| June
2008 |
BC is the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce a consumer-based carbon tax, which will apply to virtually all fossil fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas, coal, propane, and home heating fuel.
The new carbon tax will begin July 1, which will cause natural gas to rise from $0.50/GJ in 2008 to $1.50/GJ in 2012.
To help people adjust to the cost of the tax, all British Columbians will receive a one-time $100 cheque this June.
In support of this environmental initiative, Prism will be matching the government's contribution for each employee who applies their $100 to any carbon reduction project, whether it be replacing an appliance or equipment in their home with a more energy-efficient model, re-sealing windows and doors, or buying a bus pass.
|
| February
2008 |
How would you like to save a million dollars? Two of Prism's clients have done it in less than five years! Through a series of innovative upgrades, the operating costs at 650 West Georgia and BCIT's Burnaby Campus were reduced so dramatically that a savings of over $1,000,000 has been realized at each location. In reducing their energy consumption, both organizations also demonstrated their commitment to reducing their impact on the environment. To read the full story, click here for 650 West Georgia and here for BCIT.
|
| April
2008 |
Vancouver City Savings Credit Union is the first North American-based financial institution to be carbon neutral!
Being carbon neutral means that the CO2 emissions Vancity creates are now equal to the emissions it has reduced or offset elsewhere. This goal was achieved through a rigorous emissions reduction program focusing on energy use, staff travel, paper consumption and waste.
Prism Engineering has been tracking Vancity's energy use continuously since 1996, and has helped them complete energy improvement projects in over 44 locations in BC.
Over the last 10 years, Vancity has cut its energy use per employee by 50%, incidents of staff driving to work by 13%, and its paper consumption by 30%, saving well over $2 million in energy costs alone.
Prism is proud to have helped Vancity in achieving this goal.
|
| February
2008 |
How would you like to save a million dollars? Two of Prism's clients have done it in less than five years! Through a series of innovative upgrades, the operating costs at 650 West Georgia and BCIT's Burnaby Campus were reduced so dramatically that a savings of over $1,000,000 has been realized at each location. In reducing their energy consumption, both organizations also demonstrated their commitment to reducing their impact on the environment. To read the full story, click here for 650 West Georgia and here for BCIT.
|
| January 2008 |
Prism is pleased to announce that Vancity Savings Credit Union has
achieved the highest recognition level from CSA Climate Change's GHG
Registry: Gold Champion Level Reporter.
The Climate Change GHG Registry is a voluntary national registry of
greenhouse gas baselines, targets, and reductions. The primary
objective of the Registry is to challenge organizations to demonstrate
actions and undertake projects that contribute towards the reduction of
Canada's GHG emissions. Developing a champion level GHG Action Plan
requires tracking and monitoring energy consumption, which provides
opportunities to focus corporate efforts on savings.
Prism has worked closely with Vancity over many years, conducting and
implementing energy studies and projects for over 45 branches in the
Lower Mainland and Victoria. We helped develop and update an Energy
Policy and Action Plan for the organization, and currently provide
on-going monitoring and tracking services for all their locations.
To learn more about the Registry, click here.
|
| October
2007 |
The “Association of Energy Engineers” (AEE) has approved Majid Pishvaei from Prism Engineering as a Certified Measurement and Verification Professional (CMVP). Majid Pishvaei and Elina Poversky attended a BC Hydro-sponsored, two-day course on “International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol” in May of 2007. They both successfully completed the AEE exam held on the third day. Majid received his CMVP designation due to his past experiences on various measurement and verification projects.
|
| July
2007 |
Prism's Robert Greenwald attended an international conference in June 2007 for Energy Efficiency in Motor Driven Systems in Beijing, China. He presented a paper on Monitoring, Targeting and Reporting with Mr. Kevin Wallace of BC Hydro. The conference attracted delegates from utilities, energy management consultants, manufacturing companies, and governments from all over the world. Click here to see the abstract of MT&R: A Pathway to Continuous Improvement in Energy Management in both English and Chinese. For more information, contact Robert at robert@prismengineering.com
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| May
2007 |
In conjunction with the Building Operators and Managers Association of BC (BOMA), Prism developed an online training course on energy management for building operators of commercial and institutional buildings. The course will help operators identify and implement energy savings initiatives and raise awareness, improving the energy use practices in the commercial sector. For more information and to register, go to http://www.bomalearning.com/.
