Rocky Mountain SD No. 6: Operations and Maintenance Fleet is Ready to Go Electric

In the fall of 2022, the Operations team at Rocky Mountain School District No. 6 contacted Prism Engineering to help them explore the potential to reduce carbon emissions and operating costs by replacing some of the District’s fossil fuel-powered maintenance and operations fleet with electric vehicles (EVs).

Prism’s study determined that Rocky Mountain School District No. 6 can meet its operational needs, reduce annual fleet costs, and cut energy consumption and carbon emissions by nearly 80% by electrifying a portion of its fleet.

The School District has three operations yards and 35 maintenance and operations vehicles, including light, medium, and heavy-duty models, as well as several school buses for student transportation. It serves 3,500 students across 18 schools in Golden, Invermere, Kimberley, and surrounding communities. It is located on the unceded lands of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa People and the chosen home of the Metis People of BC.

Prism provided the School District with an EV Ready Fleet Plan designed to meet the requirements of CleanBC’s Go Electric Fleets Program, a provincial initiative that supports public and private fleets’ transition to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The project also included an EV Charging Infrastructure Assessment and the development of an EV Charging Strategy.

“We conducted a full assessment of their existing fleet of maintenance and operations vehicles and evaluated the existing electrical and charging infrastructure at their three operations yards to determine if the School District has sufficient electrical capacity to support EV adoption,” explains Julianne Pickrell-Barr, Climate Action Specialist at Prism Engineering.

Zero-emission calculator to evaluate impact

Prism’s Electrical and Sustainability teams worked together to evaluate the School District’s needs. Our Sustainability team developed a Zero-Emission Fleet Assessment Calculator to help identify which district vehicles can be electrified and quantify the financial and carbon emission reduction benefits of doing so.

“A variety of vehicle replacement options were considered in the evaluation process. Each vehicle selected and included in the plan was chosen based on several aspects, such as suitability to meet needs and preferences, purchase cost after incentives, and availability in Canada,” says Julianne.

The Sustainability team used the calculator to compare two scenarios. The first looked at the impact of transitioning to EVs across various factors, including carbon emissions, capital costs, operational and maintenance costs, and carbon offsets. The second looked at these same factors if the School District’s current vehicles were replaced with like-for-like models.

The EV Ready Fleet Plan also includes projections of the number of Low Carbon Fuel Credits the School District could potentially earn from EV fleet charging and estimates of the current market value of those credits, adding further value to the study.

Assessment of the charging infrastructure needed

Meanwhile, the Electrical team completed an Electrical and EV Charging Infrastructure Assessment by evaluating the School District’s existing infrastructure and comparing this to its future charging needs based on the fleet transition schedule created by the Sustainability team.

With this information, Prism was able to develop an EV Charging Strategy, which can be used to help the School District plan for the future by identifying the number and types of chargers it will need, as well as the level and timing of electrical infrastructure upgrades (including electrical service upgrades) required to support EV fleet vehicle charging.

“Prism’s contributions have been pivotal in creating a path forward for our changeover to electric fleet vehicles,” says Russell Wagner, Operations Supervisor at Rocky Mountain School District No. 6.

“Their team left no stone unturned, meticulously analyzing every facet of our EV Fleet and Infrastructure Project. And their rigorous analysis ensured that no potential issue went unnoticed, resulting in a comprehensive strategy that addressed all challenges, leading us to 2035,” adds Lisa Clifton, the School District’s Operations Coordinator.

80% reduction in GHG emissions

Prism found that almost 75% of the School District’s current fleet could be replaced with electric vehicles since the vehicles would mainly serve three central locations with a range below 350 km (refer to Figure 1). Meanwhile, for the two vehicles that routinely complete longer trips, Prism recommended plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The medium and heavy-duty trucks used for snow plowing were identified as exceptions since no viable EV options currently exist in that category.

Figure 1: Maximum daily driving distance by location and vehicle category.

