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Author: Alyssa Heuchert

Project feature: Happy Rock Children’s Centre

NEW BUILDINGS PROGRAM SAID TO BE ONE OF THE BEST IN CANADA

People are more willing to construct energy-efficient buildings when the steps to do so are simple. That’s what makes Efficiency Manitoba’s New Buildings Program stand out, says one contractor. 

“The program in general is one of the best in Canada,” says André Legault, who leads the Quebec City office of Martin Roy et Associés. “We work in different provinces, and having Efficiency Manitoba looking at both natural gas and electricity as part of one program, this is really good. It makes things way simpler this way.” 

Legault says in some other provinces, you have to go through separate companies to receive incentives for electricity and natural gas. 

Our New Buildings Program offers incentives for new construction projects. The program is available for projects designed to be at least 5% more energy efficient than the minimum requirements of the Manitoba Energy Code for Buildings (MECB), and energy efficiency certification is awarded to projects designed to be at least 10% more energy efficient than the minimum requirements of the MECB. 

CHILDCARE CENTRE SAVES ON NEW BUILDING

The Happy Rock Children’s Centre in Gladstone wanted to construct a new building with an energy-efficient design. Martin Roy et Associés worked with the children’s centre to analyze the energy efficiency of the project. 

Martin Roy et Associés provides consulting in energy efficiency for existing and new buildings across Canada and the United States. Legault says the company’s strength is that it uses energy modelling techniques to give the best data to inform and assist the design team. 

“Our role is not necessarily to push sustainability but to show the opportunity and demonstate that green alternatives are viable. It also pays from an economic point of view.

André Legault
Quebec City Office Lead, Martin Roy et Associés

The company was able to identify opportunities to increase the energy performance of Happy Rock Children’s Centre. The building was ready to use by January 2020 and achieved a nearly 27% greater performance than the MECB. 

Legault says the children’s centre is a simple building with affordable energy efficiency solutions that are easy to implement and maintain. Energy-efficient features include triple-glazed windows, LED lighting, and air-to-air heat recovery. Also, the children’s centre uses only renewable energy—the building uses electric furnaces, eliminating the need for natural gas. 

For this project, the client knew they wanted an energy-efficient building, so they explored the incentives and technical support we offer. For many projects, Martin Roy et Associés informs the client about our incentive programs, such as the New Buildings Program 

Martin Roy et Associés will continue to recommend the New Buildings Program to clients. It’s the first thing the service provider mentions when getting involved with new construction projects. 

“The New Buildings Program helps us achieve our mission and what we are striving for,” Legault says. “We want to change the world. We want to make a difference.”

FINANCIAL & ENERGY SAVINGS

Our incentives and expert advice encourage Manitobans to invest in energy efficiency. 

Legault says one of the most important benefits of the New Buildings Program for Happy Rock Children’s Centre is that it received recognition for having an energy-efficient building. Plus, the children’s centre received financial support through the program. We were able to provide them with financial incentives totaling over $16,300 and they can expect annual electricity savings of 17,349 kWh. A longer-term benefit is that the centre will have lower utility bills in the future, Legault says. 

Our New Buildings Program offers financial incentives for energy modelling services through the Energy Modelling Assistance Incentive, plus incentives paid on a per square foot basis through the Performance Path. 

Energy modelling can identify opportunities for energy efficiency early on in the project. This planning can reduce the need for costly modifications later in the process. 

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

To qualify for the New Buildings Program, the project must be new construction or an addition and be required to follow the MECB. You need to apply early in the design phase. The specific submission requirements for each path are outlined below. 

Projects may receive incentives through two parts of the New Buildings Program: the Energy Modelling Assistance Incentive and the Performance Path. 

For the Energy Modelling Assistance Incentive, email us before the project tender date. Once it’s approved, work with an energy modeller to complete and submit the energy modelling report and send it to us along with the invoice. 

We’ll provide feedback on the project and process your incentive. 

For the Performance Path, email your application to us no later than six months after receiving a building permit; however, the earlier the better. Once it’s approved, you can proceed with construction and work with your team to complete and submit the program deliverables as outlined in the program guide. We’ll review the deliverables, provide feedback, and process the financial incentive upon completion. 

