Study for a new energy-efficient (LEED) fire station in Dieppe

Dieppe has conducted a feasibility study with a view to building a fire station. This project has two objectives: considerably reduce energy consumption and improve public safety. For this new building, which will meet LEED certification requirements, the City will use emerging technology, including a computerized building management system, solar walls and geothermal heat pumps. A retention pond will also provide the water the firemen need for their training. Construction of this building should generate annual savings of $1.6 million.

To prepare for the project, Dieppe visited new fire stations in some Canadian cities. Dieppe plans to share the concepts used for its fire station with other communities that are planning a similar building.

Results

Challenges

• The biggest challenge was to build the new fire station within budget. Some worthwhile components had to be dropped to comply with the initial budget.
• It took longer than expected to prepare the funding application because Dieppe had to answer all the questions in light of GMF requirements.

Lessons learned

• When developing a project, allow time for the FCM funding application process because it does not progress at the same rate as the municipality's production schedule.
• It would have been relevant to submit the grant application before finalizing the answer details because the document had to be changed later. By submitting it earlier, Dieppe would have been able to synchronize project and funding progress.

Partners and Collaborators

• City of Dieppe
• EXP architectes

Project Contact

Rémi Comeau
Assistant Director
Municipal Buildings and Environment
City of Dieppe, N.B.
T. 506 877-5037

Municipality of the District of Shelburne Municipal Administration Building Facilities Renewal Feasibility Study

The Municipality of the District of Shelburne studied the feasibility of renovating its 1902 administration building versus building a new one on a different site.

The municipality wanted a larger, updated building that would house a number of district, provincial and federal services. It also planned to work to a minimum LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification and to significantly reduce energy consumption. The study team concluded that renovating the existing building could save as much energy as building a new one; in either case, greenhouse gas emissions could be cut by 250 tonnes per year. Costs would be comparable.

The original building had other deciding advantages, like a central location in an established area, which made it the preferred option.

Results

Challenges

• Some of the building's tenants were reluctant to commit to long-term tenancy in a new or renovated building.
• Without commitment from the building's tenants and partners, it is difficult to plan and budget for a major project.
• It can be difficult to please all project participants when a study compares two options that are attractive for different reasons.

Lessons learned

• Incorporate life-cycle costing into the analysis to explore the feasibility of investing in renewable-energy and energy-efficiency infrastructure. Otherwise, these things are often judged solely on their capital costs.
• Get tenants and other significant stakeholders to the table as early as possible in the planning process.

Resources

• 2011-12 Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) Annual Report
• Eastern Shelburne County Energy Strategy

Partners and Collaborators

• Municipality of the District of Shelburne
• FCM's Green Municipal Fund
• Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations

Project Contact

Emily Tipton
Sustainable Development Coordinator
Municipality of the District of Shelburne, NS
T. 902-875-3489

The new town hall in Sackville, New Brunswick, houses fire, police, municipal services and council chambers in a single energy-efficient facility. Town activities had previously occupied four older, inefficient buildings. The development has improved services to the public, reduced the town's costs and increased its revenues. It is also expected to spark downtown renewal.

Designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, the Sackville Town Hall will reduce water consumption by more than 30 percent and use about 60 percent less energy than a comparable non-LEED building. The building uses geothermal, solar and photovoltaic power systems, high-efficiency lighting, heat recovery on exhaust units and occupancy sensors to control heating, cooling and lighting of infrequently used spaces.

The new facility was built on a brownfield in a part of Sackville targeted for renewal. The development is expected to increase property values and promote economic growth and development.

Results

Challenges

• Negotiating an agreement to share space with another level of government (for RCMP offices) was challenging but ultimately beneficial for both parties.
• Local contractors were unfamiliar with the sophisticated energy systems specified for the building. The designers conducted education sessions with trades and sub-trades to ensure that systems were properly installed.
• Residents who live near the town hall expressed concern about sirens and other noise. The design was modified to lessen these concerns.

Lessons learned

• Engage the public at all key milestones to keep stakeholders informed and allow them to voice their opinions and contribute suggestions.
• Allow sufficient time for comprehensive planning and to develop a detailed project brief.
• Develop a detailed scope-of-work statement for contractors.
• Engage a project manager/owner's representative. Sackville's project manager worked on the business case, site selection, project briefing, and the RFP process. His responsibilities also provided included quality assurance during design, administration of the construction contract and acquisition management.

Project Contact

Michael Beal
Acting Chief Administrative Officer
Town of Sackville, N.B. 
T. 506-364-4930

Morden Community Centre Energy Retrofit Project

The City of Morden studied the feasibility of improving its community centre's energy efficiency through retrofits. At 9,100 square metres, the Morden Access Event Centre is among the largest buildings managed by the small city, and includes two indoor ice surfaces.

Energy consultants recommended seven measures that together could result in substantial energy savings. The measures ranged from installing occupancy sensors for lights in public meeting spaces and arena changing rooms to insulating hot water pipes, installing ventilation controls, and replacing incandescent lighting in the main hall. The lowest-cost measure was retrofitting vending machines to reduce their energy consumption; it had a payback period of 2.5 years. Dressing room occupancy sensors were at the high end, with a payback period of 25 years. The study team recommended the city begin with low-cost, rapid-payback measures.

Results

Challenges

• Attracting a large, highly-qualified engineering firm to work on such a small project.
• Gathering data on energy consumption, since the various parts of the building are not connected to separate meters.

