Volume 3 - Program & Project Ideas (PDF - 4.5 - Natural Life Network

Natural Resources Canada – Community Energy Systems
Some countries, such as Sweden and Denmark, have mandated community energy
planning by statute, but community energy planning is a relatively new concept in North
America.
- Case study: Vancouver, BC
In January 2002, Greater Vancouver embarked on an innovative initiative called Cities
Planning for Long-Term Urban Sustainability - or cities PLUS . As part of an international
competition, Greater Vancouver represented Canada in showing how a large metropolitan
area can reach the destination of sustainability over the next 100 years.
Canada received the grand prize for this submission at the International Sustainable
Urban Systems Design competition.
For additional information, contact http://www.citiesplus.ca/
- Case study: San Francisco, CA, USA
The City of San Francisco developed a community energy plan, called the Sustainability
Plan for San Francisco. It deals with 15 areas including: air quality; biodiversity; energy,
climate change, and ozone depletion; food and agriculture, hazardous materials; economy
and economic development; environmental justice; risk management; human health;
parks, open spaces and streetscapes; solid waste; transportation; water and waste water;
municipal expenditures; and public information and education.
Source: For additional information, contact http://www.sustainable-city.org/
- Case study: Perth, ON
The Town of Perth is implementing educational, economical and environmentally
friendly projects throughout the community as part of its goal to reach its targeted 20 per
cent reductions in greenhouse gases by 2010. It breaks projects into categories dependent
on the following teams: green team, building team, transportation team, and
communications team.
• Greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution are reduced. For example, a
Christmas tree light timer program reduced emissions by about 4.5 tonnes in
the first year, and achieved pay back within the first month of installation.
• Community-wide retrofit program should decrease CO2 emissions by an
estimated 21,000 tonnes per year from 1997 levels.
• Residents purchased more than 8,200 trees in spring 2000; this will reduce
CO2 emissions by about 70 tonnes a year.
Sources: CMHC. 2001. Ecoperth: A Small Rural Municipality Takes Action of Climate Change.
Issue 82 http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/index.html FCM. 2000. Ecoperth: A
Community-based demonstration of greenhouse gas reductions: Perth, Ontario
http://www.fcm.ca/scep/case_studies/action_plans/perth_action_sum.htm
For additional information, contact ecoPerth, Bob Argue, Manager ecoPerth, 83 Gore Street
East, Perth, Ontario, K7H 1J1. Tel.: 613-267-1128, fax: 613-267-6696. E-mail:
reic@perth.igs.net Web site: www.ecoperth.on.ca
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