You can find more information and the application forms on the program web page. We’re here to offer technical assistance and guidance throughout the entire process. 

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NEW BUILDINGS PROGRAM
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Project feature: Pockit Self Storage Samborski

HELPING MANITOBANS SAVE WITH OUR BUSINESS LIGHTING PROGRAM

Our Business Lighting Program offers incentives to businesses that make energy-efficient upgrades to the lighting in their buildings.   

Pockit Self Storage South Winnipeg recently upgraded all their outdoor lighting—and we gave them an incentive for doing it!  

THE PROJECT

Pockit Self Storage South Winnipeg is a facility offering storage solutions for all your storage needs. They offer a variety of unit sizes, with climate-controlled options and 24/7 access. 

With the help of our incentives, they were able to upgrade the 47 metal-halide wall fixtures on the outside of their facility to LEDs.   

LED fixtures use much less energy than metal-halides, but also provide a ton of other benefits. The new fixtures will last much longer, provide a better quality of light, and radiate very little heat.  

“We have better quality light now that it isn’t the orange glow. There’s no weird buzzing, no heat coming from them—it really is great.”

James Franz
Regional Manager, Pockit Self Storage

THE SAVINGS

With these new exterior fixtures, Pockit Self Storage South Winnipeg will realize 34,000 kWh in electricity savings each year! That translates to savings of over $1,700 annually on their energy bills.   

We provided an incentive of $4,455 plus a bonus customer incentive of over $1,100 for a total incentive of nearly $5,600. We’re offering this additional 25% customer bonus on all lighting projects for applications completed before March 31, 2023.  

“We wouldn’t have tackled this at this time without the Efficiency Manitoba incentive; it just wasn’t on our radar,” states Franz.   

THE PROCESS

Applying for incentives is easy with our new online application system, myEM. Building owners can apply on their own, or their lighting suppliers or contractors can apply on their behalf.   

Our team can help you with each step of your application from submission to payment.  

“I have dealt with multiple members of Efficiency Manitoba and always felt as though we were working together as a team through the process,” says Franz.  

ARE YOU A BUILDING OWNER?

Building owners or their lighting suppliers or contractors can apply for financial incentives through the Business Lighting Program on our website. Check out our program guide to see our incentive rates and eligibility requirements.   

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR
BUSINESS LIGHTING PROGRAM

ARE YOU A LIGHTING SUPPLIER OR CONTRACTOR?

We highly encourage you to join our supplier network. You’ll be listed on our website as a registered Efficiency Manitoba supplier and can offer our programs to your customers. You’ll also have access to training opportunities and materials offered by our team of experts and can promote our energy efficiency programs in your advertising. The best part? It’s free to register and participate!   

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SUPPLIER NETWORK
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J.R. Simplot Company

HOW EFFICIENCY MANITOBA HELPED MAXIMIZE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF SIMPLOT’S FACILITY EXPANSION

Since becoming operational in April 2020, Efficiency Manitoba has been dedicated to helping all Manitobans enjoy the benefits of saving energy. We’ve seen a diverse array of participants come through their incentive programs, from homeowners to businesses to entire communities. And some of these customers have undertaken particularly large energy efficiency projects—J.R. Simplot Company being one of them. 

J.R. Simplot Company (“Simplot”) completed a 400,000 square foot expansion to their potato processing facility in Portage la Prairie, more than doubling their processing capacity. Efficiency Manitoba helped them incorporate energy efficiency improvements into their design and operations, which will deliver significant energy and bill savings and establish it as one of the most energy-efficient facilities of its kind in the world. Here’s how it was done. 

THE PROJECT

Simplot’s facility expansion included designing and implementing several energy efficiency enhancements, maximizing the energy efficiency of its production and operations, as well as constructing a more energy-efficient building itself. Efficiency Manitoba was pleased to provide technical support and financial assistance while working alongside consultants and other energy efficiency professionals to ensure energy-efficient measures were incorporated. 

A total of ten processing-related energy efficiency opportunities were supported through Efficiency Manitoba’s Custom Energy Solutions Program. The most significant electricity-saving upgrades included installing variable speed drives on Simplot’s many fans and pumps. Significant energy savings also result from a series of upgrades associated with their new refrigeration systems on their processes, as well as their large warehouse. The installation of a heat recovery system, equipped with a series of heat exchangers which removes heat from the fryer exhaust to preheat process hot water and incoming fresh air through the building HVAC system, produces over 34% of Simplot’s natural gas savings. 