The assessment also found that EV adoption could reduce the School District’s total annual fleet costs (including capital and operating costs) for six of the next ten years, even considering the required electrical infrastructure upgrades and EV charger installations. In addition, EV adoption could significantly impact the organization’s carbon footprint, reducing GHG emissions by nearly 80% by 2036 (refer to Figure 2).

Figure 2: GHG emissions projections under EV scenario.

Ready to transition to EVs

Prism is now supporting the School District to implement the EV Ready Fleet Plan.

“This level of thoroughness instilled us with confidence that our project was in the best possible hands and allowed us to obtain additional grant funding for the next phase of the project, Charging Infrastructure and Vehicle Procurement, for which we have opted to keep Prism engaged,” explains Russell Wagner.

As part of this phase, the Electrical team will provide detailed design drawings for the electrical and EV charging infrastructure upgrades required. The team will also provide implementation assistance during the tender and construction phases.

The Sustainability team will provide specifications for EV procurement and implementation coaching to help smooth the School District’s transition to electric vehicles. As part of this coaching, the team will support the School District to gain internal buy-in and support for this initiative, as well as help staff become more familiar and comfortable with the new EVs entering their fleet.

Figure 3: Gino Folino, of the Operations team, at one of the SD’s EV charging stations.

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Transportation Decarbonization Planning

Learn more about EV Ready Fleet funding programs:
BC Hydro Electric Fleets
CleanBC Go Electric Fleets
CleanBC Go Electric School Bus
Federation of Canadian Municipalities Green Municipal Fund (Transportation)
Zero Emission Transit Fund

In the last couple of years, British Columbians have been impacted by several extreme weather events, including a devastating forest fire near Kelowna last summer and an intense rainfall causing catastrophic flooding in the Fraser Valley in 2021. Adapting to climate change and mitigating the risks associated with a warming climate is becoming a necessity for many organizations across the province, and around the world. To help organizations assess the impact of extreme weather events on their infrastructure and make informed decisions, Prism Engineering developed a Climate Resilience Assessment Tool.

Our Energy, Mechanical, and Sustainability teams collaborated to create this valuable new resource that combines climate data and site-specific information. With our technical support, building owners and managers can generate a report that provides actionable recommendations to prepare and adapt to climate change by understanding site-specific measures available to mitigate potential risks.

“The framework we’ve developed is important because it prioritizes the actions that should be taken to improve the resilience of buildings in the face of extreme weather events,” explains Sam Thomas, Principal and Kootenay Branch Manager.

“Many organizations are unaware of what they should do to better adapt to a changing climate. Some are hesitant to get expert advice because of the associated efforts involved. The tool is intended to make it more accessible and easier for them to anticipate the impacts of climate change,” he adds.

A scoring system to assess vulnerability

To use the tool, a user enters information about a building’s location, use and attributes. Buildings constructed using significant combustible materials, for example, may pose a greater risk in areas prone to wildfires. Similarly, facilities in regions affected by floods could be at risk if their backup generators are placed at ground level.

The tool then uses the inputs provided by the user along with publicly available climate data to estimate the likelihood and consequence of a climate event on different aspects of the site. This is achieved by applying a scoring system, as shown in the chart below. The overall score is determined by multiplying the likelihood rating by the consequence rating. The scoring is intended to help the user make informed decisions based on the level of risk and priorities.

“The goal is to determine each possible scenario, the likelihood that a certain climate event might be an issue for the facility and the consequences if it does happen,” explains Sam.

Scoring system chart.

After analyzing the data, the tool generates a report with a concise summary of suggested measures. The increasing frequency of heat waves, for example, could trigger investing in building envelopes to reduce the indoor temperature. Similarly, the smoke from frequent forest fires might require modifications to the filtration and ventilation systems.

“One of the main advantages of this tool is that building owners or managers can use the information they already have about the facility to carry out the assessment themselves,” explains Sam. “This makes it quick and easy for them to identify what measures they can take to enhance their climate resilience,” he adds.

Prism is here to support your organization’s climate adaptation journey

We have extensive technical expertise to support your organization through its climate adaptation journey and proactively prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Reach out to our Climate Action Specialist to discuss how our services can best support your organization.

