“In the past 18 months there have been a number of programs designed to assist the residential energy efficiency needs of Islanders,” Minister Brown said. “Now we are introducing the Commercial Sector and Institutional Buildings Program to help make buildings across the Island more energy efficient.”

The two programs include the Energy Efficiency Upgrades Program for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings aimed at residential rental properties and the Energy Smart Commercial and Institutional Buildings Retrofit Program aimed at business properties and institutions. Both programs offer assistance for energy audits and for upgrades to improve energy efficiency.

“These programs provide an opportunity for people and businesses across the Island to maximize our energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint. It is a win- win situation,” Minister Brown added.

A complementary program is operated by Natural Resources Canada.

For more information, please visit the PEI Office of Energy Efficiency website at www.gov.pe.ca/oee or call 1-877-734-6336 (toll-free) or (902) 620-3690 (local).

BACKGROUNDER

New Energy Efficiency Programs for Commercial and Institutional Buildings

The Office of Energy Efficiency, part of the Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, is introducing two new programs aimed at encouraging energy efficiency in Prince Edward Island’s commercial and institutional sector.

1) Energy Efficiency Upgrades Program for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings is designed to provide financial assistance to owners of exiting multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). In particular, residential properties having two or more apartments and not more than three-stories high (with a footprint of less than 600 square metres or 6,456 square feet). New multi-unit residential buildings do not qualify.

Components of the program include:

• Energy Audit Subsidy: Up to 50 per cent depending on number of apartments in the MURB.

• Energy Efficiency Upgrade Grant: Up to 15 per cent of recommended upgrades when completed. Grant depends on number of apartments in the MURB.

• Home Heating System Bonus: An additional $300 is available to owner-occupied two or three apartment MURBs for replacement of low-efficiency home-heating systems with high-efficiency ENERGY STAR® rated cold start boiler systems with an indirect hot water heater or an outdoor air temperature sensor.

2) Energy Smart Commercial and Institutional Buildings Retrofit Program is designed to provide financial incentives to retrofit existing commercial buildings to maximum energy efficiency potential.

Components of the program include:

• Energy Audit Subsidy: Up to $3,000 towards an energy audit depending on the size of the building.

• Energy Efficiency Upgrade Grant: Up to a maximum of $25,000 towards the energy retrofitting project costs, based on the estimated annual energy savings determined by the energy audit.

Eligibility:

• All existing commercial and institutional buildings located in the province are eligible for funding through the Energy Smart Commercial and Institutional Buildings Retrofit Program.

Examples:

• Retail buildings

• Hotels

• Restaurants

• Office buildings

• Grocery stores

• Recreation halls

• Institutional buildings (municipal buildings, churches, non-profit and post secondary colleges and universities)

• Large multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) (floor area larger than 6,456 square feet or 600 square metres). For MURBs 600 square metres or less see separate MURB program

• Recreational facilities

• Others

The Office of Energy Efficiency

Since the OEE began offering programs (initially aimed at the residential sector) in March of 2008, there have been 2,781 household energy audits completed. (2,020 in 2008/09 and 761 since April 1, 2009.) This represents roughly 6 per cent of the total housing stock in the province.

OEE anticipates completing another 2,000 audits this year.

662 clients have completed work (i.e., received a loan or grant from OEE). The average energy savings per household is 56 Gigajoules - at current oil prices that equals about $1,200 a year.