HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRPS-06-146 - Environment Comm Recommendation - Wat Reg Green Solutions (R.E.E.P.) - Annual Request for Financial Supportl
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Corporate Services
Report To: Councillor B. Vrbanovic, Chair and Members of the Finance
and Corporate Services Committee
Date of Meeting: October 2, 2006
Submitted By: Environmental Committee
Prepared By: Colin Goodeve, Committee Administrator - ext 2278
Wards} Involved: All
Date of Report: September 22, 2006
Report No.: CRPS-06-146
Subject: Environmental Committee Recommendation -Waterloo
Region Green Solutions (Formerly Known as REEP) -Annual
Request for Financial Support
RECOMMENDATION:
"That subject to consideration during the 2007 budget deliberations, $25,000. be
allocated to the Waterloo Region Green Solutions (formerly known as the Residential
Energy Efficiency Project, REEP}, as part of the Environmental Committee's 2007
operating budget."
BACKGROUND:
In early 2006, REEP became the newly-incorporated Waterloo Region Green Solutions
(WRGS), acommunity-based environmental non-profit organization. After 7 years as a project
of the University of Waterloo and the Elora Centre for Environmental Excellence, REEP has
become its own "green community", and is now a full member of Green Communities Canada.
While continuing their research partnerships with the University of Waterloo, REEP now under
the auspices of WRGS has an opportunity to bring the resources of a broader network of green
communities to Waterloo Region. In spite of the cancellation of federal support, REEP's
EnerGuide for Houses numbers were remarkably strong for this year as compared to last. In
fact, they have already well surpassed their promised targets of 145 follow-up evaluations, 363
tonnes of CO2 reductions, and $72,500. inpre-committed federal grants to Kitchener residents.
REPORT:
At the September 21, 2006 Environmental Committee meeting, the Committee considered a
report from WRGSIREEP, dated August 2006, requesting a grant of $25,000., which would
represent the City of Kitchener's contribution to their 2007 budget. Ms. Mary Jane Patterson,
WRGS Manager, gave a presentation reviewing their results achieved in 2006 and their goals
for 2007. Ms. Patterson advised that in 2006-2007 WRGS/REEP will be expanding to include
the following new services:
• Greening Sacred Spaces: whereby they will be evaluating the energy efficiency of
churches and similar sized buildings.
• Provincial Low-Income Program for Electrically-Heated Homes: whereby they will
provide free energy evaluations and energy-saving measures for low income families in
electrically-heated homes. No investment is required on the part of the participants and
up to $214,900. in provincial money will come to Waterloo Region through this program,
in the form of energy conservation measures for low income families.
• Solar Assessment: this service evaluates a home's potential for solar water heating,
solar pool heating, and solar electricity, and provides a report to the homeowner
summarizing the results. The service is being tested now and will be ready to offer to
customers shortly.
Ms. Patterson informed the Committee that WRGS/REEP is requesting an increase over the
City's 2006 contribution of $20,000., as a result of their expansion of services to the community.
She outlined that Kitchener's support is vital to their continued operation and serves to leverage
funding from other municipalities, utilities, as well as the provincial government ($214,900. for
the Low Income Program}, for a total program value of $680,000. The Committee is requesting
Council's consideration of the recommendation as outlined above.
A copy of WRGS/REEP's August 2006 report is attached as background information.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
$25,000. grant to Waterloo Region Green Solutions CREEP) representing the City of Kitchener
contribution to their 2007 budget.
Colin Goodeve
Committee Administrator
""~~~
a~erlao Region green Salu~ons
Residential Energy Efficiency Project
A project of
Waterloo Region Solutions
PRESENTATION TO THE ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE,
CITY OF KITCHENER
Prepared August 2006
Prepared by
Mary Jane Patterson
Executive Director,
Waterloo Region Green Solutions
Highlights of 2006
BEEP becomes Green Community, offers new services
BEEP began 2006 as the newly-incorporated Waterloo Region Green Solutions ~WRGS) -
a community-based environmental non-profit organization. After 7 years as a project
of the University of Waterloo and the Elora Centre for Environmental Excellence, REEP
has graduated with their blessing to become its own "green community", a full member
of Green Communities Canada (GCC). We retain strong ties with both founding
organizations: they have mentored us through this transition and both are represented
on our new Board of Directors. We will continue to have research partnerships with the
University of Waterloo. We look forward to bringing the resources of our broader
network of green communities to Waterloo Region.
While we still intend to lead the country in EnerGuide for Houses evaluations, we are
now able to offer new services as well. For 2007, these are:
a) energy evaluations for churches and similar-sized buildings;
b) energy retrofits for low income electrically-heated homes (bringing $214,000 in
Ontario government funding to Waterloo Region);
c) solar assessments of a home's potential for solar energy.
