Question: If I replace various pieces of equipment with ones that are more energy-efficient, will it impact my bottom line?

Answer: Absolutely! By swapping older pieces of equipment that may be costing you more energy than they should for more energy-efficient models, you’ll easily save on consumption and costs! One of the easiest ways to do this is to check out the saveONenergy Retrofit Program, designed for commercial and industrial businesses looking to upgrade existing equipment in order to be more energy-efficient. Below you’ll find all you need to know about the program and useful links to get you started.

What is the saveONenergy Retrofit Program?

According to the saveONenergy site, the saveONenergy Retrofit Program allows businesses to install energy-efficient measures while earning up to 50% of project costs. The program offers a number of financial incentives for replacing existing equipment or installing new control systems that will improve the efficiency of operational procedures and processes.

In cooperation with your local electric utility, the program offers your business three ways to start conserving energy. First up is the prescriptive track. This track gives business owners the chance to select from a defined list of end-use measures that have a corresponding per-unit incentive including upgrades to lighting, motors, unitary A/C etc. The second track available is the engineered track which consists of a group of pre-set calculation worksheets that help estimate reductions in peak demand and/or electricity consumption. Finally, business owners may choose to pursue the custom track, available for solutions not covered under the previous two.

Details about each track and examples of applicable incentives are available online via the saveONenergy website.

Who can apply for the saveONenergy Retrofit Program?

Owners or lessees of commercial, industrial, agricultural or institutional facilities may apply for incentives supported by the program. This includes commercial buildings such as retail and grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and warehouses as well as industrial facilities in sectors such as food and beverage, automotive, plastics and packaging. Eligible measures under the program provide sustainable, measurable and verifiable reductions in peak electricity demand and/or electricity consumption and according to the Natural Resources Canada website include:

  • Lighting retrofits
  • Lighting controls
  • HVAC redesign
  • Chiller replacement
  • Variable speed drives
  • Improvement of thermal performance of a building envelope through measures such as increased insulation, installation of high performance windows and frames or low emissive roof barriers.

For more information visit the saveONenergy website or contact your local electric utility. Interested in upgrading to energy-efficient equipment? Check out our Rebates & Incentives page and save big on energy costs!

 image credit: army.arch