Feb 21st, 2019

OCHC and Enbridge partner up for conservation

February 21, 2019 – Join Ottawa Community Housing, Enbridge Gas Inc. to celebrate another successful partnership on two projects – one that reduces OCHC’s carbon footprint and provides savings on utility costs, and another that rewards the conservation of natural gas.

Thanks to Enbridge, 1,200 smart thermostats are destined for OCHC communities, which will save an estimated $78,000 in utility costs across the portfolio and will reduce our C0² emissions by 488 tonnes – or the emissions of 94 vehicles in one year. The thermostats are being provided under Enbridge’s Home Winterproofing Smart Thermostat Program.

Also, under the Affordable Housing Multi-residential Program, Enbridge will be presenting OCHC a $400,000 cheque for reduced gas consumption in 2018. The incentive is the result of work done through 20 large capital projects that replaced mechanical equipment, like boilers and air makeups, to reduce OCHC’s natural gas consumption.

WHEN: February 22, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

WHERE: 985 – A Morrison Drive – Community House portable

WHO: Enbridge Gas Inc and Ottawa Community Housing and the following dignitaries:

• Ottawa-West Nepean MPP Jeremy Roberts
• Mayor Jim Watson
• CEO of OCHC, Stéphane Giguère
• Natalie Armstrong, a representative from Enbridge
• Mathieu Fleury, Chair of OCHC, Councillor, Rideau-Vanier Ward
• Rick Chiarelli, Councillor, College Ward

PHOTO OPP: Media are welcome to attend the event. The best time for photos will be between 10 and 10:30 a.m.

PARKING: Visitor parking is available at 1009 Morrison Drive and 2544 Draper Avenue.

 QUOTES

This is a great example of the public sector partnering with private industry to conserve and create a more sustainable and efficient living space for the families that depend on Ottawa Community Housing.
– Jeremy A. Roberts, MPP Ottawa-West Nepean

The City of Ottawa applauds the partnership between Enbridge and Ottawa Community Housing. In addition to saving in utility costs and reducing harmful CO² emissions and gas consumption, these programs help protect our environment, build sustainable and environmentally mindful communities and reinvest into green initiatives. – Jim Watson, Mayor, City of Ottawa

Programs such as the installation of the smart thermostats are not just about new technology. As part of the program, tenants will be instructed on their use, which in turn helps to encourage sustainable, energy-saving practices. In addition to tenant focused conservation, each year, OCHC invests in improving the efficiency of its buildings. As an example, in 2018, thanks to the work done through the SHARP program, OCHC reduced the use of natural gas by 450,000 m³ and reduced CO² emissions by 844 tonnes – the same amount that 675 acres of forest would remove from the air in a year. – OCHC CEO Stéphane Giguère

These partnerships are just one example of how OCHC seeks out partnership to help build better, more sustainable communities. OCHC has a robust Eco2Plan, and working with organizations such as Enbridge, helps us to reach those goals. – Mathieu Fleury, OCHC Chair, Councillor Rideau-Vanier

The money from Enbridge’s incentive program comes full circle through the OCHC Green Fund and helps to foster community-level conservation programs. It’s great to see these elements coming together to work on new initiatives to foster sustainable communities. – Rick Chiarelli, Councillor, College Ward

Highlights

• The incentive funds were based on 20 capital projects that replaced boilers and air makeup units, 16 of which were funded through the Social Housing Apartment Retrofit Program
• The capital work was completed in 12 communities and impacted more than 3,000 tenants
• 1,200 smart thermostats will save an estimated $78,000 in utility costs across the portfolio
• Replacing the non-programmable thermostats will reduce C02 emissions by 488 tonnes, or the equivalent of what 94 cars produce
• Smart thermostat benefits also include monitoring of the HVAC system and alerting to possible issues
• Solar generation, retrofits and incentives generated $860,000 in savings for OCHC in 2018

About Enbridge Gas Distribution

Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. has a 170-year history and is Canada’s largest natural gas distribution company. It is owned by Enbridge Inc., a Canadian-based leader in energy transportation and distribution, and has ranked as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations for the past nine years. Enbridge Gas Distribution distributes natural gas to over two million customers in Ontario.

 About OCHC

Ottawa Community Housing (OCHC) provides approximately 15,000 homes to over 32,000 tenants, including seniors, parents, children, couples, singles and persons with special needs, within many communities across the City of Ottawa. OCHC houses a diverse population of varying languages, ethnicity and cultures. OCHC is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa, managing two-thirds of the City’s social housing portfolio, and is the second largest in Ontario. OCHC was selected as one of the National Capital Region’s Top Employers for the second consecutive year in 2019.

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 For additional information, please contact:

Jennifer McIntosh – Communications and Marketing Specialist – OCHC – Tel: 613-914-9953

jennifer.mcintosh@och.ca