Through the support of Efficiency Manitoba’s New Buildings Program, the plant expansion is realizing electricity and natural gas savings associated with improved HVAC, building envelope, and lighting systems. The final energy model reveals that the expansion exceeds the Manitoba Energy Code for Buildings requirements by 14.5%. 

“We appreciate the incentives available for energy efficiency projects, and our partnership with Efficiency Manitoba. These incentives and efficiency expertise enable us to justify projects that otherwise may not have been implemented.” 

Don Strickler
Energy Engineer, Simplot

CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS

Efficiency Manitoba provided Simplot with financial incentives totaling $2.9 million for incorporating energy efficiency enhancements and measures into their expansion. This reduced their project payback period to just over three years!  

Beyond the incentive they received, Simplot will appreciate significant energy and financial savings for years into the future: 

  • Estimated annual bill savings: $1.7 million 
  • Estimated annual electricity savings: 20.5 GWh (gigawatt-hours) 
  • Estimated annual natural gas savings: 5.7 million m3 (cubic metres) 

Natural gas savings are expected to provide annual greenhouse gas emission reductions of over 11,000 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). So not only will Simplot realize impressive energy and bill savings, they’ll also reduce their environmental impact and contribute to a greener, healthier Manitoba. 

YOU CAN SAVE, TOO

If you’re looking for ways to save energy, money, and the environment, We can help. We offer financial incentives, programs, and technical expertise to help you along your energy efficiency journey.

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BDC small business week 2022

CELEBRATING THE ENTREPRENURIAL SPIRIT OF MANITOBA SMALL BUSINESSES

In October 2022, we celebrated BDC Small Business WeekTM by featuring a handful of Manitoba small businesses who are playing an important role in supporting economic growth. 

We recently talked to five businesses who received energy efficiency upgrades through our Small Business Program and Indigenous Small Business Program. Here’s what they had to say about their experience and how their upgrades are helping them save energy, reduce their energy bills, and grow their business. 

QUARRY PETS

Nicole Nagy, the owner of Quarry Pets in Stonewall, was looking to improve the lighting in her pet store. By participating in our Small Business Program, she was able to upgrade 136 of her linear lamps to LED. Not only will this upgrade help her save an estimated $400 on her energy bills, but we also covered 70% of the cost. This leaves her with more money to put back into her business.  

“Energy efficiency is important to me and my business because I feel it is important to save wherever I can,” said Nicole. “I pay a lot on my energy bills for this old building, and redoing the lighting has made a difference already.”   

Because Nicole’s business is located in an older building, she’s looking forward to taking on additional energy efficiency projects.  

“Saving in one place will help me pay for more efficiency building improvements like re-insulating the walls, as I currently have done with a portion of the building. Efficiency Manitoba’s programs also help me address the rising costs in other areas of my business. Where I can save in one area, I can afford the extra expenses in other.”  

Nicole Nagy

EQUIP WELLNESS COLLECTIVE

Equip Wellness Collective, located in Winnipeg’s sunny St. James neighbourhood, is dedicated to providing products for massage therapy and alternative health practitioners. They’re open to the public and offer a multitude of holistic and natural lifestyle products. We helped them upgrade to an energy-efficient lighting system by providing an incentive of nearly $1,600. In the end, they only had to pay $558 to enjoy a better-lit workspace that will save money on their energy bills for years into the future.  

“When the sales team explained the program, it was an easy choice to upgrade the lighting in our warehouse space,” said Vanessa Stiles, owner of Equip Wellness Collective. “The cost savings made it possible to complete the project that otherwise would have been put off until we could afford it.  

“Everything was communicated clearly, the work was completed in a timely manner, and we’re so grateful to reduce our overall energy bills, plus have better lighting in our workspace. I’d recommend this program to any small business owner!”  

RURAL MUNICIPALITY OF WEST INTERLAKE

Our ongoing project with the Rural Municipality of West Interlake is unique in that we’re helping to upgrade multiple businesses in Ashern and Eriksdale. An arena, a fire hall, a museum…there’s lots of opportunities to make energy efficiency upgrades and help the RM cut their energy consumption and costs.  

