Ile-des-Chênes New Energy-Efficient Community Centre
Type of initiative
FCM Green Municipal Fund - Capital Project
Sector
Energy
Project value$4,813,000
Project Type
Capital Project
Sub Sector
Building – New – Energy efficiency
Grant amount$300,333
Program type
GMF
Municipality
Rural Municipality of Ritchot, MB
Loan amount$1,501,667
Status
Fully Disbursed
Population
7,469
Project timeline
2010 - 2012
Project number
11006
Description
The Regional Municipality of Ritchot, located in south central Manitoba, plans to build an energy-efficient community centre in the bilingual town of Ile-des-Chênes (IDC). The 30,000 square foot IDC community centre will house a day-care facility, walking track, medical clinic, dental office, and a 500-seat banquet hall. With a population of just under 2,500, IDC is the region’s largest community, but important community and health care services are either not available or inadequate. Given the region’s projected 12 per cent growth over the next 25 years, municipal officials have prioritized improved infrastructure and the ability to offer a wider range of services locally.
The centre incorporates design features intended to reduce the building's energy consumption and operating costs, and will include a geothermal district system which will also serve the existing arena and fire hall. Designed to achieve LEED Silver standard, the community centre will be equipped with heat recovery ventilators, and will rely on energy-saving features such as well-insulated walls and roofs, triple-glazed windows and compact fluorescent lamps. In addition to heating and cooling the building, the geothermal system will preheat hot water, thereby eliminating the need for natural gas furnaces. The system’s design will achieve a 60 per cent reduction in annual energy consumption relative to the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. The geothermal connection will reduce the arena's energy consumption by 54 per cent and the fire hall's energy consumption by up to 70 per cent. The three buildings together will consume less energy that the arena’s and fire hall’s current consumption.
This project will also address the level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by area residents who must travel outside the region to access social, recreational, fitness and health services. Ritchot’s 2007 GHG inventory found that transportation accounts for 77 per cent of the municipality's GHG emissions, with 85 per cent of that total coming from personal vehicles. The new community centre will significantly reduce GHG emissions by providing key services that are currently not available locally.
The Regional Municipality of Ritchot will be the first Manitoba municipality with a geothermal district system operating three municipal buildings, and is willing to share its experience and knowledge with any municipal government looking to develop similar initiatives.
(Project description from original funding application)
Project results
- 2 tonnes of GHG emissions avoided
- 1858 GJ of energy savings per year
Applicant
Rural Municipality of Ritchot, MB