No wonder they are smiling. Representatives of The University of British Columbia and FortisBC came together recently to celebrate the good that comes from two forward-thinking organizations working together.
The photo of the smiling representatives was taken at the UBC Aquatic Centre on the day FortisBC--a leading energy supplier in B.C., providing electricity, natural gas, propane, and other energy solutions--presented UBC with a cheque for $330,084 to support a major energy makeover at the centre.
UBC helped FortisBC pilot a forthcoming energy efficiency incentive program called Commercial Custom Design. This program helps natural gas customers such as UBC by providing funding towards a detailed energy study, and capital upgrades needed to reduce natural gas consumption. In this case, the upgrades to the pool heating equipment required a capture and re-use of the wasted heat.
The Aquatic Centre project harvests waste steam condensate from neighbouring buildings to heat the centre’s indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The environmental payoff will be big, reducing UBC’s carbon emissions by 450 tonnes (the equivalent of taking 100 cars off the road), saving three swimming pools worth of water annually and improving the centre’s energy efficiency by more than 60 per cent.
“UBC has again shown its commitment to sustainability though this use of recovered waste heat for heating the pools at the UBC Aquatic Centre,” says Ramsay Cook, energy efficiency and conservation program manager, FortisBC. “As the province’s leading energy solutions provider, FortisBC is proud to support UBC’s efforts to reduce energy consumption in a thoughtful and creative way.”
It is particularly satisfying to learn that the project was conceived by a UBC student. “Projects like this are what engineers live for, to work on something that actually makes the world a better place,” says Jeff Giffin, UBC’s Alternative Energy Projects Manager who designed the project while a student in UBC’s Master of Clean Energy Engineering Program.
FortisBC recently pledged a commitment of $300,000 to the Master of Clean Energy Engineering Program in UBC’s Clean Energy Research Centre. Over the next three academic years the funding will support student co-op placement, student projects, and program delivery.
“The Master’s program in Clean Energy Engineering is a tremendous step forward in supporting the Province and industry in BC to reach ambitious clean energy goals, “ said Dr. David Wilkinson, Professor and Director of the Clean Energy Research Centre. “Our graduates will be pivotal in helping to improve energy practices for businesses and communities across Canada – saving money and helping our environment. We are extremely pleased with the partnership of FortisBC in supporting this vital program.”
FortisBCs’ partnership in the program will provide opportunities for students to better understand demand-side management and, as part of their studies, work side-by-side with industry to address sustainable energy challenges.
”FortisBC is proud to support this first-in-Canada Master’s program in Clean Energy Engineering,” said Doug Stout, vice president energy solutions and external relations FortisBC. “Working with UBC to train skilled workers for B.C.’s future in this innovative program is a natural fit.”
The Master in Clean Energy Engineering Program is the only one of its kind in Canada, and focuses on advanced training related to environmentally-advantageous energy-efficient technologies—technologies that will help meet the global need for energy while reducing electricity use, greenhouse gases and other emissions.
For more information about the Masters in Clean Energy Engineering program, please visit: www.cerc.ubc.ca.