We helped the RM of West Interlake install basic energy-saving devices, such as LED bulbs and low-flow bathroom aerators, kitchen aerators, and spray valves in eight businesses. Many of these buildings are also scheduled to receive smart thermostats and more extensive lighting, which will result in an estimated combined incentive of over $19,000.  

“The significant savings and generous cost sharing options offered through Efficiency Manitoba allowed us to complete these upgrades within our budget. Without this assistance, we would not have been able to tackle this amount of work on our own.”  

Clayton Gibson
Economic Development Officer
RM of West Interlake

When we help Manitobans make energy efficiency improvements, we want to leave them feeling satisfied by the entire process—and Clayton was certainly satisfied.  

“It was a pleasure to work with Efficiency Manitoba and their partners to complete our projects from start to finish. These upgrades will have a positive impact on our community’s energy usage for years to come.”  

PLAYALL AWARDS

Bob Tuck, owner of PlayAll Awards in Winnipeg, was grateful that we offered a full-service solution to help him lower his energy costs through the Premium Upgrades of our Small Business Program. 

“As a small business owner whose industry was hit extremely hard by the pandemic, we are always looking at ways to save money and move forward,” Bob told us.   

Luckily, through our Small Business Program, we were able to help by upgrading 120 of their linear lamps to LEDs and replacing their existing thermostat to an ecobee smart thermostat. On top of the energy savings and lower operating costs PlayAll Awards will appreciate from these upgrades, Bob was eager to share how seamless the entire process was.  

“We were excited to be part of this program and not only was it easy to navigate and communicate but the technicians were extremely professional.”  

TEEKCA’S BOUTIQUE

Teekca’s Boutique participated in our Indigenous Small Business Program. They carry a wealth of gifts, crafts, and other goods created by Indigenous artisans. They have expanded to operate in six locations across Manitoba – and they were looking for some upgrades to be made to their store on St. Matthews Avenue in Winnipeg. Our team was able to identify opportunities to improve the store’s energy efficiency and reduce the energy bills.  

In total, we installed two bathroom faucet aerators, 30 LED linear lamps, and an ecobee smart thermostat. The incentive we provided Teekca’s Boutique covered the entire cost of their upgrades, so owner Marilyn Tanner-Spence will enjoy energy savings and a better-lit shop for her customers at no cost.  

“I am very happy that I participated in the Indigenous Small Business Program because it helped me to have my lighting upgraded. I always worried about the waste of electricity using inefficient lighting. Today the store is brighter and more welcoming. Even installing a smart thermostat helps me to save money – if I forget to turn the temperature down, I can easily do it by using my phone.”  

Marilyn Tanner-Spence

Want to improve the energy efficiency of your small business? Learn more about our Small Business Program and Indigenous Small Business Program. 

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How property managers & owners can save

ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR MULTI-UNIT RENTAL PROPERTIES

Do you own or manage a multi-unit residential building? Are you thinking about ways to reduce maintenance and operational expenses? Keep energy efficiency in mind! We have programs available for property managers and owners of multi-unit residential buildings that can provide energy- and bill-saving opportunities while increasing tenant comfort, satisfaction, and retention. 

Here’s how we can help you access these savings. 

GET FREE ENERGY-SAVING DEVICES & MORE

Our In-Suite Energy Efficiency Program helps property managers and owners of multi-unit residential buildings improve energy efficiency through a variety of in-suite measures. 

With our free Basic Upgrade, you can get A-line LED bulbs, low-flow showerheads,  kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, air sealing products, and other improvements, all at no cost! Not only are the energy-saving devices free, our program service provider, Ecofitt, will install them free of charge. 

We also offer incentives of up to $250 for smart thermostats and advanced heat recovery ventilator (HRV) controls. Ecofitt coordinates these upgrades, and a certified electrician completes the installations. 

START SAVING WITH ENERGY-EFFICIENT APPLIANCES

If you’re looking to replace old appliances in your multi-unit residential building, or if you’re purchasing appliances for the first time for a new multi-unit residential build, consider our In-Suite Appliance Program.  

