April 16, 2007

Energy

Houston adopts new energy efficient plan

JIM STIRLING

correspondent

Speaking green is de rigeur. Making practical use of green technology especially as a small municipality remains less fashionable.

The council and administration of the District of Houston in west central British Columbia has adopted a planned and progressive approach to building an efficient energy system. The long term vision is to tie in as many municipal buildings as possible into a geothermal heating system with the potential of engaging adjacent privately-owned buildings into energy saving partnerships.

The first step has been successfully taken. Last July, the swimming pool at the Houston Leisure Facility was hooked up to a geothermal heating system. The system inside the building has worked just fine, reports Paul Gipps, chief administrative officer for the District of Houston.

The next stage is extending and upgrading the geothermal system to the Claude L. Parish Memorial Arena, host building to Houston’s hockey rink and other events. Gipps says the project will involve a major retrofit of the arena’s existing mechanical system including elimination of compressors. We’re going to go with a horizontal closed ground loop system with a series of compartmentalized heat pumps, explains Gipps.

He’s hopeful work can begin late this summer or early fall: construction scheduling is contingent on funding. The district has applied for a grant under the B.C./Canada infrastructure program and expects to receive a verdict on that in July. Houston hasn’t stopped there. “We’re going everywhere for grants,” says Gipps. The arena project was estimated at $1.8 million, based on 2006/07 costs.

“It’s a big project, a very in-depth project,” he confirms. “and it requires grants.”

But utlizing a geothermal heating system comes with considerable upside.

“We’re anticipating having a signnificant drop in energy costs, by about half in the arena and further cuts at the pool,” he adds. Clearly, the project will pay for itself over time and make less of an environmental footprint. Gipps believes the project will remove the equivalent of 250 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.

Houston has received “exceptional” technological advice on the geothermal system from its consultants: Ed Lorenz of Geoenergy with headquarters in Winnipeg and EBA Engineering Consultants Ltd., of Kelowna, says Gipps.

The arena conversion has been planned as a two year project. Houston’s a hockey town and you don’t take the ice out of service.

Therefore, the upgrade will be timed after March, 2008 and will take the full off-season period to install and commission the geothermal system.

Houston is also enthusiastic about its curling. Gipps says agreement has been reached with the local association that runs the rink to have the facility hooked up to the geothermal system. “We know that we can offer them savings and it helps us. The benefits are win-win.”

The arena project has been designed to have the option to accommodate a second phase in Houston’s green energy vision. And that includes extending the geothermal link to other municipal buildings as part of a district-wide energy system.

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