Related Services

Climate Action
GHG Planning
Low Carbon Electrification
HVAC

We are delighted to share that two new Associates joined the Prism Leadership Team this fall.

Prism Associates are individuals with the experience, expertise, and passion to help grow our company to have an even bigger impact. Each Associate takes on company-level responsibilities, leading different aspects of our business, from quality assurance to business development to employee wellbeing. Our Associates also support the growth and development of our junior team members and are key to fostering our company culture of care and collaboration.

Bartjan Kiers joined Prism in March 2020. He brings a wealth of experience in heating and cooling plant upgrades and low-carbon implementation projects. Bartjan has been instrumental in supporting the Mechanical Team and the expansion of our presence in the Okanagan region, where he is based at our Kelowna office.

Julianne Pickrell-Barr is a valuable addition to our Sustainability Team, bringing with her extensive experience in climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Since she joined Prism in 2021, Julianne has helped us to expand our sustainability services and provided support to our clients in various areas, such as assessing GHG emissions footprints, developing practical, action-based climate action and sustainability plans and climate-hazard assessments, among others.

Learn more about our Principals and Associates.

Changing systems for a better world reflects how we see today’s transition to a low-carbon future. A move that can no longer be performed in isolation but by adopting a holistic approach that includes building systems, technology, and people.

“We are all experiencing the impacts of climate change. Organizations are setting targets, and we, as a consulting firm, want to be part of the solution”, says Robert Greenwald, P.Eng., President of Prism Engineering.

“We are updating building systems so that they can operate using less energy and generating lower emissions. We are applying innovation and technology to solve problems differently than we had in the past. And we also recognize the need to change organizational systems, which includes setting policies, running programs, and changing the ‘culture’ of how we use energy,” he explains.

The new purpose statement is part of the development of our 5-year strategic plan and was defined with the participation of all staff.

“It is the result of several internal meetings that have been held since last year and involved benchmarking assessments, focus group activities, leadership workshops and surveys,” explains Sarah Smith, M. Urb., Sustainability Team Leader.

Greater focus on carbon impact

For 33+ years, Prism has been driven by the mission of supporting our clients to achieve energy efficiency and improve building performance to reduce their impact on communities and the environment.

“We were successful at achieving energy savings of 20, 30 and even 40% for energy projects for many years. But that is no longer enough, and we need to consider the carbon impact of the energy sources that we are using”, explains Robert. “This means a greater emphasis on transportation (vehicles and fleets) and more integrated solutions that can deliver 70, 80 and even 90% carbon reduction”, he adds.

The new purpose statement also meets a change in the mindset of building owners and energy managers. With greater awareness of sustainability, carbon emission reductions, and climate change, clients are now thinking beyond short-term payback criteria.

“What hasn’t changed is the need clients have for a trusted partner to advise on solutions that work.  We take pride in having long-term relationships with them and we are always looking for ways to add value to our work, ” says Robert.

Larger umbrella of services

Extreme weather events and the need to increase resilience to climate change, the accelerated EV evolution, the changes in regulation and how to get support to move projects forward are some of the work we have increasingly done to help clients transition to a low-carbon economy and prepare for a changing climate.

“We have our roots in energy management, but there has been a growing need to respond to clients and the industry with other services,” explains Sarah. “Our purpose statement also needed to be adapted to reflect the expansion of our services over the years,” she adds.

By applying an integrated approach with a larger and more multidisciplinary team, Prism today is uniquely positioned to support clients to meet those multiple objectives.

“We can support them with a more holistic set of services to help them achieve their climate goals and make significant progress in improving performance and decarbonizing their operations,” says Sarah.

Prism staff during event to release our new purpose statement. From left to right: Brian O’Donnell, Founder; Robert Greenwald, P.Eng., Principal and President of Prism Engineering; Sam Thomas, Principal and Kootenay Branch Manager; Maia Penco, Senior Mechanical Designer; San Khangura, Senior Electrical Designer; Stephen Kooiman, P. Eng., M.A.Sc, Mechanical Team Leader.