We provide rebates on select ENERGY STAR® certified appliances to property managers and owners of multi-unit residential buildings for their suites: 

  • Clothes washers: $100 
  • Clothes washer/dryer pairs: $150 
  • Refrigerators: $50

VISIT OUR NEW PROGRAM HUB FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS & OWNERS

We have a new web page that features all our offers that can help property managers and owners save energy and money! Take a look to learn more about these programs and find out if you qualify.

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Project feature: Shindico & Commercial Lighting

HELPING MANITOBANS SAVE WITH OUR BUSINESS LIGHTING PROGRAM

Our Business Lighting Program offers incentives to businesses that make energy-efficient upgrades to the lighting in their buildings.   

Shindico updated the exterior lighting at their Renfrew Place building with assistance from their lighting supplier, Commercial Lighting Products Ltd. And we provided them with an incentive for their upgrade!  

THE PROJECT

Shindico is a corporate real estate and investment management firm. They manage many buildings across Manitoba, including Renfrew Place at 1760 Corydon Avenue in Winnipeg. This building is home to two restaurants: Enoteca and Kai Ping, along with a Circle K convenience store.   

Shindico replaced the incandescent and metal-halide lighting on the outside walls of their building with new LED fixtures.   

LEDs come in a wide variety of styles to match the aesthetic of your building and use much less energy than older technologies.   

THE SAVINGS

The new exterior lights will result in 7,700 kWh in electricity savings each year! By upgrading their lighting to LED, Shindico will save $400 per year on their energy bill.   

We provided them with an incentive of $540 plus a bonus customer incentive of $135, for a total incentive of $675. We’re currently offering this additional 25% customer bonus on all lighting projects for applications submitted before March 31, 2023.   

THE PROCESS

Our new online application system, myEM, makes it easy for lighting suppliers and contractors to apply on behalf of a building owner. That’s exactly what Commercial Lighting Products Ltd. did for this project.   

“I love how streamlined the program is now. It’s so much easier to navigate through,” says Sandra Sumner, Associate VP at Shindico.   

Commercial Lighting Products Ltd. is a western Canadian supplier of lighting products. Their lighting specialists identify your project needs and order and deliver materials for your lighting project. They’ve submitted many Efficiency Manitoba applications on behalf of their customers.   

“Commercial Lighting started the process upon receipt of the purchase order, the Property Manager completed some of the building details in the online portal, the electrician installed the lights, and Commercial Lighting submitted the invoice online to Efficiency Manitoba. It doesn’t get much easier than this.”    

Sandra Sumner

ARE YOU A BUILDING OWNER?

Building owners or their lighting suppliers or contractors can apply for financial incentives through the Business Lighting Program on our website. Check out our program guide to see our incentive rates and eligibility requirements. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR
BUSINESS LIGHTING PROGRAM

ARE YOU A LIGHTING SUPPLIER OR CONTRACTOR?

We highly encourage you to join our supplier network. You’ll be listed on our website as a registered Efficiency Manitoba supplier and can offer our programs to your customers. You’ll also have access to training opportunities and materials offered by our team of experts and can promote our energy efficiency programs in your advertising. The best part? It’s free to register and participate!  

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Contractor feature: Transcona Roofing

HELPING MANITOBANS SAVE WITH OUR BUILDING ENVELOPE PROGRAM

At Efficiency Manitoba, we’re committed to offering programs and incentives that help all Manitobans save energy and money. One of our programs designed to help businesses improve their energy efficiency is our Building Envelope Program. We offer financial incentives to businesses that make upgrades to their building envelope including roof and wall insulation, windows and doors, and curtain wall systems. So, when Transcona Roofing was approached by Holy Cross School to complete upgrades to the school’s roof, they didn’t hesitate to recommend our Building Envelope Program. 

THE PROJECT

Holy Cross School, established in 1925, is an independent Catholic school for children in pre-kindergarten to Grade 8. Located at 300 Dubuc Street in St. Boniface, the school has expanded over the years and today has multiple buildings for more than 400 students.  

“Some of the buildings go back to the 1940s, with minor upgrades here and there,” says Adam Kaminski, Director of Operations at Transcona Roofing. “Upgrading the roof insulation was a huge factor because so much heat is lost through the roof.” 

