INNISFAIL – Seven municipally-owned facilities have been fully probed for energy efficiency and the work begins now to save the Town of Innisfail tens of thousands of dollars a year in energy costs.
Last year the town entered into an agreement with Trane Technologies to conduct an investment grade audit of seven municipal facilities that would identify ways to reduce energy consumption and cost.
During last fall’s 2022 budget deliberations the town set aside $1.3 million in the 2022 capital budget to cover the costs of energy efficient upgrades that would be identified by the Trane audit, which itself was budgeted for $28,000.
However, the work by Trane would also include a structural engineering review on the Innisfail Twin Arena and curling rink to assess the ability to have roof mounted solar PV. That brought the total cost of the Trane audit to $38,000, which was approved by town council at its March 28 regular meeting.
The objective for Trane’s comprehensive audit was to assess current facility energy performance and identify energy efficiency, operational improvements, energy generation and infrastructure renewal solutions for the seven buildings.
The company’s exhaustive study was formally presented to town council on March 28.
“This is another example of our administration team doing an excellent job at reviewing a final report and determining what is in the best interest of the community,’ said mayor Jean Barclay. “We know the contents of this report demonstrate energy savings of upwards of $84,000 annually, and in addition to $200,000 in capital savings, which translates savings for the municipality.”
Town council was told through Trane’s report that once energy conservation upgrades are completed at the seven municipally-owned facilities the community will save about $7,000 a month in energy costs, as well as another $200,000 by doing most of the energy conservation measures themselves. Council was told the town will continue to apply for grants to help offset the $1 million-plus cost of the project.
“We just decided we will do it piece by piece, which allows us to access grant funding bit by bit,” said Meghan Jenkins, the town’s director of community services, who presented the Trane report and its recommendations to council. “We do expect it will save some money largely because town staff will be doing more of the project management in coordination with the contractors on that part of it.”
Jenkins said administration is hoping to start the upgrades as soon as possible, adding the first five of the seven facility upgrades are straight forward and below the $75,000 request for proposal (RFP) threshold.
But two others will likely be handled by external contractors through the RFP process, added Jenkins. She believes most of them should be completed by the end of 2022.
Jenkins noted the big project will be the solar panel installation on the fire hall, curling rink and additional panelling on the administration building.
“The solar are definitely the biggest ticket items, the largest dollar value projects,” said Jenkins.
The seven facility upgrades include:
• Upgrades to Library Lighting and Controls
• Operation and Parks shops lighting and controls
• Curling rink lighting and controls
• Town office lighting and controls
• Replacement of eight arena furnaces
• Installation of HVAC system controls and commissioning (arena, curling rink, library, town office)
• Installation of solar PV (fire hall, curling rink, town office)
In the meantime, town council was quick to unanimously support administration going forward with the energy conservation project.
“In the long run it is going to save us a lot. That was the reason we went to get the audit done to see exactly what the savings could be,” said Coun. Don Harrison. “Energy costs are not going to get any cheaper going forward.”
