FEI-FEVI 2010 EEC Report filed March 31, 2011 - FortisBC

FORTISBC ENERGY INC. AND FORTISBC ENERGY (VANCOUVER ISLAND) INC.
2010 ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT
6.2 2010 Conservation for Affordable Housing Program Area Results
While 2009 laid some good foundations in research, facilitation, and planning, 2010 saw the
launch of two significant Conservation for Affordable Housing programs, the completion of an
insightful study, and investments made under the Ministry of Energy and Mines Low Income
Partnership grant. We also laid further groundwork on a much expanded program offering for
2011.
Despite the added time required to effectively collaborate with partnering utilities, the
Companies successfully launched two Conservation for Affordable Housing programs in 2010:
the Residential Energy and Efficiency Works (“REnEW”) program and the Energy Saving Kit
(“ESK”) program. The REnEW program is an innovative approach to energy efficiency trades
training that simultaneously provides support to individuals facing barriers to employment. The
ESK program provides a bundle of easy-to-install energy saving measures to low income
customers.
In 2010, the Companies also saw the completion of the Strategic Energy Management Plan, a
study that provided insight into the energy performance of over 900 buildings in the non-profit
housing sector. Amongst many insightful findings, the study highlighted the importance of
educational and engagement programs in the non-profit housing sector, as well as the need for
dedicated energy professionals working in non-profit housing organizations.
The Companies continue to work collaboratively and in partnership with the Ministry of Energy
and Mines on programs and projects focused on low income customers. This partnership
involves a $5.155 million grant that was awarded to the Companies in March 2009. The work
completed in 2010 under this grant was specific to a new initiative, the Super Efficient New
Construction (“SENC”) project, which seeks to incent both new construction that is far more
efficient than current building code requirements and new housing units for low-income tenants.
It’s important to note that activities associated with the Low Income Partnership grant are
described within this report; however, they are incremental to the EEC portfolio and thus are not
included in the EEC portfolio TRC calculations, or the Conservation for Affordable Housing
program area TRC calculations.
Further, the Companies have laid the groundwork for greatly expanded programming in the low
income sector for 2011. The Companies have made good progress in a partnership with BC
Hydro on the Energy Conservation Assistance (“ECAP”) program, which will be the first program
to provide deep energy savings for low income gas customers through the direct installation of
measures such as furnaces, draft-proofing, and insulation. Work also continued on a study that
focuses on the opportunities within the complex co-operative housing sector of BC and a study
that explores energy efficiency opportunities within the mobile home sector.
As demonstrated in the table below, the Companies have invested a total of $324,000 in 2010
and achieved a program area TRC score of 0.7 in FEI and 1.6 in FEVI. The main reason for the
variance between FEI and FEVI is that the Companies have not implemented a REnEW session
in the FEVI territory. In 2011, the intent is to expand the REnEW program into the FEVI territory.
The Companies endeavoured to deliver the REnEW program in the FEVI territory in 2010;
SECTION 6: CONSERVATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS Page 106