its own building assessed, and Brandle-McCall said she now sees the benefits on a bar-graph on the agency's energy bill, where it shows what the costs are now compared to a year ago. She called it "the gift that keeps on giving."
Some businesses have come back for multiple assessments as their buildings got renovated or management changed or technologies developed. The Twisted Cork, said Pasca, has undergone four assessments in the effort to drive down energy consumption. Another company - Polar Refrigeration - has won an award for all they have done to make a smaller energy footprint.
The program kicked off three years ago with a package of cash incentives to get early interest. Those incentives have not been renewed (although BC Hydro and FortisBC are two energy service firms that have their own incentives) but the program has been so effective that the consumer price of green energy products has come down on many key items like LED bulbs.
Also, business and home owners have become more energy savvy, and ambitious about retrofitting their places to get the cost-savings incentive.
"People are requesting more and more complex assessment reports; I can see this trend," said Pasca. "People are wanting to know much more about what they can do to go green, save money, do better things for the environment. I meet businesses now that are already very knowledgeable, asking very detailed questions, so I have to write my reports to a higher level."
Only a fraction of the eligible small businesses in the area have called Pasca for a free look-see at their energy profile, and the new program extension included a big boost in the kinds of businesses that Pasca can visit.
Before this year, only businesses that consumed $50,000 per year or less could call in a business energy advisor for free. Now, any business consuming less than $200,000 can get the service.
"What I love about this program is, businesses are always asking how the Chamber can help their bottom line," Brandle-McCall said. "We often aren't in a position to directly affect that. But this program gives us great pleasure because we can definitely show them a way to save real money."
The homeowner aspect of the program requires residents to hire a certified energy advisor to inspect the home. Based on the advise in the energy advisor's report, rebates are available for the recommended improvements. Homeowners can get up to $3,500 paid by BC Hydro and/or FortisBC, and the provincial government will pay part of the assessment bill.
To be eligible for the discounts and rebates, homeowners must have the assessment complete by Dec. 31 and the upgrades complete by March 31 of the following year.
Energy advisors cost about $325, and the government discount cuts the homeowner's price to $175.
Anyone who has had an energy assessment on their home before (more than 100,000 homeowners have) is still fully eligible to do it again.
Some of the other rebates available include:
* Up to $1,200 for exterior wall insulation,
* Up to $1,000 for basement insulation,
* Up to $600 to install attic insulation, and
* Up to $400 for air sealing (like weather stripping around doors) and draft proofing.
To find out more information, look up the LiveSmart BC website at www.livesmartbc.ca.
