GTA Construction Report staff writer
Niagara Sustainability Initiative (NSI), along with Sustainable Hamilton, hosted an event on Oct. 31 focused on green energy solutions for big and small businesses.
The event looked at realistic ways organizations can increase energy efficiency and reduce costs and welcomed more than 60 attendees from 30 different organizations.
Featured speakers included Brian Smith, chief conservation officer at Horizon Utilities, and Danielle Piluso, embedded energy manager at Niagara College. Each speaker offered insight on energy and cost-saving initiatives available to local businesses.
Smith described incentive options for energy conservation projects through Horizon and Ontario Power Authority’s SaveOnEnergy program. Horizon Utilities has become the first sustainable utility, and has been a leader in delivering conservation programs to its customers, helping them reach their short and long term savings goals.
Piluso discussed simple and creative no-cost energy initiatives taken at Niagara College. She shared with the audience the strategies she used as she implemented measurable and verifiable electricity use reductions at the college, including changing the chiller set point and behaviour campaigns.
The green energy business solutions event has allowed attendees to gain insight on the significance of their energy performance and consider a conservation plan to achieve their green business status goals. By presenting zero cost and heavily discounted options, NSI showed that it doesn’t have to cost a lot for a company to go green.
NSI is a not-for-profit organization focusing on advancing environmental and economic performance through the greening of local businesses and municipalities. NSI holds monthly events featuring notable guest speakers who are experts in environmental sustainability.
