City of P.G. Picks Up Award
Councillors Murry Krause and Jillian Merrick on hand as Mayor Lyn Hall receives award from Minister of environment Mary Polak – image submitted
Prince George, B.C. -The City of Prince George has been given an award from the Minister of Environment.
Minister Mary Polak presented a “Corporate Operations” environment award to Mayor Lyn Hall at the Union of BC Municipalities convention, recognizing the construction of the new RCMP facility in the City which was built to Leadership in energy and Environmental Design ( LEEDS) standards.
The building has been designed to use 64% less energy than a similar building built to the Canadian Building Code and uses solar energy, biomass, and waste heat for heating as well as an aquifer for geo-exchange cooling. These enable the building to achieve greenhouse gas reductions of approximately 234 tonnes per year. Solar energy is used to pre-heat both the water and air used in the building.
The RCMP building was the first major civic building constructed since the City adopted its Energy efficiency and GHG policy. “In addition to helping the City meet our GHG reduction goals, this building supports downtown economic revitalization, conserves valuable resources, and the extension of our District Energy System” says Mayor Lyn Hall.
The City’s District Energy System uses sawmill residue from Lakeland Mills to heat nine buildings, including the RCMP building, in the downtown. This bioenergy system significantly reduces the consumption of natural gas for heating.
Comments
So nice to see we are saving so much money on our on budget, on time police building.
If you use VooDoo economics, and slight of hand environmental statistics, you can basically come up with any numbers you choose.
The number that sticks in my craw is the cost of the Police building which was $38 Million or more, and the interest on borrowing this money amounts to approx. the same over 20 years so we are looking at a cost of approx. $80 Million. Hmmmmm.
They were 12 million over budget… and 8 months behind schedule…
Reduction in GHG!!! Just what effect will that have and just how much to the cost geo heating add to the cost? Those systems are expensive and also considering conventional backup is required. Therefor two heating systems. Not hooked up to the great city heating system?
…and of course our two most narcissistic Counsellors just had to get their mugshots in the picture! Those two never met a camera that they didn’t like! Gag!!
With a public building like that one would expect all the data of its energy consumption and cost of installation and operation of the equipment and space needs would be made public as a matter of research interest, especially with UNBC being in town.
I am still waiting for the living wall of plants which was supposed to be installed in the building to assist with humidifying the building. I believe that is what the two glass walls with a few feet of space between the glass and the concrete was supposed to be. Then again, it might be acting as a Trombe wall. If so, I do not know why one is located on the north face of the building.
I am still waiting to be invited to the opening of our Performing Arts Centre.
@ artisan, still waiting for the living wall of plants? Maybe they ran out of taxpayer’s money??
Nah, that’s not likely to happen!
Perhaps it’s more likely that they wouldn’t settle for just any old plant and they have instead ordered some extremely rare and valuable ie expensive plants that are befitting a palace such as this? Perhaps it simply takes time to acquire such plants?
@artisan. The living wall has been installed for well over a year in the main lobby. The intent of the side glass walls has nothing to do with the living wall/plants. Have you been there? Sounds like you might want to go for a tour or actually do some research before spouting off next time.
Ahh yes the LEEDS certification, hah hah. Here’s a point a lot of folks (those in the city) failed to note. This building is considered and emergency facility. So in the event we lose power, gas, extreme weather event or what have you, this building should be able to “run” for 72 hours without outside facilities. I will be there’s not a snow balls chance in hell this building will be able to operate without external power, water or gas.
Silk purse made out of a sow’s ear. Oh it’s pretty and all but pretty much useless in the event of an emergency. The North district offices would fair much better than “castle grey skull” on Victoria at Fourth. Well time will tell how much we will save considering the fancy cleaners and filters involved in this Leeds building. You can’t use domestic cleaners in this building like you would use at home or any where else. It all needs to be environmentally “friendly” and ghastly expensive…. We will see
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