Energy Saving Measures
Both federal and provincial governments currently offer grants for condos that reduce their energy consumption by doing retrofits or adding measures such as solar power. Cities may also have their own incentive programs.
Energy savings measures are beneficial to the environment and are also good business because a great deal of money can be saved.
What kinds of retrofits are worth it? Measures that save a lot of energy and, thus, have a short pay-back period. “Short” generally means less than 8 years, and, usually, pay-back occurs within 2 to 3 years. That is, the monies spent on the retrofit will have been recovered in 2 to 3 years.
Easy and Inexpensive Measures
- Encourage residents to turn to CFLs or compact fluorescent lighting. CFLs use 75% less energy than conventional bulbs and last much longer.
CFLs currently contain a bit more mercury than conventional bulbs and should be safely handled when they break. Pregnant and breast-feeding women as well as small children should not handle them. They are otherwise safe.
What to do if a CFL breaks? Open a window and leave the room for about 15 minutes. Then, wearing gloves and with a paper towel, scoop up the bits and throw them in a bag. On a carpet, use sticky tape to pick up the bits. Vacuum and remove the bag. Double bag and place in an outdoor thrash bin or bring downstairs to the superintendent. Wash hands thoroughly.Very shortly, probably within 6 years, it is expected that LEDs, or light-emission diode bulbs, will replace CFLs, because these bulbs burn much less energy than CFLs and last even longer. Currently, LEDs do not produce sufficient light for an entire room and are still very expensive.
- Educate residents about the merits of energy conservation with the help of notices posted on a regular basis.
- Emphasize turning off lights, TV, and computers when not in use;
- microwaving rather than using a conventional oven;
- doing the dishes and laundry only with a full load;
- using a rack to dry clothes;
- not leaving the frig door open too long.
- Also educate the staff about the merits of energy conservation so that lights are turned off in the electrical, mechanical, and garbage rooms upon leaving.
- Completely turn off one or two elevators (when a building has at least three) from midnight to 6 am.
- If all the garbage rooms off corridors are along the same electrical line, install a simple timer to turn lights off from 10 pm to 8 am—or according to hours of use.
- Educate residents and employees to use less water. Water is quickly becoming an ever more expensive item on budgets. Occasionally, place notices asking residents not to leave water running when they rinse dishes, wash their teeth and hands.
- In the warm season, raise corridors’ cooling system to close to 25c. During cold months, lower heating to about 18c. Corridors do not need to be as cool or as warm as suites.
- The pool and/or whirlpool heating can be shut down for a few hours at night after a thermo cover has been installed to retain heat.
- Depending on the type of ventilation system in corridors of a mid- to high-rise building, some or all ventilation fans that force air into corridors could be shut down for the night or part of the night. But this can only take place if a timer can be installed or if a building automation system exists.
As well, this can’t be done if, without pressurization, the end result is that no air is flowing in naturally from these vents themselves and other areas.
One easy way of testing for natural air flow when forced air is shut down is to put a hand around a suite’s door; if air is flowing naturally, one can feel it.
If this initiative is feasible, it can save several thousand dollars each month both in electricity in all seasons and gas in winter--depending on the size of the building and the number of forced air units, as well as the condition of the motors.
But, in winter, when there is a spell of extremely cold nights, especially on windy days, it is preferable to let fans work so that the frigid weather does not stall motors when they restart in the morning. In other words, managers have to be vigilant and follow weather forecasts.
- Where provincial legislation gives precedence over the Act, installing individual smart meters in each condo that does not have them can result in substantial savings. With this legislation, no amendment to the declaration of a condo is necessary—no vote from owners required.
Individual meters generally result in a 10 to 20% reduction in electricity consumed by residents in their suites: Residents become responsible for their consumption and no longer leave lights or the TV on when they leave. They use ovens, dishwashers, and laundry equipment more wisely.
Usually, electricity consumed in suites for all appliances and lights constitutes about 25 to 33% of the electricity used in the building. Therefore, smart individual meters save 25 to 33% of the costs of electricity for the corporation's budget.
After smart meters are installed, owners’ fees are readjusted downwardly on a pro-rated basis. This readjustment may take place over a period of two years.
- Have all toilets in suites tested for flange leakage—this is a simple procedure carried out by the superintendent or a plumber who throws a colouring pill in the water tank. Requiring owners with leaky valves to repair or replace them is the next step, otherwise a great deal of water will be wasted.
The double message conveyed in these notices should be: Energy conservation is good for the environment and saves money. (People are receptive to this message...)
Measures Requiring Some Funds
- Changing lead boilers for hot water and heating to highly efficient ones.
- Retrofitting all lights in garages, corridors, and common elements.
- Installing thermo covers for pool and whirlpool.
The cover can be rolled manually (not difficult and less expensive) or it can be automated (more expensive).
- If the garage ventilation fans are on at all times, putting them on carbon monoxide detectors can lower electricity costs substantially. This initiative will also prolong the life of the motors.
- Adding variable speed drives to the fans that bring air in the building. This change may not be useful in saving energy and money in buildings where air flow is already limited.
- A building automation system (BAS) may help the implementation of some of the measures suggested above. This is a software system installed in the management or superintendent’s office.
But such a system also carries disadvantages, mainly in terms of initial price and costs associated with training managers or superintendents. In residential condos, these automated systems are often underutilized by managers, especially when there is a high turnover rate. As a result, the savings that could be obtained are not forthcoming.
These systems cost anywhere from $80,000 and upward—substantial sums, especially when they are not properly used afterwards. They can be expensive to maintain and particularly to upgrade later on. As well, some condos keep upgrading their system, each time requiring training for managers and, often, these upgrades are not used.
- When changing windows that break, have them replaced by energy efficient ones.
- Whenever feasible, pool water should be heated by solar energy. Chemicals, or salt water, which is corrosive for pipes, can be replaced by a UV sanitizing system. (Consult information contained in the Readers Respond pages: Click here for Useful Tips for Buildings.)
- Adding solar energy in general, although this item is still expensive and the pay-back may still be quite long, may be considered. Many governments provide incentives, including Ottawa’s Ministry of Natural Resources.