Waterloo Region Green Solutions' mission statement:
Waterloo Region Green Solutions is an environmental non-profit working towards
healthier homes and sustainable communities. Through environmental programs and
services, public education, research and community partnerships, we provide citizens
with tools for sustainable resource use, energy conservation and efficiency, and
renewable energy applications.
Developments regarding EnerGuide for Houses
Federal grants cancelled: In May of this year the federal government cancelled its
support for the EnerGuide for Houses program. The subsidy for the cost of the evaluation
($100 each) was discontinued, effective immediately, as were the grants to
homeowners who've made their homes more energy efficient. Homes that had already
been evaluated under the program still have until March 2007, or until the money runs
out, to applyfora grant.
Community support and local funding enable REEP to continue offering EnerGuide for
Houses. We believe that the leadership role taken by our city councils and utilities is a
model for other communities. The federal government's contribution to the cost of an
evaluation has been restored by the three electric utilities in Waterloo Region: it is now
only $100 for Region residents to have an EnerGuide for Houses evaluation. Waterloo
Region now leads the province in participation in EnerGuide for Houses.
Thanks to Kitchener City Councillors for their support in passing a resolution urging the
federal government to reinstate the program, and for taking this resolution to the
Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Thanks to Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro for financial
support after the federal government withdrew, and to Kitchener Utilities for outreach
support to tell the community that we're still going.
At the time of this writing, a Green Plan is expected from the federal government.
Details are not known, but there is concern that any residential component may not
contain an audit to verify results. The possibility still exists that the provincial government
will take over EnerGuide for Houses.
Waterloo Region Green Solutions
New Services for 2006-2007
1. Greening Sacred Spaces: We received a grant this year from The Kitchener and
Waterloo Community Foundation to develop a protocol for evaluating the energy
efficiency of churches and similar sized buildings, after years of fielding requests from
churches to provide energy advice. The church audits will be accompanied by
outreach and education to faith communities of all denominations. We are
collaborating with Faith and the Common Good, aToronto-based group that has
received funding from Ontario Power Authority to develop education materials on
energy conservation for faith groups. We anticipate having a completed protocol and
education program ready to offer Waterloo Region churches and small commercial
buildings by the end of 2006.
2. Provincial low-income program for electrically-heated homes: Waterloo Region
Green Solutions is part of a pilot project with other green communities in the GCC,
under a contract with Ontario Power Authority ~OPA). The project will provide free
energy evaluations and energy-saving measures for low income families in electrically-
heated homes. No investment is required on the part of the participants. Measures
range from compact fluorescent lightbulbs to some airsealing and insulation. OPA plans
to roll this out on a broader basis after the pilot finishes in the spring. Up to $214,900 in
provincial money will come to Waterloo Region through this program, in the form of
energy conservation measures for low income families. We are working to connect with
social service agencies in Kitchener to help us identify eligible candidates for the
program.
3. Solar assessment. There is great interest in solar energy in our community, but the
average homeowner doesn't know how to take the next step, or whether their home
even has the potential for solar. We have now developed a solar assessment to bridge
that gap. The service evaluates a home's potential for solar water heating, solar pool
heating, and solar electricity, and provides a report to the homeowner summarizing the
results. The service is being tested now and will be ready to offer customers shortly.
Results in the City of Kitchener
January -July 2006
Our EnerGuide for Houses numbers are remarkably strong for this year to date
compared to last, in spite of the cancellation of federal support. In fact, we have
already well surpassed our promised targets of 145 follow-up evaluations, 363 tonnes of
C02 reductions, and $72,500 in federal grants to Kitchener residents see tables below).
Several factors have contributed to this:
1 J we had a busy winter season, compared to the warm winter of 2005, and this led
to higher participation in initial evaluations while the program was still federally
supported;
2) our local partners have stepped in to make sure that this service is still available
for their customers by providing the subsidy the federal government withdrew;
3) we made a concerted effort this year to reach out to past customers and
remind them of the grant possibilities, even before the federal axe fell and the
clock started ticking on grants. This has led to our highest numbers ever in terms
of follow-up evaluations and documented results.
Kitchener residents still comprise the highest proportion of our customers:
• 43~ of our initial evaluations
• 50~ of ourfollow-up evaluations
• 51~ of the C02 reductions in Waterloo Region this year
• 53~ of the grants awarded in Waterloo Region in 2006 so far.
Kitchener Results Summary Table
EnerGuide visits Jan-Jul 2006 Jan-Jul 2005 1999 to Jul 2006
Initial evaluations 190 191 3,633
Follow-up eval's 213 110 615
Associated Benefits Jan -Jul 2006 Jan -Jul 2005 Oct 03 -Jul O6*
C02reduced tonnes) 512 181 1,415
Grants received $148,740 $44,091 $347,868
Energy savings $106,500 $55,000 $307,500
Spending on retrofits 2 $639,000 $270,000 $1,845,000
*the federal grants began in October of 2003.
