LiveSmart at Work

Choose to take advantage of new ways to make your business more energy efficient. Have a free walk-through assessment to identify opportunities to save money and energy. Benefit from increased incentives from BC Hydro and FortisBC, participate in the LiveSmart Champion program, replace inefficient lighting with energy efficient technology. Save on power bills. Save on heating and cooling costs. You Choose, You Save.

NEWSFLASH: $1.6M for LiveSmart BC Small Business program extension into 2014

VICTORIA - The $1.6-million LiveSmart BC: Small Business program will be extended another year, until March 31, 2014 announced Rich Coleman, Minster of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas and Naomi Yamamoto, Minister of State for Small Business. This successful program, launched in January 2011, will continue to help British Columbia small businesses save energy and money by making energy efficient improvements such as replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. The program has served over 10,000 British Columbia businesses, helping them save 150 gigawatt-hours of electricity or enough to power 13,500 homes for one year. It has also saved over 1,620 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions... Read More...

February 15, 2013

BC Interior Retailer Bridges Gap and Sheds New Light on Energy Efficiency Investment

This is the story of Ken and Karin Bridge, small business owners in Cranbrook, who took climate action by upgrading the lighting in their interior furnishings store via provincial rebate incentives coordinated by local Business Energy Advisor Marilyn Christensen. Now they are saving money and the environment.

Karin and Ken Bridge, standing amidst the new lighting in the beautiful showroom of Bridge Interiors Bridge Interiors in Cranbrook recently went through a massive renovation which included upgrading their lighting. The 44,000 sq.ft building used inefficient fluorescent fixtures mounted in high ceilings, incandescent exit signs and incandescent outdoor lighting. Overhead costs associated with inefficient lighting were significant.

...A Cranbrook electrical wholesale outlet had initially talked to owner Ken Bridge about the recent advances in lighting efficiency and how Ken could save energy and money by installing more energy efficient lighting...

...Small Business Energy Advisor Marilyn Christensen provided details about how the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program, funded by the provincial government, could help reduce the cost of Ken's new lighting (and reduce Bridge Interior's energy use), and also reduce his energy bills...

January 7, 2013

GreenStep: Eat Fresh

This is the story of David Mathieson, owner of a few Subway Restaurant locations in Kelowna, and his Fresh outlook on energy after receiving LiveSmart BC Small Business Program incentives and GreenStep’s business energy advisory service which include free walk-through energy assessments that identify potential energy and money saving opportunities within his business operations.

Savings & ROI

Annual Savings: $1,223
Incentives: $1,350
Payback: 3.0 years
3 Year ROI: 80%
Energy Savings: 13,405 kWh

December 3, 2012

The Next Course – BC Hydro’s super sustainable and energy efficient project featuring forage restaurant

All good things must come to an end. O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar located in the Listel Hotel closed its doors on June 2, 2012 after 40+ years of serving Vancouver.

So, how does a restaurant known for its deliciously eco-friendly experience prepare for the next 40 years? That’s a good question (and the first of many). The Next Course follows chef Chris Whittaker, his team and an enthusiastic cast of partners and sponsors through the re-invention and renovation of O’Doul’s into a model of forward-thinking dining.

Next Course is a joint project between BC Hydro and partners including the Green Table Network, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Natural Gas (through the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program); the Food Service Technology Center, various kitchen appliance vendors; and O'Doul's Restaurant/the Listel Hotel.

To find out more about forage and the Next Course project, please visit:
http://thenextcourse.ca/
http://www.bchydro.com/news/conservation/2012/odouls-restaurant-renovations.html

June 13, 2012

Prince George Hotel Discovers a Treasure Trove of Energy Savings

Treasure Cove Hotel.

As a young and local company we are always looking for ways to improve our efficiency, lessen our environmental footprint, and reduce costs.

We knew that the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program can help us by offering a free energy audit.

Following the assessment and with the help of our Business Energy Advisor we were able to take advantage of the BC Hydro Product Incentive Program.

We replaced 400 incandescent bulbs in our guest rooms with high efficiency LED bulbs. This was quick and easy and took approximately 2 days to complete with one full time staff. Read More...

@TreasureCovePG- Congratulations on your great success story... read more at LiveSmartBC.ca/blog ! #climateaction #energy #green
— LiveSmart BC (@LiveSmartBCca) June 13, 2012

Read More...

May 11, 2012

Mini Storage, Mega Savings

General Store-All, a mini-storage facility located near Marine Drive and Oak Street in Vancouver, has been providing residents and businesses with self-storage rooms since 1986. Owner, Allan Sutherland, heard about the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program and decided to find out more.

Through the LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program, General Store-All was eligible for a free energy assessment with a Business Energy Advisor, as well as thousands of dollars in incentives through BC Hydro and LiveSmart BC to help make the improvements more affordable.

Doug Horn, a LiveSmart BC Business Energy Advisor working with the City of Vancouver, provided the facility with a free energy assessment in November 2011. The assessment report outlined two key energy conservation opportunities: upgrading the existing linear fluorescent lighting used throughout the storage facility to a more efficient type and replacing over 300 incandescent bulbs with high efficiency LED lights.

Allan learned that his business is eligible for incentives...

Read More...

LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program Helps BC Businesses Go Green and Save

The three year LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program will make it easy for thousands of BC small businesses to save money and reduce their energy consumption.

The $15 million LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program is funded by British Columbia’s $100 million Climate Action and Clean Energy Fund. The Fund supports programs that advance British Columbia’s commitment to reduce energy consumption, cut greenhouse gas emissions and stimulate economic growth.

Click here to find out how to participate.