Prism is here to support your organization’s success.

Interested in making the most of your energy use and reducing your carbon footprint?
Connect with our Team

Read more about our services
Decarbonization Planning
Energy and Carbon Upgrades
Transportation Decarbonization Planning
Sustainability Engagement

Heat pumps and heat recovery chiller installations are one of the most common Low Carbon Electrification (LCE) opportunities for buildings to improve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions, particularly when the electricity grid is relatively clean. However, organizations often end up facing the same challenges when implementing these systems.

To help provide some guidance on considerations that impact the quality of installations and their performance, Prism Engineering, with support from BC Hydro, has developed ‘Lessons Learned from LCE Projects’ – a practical document with best practices that energy managers and facilities staff can use when working on these projects.

The material was based on a workshop facilitated by Prism this past January for the BC Hydro Commercial Energy Manager Program. The session gathered input and feedback from numerous energy managers who shared their challenges when implementing LCE projects.

“There is a lot of value in learning from others,” says Robert Greenwald, P.Eng., President of Prism Engineering. “By having this initiative, we created an environment of trust, where energy managers could feel comfortable interacting with each other, sharing experiences, and learning from the expertise of our team at Prism,” he adds.

The document emphasizes the importance of commissioning properly. It is divided into different phases of LCE projects – Study, Design, Installation, Operations and Maintenance – so that users can easily identify challenges and solutions in each of them.

“Our goal was to transform the discussions into a legacy document that would go beyond the workshop. There is a lot of good and useful information energy managers can learn from this material, which is just a preliminary step to more in-depth studies in the future”, explains Robert Greenwald.

Download ‘Lessons Learned from LCE Projects’ (PDF)

Related Projects

City of Vancouver | Kitsilano Community Centre Heat Recovery
School District #36 Surrey | Hybrid Heat Pump System
Interior Health Authority | Lillooet Hospital Electrification
Fraser Valley Regional District | Hope Recreation Centre Geo-Exchange Heat Recovery

We are proud to be a place that values diversity and inclusion. As the world celebrates Women in Engineering Day, we are thrilled to have so many incredible women on our staff contributing every day to helping our clients achieve their energy and sustainability goals.

Today, women represent 41% of our staff working in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) roles. Not only are we committed to having an engaging, supportive, and respectful workplace for women, but we are also motivated to provide support and inspire future generations to pursue a career in Engineering and Sustainability.

To celebrate this important date, we asked our staff from these areas what message they would like to share to inspire current and future engineers. Here is what they have to say:

Learn more on how Prism has been supporting women in our community:

Partnering to support women in need
International Women in Engineering Day in June
Congratulations to the first Prism Engineering Award Winner at Langara College

Middle row: Pamela Subia, Electrical Engineer-in-Training; Taniell Hamilton, Sustainability Engagement Specialist; Sewa Odufuwa, Energy Management Professional; Sarah Coleman, Associate & Sustainability + Engagement Specialist; and Yan Lee, Mechanical Engineer-in-Training.

Bottom row: Lizz Hodgson, P.Eng., Energy Management Engineer; Julianne Pickrell-Barr, Climate Action Specialist; Kimia Yaganeh, P.Eng., Business + Project Manager (PUMA); Maia Penco, Senior Mechanical Designer; and Shannon Hardman, Strategic Energy Management Coach.

New legislation is on the horizon that will make it easier for strata corporations and owners to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at home. According to the new rules, strata corporations and property management companies will be required to complete Electrical Planning Reports to outline each building’s current electrical capacity and plan to meet future EV charging station needs.

“Electrical Assessment and Planning Reports are important because they provide a roadmap to help navigate and prepare for the transition away from gas-powered equipment, which has already begun and is accelerating,” says Adam Franklin, P. Eng., Associate and Electrical Engineer at Prism Engineering.

The reason is simple: installing EV charging stations increases the electrical load on a building’s existing electrical distribution system. This additional use and load may not have been considered as part of the original design. By conducting an initial electrical systems assessment, building owners can avoid putting the entire electrical system at risk.