After Transcona Roofing completed the roof insulation upgrades, Holy Cross School will realize 1,900 kWh in electricity savings and 10,000 m³ in natural gas savings each year. They’ll also reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 19 tonnes annually – this one project has taken the equivalent of four cars off the road each year.

“We see a lot of waste in our industry and doing whatever we can to lower our carbon footprint or help the environment in any way is a benefit for us as well. We can sleep well knowing we’ve helped in whatever way we can.” 

Adam Kaminski

THE COST SAVINGS

Besides environmental benefits, Kaminski says a top motivation for Holy Cross School, and other Building Envelope Program participants, is the cost savings. 

“It’s tough to turn down free upgrades,” Kaminski remarks.  

Not only will Holy Cross School save more than $3,100 each year on their annual energy bill thanks to their new roof, we also provided them with an incentive of $26,454 to cover the cost of insulation materials. 

TRANSCONA ROOFING’S GREEN OUTLOOK

Offering the Building Envelope Program has also been good for Transcona Roofing’s business, Kaminski says. 

“It’s a good way to get in the door with a customer. Everyone is looking to figure out ways to help the environment and lower emissions,” Kaminski tells us. “It might be something that’s not completely visible to the owner, so we can provide that information and knowledge. Realizing that the customer can lower their cost and increase efficiency is sort of an easy sell as a contractor.” 

Transcona Roofing is a full-service roofing and waterproofing contractor. Since 1959, the company has grown from two to more than 100 employees who service Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. 

Over the next 10 years, Kaminski says Transcona Roofing is looking forward to embracing energy-efficient designs.  

“We realize that something has to change. The industry is not sustainable with the way it goes right now,” he says. “I know there are buildings that have energy-efficient designs, whether it’s through a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification program or Efficiency Manitoba programs, but the industry as a whole has to do better.”  

HOW THE BUILDING ENVELOPE PROGRAM HELPS CONTRACTORS

Kaminski has worked for Transcona Roofing for seven years. He learned about our Building Envelope Program through our multiple contractor presentations that explained our program and how contractors like Transcona Roofing can get involved.  

“We’ve been promoting the program ever since on any sort of projects that we take on where we see value in both the efficiency and cost to the owner,”  

Adam Kaminski

To determine if the Building Envelope Program is a good fit for a client, Kaminski says Transcona Roofing analyzes the condition of their building’s existing roof, including the age and the current insulation levels. From there, they start the design.  

The Efficiency Manitoba team is available for technical assistance and expertise throughout the project. Kaminski says our representatives have met at the building site to help with the design or clarify how to help the customer optimize their energy efficiency and savings.   

For insulation projects, the program often covers the entire cost of insulation materials. Window and door incentives generally cover the difference in cost between a “regular” window and an energy-efficient window. 

ARE YOU A BUILDING OWNER?

Building owners or their contractors can apply for financial incentives through our Building Envelope Program on our website. We need to approve your project to make sure it meets the eligibility requirements, and you’ll receive your incentive after the upgrades are complete. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR
BUILDING ENVELOPE PROGRAM

ARE YOU A CONTRACTOR?

We highly encourage you to join our supplier network. You’ll be listed on our website as a registered Efficiency Manitoba supplier and can offer our programs to your customers. You’ll also have access to training opportunities and materials offered by our team of experts and can promote our energy efficiency programs in your advertising. The best part? It’s free to register and participate! 

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Fall 2022 magazine

Our fall magazine is on its way to your mailbox with your local newspaper or flyers! 

From new programs and offers to seasonal energy-saving tips, our magazines are a great resource to have on hand for all things energy efficiency. Be sure to keep it on hand as a quick reference whenever you need information about saving energy.

 

FALL 2022 MAGAZINE
READ THE MAGAZINE

If you haven’t received a magazine or prefer an electronic copy, download the digital version.

Our electronic fall magazine is now available in French! Read the French magazine here or download the digital version to have on hand for your energy efficiency needs.

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Supporting future energy use reduction opportunities through Manitoba-made innovations

Efficiency Manitoba announces applications are now open for year two of Innovation Fund 

Today, Efficiency Manitoba unveiled the seven projects that received funding through the inaugural year of the organization’s Innovation Fund and announced that applications are welcomed under year two of the Fund.  