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| February
2007 |
Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency has honoured two of our clients with “EnerGuide for Existing Buildings” awards. These awards are presented to organizations across Canada who undertook outstanding energy-saving projects without any financial incentive from the program.
Great West Life Realty Advisors enlisted Prism's help with retrofits to a 34-storey office building in Vancouver, including new chillers, cooling towers, variable speed drives for fans, building automation, heat recovery, and awareness programs. Simon Fraser University has been working with Prism since 2000 on various energy management and retrofit projects.
Both organizations shared the “Western Region” award for the highest percentage energy savings. For more information, click here.
|
| January
2007 |
In our on-going efforts to serve our clients better, Prism has recently acquired an innovative new measuring tool; a portable meter for measuring and logging liquid flow.
Portable flow meters can be used to validate HVAC systems to ensure they are working at their optimum, to measure flow rates in remote locations without power or simply as a survey tool to test existing in-line flow. Many applications do not accommodate for the installation of a full-bore flow meter. As such, non-invasive ultrasonic clamp on flow meters can be used to accurately measure the flow of any liquid without any modification to the existing pipework.
This measuring technique has no effect on the flowing liquid. The ultrasonic sensors are clamped onto the outside of the pipe, thus eliminating the need to dismantle the pipe work and interrupt the process.
For more information, contact majid@prismengineering.com.
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| December
2006 |
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineer (ASHRAE) Technology Awards program recognizes, on an international scale, successful applications of innovative design, which incorporate ASHRAE standards for effective energy management, indoor air quality, and mechanical design management technology.
The local Chapter in British Columbia nominated candidates for the international award and announced the winners at the December ASHRAE BC Chapter meeting. Prism is pleased to announce the innovative technological concepts employed for the retrofit project at Vancouver Centre at 650 West Georgia Street were acknowledged with a 2006 Technology Award for Modernization of Mechanical Systems in the Existing
Commercial Building category.
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| October
2006 |
Prism has been developing online training programs for the Building Operators and Managers Association (BOMA), a 12 to 16-hour online course sponsored, in part, by the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The course is in development mode and will be offered in early 2007. This energy management course for building operators of commercial buildings will be delivered online, in a self-learning format. This method will allow participants to learn at their own pace, as well as provide access from remote locations. Click here for more details.
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| August
2006 |
Robert Greenwald, P.Eng., MBA, has been appointed as President to succeed founder Brian O'Donnell, who has led Prism for the past 16 years. “The selection of Robert as the next president of Prism ensures decisive leadership informed by technical knowledge and good judgment.”Robert is an experienced energy engineer and advocate of innovative solutions to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility. He joined Prism as an Engineer-in-Training following completion of his education in mechanical engineering at the University of Waterloo in 1991. In 1995, while completing his Masters in Business Administration at the University of British Columbia, he was promoted to Vice President. Robert has extensive knowledge and experience in the energy management industry, and a strong relationship with many of Prisms clients.
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| May
2006 |
Congratulations to Vancity, a BC Hydro Power Smart Certified Customer, for being recognized for excellence in environmental sustainability at BC Hydro's award ceremony earlier this month. BC Hydro awarded Canada's largest credit union the honor for numerous projects undertaken in 2005, including lighting redesign and retrofits, installing occupancy sensors, and replacing all exterior fluorescent and neon signs with LED lighting in all their branches. Prism has been Vancity's engineering consultant since 1991, and continues to work with their team to increase energy awareness and identify new energy-saving initiatives.
