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Kamloops successfully engages residents in energy conservation through the 'See the Heat' initiative

City of Kamloops
The City of Kamloops, in partnership with the Thompson Nicola Regional Library and FortisBC, has developed a program called See the Heat. The program enables community members to borrow a thermal-imaging camera that attaches to their smartphone and allows participants to see where heat is leaking out of their home. This technology provides homeowners with the information required to effectively draft-proof their residence, which can significantly improve comfort and energy efficiency, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Success Story Snapshot
Energy Savings / GHG Reductions: In Kamloops, single and semi-detached buildings like the ones targeted through the program, emit about 112,000 tCO2e per year (City of Kamloops, 2019). After retrofits are made to the homes targeted by this program, there is potential for a 19.5% energy savings per residence.
Business Case: In Kamloops, energy used in single and semi-detached residential buildings makes up 20% of community-wide emissions, and therefore are a prime target for emission reduction efforts (City of Kamloops, 2019). Reducing GHG emissions is essential for minimizing the long-term costs associated with adapting to and recovering from increasingly likely and severe forest fires, flash floods and other events associated with a warming planet. The See the Heat program also promotes CleanBC incentives for home energy retrofits aimed at reducing the cost of energy for households, which can increase disposable income and, in turn, provide a boost to the local economy.  
Co-benefits: See the Heat supports increased public awareness of the economic benefits of energy retrofits and, by extension, supports the City of Kamloops’ public education on climate action.
Total project cost: As of November 2019, the program cost was $10,394.84. It is below the estimated budget of $12,906.18, as the program’s demand exceeded expectations and fewer funds for marketing were required (City of Kamloops, 2019).

Project Summary

In the spring of 2018, the City of Kamloops ran an internal See the Heat program for staff. This pilot program included 14 participants who took thermal imaging cameras home over a six-week period. In the fall of 2018, FortisBC provided funding for: the purchase of five Android-compatible cameras (to supplement the five iOS-compatible cameras the City already had), funding for 150 draft-proofing kits, and two lunch and learn workshops.
  
In early 2019 the program expanded into the community through a partnership with the Thompson Nicola Regional Library. As a public education campaign, See the Heat provides participants with the tools needed to increase the energy efficiency of their home. The goal of the program is primarily to increase participants’ understanding of where heat loss in a home is occurring and to encourage behavior changes. The program also aims to inform homeowners about opportunities for conducting minor and major energy retrofits. Through FortisBC funding, the program supplies cameras and draft-proofing kits to the public free of charge through the Thompson Nicola Regional Library. The air leaks identified by the thermal imaging camera help participants to use the draft-proofing kits and potentially improve the insulation in their homes, which reduces the energy required for heating and cooling.
 
These retrofits support the City’s Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce GHG emissions and create a cleaner, healthier future for Kamloops residents (City of Kamloops, 2019). There has been overwhelming interest in the program, with 338 households that have participated as of February 2020. In the spring of 2019, an additional ten cameras were added to the program. Meeting demand for the cameras has been the greatest challenge of the program. 
  

 

Energy Savings/GHG reductions

Residential buildings in Kamloops make up 20% of community-wide emissions. This makes the reduction of fossil fuel use in homes an important component of community emission reduction efforts. In Kamloops, single and semi-detached buildings, like the ones targeted by the program, emit about 112,000 tCO2e per year collectively (City of Kamloops, 2019). The thermal imaging cameras used by the See the Heat program help participants to understand where air is leaking out of their homes, and provide citizens with tools to improve their home’s airtightness, which can lead to energy savings of as much as 19.5% (City of Kamloops, 2019).

Business Case

Engaging with citizens and encouraging home energy retrofits is essential to reducing community-wide GHG emissions. To meet community-wide GHG emission reduction goals, local governments with climate action plans to decrease GHG emissions benefit from building awareness of, and attracting buy in for, these plans. The See the Heat program is a cost-effective way to increase awareness of the economic value of reducing emissions. With respect to advancing the goal of raising awareness of energy loss in homes, the See the Heat program is a cost-effective program that has a big impact. 
 
See the Heat promotes the CleanBC incentives for energy retrofits; energy retrofits reduce the cost of energy for a household, which increases their disposable income and can provide a boost to the local economy.
 
The City of Kamloops is taking a leadership role in the community to reduce GHG emissions. These efforts are essential to minimize the long-term costs associated with adapting to, and recovering from, increasingly likely and severe forest fires, flash floods and other events associated with a warming world. City-owned infrastructure, services and resources are often strained or damaged in responding to these local crises. Slowing global warming will slow the increase of these costs overtime.
 

