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Author: Alyssa Heuchert

Save energy at home this winter

Winter in Manitoba has lots to offer, from skating trails to Festival du Voyageur to ice fishing. But if you’ve lived here for more than five minutes, you know that our winters can be unforgiving.

Minus 30 temperatures can stop even the hardiest of Manitobans in their tracks. To add insult to injury, these cold temperatures often put a strain on our energy bills.

The good news? You can enjoy a warm and toasty home and cut your energy bills at the same time. January 10 is National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, and to celebrate, we’ve made a list of our top energy saving tips for winter. Not only will these tips help you save on your energy bills, but they’ll help keep you nice and cozy when Old Man Winter has other plans.

Winter energy efficiency tips

  1. Head outside! Turn off your electronic devices and take in the arts, culture, and wildlife our province has to offer in the winter. Check out Travel Manitoba’s website for a collection of fun winter activities that you and your family can enjoy.
  2. If you decide to brave the cold, lower the temperature on your thermostat before you leave the house. This is especially easy to do with a programmable or smart thermostat.
  3. Has your furnace been serviced lately? If not, we recommend having a professional give your heating system a check-up to make sure it’s running efficiently.
  4. Stop warm air from leaking outside your home. Caulk and seal gaps around windows, doors, baseboards, and electrical outlets.
  5. If you have a wood fireplace, make sure the damper is closed when you’re not using your fireplace. This way, warm air won’t escape up your chimney.
  6. Use window insulating kits on the insides of your windows. They’re easy to install, relatively inexpensive, and help to reduce chilly drafts.
  7. Let the light in! Keep window blinds open during the day to take advantage of the sun’s warm rays.
  8. Clean your vents, radiators, and baseboard heating so air flows efficiently.
  9. Your block heater only needs to be plugged in for three hours for it to heat your engine. By using a car plug timer, you can cut all that wasted energy.
  10. Do you have a heat recovery ventilator? If you do, now’s the time to set your control to a lower setting. Set the dehumidistat just low enough to prevent condensation on your windows.
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Efficiency Manitoba’s Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan

We recently reached an exciting milestone – filing our very first three-year plan with the Public Utilities Board. This plan contains details about programs and initiatives that we’d like to offer to Manitobans to help you save energy, money, and the environment. You can imagine we’re pretty excited about this.

You may be wondering: what are we planning on doing? Here’s a quick overview.

Efficiency Manitoba’s Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan

Highlights from the 3-Year Energy Efficiency Plan.

We will provide exceptional customer service.

We appreciate that no two Manitobans are alike. From homeowners to small businesses to industry, everyone uses energy differently. That’s why we’ve put forward a diverse set of rebates, financing programs, and initiatives that are tailored to Manitobans. It’s important to make sure that our offers are simple and inclusive. And if you need expert advice, knowledgeable staff will be ready to help.

We will help Manitobans save.

Empowering you to save energy is our number one priority. The cumulative electric savings achieved in this plan will power over 76,000 homes for one year, and the natural gas savings will reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 5,000 cars off the road for one year. By achieving these savings, over $18 million will go back into the pockets of Manitobans like you. Energy savings also reduce the province’s growing energy needs and delay expensive investments in new generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.

We will collaborate with Manitobans.

While developing the plan, we did a lot of listening to customers and delivery partners. This helped us design an inclusive set of offers and resources tailored to Manitoba’s climate, people, and businesses. We’ll ask for feedback on an ongoing basis so that we continue to provide value and serve the needs of Manitobans.

We will provide benefits to the Manitoba economy.

Efficiency Manitoba supports the energy efficiency economy. Our offers will create opportunities for skilled trades, energy advocates, and communities. In fact, over 85% of our annual budget will be returned to Manitobans in the form of customer incentives and through our work with energy efficiency delivery partners. This promotes more productive and clean economic growth.

Visit the Public Utilities Board’s website to read more about our three-year plan.

in THREE-YEAR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PLAN SUBMISSION 2020-2023

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Efficiency Manitoba files first three-year Efficiency Plan

New Crown corporation looks forward to helping Manitobans save energy, money, and the environment

Efficiency Manitoba, Manitoba’s new Crown corporation focused on energy efficiency, has filed its first three-year Efficiency Plan with the Public Utilities Board. The plan outlines the path forward for Efficiency Manitoba to achieve legislated energy savings targets.

Efficiency Manitoba has a mandate to develop and support energy efficiency initiatives reducing provincial consumption of electricity by 1.5% and natural gas by 0.75% annually. The plan put forward achieves those targets which are designed to cost effectively contribute to meeting Manitobans’ needs for energy while helping reduce the impact of energy rate increases.

