Air Quality & Energy Conservation Air Quality & Energy Conservation Indicators Shared Accountability - Improving Air Quality & Reducing Climate Change

Shared Accountability - Improving Air Quality & Reducing Climate Change

1. City of London
2. Local Community (Citizens & Businesses)
3. Government
4. Non-Government Organizations
 

1. City of London

The City of London is tackling air pollution and climate change through a number of energy conservation, community outreach, and business partnership programs.

Since 2007, the Mayor’s Sustainable Energy Council (MSEC) has been working with local energy experts to promote, encourage and support the development and implementation of practical research and initiatives, technologies, and investment in the area of sustainable energy, including energy conservation, efficiency, and alternative energy for the sustainable economic and environmental benefit and use of London and surrounding region. To assist in these activities, MSEC launched its Energy Saver website to connect residents and businesses with information and incentives for energy efficiency, energy conservation, and renewable energy activities.

In 2009, the City of London is undertaking and/or has completed 12 sustainable energy initiatives that engage the public or local businesses. Highlights include:

·         Formation of the Southwestern Ontario Clean Air Council 

·         Upcoming Transportation Master Plan public consultation process

·         Launch of the three-year London’s Travel Wise Community: Moving TDM Forward project

·         Completion of the ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles idling campaign

The City of London has a number of clean air and energy conservation programs for its own operations:

• Working with the Old South Community Organization to install a 2.5 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Landon Library
• Installing a solar hot water heating system for Carling Heights Optimists Community Centre
• Installing a ground-source heat pump system and LED parking lot lights for the new Exeter Road Operations Centre
• Building the new North London Community Centre & Library, which has been designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold
• Using ethanol-blended gasoline or ultra-low sulphur diesel for fleet vehicles.
• Using 19 hybrid (gasoline-electric) vehicles & two ultra-efficient Smart cars in the vehicle fleet.
• Capturing and flaring landfill gas, containing methane (a greenhouse gas) and odour-causing gases,. The City of London is in the early planning stages for a 1.5 megawatt (MW) landfill gas fired power plant.
• Heating and cooling City Hall is heated and cooled by Canada’s oldest district energy system, operated by London District Energy, which also supplies steam, chilled water, and electricity for London’s downtown core through an energy-efficient tri-generation system.
• Since the 1990s, the City of London has renovated our buildings to make them more energy efficient, saving money for the taxpayer.
• Convered traffic signal lights to light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which use 85% less electricity than old-fashioned light bulbs.

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2. Local Community (Citizens & Businesses)

City staff have been engaged with projects and initiatives for public facilities and within the community.  A number of community groups such as Post Carbon London, the Council of Canadians (London Chapter) and the Thames Region Ecological Association have taken on their own challenges and initiatives with respect to energy conservation.

London Hydro provides information for both residential and commercial energy conservation. 

Union Gas has developed natural gas conservation programs for both their residential and business customers.

The Urban League of London provides a voice for all the community associations across London on environmental issues and other issues that impact the quality of, life in London's neighbourhoods.

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3. Government

Canada-wide, Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are working on the Turning the Corner plan on climate change for the federal government.

Natural Resources Canada, through the Office of Energy Efficiency, promotes energy efficiency and conservation for housing, vehicles, industry, commercial business, and institutions. These include programs such as the  vehicle Fuel Consumption Guide for labeling the most energy-efficient consumer products.

Environment Canada is responsible for setting standards for exhaust emissions. All types of internal combustion engines (i.e., cars, light-duty trucks, lawnmowers, snowblowers, chainsaws, etc.) and diesel engines are affected. Action on gasoline has also been mandated, with a reduction of sulphur in gasoline to 30 ppm in January 2005. Environment Canada has announced plans to reduce sulphur in diesel fuel by June 2006 that will result in a 95 per cent reduction in the regulated level of sulphur from 500 ppm to 15 ppm. Environment Canada has also established Canada-Wide Standards for ambient air concentrations of ozone and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5).

The Province’s new Green Energy Act (GEA) is poised to set Ontario on a course to a greener future. The key elements of the Green Energy Act are divided into two main areas:

Promoting and Implementing More Renewable Energy Initiatives

• Creating a new attractive feed-in tariff regime – a pricing system for renewable energy – that will guarantee rates and help spark new investment in renewable energy generation, increase investor confidence and access to financing.
• Low-interest financing options for installkinjg renewable energy systems on homes.
• Establishing the “right to connect” to the electricity grid for renewable projects.
• Establishing a streamlined approvals process, including providing service guarantees for renewable energy projects and a Renewable Energy Facilitator.

Creating a Culture of Conservation

• North American leading energy efficiency standards (Energy Star) for household appliances, including efficient use of water.
• Mandatory home energy audits prior to sale of homes.
• Making energy efficiency a central tenet of Ontario’s Building Code.
• Green Ontario government and broader public sector buildings; including the development of conservation plans.

The Province estimates that the Green Energy Act will create an estimated 50,000 jobs in its first three years. The economic benefits would be spread across the Province through local involvement in energy production.

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