“Overloading the electrical system could trip the main breaker, shutting off power for the entire building. It could also damage electrical equipment resulting in costly and unplanned repairs or replacements,” Adam explains.

Taking future electrical needs into consideration

Consider if each resident in a building receives a Level 2 EV charger, the current standard for new residential and commercial facilities. That additional load could easily double the electrical demand of the building.

“This means that unless the building is currently using less than 50 percent of the available capacity, load management or alternative configurations will need to be utilized to avoid overloading the systems,” Adam adds.

Electrical Assessment and Planning Reports are also useful for identifying equipment that needs replacement. The typical life span for most electrical distribution equipment is 25–40 years. This is an essential consideration in BC, where many buildings’ systems are already within this range.

“Buildings must also consider their future electrical needs to allow them to adapt to the ever-changing world. Rather than simply replacing electrical equipment with newer versions of what they have now, they should consider the addition or changing loads that will be required now and into the future,” explains Adam.

How Prism can help

Our team has the technical expertise to prepare comprehensive Electrical Planning Reports for your buildings. By conducting a detailed assessment, we can help you identify the options available and the necessary steps to take before installing EV charging stations at your buildings. In addition, we can help you navigate the rebates and incentives available to support these projects.

Our Electrical Planning Report includes the following steps:

1. Assess the on-site electrical distribution equipment, including capacity ratings and condition.
2. Analyze historical utility data, including peak loading and seasonal trends.
3. Calculate additional loads. (E.g., EV charging, cooling, etc.)
4. Review load management options.
5. Confirm the preferred option(s).
6. Provide a summary report, which outlines the available options, required infrastructure upgrades and cost estimates.

In addition to assessments and reports, Prism also provides education and training to stakeholder groups. Topics include: transitioning to low-carbon energy sources, the benefits of new technologies, and the impact of reducing GHG emissions at your facility. Ask us about customizing a session for your audience.

Prism is here to support your organization’s success.

Interested to learn more?
Connect with our Electrical team

Read more about our services
Decarbonization Planning
Electrical Planning Report
EV Charging
Low Carbon Electrification

Learn more about EV charger rebate programs
BC Hydro
Fortis BC
Clean BC Go Electric EV Charger Rebate Program Guide (PDF)

Building strong relationships with our customers is one of Prism’s core values. Our partnership with Langara College is no exception. As a forerunner of energy and emissions reduction in BC, Langara came to Prism in the late 1990’s looking for guidance for their voluntary reporting on carbon emissions to the Federal Government. Since then, our multi-disciplinary teams have been helping the college every step of the way in their energy and emissions reduction journey.

Our support has ranged from reporting GHG emissions to conducting energy audits and Low Carbon Electrification (LCE) projects, as well as creating a Strategic Energy, Management Plan (SEMP) and the implementation of deep carbon retrofit projects. Over 20+ years of our working relationship, not only are we proud to have actively participated in the evolution of their climate ambitions, but also in contributing to student academic success.

Most recently, Langara has taken another bold step towards creating a more sustainable campus with the implementation of a District Energy system that will significantly help to decarbonize their operations.

“Our success is really about their success. If they are able to meet the needs of students, staff, and the operations at Langara while reducing energy and carbon, then we’ve done a good job in helping them do that”, says Robert Greenwald, P. Eng., President of Prism Engineering.

Watch the video to discover how our strong working relationship with Langara College has helped them move towards their climate action goals:

Explore 20+ years of successful stories with Langara College: 

Case Study: Langara Energy Savings (PDF)
Building Deep Retrofit: Langara College
Congratulations to the first Prism Engineering Award Winner at Langara College

The work conducted by Prism Engineering to support organizations in achieving higher energy efficiency while implementing measures to accelerate the decarbonization of their operations has been recognized with six ASHRAE BC Technology Awards for the years 2021-2022 and 2019-2020.

The awards recognize innovative projects that have been implemented for more than one year and with substantial results in the areas of occupant comfort, indoor air quality and energy conservation.

