Building Our Team to Support Change

How do we change for the better? At Prism, we think about this every day.

For us, change means many things. We are known for our work supporting clients with building system improvements and energy efficiency projects. We also support change by helping our clients develop plans and programs that provide a roadmap for improving sustainability performance or reducing energy or emissions over the long term.

We also think about change in terms of our own company’s growth. With over three decades of experience, we know the value of building a strong team of individuals that work together to deliver high-value services. One such team is our Sustainability Team, which supports companies and organizations create a greener and more energy-efficient world.

Collectively, the Sustainability Team members leverage each other’s background in strategic planning, facilitation, coaching, change management, communications, training, and stakeholder engagement, to support clients as they work towards their sustainability and strategic energy management goals.

To continue to support our growth in these areas, we have welcomed some very talented and passionate team members over the last few months to the team (above, left to right): Taniell Hamilton, Shannon Hardman, and Nicole Huard.

Change isn’t always easy. It is a process and takes time and effort, therefore, it is essential to remember that small increments collectively create significant impact. It’s more critical now than ever for us to work towards impact– for the benefit of our organizations, communities, and the planet.

Find out how Prism’s Sustainability Team can help you lead lasting change in your organization.

The Clean Building Tax Credit supports the CleanBC commitment to reduce provincewide emissions by 40% from 2007 levels and aligns with B.C.’s target to reduce emissions in buildings and communities by more than half by 2030.

Prism was invited to speak to local media at the Kitsilano Community Center on July 13^th about how we support building owners to retrofit their buildings. The province was making an announcement of a new tax credit that will make energy retrofits for multi-unit residential and commercial buildings more affordable, saving owners 5% on retrofits to help reduce their energy use.

Our president, Robert Greenwald, spoke about the work Prism had completed with the City of Vancouver to retrofit the community centre. The building underwent heat-recovery improvements that nearly eliminated the need for natural gas to heat the facility. It also reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80%.

Damian Stathonikos, president of the Building Owners and Managers Association of B.C. also expressed how the tax credit will help reduce the retrofit cost for building owners and lower energy expenses for tenants.

Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance, acknowledged that the upfront costs of these retrofits can be a challenge for people and the tax credit will help owners invest in cleaner energy retrofits.

George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, shared that “improved energy efficiency means fewer emissions, which is good for our environment and brings our existing building infrastructure closer to net-zero and our climate targets.”

As always, our team is happy to work with you to evaluate your retrofit needs and help you identify any rebates and incentives you can leverage.

Learn more about the tax credit and eligibility criteria.

View the full news release.

Read more about our work with Kitsilano Community Centre.

We are excited to announce the launch of our new website this month!

Following Prism’s 30^th anniversary in 2020 and the start of the global pandemic, it seemed to be a good time to reflect and re-examine how we provide value to our community.

We needed our digital presence to reflect these changes and help us articulate our ability to make an impact and help our clients create a greener, more energy-efficient world

Our service offerings have also expanded from a focus on energy management to integrating more closely with our other specialties including electrical and mechanical engineering, utility monitoring, and sustainability consulting.

You will find an extensive array of projects that we have supported across various sectors and service areas. We continue to take pride in providing quality, innovative and insightful solutions for complex engineering and sustainability situations.

At Prism, we have built and will continue to build a robust resource library to share our knowledge on timely topics related to our fields. You will also find energy calculators to identify levels of efficiency across various systems such as condensing boilers, pumps, motors, etc.

Go ahead and look around. Let us know if there is anything else you’d like to see.

We’d love to hear about your projects and how we might help with your energy-reducing needs.

One of the great things about working as a consultant is the opportunity to be involved in various projects across a diverse range of sectors and settings. In striving to make our planet more sustainable, we take it upon ourselves to share and exchange knowledge and best practices with our peers.

“As an organization, we believe that everyone has a role to play in addressing climate change. The more we can do to empower others through collaboration, the better off we’ll be collectively,” shares Sam Thomas, Director of Marketing, Nelson Branch Manager, and Principal.

Whether it is volunteering on an association board, participating in a steering committee, or mentoring youth on exciting “green careers,” our work outside of client projects enrich knowledge and strengthen the communities we serve.

Ari Spiegel, one of our Energy Engineers and Associates (pictured above on the far left), share that he really enjoys being an active board member of the Association of Energy Engineers (Vancouver Chapter). “We identify relevant issues affecting the energy management industry and work to educate ourselves on the latest trends and technology. It’s rewarding to witness how our events increase our members’ motivation and engagement to make powerful collective change.”

Robert Greenwald, our President, knows that climate change action needs a stronger response from the private sector and not just the public sector. He joined the Catalyst Business Alliance to advocate for actions Prism supports, specifically around CleanBC.

“Our work together as a steering committee included consultations with the provincial government on priority setting and encouraging action on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) by sharing our stories with members. We knew we made an impact when Minster Heyman expressed that he appreciated our advocacy and that the province is committed to making climate change a priority for the BC government,” Robert expressed.

