Toolkit: Improving energy efficiency in Alberta community buildings
Insights and proven approaches from municipalities across Alberta
MUNICIPAL AND COMMUNITY BUILDINGS
Retrofit of recreational or cultural facility
Alberta municipalities are improving community buildings with practical, energy-efficient upgrades that reduce costs, cut emissions and extend service life.
Responsible for 60% of the province’s public infrastructure, municipalities are using support from the Green Municipal Fund (GMF) to upgrade high-use buildings and plan for long-term energy savings. This toolkit shares real-world examples and recommendations to guide your next steps—whether you’re just getting started or ready to implement improvements.
Energy efficiency upgrades and asset managementFountain Park Recreation Centre During recent renovations, the City of St. Albert combined necessary life-cycle repairs with energy-efficiency upgrades at Fountain Park Recreation Centre, supported by funding from GMF’s Community Buildings Retrofit initiative. Explore lessons learned from this large-scale project: |
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Measuring energy consumption in recreation facilitiesCanmore Recreation Centre The Town of Canmore installed a real-time energy monitoring system at its recreation centre to track power usage, identify efficiency opportunities and support ongoing improvements in building performance. Find recommendations for energy monitoring projects: | 
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Examples from small communities in Alberta
Small municipalities looking to revitalize their communities, renew aging infrastructure and attract residents and businesses have a valuable opportunity: upgrading community buildings with energy retrofits. These projects not only improve facilities but also help reduce emissions and energy costs.
Here, we share examples of four small municipalities in Alberta that are undertaking projects supported by GMF to reduce emissions and lower costs while also renewing aging assets and making their communities more vibrant and resilient.
- How the Town of High Level timed facility retrofits with needed repairs
The location: The Town of High Level is a growing community in northern Alberta whose nearly 4,000 residents enjoy excellent community facilities and services.
The project: A heat exchanger in the community pool had suffered a major breakdown. Needing to make repairs, the Town decided to use this unfortunate situation as an opportunity to make lasting change. With GMF funding, the Town of High Level completed a Green Buildings Pathway feasibility study on several high-use community buildings, including:
- Town Hall (the town administration building, with some recreation services and the municipal library)
- High Level Municipal Library
- Town Hall Museum – McKenzie Crossroads Museum and Visitor Centre
- Airport
- Water treatment plant
- R.E. Walter Memorial Pool
The results: The feasibility study identified many emissions- and cost-saving opportunities such as reducing boiler set points, electrifying gas-fired equipment and purchasing heat pumps. The completion of this feasibility study will help inform organizational decision-making and makes the Town of High Level eligible to apply for funding through GMF’s Community Buildings Retrofit initiative.
- How the Town of Provost used new light fixtures to reduce energy costs by more than $15,000
The location: With roots in the agricultural and energy sectors, the Town of Provost is home to nearly 2,000 residents and located just west of Alberta’s border with Saskatchewan.
The project: Serving the Town of Provost and surrounding area, the Crescent Point Place Regional Activity Centre is a municipally owned multiplex facility that includes an indoor arena space as well as an outdoor swimming pool.
With support from GMF, the Town of Provost installed a building monitoring system to better understand the facility’s energy use. The data that was collected guided decisions on which energy-saving measures to implement.
The results: The lighting retrofit project included replacing 620 light fixtures with an equivalent number of LED fixtures. The new LED lamps provide improved lighting at a much lower wattage, reducing electricity consumption. The lighting retrofit resulted in a reduction of 68 tCO2e/year and an annual energy cost savings of $15,411.62. Greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 45 percent from the existing system and 9 percent facility-wide. This project was funded by the Government of Alberta through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s Recreation Energy Conservation Program.
- How the Town of Two Hills separated the work into three phases
The location: The gateway to the Lakeland region, the Town of Two Hills is a community of approximately 1,400 people nestled in an agricultural area, offering a small-town lifestyle near the City of Edmonton.
The project: Seeking a clearer picture of energy consumption data from its facilities, the Town of Two Hills received GMF funding for a multiphase project. Phase 1 is complete and phases 2 and 3 are expected to take place in upcoming years.
Phase 1 | Monitoring system: First, the Town installed a building monitoring system with energy management software integration. The system produced live energy consumption data from each site.
Phase 2 | Staff training: Staff will be trained by facilities operators to better understand the system and how to utilize the data proactively to identify energy-saving opportunities and reduce future operations and maintenance costs.
Phase 3 | Data-informed decision-making: The Town will conduct ongoing evaluation of the system, with the public works foreman organizing regular staff meetings to discuss the facility data and identify emissions-reduction and cost-saving opportunities.
- How the Village of Chauvin is making data-driven decisions and planning for future opportunities
The location: The Village of Chauvin is home to approximately 330 residents. Located south of the City of Lloydminster, Chauvin and the surrounding area contribute to Alberta’s agricultural sector and the region’s oil and gas production and distribution.
The project: Located in the Village of Chauvin, the Repsol Community Centre is a gathering space that includes a community hall, arena and curling rink. With GMF funding, the Village will install a building energy monitoring system to gather accurate and ongoing energy consumption data.
The results: With this knowledge in hand, the municipality can identify the most impactful energy conservation measures. The system will also enable the Village to evaluate the impact of these measures over time. Once it is installed, costs to operate and maintain the system will be minimal, enabling the municipality to monitor the facility over the long term and identify future opportunities to reduce energy usage.
Recommendations
For small communities looking to make their community buildings more energy efficient.
- Develop a roadmap
Creating a plan is essential to guide community building retrofits. A roadmap could include:
- baseline information about current energy consumption
- key objectives such as energy savings, emissions reduction and increased occupant comfort
- available funding opportunities from sources such as GMF’s Community Buildings Retrofit initiative and MCCAC
- implementation details including timelines, project leads and stakeholder engagement
- Collaborate with partners
Collaboration can help communities overcome capacity constraints, improve long-term sustainability goals and secure funding more effectively by:
- working with neighbouring municipalities
- leveraging regional networks such as municipal associations and regional economic development organizations
- engaging with private sector organizations such as energy management companies and local contractors to gain expertise
- partnering with academic institutions for research, feasibility studies and student-led projects
- Increase staff skills and resources
Stay informed about best practices and funding opportunities to make informed decisions around building retrofits. This can be done by:
- attending webinars and workshops offered by industry experts and associations
- engaging in peer learning events to hear what other municipalities are working on
- assigning a team member to track funding opportunities and best practices
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