' estimated average of $500 per customer
2 estimated average $3,000 per customer
Public Education and Outreach to Kitchener Residents
1. REEP presented to the following groups/events in Kitchener in 2006:
o Earth Energy Forum with Community Renewable Energy Waterloo (CREW) at the
Kitchener Public Library -February 7, 2006
o Sustainable Building Talk at the Kitchener Public Library -March 2, 2006
o "Save moneywhile you save the planet" talk at the Kitchener Public Library- March
8, 2006
o Kiwanis Club of Kitchener -March 28, 2006
o "See you Sunday" women's group-April 2nd, 2006
o Energy and Environment Forum with KW Chamber of Commerce -April 19th, 2006
o Grade 12 students at St. Mary's High School -May 2nd, 2006
2. REEP participated in:
o Kitchener All Candidates debate, federal election-January 18, 2006
o KW Twin City Home Show -January 27th to 29th, 2006
o "Lunch and learn" at Grand River Hospital-March 22, 2006
o KW Spring Home & Garden Show-March 24 to 26th, 2006
o Community conversation series at the Kitchener Public Library- Mar 28, 2006
o Wind energy lecture with CREW at the Kitchener Public Library -Mar 29, 2006
o City of Kitchener Employee Wellness Fair -April 6, 2006
o Waterloo Region Apartment Manager's Association (WRAMA) trade show- April 12th,
2006
o Viewing of "the End of Suburbia" with the Kitchener Social Planning Council -April
20th, 2006
o Earth Day at the Kitchener Market -April 22nd, 2006
o Environment Fair at Cameron Heights School -June 16, 2006
o Roundtable discussion on environmental issues with Karen Redman -Jun 26, 2006
3.Outreach to Kitchener residents via electricity and natural gas bill inserts:
0 85,000 flyers in Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro's bills, Jan/Feb 2006
0 62,000 flyers in Kitchener Utilities' bills, July 2006
4. Media coverage:
o "Building Green" in The Record, April 22nd, 2006
o "Ottawa to end energy use tests in area homes" in The Record, May 13th, 2006
o "Whywould you cut a program like that?" in The Record, May 20th, 2006
o "Energy audits essential" in The Record, May 24th, 2006
o "Cancelling EnerGuide program was wrong" in The Record, May 29th, 2006
o "City wants EnerGuide resurrected" in The Record, May 30th, 2006
o "EnerGuide saved money" in The Record, June 7th, 2006
o "Energy audits rescued" in The Record, June 7th, 2006
o "High cost of status quo" in The Record, August 14th, 2006
o "Don't power-trip, blackout forum told" in The Record, August 15th, 2006
Proposal for 2007
Requested funding for Waterloo Region Green Solutions: $25,000
We ask for a modest increase over the City's 2006 contribution of $20,000, given the
expansion of our services to the community. Your support is vital to our continued
operations, and leverages funding from other cities and utilities, as well as the provincial
government ($214,900 for the Low Income Program), for a total program value of
$680,000.
Deliverables to the City of Kitchener
EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) initial evaluations: 250
EGH follow-up evaluations (till March 2007): 100
Tonnes of C02 reductions to be reduced: 250
Grants to come to Kitchener residents: $70,000
Energy savings per year (assume $500/customer): $50,000
Economic stimulus via retrofits (assume $3,000/cust): $300,000
Our challenge is to encourage participation in the program based on its own merits (as
we did for the first 4 years of REEP), without the federal grant.
Church evaluations: 3
Church congregations involved in public education: 7
Tonnes of CO2 reductions to be reduced: TBA*
Energy savings per year: TBA
Economic stimulus via retrofits: TBA
We have already received initial funding to develop this project, and will work with
churches to seek funding to roll it out in the community, so that they do not have to
bear the full cost of energy assessment and energy retrofitting.
low income electrically-heated homes:
Evaluations + basic measures, Kitchener residents: 40
Extended measures (insulation, airsealing, etc) 25
Tonnes of CO2 reductions to be reduced: TBA*
Energy savings per year: TBA
The province provides $100 per house for free energy-saving measures such as
compact fluorescent lightbulbs, and approximately $1,800 per house for extended
measures, such as airsealing and insulation. Some materials will be bought locally, and
others sourced collectively by Green Communities Canada.
Solar Assessments: 10
Tonnes of CO2 reductions to be reduced: TBA*
Energy savings per year: TBA
(*new programs, difficult to estimate results at this stage)
Waterloo Region Green Solutions (WRGS) plans for 2007
We have applied for a Trillium Foundation grant for the following organizational
development for ourfledgling community non-profit:
1. Register as a charitable organization in order to access foundation grants for
communitywork in Waterloo Region.
