Implementing energy efficiency upgrades to Woodstock’s AYR Motor Community Centre

Upgrades to The Town of Woodstock’s AYR Motor Community Centre will help reduce the building’s energy consumption, resulting in significant cost savings and contributing to the town’s vision of developing a more sustainable community. The centre, which consists of an arena, a swimming pool and a field house, provides services to residents and other nearby communities. The proposed building upgrades include installing a low emissivity ceiling and a cold-water flooding system for the ice rink, replacing the ice plant chiller and pool HVAC systems, and adding on-site photovoltaic cells. Innovative aspect: • A number of innovative solutions, such as a low emissivity ceiling for the ice rink and ice plant heat recovery for the swimming pool, will result in significant energy cost savings Replicability: • High potential for replication in small communities with similar community recreation centres across Canada Environmental benefits: • The proposed energy efficiency upgrades will reduce the centre’s yearly energy consumption by approximately 44% (5,397 GJ/year) • Supported by the municipality’s Community Greenhouse Gas and Energy Action Plan, this project is part of Woodstock’s vision of achieving a low-carbon and smart-energy community in an economically viable way Economic benefits: • The centre is an important community asset with a significant amount of the town’s annual budget attributed to it—the reduced operating and maintenance costs will greatly improve financial performance • Expected annual operating and maintenance costs savings of $147,025 • Expected payback period of 12.7 years with a calculated internal rate of return of 3.25%   Social benefits: • As the only facility of its kind in western New Brunswick, the project will provide an additional return on investment of local taxes, allowing the town to provide other services to the community • The upgrade will promote the movement of young families to the community versus outlying rural areas • The facility attracts major trade shows, and the municipality will further market the centre as a major tourist attraction in western New Brunswick (Project description from original funding application)