The Canada Centre for Inland Waters

Background Information

Consists of six inter-connected buildings, most built in the early 1970s with almost 50 000 square metres of floor space.
Pre-eminent freshwater research facility
Located at 867 Lakeshore Road
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Energy Savings Measures

Home to a successful Federal Buildings Initiative energy efficiency improvement project which enables federal organizations to use savings from energy efficiency measures to finance capital costs of building upgrades, retrofits and installations.

The project performance component ended in May 2003, at a cost of $7.5 million. This amount was paid out of the realized energy savings which were $9.1 million in total.
Greenhouse gases were also reduced by 6700 tonnes per year.
Energy consumption declined almost 15% and waste consumption 33% from baseline data even with increased research activity.
Components of the program included:

An 800-kilowatt cogeneration unit and a waste-heat-fired boiler were installed in the central plant to improve efficiency and permit main boiler shutdown in the summer months.
A thorough upgrade to the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system resulted in improved monitoring capabilities, upgraded laboratory airflow, improved pressurization standards and temperature control, reduced heat loss, lower maintenance costs and improved occupant comfort.
Installation of T-8 fluorescent tubes and electronic ballasts, “white light” metal halide units, high-efficiency exit signs, lighting control switches and occupancy sensors were among the many electrical retrofit measures.
Installation of fume hoods with nighttime set-back capabilities reduced emissions and improved the safety of operations.
In addition to the energy efficiency measures, a waste audit led to the implementation of wet/dry recycling.

Construction of a “summer steam line,” allowing the facility to shut the boilers off and to run on a waste heat boiler for the summer months
Installation of two solar walls to preheat incoming air
A photovoltaics system to generate electricity
A living wall

Staff continue to look at new ways to save money and improve energy efficiency. Among the possibilities being considered are the naturalization of the grounds and the retrofit of the boiler plant to further increase efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.