Co-Benefits

The See the Heat Program provides individuals and households with a tangible economic example of how to reduce GHG emissions at little or no cost. The program also increases participants’ ability to make changes through home energy retrofits. Climate change mitigation at the community level is greatly dependent on individuals taking action and this program supports that goal.

 

Lessons learned

Thermal imaging is most effective when there is a 10 - 15° degree difference between outside and inside temperatures; conditions that are more common in the winter and summer. Due to long waitlists, many people who signed up for the cameras in January did not receive them until the fall when they are not at their peak effectiveness. This also means that the cameras might not be available when homeowners are undergoing upgrades to their home, a time when the insights gained by the camera could motivate a homeowner to include additional measures to improve the energy efficiency of their home. 
 
Since first offering the cameras on a first come, first served basis, The City of Kamloops now offers workshops where attendees have the opportunity to assess the carbon footprint of their home and transportation choices and then discuss solutions. At these workshops, participants can borrow a camera and receive a draft-proofing kit on the day of the workshop, equipping them to take immediate actions to reduce their home energy use. The draft proofing kits consist of plastic film insulation for windows, electrical switch and outlet draft insulators (the most popular items), and two types of weather stripping for doors and windows (City of Kamloops, 2019).
 

Challenges

The greatest challenge of this program has been keeping up with the demand for the cameras. Initially, social and conventional media were used to promote the program. However, these efforts were suspended due to oversubscription to the service. Another challenge was tracking the success of the program beyond participation. Because the cameras were loaned through the library, privacy protection laws prohibit contacting people based on their borrowing history. This means it has been challenging to encourage participants to complete the follow-up survey, which collects information on how many people used the draft-proofing kits, which part of the kits were used, and which participants decided to undertake retrofits based on information provided through the program. Based on the data from the small sample size of the pilot program 64% of those who used the cameras completed the exercises outlined in the program guide (City of Kamloops, 2019).

Tools and Resources

BC Climate Action Tools related to the project
 
Other Relevant Tools
 

Other Examples

 

Contact: 
Derek de Candole, Community Energy Specialist, City of Kamloops, 250-828-3545, ddecandole@kamloops.ca

The City of Kamloops’ ‘See the Heat’ program received overwhelming public interest, with 339 people having participated as of February 2020

Focus: 
Community-wide
Related tools: 
Carbon Neutral Local Government
Community and Corporate Engagement towards Climate Action Targets
Sector: 
Community Buildings
Infrastructure
Energy
Community type: 
Large city

Saanich develops agriculture and food security plan to ensure a sustainable future for the community

District of Saanich
For the District of Saanich, food security starts in the community’s backyard.

The District’s new Agriculture and Food Security Plan (the Plan) sets a long-term vision to support a thriving, accessible, and environmentally responsible food system. The Plan outlines strategies and sets a policy framework to help Saanich protect and support farmland and to provide a vibrant agricultural legacy to future generations.

Success Story Snapshot
Energy Savings / GHG Reductions: Food related emissions amount to 19%   of the District of Saanich’s total carbon footprint. The Agriculture and Food Security Plan outlines household waste reduction, sustainable water management, integration with natural ecosystems, and increased local production as strategies to reduce food related emissions in the community and support the new commitment by the District to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% below 2007 levels by 2050.
Business Case: The Plan highlights priority actions that will collectively increase production on agricultural lands and in urban areas, improve management of waste products, and improve local food economy resources. Saanich Council has identified funding to support implementation of priority actions identified in the Plan, providing a strong foundation to initiate action.
Co-benefits: Actions identified in the Plan will enhance the community’s ability to adapt and respond to potential external influences or events that impact access to food. Many actions in the Plan also look at providing a stronger integration between farming and ecosystem management, and supporting a more sustainable and restorative approach to resource management. The Plan also supports an increased awareness of the important contributions farming has on the local economy.
Total project cost: The Agriculture and Food Security Plan had a budget of $45,000, which included engagement with the community and stakeholder groups and hiring a consultant to develop Plan actions.

Project Summary

In late 2017, Saanich Council committed to reducing GHG emissions 80 % by 2050 from 2007 levels. Saanich’s Agriculture and Food Security Plan (the Plan) will play a vital role in supporting the District in achieving this target and supporting policies set in the Official Community Plan (OCP) and the Climate Action Plan (currently being updated).

Saanich continues to have an important agricultural role in BC. Since the 1960s, the District has protected its agricultural and rural lands from urban encroachment with the Urban Containment Boundary (UCB). Although about 52% of Saanich is still protected by the UCB with policies set out in the OCP to ensure urban/rural connections are thriving, much of Saanich is not actively farmed and access to healthy, local food can be difficult for some households to attain. The District of Saanich recognized the importance of maintaining a balanced relationship between its urban residential and rural agricultural roles and saw an opportunity to seek new solutions to support local food systems and address food insecurity for the community at large.

