New city maintenance building reduces energy costs
City of Kitchener, ON
ENERGY
Consolidated Maintenance Facility
The City of Kitchener has consolidated its once-scattered maintenance operations into a former Michelin tire plant.
The facility, which now features a solar roof, geo-thermal heat recovery and low-flow fixtures, was redesigned to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification. Road and park maintenance, water and sewer work, fleet repair and snow clearing operations — formerly spread over five sites — now operate from a single 45-acre location. The city's corporate call centre, stockrooms, salt and bulk material storage and greenhouses — and a total of 450 employees — have also moved to the site.
Energy and other efficiencies at the $66-million facility will save the city $350,000 a year.
Results
| Environmental | Economic | Social |
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Challenges
- Migrating city maintenance operations and 450 employees to a single site without disrupting essential services.
- Meeting daunting approval and documentation requirements of various funding agencies.
- Gaining dedicated resources and support from city managers and council.
Lessons learned
- Dedicate a team to the project rather than adding it to the staff workload.
- Make a strong business case to ensure council and public support and to access government funding.
- Review service and space needs thoroughly to avoid expensive last-minute redesigns.
Partners and Collaborators
Project Contact
Cynthia Fletcher
Director, Facilities Management
City of Kitchener, ON
T. 519-741-2600 ext. 4424
Want to explore all GMF-funded projects? Check out the Projects Database for a complete overview of funded projects and get inspired by municipalities of all sizes, across Canada.
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