“These projects are great examples of our core values,” says Robert Greenwald, P.Eng., President of Prism Engineering. “We want our work to have an impact, we want to nurture strong relationships with our clients, we want to deliver quality projects that perform,” he adds.

From left to right: Tim Aske, P.Eng., Energy Team; Iram Green, P. Eng., Energy Team Leader; Stephen Kooiman, P. Eng., M.A.Sc, Mechanical Team Leader; Hamid Samani, P. Eng., Principal and Senior Mechanical Engineer; and David Roberts, P. Eng., Mechanical Engineer.

The award-winning projects are:

2021-2022 

• BC Chapter Award for Hillcrest Community Centre Optimization and Second Place in Region XI in the Existing Commercial Building Category.
• First Place in Region XI and a BC Chapter Award for New Afton Mine Chiller Replacement in the Industrial Category.

2019-2020

• First Place Region XI, BC Chapter and Society Award for Kitsilano Community Centre Deep Carbon Retrofit. Existing Institutional Category.
• Second Place Region XI and BC Chapter Award for Surrey Taxation Data Center Boiler Replacement. Existing Commercial Building Category.
• Second Place Region XI and BC Chapter Award for Langara College Building A, AHU Upgrade. Existing Education Facilities Category.
• Second Place Region XI and BC Chapter Award for Richmond Hospital Cooling Upgrade. Existing Health Care Facilities Category.

Multi-step approach to achieve carbon reductions

There are some common traits among our award-winning projects. First, they all involved a multi-disciplinary team of Energy, Mechanical, and Electrical professionals from Prism. The large scale of the projects required a team approach with different areas of expertise to meet the objectives of each project.

Additionally, not only were the projects built upon a comprehensive study to assess best opportunities for energy savings, but most importantly to find new ways to advance decarbonization.

“This enabled us to present multiple options to the organizations, so that they could analyze each one of them carefully and make an informed decision”, explains Stephen Kooiman, P.Eng., M.A.Sc, Mechanical Team Leader. “They are all large projects with good energy savings and decarbonization opportunities. We achieved the biggest impact by focusing on where the most energy was being consumed,” Stephen says.

With the recommendations in hand at the end of the study phase, our team put in place an implementation plan that addressed both the client’s budget and an optimized pathway for energy and emission reductions.

“The retrofits go beyond energy savings to achieve significant carbon reductions using technologies that work”, explains Robert. “Our clients are making strides to meet their long-term carbon reduction targets and we are helping them on their journey. I am really proud of how our staff collaborate and challenge each other, on a continuous basis, to get the results and long-term performance demonstrated through these awards,” he adds.

Here is a brief overview of each award-winning project:

Hillcrest Community Centre

Project: System optimization, pool heating, and control system redesign.
Innovation: Redesign of pool heating, domestic hot water (DHW), and control systems to enable heat recovery in the facility.
Results: $92,000/year in energy cost savings and 700 tonnes of CO₂e/year in GHG reduction.

New Afton Mine

Sarah Anderson, P. Eng., at New Afton Mine, receives the ASHRAE Award from Robert Greenwald, P. Eng., President of Prism Engineering.

Project: Chiller replacement
Innovation: Installation of low-pressure centrifugal water-cooled chiller to integrate existing fresh water supply into chillers’ condenser loop.
Results: 1,160 MWh/year reduction in electricity consumption.
Learn more

Kitsilano Community Centre

Project: Heat recovery
Innovation: HVAC systems retrofit (rink and community centre facilities), with integrated ice plant recovery system connected to central heating plant of both buildings,
Results: $70,000/year in energy cost savings and 82% decrease in GHG emissions.
Learn more

Surrey Taxation Data Centre

Project: Boiler replacement
Innovation: Implementation of dual return condensing boilers, with cascading loads and demand feedback, to allow building to operate in condensing mode during heating season.
Results: $28,000/year in energy and maintenance cost savings; 65.5 tonnes of CO₂e/year in GHG reduction.
Learn more

Langara College (Building A)