Lessons learned

• Energy can be saved by raising the temperature of arena ice slightly and using a ceiling coating that reflects less heat onto the ice.
• Any big, costly retrofits are best done when equipment is due for maintenance or replacement.
• A study like this is worthwhile since it can form the backbone of future energy-retrofit grant applications.

Partners and Collaborators

• City of Morden
• Stantec Consulting
• FCM's Green Municipal Fund

Project Contact

Clare Agnew
Director of Community Services
City of Morden, MB
T. 204-822-5431

A provincial pioneer in sustainable development, the City of Sorel-Tracy built its first energy efficient building, the new headquarters for its fire department. The building is designed to achieve LEED Silver performance and includes a garage, living quarters for firefighters and administrative offices.

It has a Canadian tunnel chimney for natural ventilation of the garage and a solar wall that powers the heating and ventilation system. The building is oriented to take advantage of passive solar energy and natural lighting. High-efficiency plumbing fixtures, the use of local and recycled materials, plantings of native species and decreased site runoff complete the building's eco-industrial innovations.

Results

Challenges

• Establishing a winter "smart" link between the solar panels, solar wall and the building's auxiliary heating systems.
• The drying tower channelling air into the Canadian tunnel needs more time to exchange heat between outdoor air and the ground. The City will install mechanical shutters to control the inflow of cold air in winter.
• Geotechnical assessments showed that the ground was soft, and would require considerable work to consolidate the building's foundations. Before committing to additional expenditures, the City conducted a further analysis and confirmed that less costly but safe measures were possible.

Lessons learned

• The multi-disciplinary process allowed the stakeholders to resolve the technical issues. However, the contributions of individual stakeholders could have been better targeted, for economic reasons as well as to keep the stakeholders engaged.
• The measures taken to reduce the building's environmental footprint and make the most of related socio-economic benefits will support the design and construction of future municipal buildings.
• The multi-disciplinary committee should have been able to involve the municipality's specialists in the project implementation process.

Partners and Collaborators

• City of Sorel-Tracy
• Éric Champagne Architecte
• Lupien + Matteau
• Marc Blouin Architecte
• Catania

Project Contact

Pierre Dauphinais
City of Sorel-Tracy, QC
T. 450-780-5600, ext. 5694

Peace River Regional Energy and Emissions Project

To save money, cut energy use, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the Peace River Regional District and four adjoining municipalities collectively developed plans to promote renewable-resource power and heating systems, as well as energy-efficient land use, waste disposal, travel and construction practices.

The communities split the cost of a consultant, who gathered input from civic officials, developers, farmers, business people and residents and set provincially mandated targets to lower GHG emissions in each municipality.

The plans offer tailor-made suggestions for educational campaigns, financial incentives, and research projects that encourage energy conservation among residents in the five communities.

Results

Challenges

• Meeting provincial requirements for GHG reductions plans in small centres with few staff resources.
• Financing GHG emissions inventories, consultant costs and energy-efficiency plans with limited municipal budgets.
• Convincing a rural population skeptical about climate change to make lifestyle sacrifices that reduce emissions.

Lessons learned

• Small jurisdictions can more easily finance costly energy plans when they pool resources.
• Municipal collaboration creates conditions for a coordinated, successful campaign to reduce GHG emissions.
• Get public buy-in with district trade fairs showcasing energy-efficient improvements that provide immediate cost savings.

Partners and Collaborators

• Peace River Regional District
• District of Tumbler Ridge
• District of Chetwynd
• District of Taylor
• Village of Pouce Coupe
• Stantec
• Northern Environmental Action Team
• FCM's Green Municipal Fund

Project Contact

Bruce Simard
General Manager of Development Service
Peace River Regional District, BC
T. 250-784-3204

A sewage challenge: When a legal ruling mandated an upgrade of its wastewater treatment system, the City of Cranbrook, BC, set an ambitious goal: develop a world-class, sustainable facility that would meet the city's needs for the next 50-plus years while using every drop of effluent to create value. 

Sustainable solution: The city's solution was an award-winning reclaimed water facility that treats effluent using aerated ponds and UV disinfection and then uses it to irrigate forage land and a waterfowl nesting wetland. The irrigated land provides forage for about 1,200 cow-calf pairs and produces approximately 3,600 tonnes of hay, for a combined value of more than $1.2 million a year.

Green benefits: The project has produced social, economic and environmental benefits. Before the upgrades, the irrigation site was considered an unsanitary eyesore; now it's a popular area for tours, bird watching and recreation. It's also efficient to operate and a revenue generator, with local ranchers and the municipality sharing in the crop sales. 

Success secrets: The city credits the success to its long-term, collaborative visioning process, extensive consultation and practical approach to innovation. Rather than looking for leading-edge technologies, the city focused on using proven, off-the-shelf products in innovative ways. Its advice for other communities is to think long term and think differently from the accepted and conventional. 

Ready to wring value out of every drop of your wastewater?

Learn more about the City of Cranbrook's project with these resources:

• City of Cranbrook: Long Term Vision - Long Term Revenue (presentation, FCM Sustainable Communities Conference)

Discover more sustainability ideas and project examples

Read the other articles in this series for more sustainability ideas and project examples that you can use in your community:

• How Saint-Hyacinthe turns organic waste into biogas and revenue
• Innovative projects prepare older Brampton suburbs for climate change
• Why net-zero energy buildings reduce emissions and costs for communities
• How low-carbon design helps cut greenhouse gas emissions in half
• Ways Ottawa increases cycling with green transit options

This series was inspired by "From Crazy to Common Sense: 'Radical' Ideas Whose Time Have Come," a workshop that was held at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities' 2016 Sustainable Communities Conference.