Health authorities have begun work on 23 new capital projects on their mission to save on energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through funding provided by the Carbon Neutral Capital program, which was established in 2012.

“Through our efforts with the expanded Carbon Neutral Capital program, health authorities have been focused on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and saving money in energy costs,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “By investing in these projects, the health system will be able to reduce existing energy use and redirect money saved directly to support our health priorities.”

The projects are expected to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 3,600 tonnes and save the health authorities more than $950,000 in energy costs annually. The program will be continuing in 2015-16 due to overwhelming successes in both cost savings and emission reduction.

In February 2014, government announced expansion of the Carbon Neutral Capital program, already established for school districts, to the health and post-secondary sectors. In 2014-15, the first fiscal year of the expanded program, the six health authorities shared $5.7 million in provincial capital funding to support energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction projects.

"Through these projects and others, we are continuing with cost-saving and environment friendly projects to support B.C.'s carbon neutral mandate and help us continue as a world leader to reduce emissions,” said Mary Polak, Minister of Environment.

Overall, 23 energy-efficiency projects were approved in 2014-15, including boiler and HVAC system replacements, lighting upgrades and heat recovery system installations. The total value of these 23 projects − which includes contributions from Fortis BC, regional hospital districts, and health authority funding - is estimated at $7.2 million.

Learn more:

For more details about B.C. carbon neutrality, visit:
http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=BE9BE637F7BA4FFB97AFFE62181F9A67

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Laura Heinze
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

BACKGROUNDER

Energy-efficient capital projects by health authority

Fraser Health

• Chilliwack General Hospital: HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), fan system and boiler upgrades - $380,300.
• Peace Arch Hospital: General energy conservation projects, including domestic hot water, lighting and cold water booster upgrades - $242,625.
• Delta Hospital: Boiler plant and domestic hot water storage upgrades - $252,337.
• Eagle Ridge Hospital: General energy conservation projects, including direct digital control systems, heat recovery optimization, boiler room insulation and kitchen hood exhaust fan control upgrades - $178,000.

Interior Health

• Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital: Refrigeration energy conservation project - $454,300.
• Polson Extended Care: Two Cleaver Brooks model hot water boilers - $120,000.
• Royal Inland Hospital: Parking lot and parkade lighting upgrade - $453,826.

Vancouver Island Health

• West Coast General Hospital: Mechanical upgrades - $285,213.
• Eagle Park Long Term Care Facility: Lighting upgrade - $90,000.
• Royal Jubilee Hospital: Steam boiler condensing economizer and lighting upgrades - $335,640.
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital: HVAC zone controls project - $191,965.

Northern Health

• Chetwynd Hospital and Health Centre: Implement demand controlled ventilation and zone isolation, install occupancy sensors, incorporate gas meter with energy management information system - $81,269.
• Fort Nelson Hospital: Direct digital control system and various other energy savings upgrades - $137,855.
• Prince Rupert Regional Hospital: Direct digital control system upgrade - $77,098.
• Dawson Creek and District Hospital: Implementation of 13 energy conservation measures - $122,518.
• University Hospital of Northern B.C.: Installation of variable frequency drives, heating coil replacement, domestic cold water booster pumps, steam trap monitoring system, block heater controls, removal of airflow monitoring station, and pool dehumidifier replacement - $180,543.

Provincial Health Services Authority

• BC Cancer Research Centre: Chiller heat recovery - $342,334.
• BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Island Centre: Direct digital control system replacement, domestic hot water upgrade and exhaust air heat recovery - $297,711. 

Vancouver Coastal Health

• Providence Health Care - St. Vincent's: Langara: Direct digital control system and domestic water heating boiler replacements - $308,700.
• Powell River Evergreen Extended Care: High-efficiency boilers replacement, boilers back-end valve retrofit and piping, and thermal insulation - $386,052.
• St. Mary's Hospital: Replace 50-year-old boiler and add new controls to connect boiler to building direct digital control system - $185,281.
• Whistler Health Care Centre: Replace 22-year-old, low-efficienct atmospheric boilers with high-efficient condensing boilers - $323,025.
• Vancouver General Hospital: Replace domestic hot water system - $267,366.

Media Contacts:

Laura Heinze
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)