British Columbia is leading the country in energy efficiency.
The province of BC ranked first in the 2021 Canadian Provincial Energy Efficiency Scorecard by Efficiency Canada, taking the top spot for the third year in a row.
The 2021 Scorecard tracks 54 metrics across 18 topics and categorizes them within five policy areas: Energy Efficiency Programs, Enabling Policies, Buildings, Transportation and Industry.
BC earned top place in Enabling Policies and Buildings, and was the only province to meet or exceed the electricity savings target for 2021.
BC also leads the country in electric vehicle registrations. In 2020, 8.4% of total vehicle registrations in this province were electric vehicles.
“British Columbia has been recognized for the third year in a row by experts at Efficiency Canada with the top national ranking,” George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, said in a statement. “Our government understands that by focusing on energy efficiency, we can improve our homes and workplaces, reduce climate pollution and save money for people and businesses along the way. Increasingly we are living with the impacts of climate change and these initiatives are crucial in building a stronger, more resilient future.”
In Canada, buildings are responsible for approximately 28% of end-use energy demand and are the largest source of potential energy savings, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) national level energy efficiency potential study.
At University Canada West, we are proud to put sustainability at the forefront of our plans and strategies.
When expanding and moving into the new Vancouver House Campus building, UCW strictly followed and set out sustainable and eco-friendly regulations and guidelines, including refusing to use materials that were red-listed and ensuring new materials contained recycled content.
With a predominantly glass building, efficient triple pane glass was used to create a tight envelope to reduce heat loss in the winter and reduce solar heat gain in the summer. And the buildings’ green roofs create bird habitat and as well as a pleasing aesthetic.
All of the lighting within the campus is also light emitting diode (LED) technology. The developer of the campus is currently pursuing LEED Certification from the Canada Green Building Council.
On an everyday basis, the Vancouver House Campus also incorporates a number of sustainable and eco-friendly features.
At every dining area in the campus, there are waste separation bins: food waste (organics), containers (plastic, glass and aluminum) and wood fibers (paper and cardboard). These bins are part of UCW’s efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle for a more sustainable campus environment.
To learn more about UCW’s other sustainability initiatives, visit ucanwest.ca/about/sustainability.
Published on Nov. 25, 2021.