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| April
2006 |
Prism is pleased to welcome Alvaro Sandrin to our team. Alvaro brings with him over 20 years of experience in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in the development of energy-efficient HVAC systems. His focus on new technologies to improve energy efficiency are in line with Prisms mission to provide innovative solutions in addressing building comfort, efficiency, reliability and sustainability.
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| March
2006 |
BC Hydro recently introduced a Power Smart program to help reduce electricity costs by matching voltage to equipment requirements. Prism has been working closely with BC Hydro in developing and implementing the Electrical Distribution System Optimization (EDSO) program, which identifies cost-effective ways to achieve optimal performance and efficiency of an electrical distribution system.
In February, Prism received an award for our work in Energy Management with BC Hydro, and in recognition of the EDSO studies we have implemented. For more information on EDSO, click here.
|
| January
2006 |
Bentall Real Estate Services, one of North America's largest property management companies, has approved Prism as their electrical and mechanical engineering consultant for all tenant renovation projects for 1075 West Georgia in Vancouver.
Prism has been providing engineering consulting services for Bentall buildings across Canada for over a decade. Projects undertaken include renovations, energy audits, HVAC, electrical and lighting design and implementation, with a focus on energy efficient and cost-effective operating systems and practices. Bentall's commitment to the environment has also prompted them to work with Prism in certifying several buildings under the Building Operators and Managers Association's "Go Green" program, an initiative that promotes the reduction of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
|
| November
2005 |
The
buildings industry is actively looking for ways to do its
part in addressing concerns about conserving our natural resources.
Governments are examining issues surrounding use of energy,
waste management and the generation of pollutants with increasing
urgency. In 2004, the Building Operators and Managers Association
(BOMA) of BC launched the “Go Green” program for
commercial buildings, recognizing buildings managed with a
commitment to environmental responsibility.
Prism Engineering has participated in projects with more
than half of the 40 currently-certified buildings to help
them attain their Go Green status, including Bentall Towers
1 through 5, Vancity, and the Nokia Building.
|
| |
| October
2005 |
Vancity
has been awarded Gold status from the Canadian Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) Challenge Registry’s program with the submission
of their latest Energy Management Action Plan.
This Registry is Canada’s only voluntary, publicly-accessible
national registry of greenhouse gas baselines, targets,
and reductions. The objective of the Registry is to challenge
companies to demonstrate meaningful actions which contribute
towards the reduction of Canada’s GHG emissions.
Prism Engineering has been assisting Vancity in identifying
opportunities for savings and tracking and monitoring energy
consumption. Congratulations to Vancity for continuing to
show leadership in utilizing emerging technologies, such
as LED lighting for exterior signage, and promoting low
emission automobiles to the public by offering lower interest
rates on loans for qualifying vehicles.
|
| |
| September
2005 |
Prism
is pleased to welcome Ed Delos Santos and Fiona Ricketson
to our team. Ed is a Senior Mechanical Designer with 30 years
experience in HVAC design and 8 years experience in CAD design
and drafting. Fiona spent eight months with Prism as a co-op
student during her studies and has re-joined us since graduating
from the University of British Columbia last year. |
| |
| August
2005 |
Congratulations
to Ivanhoe Cambridge for receiving the Earth Award from the
Building Operators and Managers Association (BOMA) BC for
the Metrotower Office Complex in Burnaby. The 600,000 ft2
office complex was subject to a $1M lighting retrofit with
the help of Prism, resulting in a $150,000 annual cost savings.
