Pepsi Centre Energy Reduction Feasibility Study City of Corner Brook

The City of Corner Brook, NL, will study the technical and financial feasibility of various options to reduce energy demand and operational costs at the Pepsi Centre, a large recreation and conference facility. With a population of 20,000, and the influx of some 20,000 commuters from neighboring municipalities, the city is taking steps to balance economic, environmental and social priorities. This initiative will help Corner Brook achieve milestone three of the Partners for Climate Protection Program and will allow the city to reinvest the cost savings in improvements to the facility and its programming. Built in part to support economic development, the Pepsi Centre is an 111,000-square-foot recreation and conference centre that houses two ice rinks, a field house, meeting rooms, a fitness centre and walking track. Inefficiencies have led to increased operating expenses and higher user fees, resulting in fewer bookings and added pressure on the centre’s operating board. Building on a phase one energy project to improve the centre’s lighting, insulation and systems automation, the proposed second phase aims to reduce energy consumption for refrigeration and mechanical systems. Studying energy-efficient systems will identify ways to save money, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and conserve natural resources. The city will hire an engineering firm to determine the root cause of high energy consumption, and develop a mitigation plan and implementation strategy. In particular, the team will examine the potential for a new heat recovery system. Preliminary estimates show a potential 35 per cent energy reduction (savings of $217,000 annually) and a 94 per cent reduction in fuel oil consumption. GHG emissions are expected to be reduced by 688 tonnes per year or 87 per cent — equivalent to taking 140 cars off the road. The city anticipates a payback period of 10 years or less. Furthermore, the city will be referring to the federal recommissioning guidelines during this study. As with phase one, the city will issue media releases and other publications to share knowledge and lessons learned from this second phase of the Pepsi Centre energy project. The city is also willing to offer support to other municipalities looking at similar initiatives. (Project description from original funding application)