Project: HVAC upgrade
Innovation: Use of fan array and reconfiguration of AHU; upgrade with minimum disruption to campus life.
Results: $70,000/year in energy cost savings and more balanced efficiency among college buildings.
Learn more

Richmond Hospital

Project: Cooling upgrades for medical imaging and kitchen/cafeteria.
Innovation: Kitchen/cafeteria were shutdown for only three days during upgrades; improvements in ducting air intakes; new rooftop makeup air unit; renewed heat pumps and advanced control strategies.
Results: $4,200/year in energy cost savings and 22 tonnes of CO₂e/year in GHG reduction.
Lean more

All images © Google Earth except New Afton Mine

For over 80 years, Bulkley Valley Credit Union (BVCU) has provided banking services for families and business owners across Northern BC. Its deeply rooted relationship with local communities dates to its foundation as a financial cooperative by a group of local farmers. Since then, the organization has grown in size and numbers, with facilities today serving 14,000 members from Burns Lake to the Hazeltons.

With growth came the need to address new challenges and responsibilities. So, when BVCU decided to explore the impact of its operations to safeguard healthy and sustainable communities, they approached Prism Engineering for support and guidance.

“Caring for healthy and sustainable communities has always been important for BVCU as it has and will continue to be the reason why we exist. As a member owned financial cooperative, we exist for the sole benefit of members and their communities,” explains Mohamed Ladak, Chief Operating Officer at BVCU.

“We chose Prism as a well-known leader in the energy management and sustainability consulting space in further helping us achieve our mission”, he adds.

With a diverse team of experts in areas such as sustainability, climate action and energy management, Prism created a holistic program to help BVCU assess its corporate operations and develop a strategy for reducing GHG emissions and improving sustainability performance.

“We helped BVCU understand aspects of their current environmental impact, while creating a strategy for making future improvements aligned with their mission as a credit union,” says Nicole Huard, Sustainability and Climate Action Specialist at Prism.

Up to 70% in GHG emissions reduction

The first step in our work with BVCU was to understand and monitor energy consumption patterns over time. By using PUMA Utility Monitoring Services, BVCU was able to analyze its utility bills and use the data to make more informed decisions to achieve energy and carbon management goals.

In addition, our Energy Team conducted energy audits to identify major areas of energy waste or inefficiency across all BVCU’s six locations in Northern BC. With buildings constructed between 1983 and 2007, and some renovations in between, this was a crucial phase of the project since some equipment was already at end of life and in need of an informed decision for replacement.

By using our 6-Step Approach to GHG Reduction, Prism was able to make recommendations for measures that could achieve a total of 70% GHG emission reduction across all sites, with the potential of saving 32% of annual utility costs in comparison to 2020 data.

Creating an ESG Strategy

The next phase of our work involved our Sustainability Team working side by side with BVCU’s senior leadership, staff, and members of the board to create an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy for the organization.

This work included stakeholder engagement surveys, webinars and workshops to understand which focus areas were most important for BVCU to act on, and then identified actions to support the organization in making the impact they envisioned in the ESG plan for their community.

“BVCU’s team brought a lot of passion for sustainability and ideas for improvement to the table, resulting in a long wish list of positive impacts they would like to make. With so many great ideas it was challenging to reduce the focus to just a few,” says Nicole.

The outcome of our work was a finalized ESG strategy for BVCU, including a plan for GHG reduction through our audits, summarized in the figure below:

Guide for future work

With the findings of the studies and an implementation plan for ESG in place, BVCU can now take action to achieve their goals and monitor progress along the way, reporting back to stakeholders on an annual basis.

“In partnership with Prism, we now have an ESG strategy in place with a clearly defined action plan/roadmap. With ESG Champions in each of our physical locations and the findings from the studies, we’re now able to identify what we need to prioritize with passion and commitment,” says Mohamed Ladak.

Related Projects

City of Vancouver – Kitsilano Community Centre Heat Recovery
School Districts large and small find value in PUMA
GHG Reduction Planning: City of Coquitlam
Energy Audit: Simon Fraser University

Photo: Bulkley Valley by Shawn, Flickr Creative Commons