In January 2016, the District of Saanich initiated a planning process to develop an Agriculture & Food Security Plan. The Plan outlines strategies, and provides a policy framework, to support agricultural practices and advance food security in the region. The Plan builds on the Agricultural Strategy for the Saanich Peninsula developed in 1997 by the municipalities of North Saanich, Central Saanich, Saanich and Sidney and will help enhance the viability and long-term sustainability of agriculture and food security in the District. This supports one of the priorities identified in their OCP.

The Plan focuses on specific actions that will enhance food security in the region as well as principles to guide future decision making. It sets a 15-year vision for Saanich to support a thriving, accessible, and environmentally responsible food system renowned for its vibrancy and resiliency that nourishes people, livelihoods, and relationships, works towards achieving self-sufficiency, and provides dignified access to affordable healthy food for all people. The goal is to ensure that land use practices in both urban and rural areas support ecosystems and provide a legacy for future generations.

The Plan builds upon existing planning and regulatory tools and aligns with regional and provincial policies (e.g. the Capital Regional District Food & Agriculture Strategy, and Provincial standards) to ensure that the framework established in the Plan is current, accurate, and defendable. Guided by expert knowledge and input from the task force, community members and stakeholders, the Plan identifies seven key themes to strengthen a sustainable food system and increase food security as well as implementation and monitoring / evaluation strategies.

The Plan was adopted by the District of Saanich Council in September 2018. Resources were dedicated to address the Plan’s Priority Actions.

Energy Savings/GHG reductions

Actions identified in Saanich’s Agriculture and Food Security Plan will support the District in achieving the recently set GHG reduction target of 80% below 2007 levels by 2050. Food production, processing, distribution, and sales account for a fifth of Saanich’s Carbon footprint. By reducing household waste, the community will reduce emissions while saving on transportation and waste collection costs. A strong focus on local and sustainable food systems is expected to result in emission reductions associated with food production, processing, and distribution. 

Business Case

The District of Saanich has consistently supported farming as an integral part of the community and has been progressive in planning and practice. Centrally located in the Capital Region and with half its land base as rural/agricultural, Saanich is uniquely positioned to support both traditional agricultural approaches and innovative urban food system initiatives. The Agriculture and Food Security Plan provides a unique opportunity to engage the community and pinpoint specific initiatives that can help address pressing issues and advance the local food economy.

The Plan highlights priority actions that will collectively increase production on agricultural lands and in urban areas, improve management of waste products and improve local food economy resources. Saanich Council has identified funding to support implementation of priority actions identified in the Plan, providing a strong foundation to initiate action.

Co-Benefits

In addition to making progress towards meeting the District’s GHG emissions reduction targets and actions, the Plan will:  

  • enhance the community’s ability to adapt and respond to potential external influences or events that impact access to food;
  • provide a stronger integration between farming and ecosystem management;
  • support a more sustainable and restorative approach to resource management; and
  • improve the contributions of farming to the local economy.

Lessons learned

Many lessons were learned during the development of the Plan. A key concern identified was the vulnerability of the agricultural sector. Factors contributing to this included: pressure on agricultural lands due to high land values, the creep of non-agricultural uses, and the increasing age of farmers. A key lesson learned was the strength of community capacity in Saanich. Residents who support the agricultural sector are engaged, informed, and capable of making positive change happen. Implementation of the objectives and the advancement of Plan priorities will rely on the community.

Challenges

As cities grow, the competition for land, and all its uses, increases. Housing, industrial and employment activities, ecological protection, and transportation routes are all needs that may conflict with agricultural objectives. Reducing this tension by identifying clear bylaws and policies, and increasing awareness of the value of local agriculture is key.

Tools and Resources

Provincial Policies

 

Other Examples: 

Local Government Contact

Cameron Scott, Manager of Community Planning

T: 250-475-7115

E: cameron.scott@saanich.ca

Images courtesy of District of Saanich

 

The District of Saanich has consistently supported farming as an integral part of the community and has been progressive in planning and practice. 

Community type: 
District/Region
Sector: 
Land Use
Focus: 
Community-wide
Strategy

Plan for Sustainable Salmo helps the Village’s Work toward achieving its GHG reduction targets

Village of Salmo
In 2016, The Village of Salmo, BC, initiated Sustainable Salmo, a planning process to update the Village’s Official Community Plan (OCP).

The Village of Salmo’s approach to this planning process was distinct in that they merged their OCP with an Integrated Community Sustainability Planning (ICSP) process. Sustainable Salmo also incorporates the results of the Strategic Community Energy and Emissions Plan (SCEEP) which clearly identifies actions the community is committed to engaging in to reduce their GHG emissions and energy consumption. The Plan is expected to go before the Council for adoption in summer 2019.

