Got this neat post from Iain Robertson, General Manager of RePower Canada, who we interviewed last year about energy audits.
Saskatoon hotel goes green
The Confederation Inn in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has a small carbon footprint, thanks to the renewable energy and energy retrofits implemented by owner Brian Sawatzky.
He has taken action to reduce energy costs and GHG emissions by installing solar panels and investing in energy-efficient lighting.
The solar panels help supply the hot water for the guest rooms, restaurant, beverage room and indoor pool. The system provides about half of the required energy and is expected to have a payback period of six years.
Energy efficiency measures
- Solar energy. Forty solar panels heat the hotel’s water, resulting in savings of $7,000–$8,000 per year. Natural gas is used to heat the water on cloudy days.
- High-efficiency lighting. Incandescent light bulbs in the rooms and hallways were replaced, at a cost of $700. The payback period was under a year. High-efficiency fluorescent lights were installed, with reflectors added to direct the light downwards. Light-emitting diode (LED) lights were installed in the hotel’s meeting room.
- Low water consumption. Shower heads were replaced with low-flow fixtures. The hotel is switching to low-flow toilets.
- Energy-efficient appliances. In the past, the restaurant used an energy-guzzling conveyor-belt toaster. This was replaced by pop-up toasters, which consume one tenth of the energy.
Thoughts? As far as retrofits go, a lot of these measures are relatively inexpensive. Inspired?