“We’re very proud to submit our three-year plan for energy efficiency in Manitoba,” said Colleen Kuruluk, CEO of Efficiency Manitoba. “Building on a strong foundation, we are moving forward with an exciting new future in energy efficiency; we look forward to helping Manitobans save energy, money and the environment.”

The filing of this first three-year efficiency plan initiates the Public Utilities Board (PUB) review process in anticipation of Efficiency Manitoba’s official commencement date of April 1, 2020. The review process will include a public hearing following which the PUB will provide a report and recommendations for review, comment and approval by the Minister.

Members of the public can share their views on Efficiency Manitoba’s plan by way of a written comment, oral presentation or as an approved intervener. Further information is available on the PUB Website Those parties interested in intervening must submit the intervener application to PUB by 12:00 p.m. October 31, 2019. Those parties interested in presenting at the public hearing must submit the presenter application to PUB before November 29, 2019.

“While meeting expectations set out in the legislation and mandate letter, Efficiency Manitoba will make a positive difference in the lives of Manitobans” said Kuruluk. “This includes improving home comfort and lowering energy costs. Businesses implementing energy efficient initiatives will also see reduced operating costs and increased competitiveness.”

Program enhancements and new offerings are outlined in the three-year plan which will assist in driving the increased level of savings mandated through legislation. The plan also sees continuation of programs that cost effectively achieve enduring savings while meeting customer and industry expectations for stable program offerings.

Contractors, suppliers, service providers and communities will be integral to delivery of three-year plan, providing nearly all of Efficiency Manitoba’s in field support for products and services. Including customer incentives, the three-year plan sees over 85 percent of Efficiency Manitoba’s budget flowing into local partners and service providers working with the organization to deliver programs and services.

Kuruluk said the submission of the plan is the culmination of extensive work and input from diverse representation on Efficiency Manitoba’s Energy Efficiency Advisory Group. “We extend sincere appreciation to our Advisory Group and other Manitobans engaging with us so far. We look forward to ongoing collaboration and continuing to build on the strong culture of energy efficiency in Manitoba”.

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Save energy at work this fall

Fall is a season of change, from the leaves turning red and gold to the geese flying south. Now is a great time to consider how you’re using energy around your workplace and make some changes of your own! Here are our top tips to get your workplace ready for the cooler weather. 

  1. Make sure your HVAC system vents are clear of any clutter and obstructions so that air can circulate freely. As much as 25% more energy is required to distribute air if your vents are blocked. 
  2. Want to reduce your lighting expenses by 10% to 40%? Use automatic lighting controls or turn off your lights and open your blinds to make the best use of natural daylight and take advantage of skylights or other natural light sources. 
  3. Make a habit of turning off the lights whenever you leave a room. 
  4. Fight off energy vampires! Unplug electronics when you’re not actively using them and when you’re away from work for an extended period of time. 
  5. Electronics use more energy if you leave them running instead of turning them on and off as needed. Be sure to turn equipment, computers, monitors, photocopiers, and appliances off when they’re not in use. 
  6. Host daily, weekly, or monthly office challenges by encouraging your coworkers to adopt an energy-efficient behaviour. This is a fun way to get everyone engaged in the cause! 
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Social Contest Facebook Answers

In April, we partnered with manufacturers and retailers to offer our followers some amazing prizes.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our contests. We had a lot of fun reading all the great comments.

Thank you to the following manufacturers and retailers for donating the prizes!

To enter on Facebook, customers had to answer questions related to the prizes being given away. Check out some of the responses to our questions below.

TOTAL NUMBER OF ENTRIES IN OUR APRIL SOCIAL MEDIA CONTESTS:

OVER
17K!

WE ASKED:
“WHAT TEMPERATURE DO YOU KEEP YOUR HOME AT?”

YOU SAID:
DAY: 20°C
NIGHT: 19°C

Tips

Adjust your thermostat at night and when you’re not at home. In winter, lower the temperature by 3°C or more for at least 8 hours a day to save up to 4% on heating costs.

Use a smart thermostat. It can be controlled remotely to set and adjust the climate of your home. It can also learn from your schedule and sense when you’re home and adjust the temperature accordingly.

Great work!

The majority of our followers keep their furnaces in tip-top shape. Check out the numbers.

Tip

Schedule regular maintenance for your heating and cooling equipment. They will last longer and run more efficiently. Don’t forget to change the furnace air filter every 3 months.

WE ASKED:
“WHAT LIGHT FIXTURE WOULD YOU UPGRADE FIRST IN YOUR HOME?”

YOU SAID:
DINING ROOM

WE ASKED:
“WHAT ARE THE TOP MOVIES TO WATCH WITH SMART HOME LIGHTING?”