Success Story Snapshot
Energy Savings / GHG Reductions: Based on the SCEEP, the plan anticipates a 12% reduction of GHGs over the 2007 levels by 2020.
Business Case: The Village estimates that implementation of the SCEEP will result in community financial savings of 9% ($80,000) in 2020 over the business as usual scenario.
Co-benefits: Fostered community engagement and enhanced community health.
Total project cost: Total project cost was $109,000 - (SCEEP - $14,000 and OCP/ICSP - $95,000). Funding was provided through a $75,000 federal Gas Tax Fund contribution plus $30,000 contributed by the Village.

Project Summary

In 2016, the Village of Salmo chose to advance sustainability planning in their community through a project coined Sustainable Salmo.  Salmo embarked on a community driven OCP/ICSP hybrid process to produce a sustainable community planning document, complete with community GHG reduction targets from the SCEEP.  The community at large was engaged in the planning process through a number of activities including: community workshops, a lifestyle photo contest, a Sustainable Salmo video production, and a community survey.

Salmo’s 2015 SCEEP contains strategies to engage in multiple community improvement projects. As a result of this plan the Village has:

  • Relocated their farmers’ market to a central location that is within walking distance for most community members. Info-booths are regularly set up at this market and other community events to further discuss the SCEEP and its implementation;
  • Completed Phase 1 and Phase 2 of a plan to convert the community’s street lights to LEDs;
  • Supported Green initiatives through grant-in-aids;
  • Circulated Fortis BC rebate energy saving information throughout the community;
  • Assigned water ambassador and completed major SCADA upgrades to measure night time flow, water leakage, conserve water, energy, etc;
  • Adopted a policy to reserve CARIP funds for energy conservation;
  • Integrated actions outlined in the SCEEP into the Village’s Strategic Directions document;
  • Received grants to install a pedestrian bridge promoting Active Transportation;
  • Installed two TESLA EV stations in addition to the community purchased universal station.

The Village of Salmo also supports Fueling Changes in the Kootenays, a regional approach to transforming the rural landscape with greener transportation. The Sustainable Salmo plan is expected to go before the Council for adoption in summer 2019.

The Village’s Sustainable Salmo process was made possible with support from project partners including the Central Kootenay Regional District, Columbia Basin Trust, and Interior Health, working with the consultants.

 

Energy Savings/GHG reductions

The Village of Salmo’s SCEEP uses a community derived GHG target to reduce emissions levels.  Using data from the Province of BC’s 2010 CEEI reports, and assumptions developed by the project delivery agent, they have calculated that implementation of the Salmo SCEEP should result in a reduction of 794 tonnes of GHG emissions. This corresponds to a 12% reduction of GHGs over 2007 levels by 2020.

Business Case

The Village projects that implementation of the SCEEP will result in community financial savings of 9% ($80,000) in 2020 over the business as usual scenario.

The Village received $75,000 from a federal gas tax grant for this project. The Village also really appreciates the support that the Columbia Basin Trust and Fortis BC offered through the Strategic Community Energy and Emissions Planning project.

Co-Benefits

Enhanced Community Health

An Age Friendly Action Plan was adopted within the overall strategic plan, incorporating many active transportation and community enhancement projects. This includes plans to enhance the recently installed pedestrian bridge for usability, safety and accessibility for all especially seniors and youth (through measures including bridge cover, lighting, and signage). From a health perspective, the Village anticipates that the Strategic Plan will contribute to a societal shift towards more active travel by increasing the availability of physical activity options for all community members.

Fostered Community Engagement

The community planning process provided the opportunity for residents and community groups to come together, to work on common goals and contribute towards development of a new OCP that is truly community driven.  This approach has fostered a positive spirit of community and engagement.

Recognition

 

Lessons learned

As a result of this project, the local government identified what the residents of Salmo enjoy about their community. The local government also learned the value of asking residents to identify which community features they value as assets. These lessons are highlighted in the “Where all Roads Lead” video which showcases the community priorities, assets, values and vision of the people of Salmo.

Related Tools

Other Examples: 

Local Government Contact

Anne Williams

Chief Administrative Officer, Village of Salmo

T: 250 357 9433

E: cao@salmo.ca

Images courtesy of Village of Salmo 

 

Sustainable Salmo is a planning process to update the Village’s Official Community Plan while incorporating Integrated Community Sustainability Planning principles in a way that is sustainable and inclusive. The new plan will shape our future.

Focus: 
Community-wide
Related tools: 
Asset Management for Sustainable Service Delivery
Integrated Community Sustainability Planning ICSP
Official Community Plan (OCP)
Sector: 
Land Use
Community type: 
Small community

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