BOMA's Earth Award recognizes office buildings and building
management that have achieved exceptional level of quality
and excellence in environmental "friendliness" and
energy efficiency. |
| |
| April
2005 |
Robert
Greenwald, Senior Energy Manager and Vice President of Prism
Engineering, recently facilitated two Energy Management Workshops
for the Industrial and Commercial sectors for the City of
Quesnel in conjunction with Natural Resources Canada. Click
here to read the reviews of some of the workshop attendees,
as well as find out some of the costs and savings their businesses
have experienced with energy management programs. |
| |
| March
2005 |
Prism
is pleased to welcome Stan Ma, PE to our team. Stan is a Mechanical
Engineer with over ten years of experience, specializing in
HVAC design and having a strong interest in the energy management
field. We look forward to working with Stan and utilizing
his HVAC expertise as we continue to grow and provide our
clients with quality engineering consulting services. |
| |
| February
2005 |
Prism Engineering was retained
by Northwest Community College to perform an audit of lighting systems, assess the performance
of the existing systems and identify opportunities for improvement throughout their campus
facilities. Click here to read their article on this energy
conserving upgrade. |
| |
| December
2004 |
BC Hydro Rate Increase Finalized
The interim BC Hydro rate increase that began in April 2004 has been rejected by the BC Utilities Commission. The BCUC has since approved an increase of 4.85%, which means we will get a rebate for overcharges paid during the period from April to November 2004 (see http://www.bchydro.com/ for details). The rebate will amount to about $10 per household and $23 per $1,000 spent for commercial buildings.
Find out how to make your utility costs even lower by better managing your energy use visit http://www.prismengineering.com/ for more information.
|
| |
| September
2004 |
Prism
is proud to announce that three members of our team, Andy
Munro, LC, Patricia Baker, EIT and Brian O’Donnell,
P.Eng., are now certified LEED professionals.
“Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED)
is a voluntary standard for developing sustainable buildings,
and has quickly evolved as the standard for new and major
renovation green building projects for institutional
and commercial structures. This Fall, a new program for
existing buildings - “LEED EB” - will be
launched by the Canada Green Building Council, and Prism
will be able to assist clients in obtaining LEED certification
for their existing buildings.
|
| |
| August
2004 |
Natural
Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE)
has just announced their 2004/2005 ”Dollars to $ense” workshop
schedule. Working with the OEE for the past six years,
Prism is pleased to be facilitating the upcoming Western
Canada sessions. To learn more about how these energy management
workshops can benefit your organization, and to register,
click here.
A .Pdf version of the schedule and registration form can
be downloaded here for your convenience:
Dollars
to Sense 2004-2005
Registration Form
Along with the regular scheduled OEE workshops throughout
Western Canada, Prism also provides customized energy-saving
workshops, tailored to your industry, organization, and
technical understanding of your audience. For more information
on training services Prism can provide for your company,
click here.
|
| |
| May
2004 |
Prism
is pleased to welcome Patricia Baker, EIT to our team.
Patricia is a Mechanical Engineer (EIT) with a strong interest
in building sustainability and energy management. We look
forward to having her learn and grow with us in the years
to come. |
| |
| April
2004 |
Prism
is excited to announce two of our projects have recently
been recognized by Canada’s Climate Change Voluntary
Challenge and Registry Inc. (VCR Inc) for consistent effort
in greenhouse gas reduction and natural gas and electrical
energy savings.
The VCR Inc “Leadership Award” was presented
to both Langara College and School District 34 (Abbotsford)
for commitment to the environment and conservation of
natural resources. Prism has been working with both Langara
and SD 34 to identify energy saving measures, areas for
improving operating procedures, and providing advice
on upgrading equipment to help them earn this prestigious
award. Congratulations to Langara College and School
District 34!
|
| |
| March
2004 |
Everyone today is interested in ways of reducing energy
costs. Prism Engineering understands that you are concerned
with energy efficiency and want to keep informed of the
latest energy management trends, innovation and technology.
On behalf of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Energy
Innovators Initiative, we have developed several Technical
Fact Sheets, the most recent being "Premium-Efficiency
Motors" and "Economizers for Packaged Air Conditioning
Units". Other Fact Sheets of interest include information
and tips on lighting, HVAC, and building controls.
Click here to view these and other fact sheets.
|
| |
| December
2003 |
Prism
is pleased to announce our recent membership with the Building
Owners and Managers Association of British Columbia (BOMA
BC). BOMA is the largest commercial real estate industry
association in the province and has a vision to “be
recognized as the principal voice, through leadership and
advocacy, for the commercial real estate industry."
