How the Energy Conservation Assistance Program helped PossAbilities
Contributor: Jackie Kanyuk, Asset Management Coordinator, BCNPHA
Republished from InfoLINK Spring 2019
BCNPHA helped PossAbilities access ECAP funding to upgrade their buildings, including this group home.
The Energy Conservation Assistance Program helped posAbilities Property Manager Nancy Green incorporate energy-saving measures in their affordable housing building and some of their staffed residential homes.
Green recently shared with us her experience: “I heard about ECAP on the radio, and then from BC Housing, and through BC Non-Profit Housing Association. I even signed up my own home before I signed on our buildings.”
When she did begin the process of signing up the properties in the PossAbilities portfolio, Green connected with BCNPHA’s asset management team for support. “I approached BCNPHA, which was a fantastic experience. BCNPHA was instrumental in helping us get the paperwork started and that was really helpful.”
Once signed up, the tenants were visited by an ECAP service provider who directly installed water aerators and LED bulbs in suites for free to help ease tenant utility bills through energy savings. The building was also eligible for free refrigerators through ECAP, which were delivered right to the suites.
But the work didn’t stop there. “One of the group homes had a boiler that was super old and not energy efficient,” Green recalls. “It was in a state of rapid deterioration, and the hot water tanks were in poor condition as well.”
ECAP provided an assessment and determined the project was eligible for funding to go towards a new boiler coupled with a hot water tank through the same program. PossAbilities had a new high efficiency condensing wall-hung boiler installed along with a 120-litre stainless steel domestic hot water tank.
“This was one of our health homes where there’s a high demand for hot water,” Green said. “The new boiler has made a big difference with no problems.”
When asked if she had feedback for other building operators Green said,
“Absolutely, I recommend funding higher efficiency equipment. I found BCNPHA so helpful and they were able to answer any questions that I had.”
Being a housing and service provider to persons with developmental disabilities, Green specifically noted the link between high efficiency equipment and hassle-free building operations. “When you work with a lot of vulnerable people, having equipment that works helps make things run smoother. You need to replace equipment anyway so if you can get a rebate back by going high efficiency, you save money buying the system and on your bill. Why wouldn’t you?”
If you’re interested in signing on for the Energy Conservation Assistance Program, contact energy@bcnpha.ca.