Colleen Kuruluk, CEO of Efficiency Manitoba, was joined by Minister of Environment, Climate and Parks and Minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba Jeff Wharton today at the site of a new commercial building partnership between Winnipeg-based Quik-Therm Insulation Solutions Inc. and Brandon’s Behlen Industries. Quik-Therm, one of the Efficiency Manitoba Innovation Fund recipients, has developed the Matrix all-in-one composite roofing insulation system that goes up quickly and achieves an R-52 rating without additional insulation, vapour barrier, or exterior sheathing. The effective R-value, the number used to determine insulation efficiency, is expected to be three to four times better than conventional pre-engineered systems. The system offers cost savings compared to conventional steel-framed designs. 

“An innovative product that reduces the need for electricity and natural gas energy is being proven through funding from Efficiency Manitoba,” said Minister Wharton. “We’re already talking about jobs and exports in addition to the energy savings and environmental benefits. This is a definition of a win-win.” 

“We’re excited about the early results from this project. The Matrix system offers superior energy saving performance, speeds construction, and is environmentally responsible,” said Quik-Therm President Ted Cullen, adding that the company is already planning on building a manufacturing plant to support future construction projects and technology usage. Behlen Industries manufactures pre-engineered steel buildings that ship worldwide.   

Several of the other Innovation Fund recipients featured also focused on making buildings greener. Bannerman Green Housing Not-for-Profit Co-op received funds to build green community housing; Shared Health Manitoba’s project expects to save energy by ensuring steam trap systems are continuously monitored and issues identified in real time; Summerhill is working with QEAtech and RRC Polytech in using drones and infrared technology to inspect local buildings for heat loss; GEOptimize is working with the Manitoba Métis Federation on embedding heat exchangers into foundation piles; PolySense Solutions Inc. has developed a novel technology to monitor power consumption in industrial settings, laboratories, and hospitals; and the University of Manitoba, Department of Biosystems Engineering is testing a smart vertical farming system that could help deliver fresh foods grown here at home throughout the year.  

“These projects give us a first-hand look at the ingenuity in finding new ways to reduce our electricity and natural gas usage,” said Colleen Kuruluk, CEO of Efficiency Manitoba. “By showcasing these projects, we want to inspire others to submit funding applications this fall to support the future of energy efficiency in Manitoba.” 

The Innovation Fund is now accepting expressions of interest for its second year until November 4. For more information about Efficiency Manitoba’s Innovation Fund, please visit efficiencyMB.ca/innovationfund. 

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About Efficiency Manitoba 

Efficiency Manitoba is Manitoba’s newest Crown corporation dedicated to energy efficiency. With legislated long-term energy savings targets to achieve, the organization has over 40 programs and offers available to help Manitobans save energy, money, and the environment. 

Photographs, video, and other media assets are available for download here.  

For more information, please email us at media@efficiencyMB.ca.

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Fall tips

SAVE ON HEATING COSTS THIS FALL

When you get home from spending time in the crisp fall air, you’ll want a warm and cozy space to welcome you. By following these energy-saving tips, your home will be ready for cooler weather and you’ll save on heating costs! 

KEEP WARM AIR IN

 ADJUST ACCORDINGLY

  • Adjust your thermostat at night and when you’re not at home. In the winter, lower the temperature by 3°C or more for at least eight hours a day to save up to 4% on heating costs. 
  • Consider buying a smart thermostat. It can be controlled remotely to set and adjust the air temperature of your home. It can also learn from your behaviour and will adjust the temperature depending on if you’re home or not. 

MAINTENANCE IS KEY

  • Schedule regular maintenance for your heating and cooling equipment. Your equipment will last longer and run more efficiently. 
  • Change your furnace air filter every three months. 
  • Clean the exterior air intake vent on your furnace. 

GET COZY

  • If you have a standard-efficiency natural gas furnace, consider replacing it with a new high-efficiency model. 
  • If you have a wood fireplace, make sure the damper is closed when you’re not using your fireplace. That way, warm air won’t escape through your chimney. But don’t forget to open it when you light your next cozy fire! 
  • Minimize the use of space heaters. 
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