2. Board development- increase size and diversity of Board of Directors.
3. Strategic planning -establish broad goals and objectives for WRGS.
4. Business plan -outline new services and activities to be undertaken that meet
community needs, reduce greenhouse gas and smog-related emissions, and do
not duplicate services already available.
Public Benefits of Reducing Residential Energy Use
Reducing home energy consumption reduces the emissions that contribute not only to
climate change, but also to smog and acid rain. A number of additional benefits result
for homeowners and forthe community at large:
aJ retrofits of aging housing stock help to preserve older parts of town;
bJ the local economy is stimulated through energy cost savings and purchasing
home renovation equipment and labourlocally;
c) community resources and capacity are increased by employing local Certified
Energy Advisors and UW co-op students;
dJ the public is educated about energy issues and their effect on public health and
global sustainability;
e) the City of Kitchener achieves its own environmental goals of "continual
reductions in energy consumption" and promoting "a sustainable energy use
lifestyle through public education and the increased use of renewable energy
sources".
f) we reduce our reliance on non-renewable and increasingly expensive fuels.
Conclusion
REEP's proven track record as a community-based project provides a solid foundation
for the new non-profit environmental organization, Waterloo Region Green Solutions.
Waterloo Region finally has a green community of its own, with the potential to address
a variety of energy- and resource-related issues that affect our residents.
Partners and Supporters
REEP's success is a direct result of its community and federal partnerships. We are proud
to announce community partnerships on all publicity materials and at community
events.
REEP was founded by:
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waterloo
Funding for REEP in 200b was provided by:
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Local Foundations Kitchener and Waterloo Community Foundation
In-kind support for REEP also provided by:
o Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro
o Kitchener Utilities
o Waterloo North Hydro
o Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro
o University of Waterloo
o Elora Centre for Environmental Excellence
WRGS
BUDGET 2007
Waterloo Region Green Solutions
Proposed Budget for 2007
EnerGuide EarthWise Churches Lowlncome Solar Org Dev
Assumptions
Initial evaluations to be conducted 530 160 8 112
Follow up evaluations (B-labels) 270 75
Public education campaign -churches 15
Extended measures for low income elec heat 70
Solar assessments 10
Total 800 235 15 112 10
Client price - A-labels $100 $100 TBA $0 TBA
Client price - B-labels $0
Federal homeowner subsidy per B-label $100
Kitchener Utilities contribution per Kitchener resident $60
Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro/NRCan per customer* $100
Waterloo-North Hydro/NRCan per customer* $160
Cambridge & N Dumfries Hydro/NRCan * $160 $35
*hopefully federal government returns its subsidy
Electric utility contribution - B-labels $50
OPA contribution per initial evaluation $100
OPA contribution er extended measure $1,850
Revenue
Variable revenue (depends on # of evals completed)
Client fees - A-labels $53,000
Client fees - B-labels $0
Federal homeowner subsidy - B-labels $27,000
Kitchener Utilities $12,600
Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro/NRCan $21,000
Waterloo North Hydro/NRCan $25,600
Cambridge & North Dumfries Hydro/NRCan $25,600 $1,540
Electric utilities - B-labels $13,500
OPA -basic measures $11,250
OPA -extended measures 132 275
Subtotal variable revenue $178,300 $1,540 $143,525
Fi xed revenue, project specific
Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro $25,584
Trillium Foundation $75,000
Ontario Power Authority (OPA) $71,375
HRDC 3 960
Subtotal project specific funding $29,544 TBA $71,375 TBA $75,000
Bold .confirmed for 2007
9/28/2006
WRGS
BUDGET 2007
Community partners for2007 REEP/WRGS
Region of Waterloo $50,000
Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro $25,000
Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro $25,000
Waterloo North Hydro $30,000
City of Kitchener $25,000
City of Cambridge $15,000
City of Waterloo 15 000
$185,000
Variable revenue (detailed above) $323,365
Fixed revenue, project specific (detailed above) $175,919
Total anticipated revenue $684,284
Expenses
salaries
certified energy advisors, OPA project mgr $184,090
office, customer service & marketing staff $187,893
co-op/graduate students $14,850
benefits, mandatory payments 52 688
salaries subtotal $439,521
non-salary expenses
communications (telephone, fax, postage) $7,800
occupancy (insurance, rent) $11,540
supplies (includes OPA retrofits) $148,325
marketing, outreach $28,500
equipment $6,000
training, professional development, program developrr $7,100
travel, mileage $1,800
outside services (bookkeeper, legal, bank) $12,120
board, org development $6,800
overhead (to UW and Green Communities Canada) 13 670
total non-salary expenses $243,655
Total expenses $683,176
Sur lus (Deficit) $1,108
9/28/2006