Lighting the way to a greener future

Medicine Hat - In partnership with the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre’s (MCCAC) Community Energy Conservation program, funded by the Government of Alberta, the City of Medicine Hat has completed LED retrofits at 12 local facilities as part of an on-going effort to find operation cost savings and efficiencies within the organization.

The MCCAC grant program provided $430,000 towards the completed project. These energy efficiency upgrades use LED technology to replace less efficient, aged infrastructure such as metal halide, high pressure sodium and fluorescent lights.

After reviewing the age, condition and rating of existing light fixtures, city staff targeted those with the highest energy consumption and those nearing the end of their useful life. The upgrades occurred at the following 12 facilities:

• 364 Kipling Street SE
• Medicine Hat Regional Airport
• Big Marble Go Centre
• City Hall
• Co-op Place
• Environmental Utilities Brier Park
• Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre
• Fleet/Transit
• Kinplex
• Kiwanis Centre
• Medicine Hat Police Service
• Solid Waste on 16 Street SW

In total, the project replaced 2,357 lights and updated 883 fluorescent tubes to LED retrofit bulbs. The new fixtures use on average between 30 to 50 per cent less power, greatly reducing electrical consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In some cases, like Coop Place, the team replaced lamps that used 320 watts with even brighter lamps that only use 85 watts.

According to the MCCAC’s lighting calculator, the project will reduce lifetime greenhouse gases (GHG) by an estimated 3,662 tonnes and save $97,960.98 in utility costs annually.

“We are grateful to the MCCAC for their support towards energy improvements at our municipality. With their help, we’re reducing our impact on the environment and seeing meaningful cost savings at the same time,” said Kevin Schaaf, Superintendent of Facilities Project Management.

“Medicine Hat's comprehensive lighting retrofit activities demonstrate how bundling energy efficiency upgrades can have a positive impact. We're pleased and impressed with how the City leveraged the Community Energy Conservation program” said Trina Innes, Executive Director of the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre.

The Municipal Climate Change Action Centre is a partnership of Alberta Municipalities, the Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and the Government of Alberta. Funding for the Community Energy Conservation Program was provided by the Government of Alberta.

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