Chief Energy Conservation Officer Honours Barrie Hydro

Jan 30th, 2007 5:12 AM

Chief Energy Conservation Officer Honours Barrie Hydro with a Certificate of Recognition for its ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program Barrie, Ontario - Ontario's Chief Energy Conservation Officer, Mr. Peter Love was in Barrie today to present Barrie Hydro with his prestigious Certificate of Recognition for their ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program. The ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program was designed and implemented locally to increase awareness about the importance of conservation, energy efficiency and the benefits of using ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. The program also provided short-term financial incentives to Barrie Hydro customers to encourage them to dispose of inefficient appliances and purchase and use ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances over conventional appliances. "Barrie Hydro did an outstanding job in developing a culture of conservation," said Peter Love, Ontario's Chief Energy Conservation Officer. "They forged strong partnerships with local merchants to promote energy-saving appliances, raised awareness about the importance of conserving electricity and provided saving to their customers at the same time. We need more programs like this one." Barrie Hydro helped consumers purchase more than $2.2 million worth of ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. All Barrie Hydro residential and small business customers were eligible to participate in the rebate program. The program was extremely successful, resulting in overall electricity savings of more than 431,000 kilowatt hours, and customer savings of almost $50,000 per year. Homeowners and small businesses in Barrie, Ontario, continue to enjoy the economic and environmental benefits of using ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances, thanks to the innovative ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program. ENERGY STAR® appliances typically use 20% less power than regular appliances. The program also earned Barrie Hydro Distribution Inc. the 2006 ENERGY STAR® Utility of the Year (Regional) Award and contributed to Barrie Hydro winning the Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce 2006 Green Award. "It's quite an honour to be recognized by the Chief Energy Conservation Officer, Peter Love," said Mark Henderson, President and CEO of Barrie Hydro Distribution Inc. "We are thrilled with the success of the program. Barrie Hydro customers are largely responsible for making this program a success and I want to thank them for their participation in the program and for their ongoing commitment to energy conservation." Barrie Hydro has long supported the provincial government in developing a culture of conservation in Ontario. To assist in the implementation of the ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program, Barrie Hydro worked closely with major retailers and local merchants to promote their ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances and provided up to $200 rebates to customers who purchased these energy efficient appliances. Although not a direct requirement of the program, Barrie Hydro encouraged customers who participated to dispose of their old appliances and electronics in an environmentally safe manner. As such, Barrie Hydro worked with GEEP, Global Electric Electronic Processing Inc., of Barrie. GEEP is an e-cycling firm with innovative equipment designed for recycling electronics. Their processes are capable of recovering up to 98-99 percent of the basic ingredients of these devices. Barrie Hydro continues to lead by example in its own operations. Virtually all of the utility's Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) or conventional computer monitors have been replaced with ENERGY STAR® qualified LCD monitors and their PCs are programmed to reduce standby power consumption. Two inefficient refrigerators in the staff lunchroom were replaced with ENERGY STAR® qualified models, and an ENERGY STAR® criterion is a primary decision-making factor by the utility when it purchases new office equipment. -30- Contact: John Olthuis Manager of Customer Service Barrie Hydro Phone: 705.722.7222 ext. 241 Email: jolthuis@barriehydro.com Mark Dodick Communications Ontario Power Authority Phone: 416.969.6083 Email: Mark.dodick@powerauthority.on.ca Backgrounder January 30, 2007 What was the ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program? The ENERGY STAR® Awareness Program was designed and implemented locally to increase awareness about the importance of conservation, and energy efficiency and the benefits of using ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. The program also provided short-term financial incentives to Barrie Hydro customers to encourage them to dispose of inefficient appliances and purchase and use ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances rather than conventional appliances. The primary goal of the program was to introduce consumers to the energy saving qualities of ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances and encourage them to dispose of their old inefficient appliances in a safe and environmentally sound manner. The awareness program included an energy-efficient appliance rebate that allowed Barrie Hydro customers to save up to a total of $200 per household or small business on ENERGY STAR® qualified refrigerators, air-conditioners, furnaces, front-loading washing machines, office equipment, home entertainment equipment and many other appliances. For more information about ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances visit http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/energystar/. For more information on this program and Barrie Hydro's other conservation and demand side initiatives contact Barrie Hydro at 705.722.7222 or visit the Barrie Hydro website at www.barriehydro.com. How was the Program implemented and how did it work? Barrie Hydro promoted the pilot program through bill inserts, point-of-sale materials and the utility's website. Retailers supported the initiative by making rebate application forms available to customers and by training their sales representatives on how to administer the forms. Sales staff was also encouraged to promote the rebate offer and the benefits of purchasing ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. Customers who were replacing appliances, televisions and computer monitors were reminded to dispose of their old appliances in an environmentally safe manner. Disposing of electronic equipment has become an issue in many municipalities. The equipment often has hazardous materials that often end up in our landfills. As such, Barrie Hydro worked with GEEP, Global Electric Electronic Processing Inc., of Barrie, an e-cycling firm with innovative equipment designed for recycling electronics. Their processes can recover up to 98-99 percent of the basic ingredients of these devices. How did Barrie Hydro Customers benefit from the ENERGY STAR Awareness Program? Barrie Hydro helped consumers purchase more than $2.2 million worth of ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. All Barrie Hydro residential and small business customers were eligible to participate in the rebate program. The program was extremely successful, resulting in overall electricity savings of more than 431,000 kilowatt hours, and customer savings of almost $50,000 per year. About Barrie Hydro Barrie Hydro is the 11th largest electrical distribution utility in the Province of Ontario. The utility serves over 67,000 customers in seven service areas. Barrie Hydro prides itself on the distribution and delivery of reliable, high-quality electricity and its commitment to providing superior customer service for its customers. About The Conservation Bureau The Conservation Bureau is an office of the Ontario Power Authority. It was established in 2005 to develop, coordinate and stimulate electricity conservation and demand management by planning, designing, and implementing comprehensive programs that foster a culture of conservation across the province. About Global Electronic Processing Inc., (GEEP) Global Electric Electronic Processing Inc., (GEEP) is a division of Barrie Metals with headquarters in Barrie Ontario. GEEP has global WEEE, Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment recycling locations in Canada and the United States. -end-

Environmental Communication Options' Media Releases

Chief Energy Conservation Officer Honours Barrie Hydro

Jan 30th, 2007 5:12 AM