Prism is proud to have been involved in the chiller
replacement, retail HVAC upgrade, energy audit, and "Tenant
Energy Awareness Day" for BOMA's TOBY award-winning
Brookfield Properties Royal Center Office Tower. Read
more about this project.
For more information about BOMA, see their website at
www.boma.ca
|
| |
| November
2003 |
Prism is proud to announce our recent membership with
the Canada Green Building Council. The Council is a coalition
of representatives from various segments of the design
and building industry, and is currently being developed
to promote the design and construction of more sustainable
buildings. Our membership helps us support a better built
environment by participating on committees and having
input on green buildings.
For more information about the Canada Green Building
Council, see their website at http://www.cagbc.org/index.php
|
| |
| September
2003 |
BC
Hydro and Natural Resources Canadas (NRCan) Office of
Energy Efficiencys Dollars to $ense workshops are designed
to help you identify the energy saving opportunities within
your facilities. Building operations staff, facility and
maintenance managers, and plant engineers will benefit
from these practical workshops facilitated (in western
Canada) by Robert Greenwald, P.Eng., MBA and Brian ODonnell,
P.Eng. The workshops include a series of hands-on demonstrations
and provide instructional materials to take back to your
workplace and share with your colleagues. See NRCans website
for their 2003 2004 schedule
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/workshops/index.cfm
|
| |
| August
2003 |
Prism
Engineering is pleased to welcome Sunny Dhannu to our team.
Sunny, recently graduating from UBC with a degree in Electrical
Engineering, worked with us as a Co-Op student in 2000
and 2001. He brings an impressive set of electrical and
computer skills in a diverse range of programs to Prism,
and we look forward to having him learn and grow with us
in the years to come. |
| |
| July 2003 |
Congratulations to Vancouver-Whistler for being selected as Host City for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games on Wednesday, July 2, 2003. Special congratulations to our clients Whistler/Blackcomb Mountain Resorts, PavCo (BC Place), Simon Fraser University, and the University of British Columbia, who will be hosting sporting events and the opening / closing ceremonies for the Winter Games.
For more information, visit the official site of the Vancouver 2010 Bid Corporation at http://www.winter2010.com
|
| |
| June 2003 |
The Building Owners and Managers Association of BC (BOMA) recognizes the best of BC's buildings and building services. At this year's award presentation event on May 22, 2003, the TOBY (The Office Building of the Year) was awarded to Brookfield Properties' Royal Centre office tower, in honor of their commitment to energy efficiency, building accessibility and efficient service to tenants.
Prism is proud to have taken part in these recent projects with Brookfield at this building:
- Chiller Replacement
- Retail HVAC Upgrade
- Energy Audit
- Tenant Energy Awareness Day
For more information on the BOMA awards, see their website.
For more information on Royal Centre and Prism's involvement in this award-winning project, see our case study.
|
| |
| May 2003 |
Prism was pleased to attend the 2003 BC Hydro Power "Partner Excellence Awards" on May 2, 2003. Prism is proud to have been a part of the following award-winning projects:
- Canada Post, The Hudson's Bay Company, and the North Vancouver School District were presented with Power Smart Awards for excellence in pursuing energy efficiency improvements.
- VanCity Credit Union and the University of British Columbia were acknowledged as Power Smart Certified Customers, businesses whose "exceptional achievements and commitment to energy efficiency have placed them in the upper echelons of energy efficiency leadership".
Read more about the awards at BC Hydro's website.
|
| |
| March 2003 |
Prism Engineering was awarded a project to design and implement a $2.5 million lighting upgrade at Simon Fraser University |
| |
| February 2003 |
In February of 2003, Prism Engineering was awarded the Standing Offer for Facilitation Services for the Dollars to $ense Workshops in Canada’s Western Region. They were ranked as the #1 team from all applicants |
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