YOU SAID:
STAR WARS
AVENGERS
HARRY POTTER

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Home + Garden Show

The Efficiency Manitoba Energy Team was at the Home + Garden Show at the Winnipeg Convention Centre from April 4 to 7, 2019 and we’d like to thank everyone that came out and visited our booth! We had lots of great conversations about energy efficiency and our LED lighting rebates. Talking to Manitobans like you is so important; it helps us better understand your energy conservation needs and what you value most.

We can’t wait for the next opportunity to chat with you. Remember – we’re just getting started.

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Earth Day

Mark your calendars – April 22 is Earth Day. This is a time to celebrate our planet and learn about how we can preserve our natural resources.

Here are a few ways you can contribute:

  • Recycle your old CFL bulbs. Visit regeneration.ca to find a collection facility near you.
  • While you’re at it, purchase new and energy efficient LED bulbs.
  • Turn off your electronics and read, play board games or spend some time outside.
  • When you’re doing your spring cleaning, donate any unwanted items instead of throwing them away.
  • Take advantage of warm days and hang your clothes outside to dry.
  • Invest in reusable grocery bags and water bottles.
  • Join a community clean-up event. Check with your city, town, or municipality to see if there’s a clean-up happening near you. If there isn’t, gather your friends and family and start your own!
in GREEN LIVING

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Why LED?

You may have heard that LEDs are the latest and greatest lighting products on the market, but maybe you’re still working through your stockpile of old and inefficient incandescent bulbs.

Here are 4 reasons why you should make the switch to LEDs right now:

  1. They last up to 25 years, while incandescent bulbs only last about a year. This means they don’t need to be replaced as often, which means fewer bulbs in our landfills.
  2. They use up to 80% less electricity than incandescents. Every LED you install can save you up to $4 per year on your energy bill.
  3. They’re versatile. LED bulbs and fixtures come in a variety of shapes, styles, and colours. Whether you need an ambient fixture for your foyer or a bright task light for your workspace, there’s an LED for your needs.
  4. They can be smart. Smart LED bulbs can be connected to your Wi-Fi and controlled from your smartphone or tablet. Some can even change colour and be synced to movies and music.
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Green landscaping

It’s that time of year again – the sun is shining, the snow is melting, and Manitobans are starting to think about their lawns and gardens. Heading outside and getting your hands dirty is a great way to kick off the new season.

But before jumping right in to planting, it’s a good idea to consider the environment. A yard full of plants and trees may look great, but maintaining so much greenery requires lots of water and fertilizer. What’s a person with a green thumb to do?

The answer lies in green landscaping. Green landscaping means creating and caring for your yard in a way that reduces harmful impacts on the environment. It’s about making choices that minimize your use of water and chemicals, optimize your outdoor spaces, and reduce your water and energy bills.

Green landscaping is easier than you might think. Here are some pointers to get you started:

  • Plant sun-loving trees or shrubs on the south side of your home. They’ll provide shade in the summer and act as a windbreak when the temperature drops.
  • Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and helps soil retain moisture.
  • Keep your grass clippings on your lawn after mowing. These clippings provide natural fertilizer for your lawn by returning moisture and nutrients to the soil.
  • Reduce your water consumption by using a rain barrel that collects rainwater from your downspout. This water can be used for your plants, flowers, and lawn.
  • Start composting. Many food scraps can be composted to create nutrient-rich soil for your plants and flowers. It also helps to divert waste from our landfills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Get your home ready for summer

Summer is just around the corner! You’re probably ready for the heat and the sunshine – but is your home? We’ve compiled a few tips to help you get your home ready for the warm weather:

  1. Spring cleaning? While you’re washing your windows, take a look at their condition. Look for signs of dry rot and water damage. If needed, re-caulk your windows and replace damaged weatherstripping.
  2. Take a look at your insulation before it gets too hot outside. Check for wet spots and obstructed vents. And, if your home was built before 1999, you may want to consider adding insulation to your attic.
  3. Install a smart thermostat. It can be controlled using an app on your smartphone, so you can adjust your home’s temperature whether you’re in bed or at the lake.
  4. Now is the best time to clean and service your air conditioning unit. A well-maintained AC unit will cool your home faster, last longer, and require fewer costly repairs. Also be sure to remove any covers and brush or vacuum away leaves, branches, grass, or debris that might have blown into the unit.
  5. Change your furnace air filter every 2 to 3 months so your HVAC system can operate more efficiently.
  6. Plan meals you can prepare on the grill. You’ll save electricity, keep your kitchen cool, and get to enjoy our beautiful summer weather!
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