Education is also a key element in fueling our future talent. Lizz Hodgson, one of our Energy Management Engineers, recently volunteered her time to be a mentor and speak about her career and experiences at the 2022 Green Bricks Futures Career Conference. “I could see how excited the high school students were about the career options and how they can make an impact on the environment. Their engagement was great! It was an inspiring and rewarding experience for me personally and I know I would have loved something like this when I was making education and career choices.”

To reach older audiences at the post-secondary level, Robert has been a member of the Program Advisory Committee for the Sustainable Energy Management Advanced Certificate (SEMAC) program at BCIT since the program’s inception in 2009.

We are always excited to share ideas and challenge each other to go beyond the status quo for action on climate change.

How are you contributing to growing the knowledge base in the industries that you work in?

Share with us here.

With the demand for our services growing in the Okanagan and Southern Interior region, we are proud to announce that our Kelowna office opened for business at the Innovation Centre on Doyle Avenue last week!

We are excited to be providing local support to our existing clients including the City of Kelowna, Interior Health, FortisBC and regional governments. Specifically, our Mechanical Designer, Bartjan Kiers, will be working more closely on mechanical and energy management projects in the region. Nicole Huard, our Sustainability and Climate Action Specialist, will also be working from Kelowna to provide support for climate action and sustainability projects in the region.

If you are travelling in the area or know of anyone that may benefit from our services, feel free to drop by and say hi at 460 Doyle Avenue or email Bart at Bartjank@prismengineering.com.

For many in BC, 2021 was a difficult year. From summer wildfires brought on by high temperatures, drought conditions, and fall flooding from extreme rain events, the impacts of a changing climate were all around us and more evident than ever. While disaster response and remediation are essential, they are also short-term, reactive solutions.

As we begin 2022 and look now to the future, climate science tells us that such extreme weather events and the hazards that go with them are likely to persist and increase in frequency and severity. So, what are we to do? We must learn to adapt. We must increase our resilience to climate change hazards through a proactive, not reactive, approach while simultaneously working to reduce emissions so that the long-term effects of climate change are reduced.

So, what is Low Carbon Resilience and why do we need it?

An organization works towards low carbon resilience when it chooses to pursue climate change mitigation and adaptation simultaneously, while also considering the co-benefits of each. Climate change mitigation work seeks to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prevent climate change. Climate change adaptation work seeks to respond to the impacts of climate change. For buildings, this means working to reduce a facility’s vulnerability to current and future climate change hazards such as extreme rain events, flooding, high temperatures and forest fires.

Historically, these two areas of work, mitigation and adaptation, have often been siloed and worked on either by different parts of an organization or at different points in time through separate planning processes. But there are many advantages to pursuing them simultaneously.

Advantages to pursuing mitigation and adaptation work simultaneously include:

• Project management cost savings (from streamlining planning processes and reducing the occurrence of contradictory or doubled-up work)
• Improved property value
• Improved occupant comfort & safety
• Improved air quality
• Green job creation
• And many more

One of the primary sources of GHG emissions in buildings is energy use, particularly for heating. Therefore, energy efficiency improvements, when undertaken strategically with climate hazards in mind, can help to increase a building’s resiliency while simultaneously reducing its GHG emissions. Some examples include improving the building envelope, upgrading HVAC filtration systems, and installing renewable energy generation or storage.

Regardless of where you are on your journey towards low carbon resilience, Prism can help. Prism’s sustainability and energy management teams can leverage their strategic planning and stakeholder engagement expertise to help you design low carbon and resilient climate action, sustainability and strategic energy management plans and policies. These plans and policies will focus on your organization’s priorities in areas such as: GHG emissions reduction, energy conservation, water conservation, waste reduction and zero-emission vehicle fleet transition.

Our electrical and mechanical teams can help you with facilities assessments, feasibility studies and building design and upgrades to assess and improve your buildings. We can help you identify a wide range of low carbon resilience opportunities in areas such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation, low carbon electrification, and fleet charging infrastructure. We can also help with disaster relief and recovery when it is called for.

By planning early and considering climate change adaptation and mitigation simultaneously you can help your organization to increase its low carbon resilience now and into the future.

Read more about our Climate Adaptation services.

Want to discuss how our services can support your organization?

There were more than 60,000 light-duty electric vehicles (EV) on BC’s roads in 2021. As one of North America’s leaders in EV adoption, the number of EV vehicles in BC are expected to surpass 200,000 by the year 2026 and 300,000 by 2028. Many businesses and residences will require upgrades to meet the new demand for EV charging as drivers will need to recharge at home, work, school, or leisure facilities.

The benefits of improved air quality, greenhouse gas and noise reduction, and sustainable economic development have already prompted many municipalities to require EV charging infrastructure in new residential and commercial developments.

How can facility managers, building owners and property managers of residences, public facilities, commercial and industrial buildings prepare?

Prism has worked with numerous organizations in the province to complete feasibility studies, evaluate the electrical infrastructure requirements and provide updated recommendations for building and municipal bylaw updates to plan for this evolution.

We asked our electrical engineers for their top tips on EV charging infrastructure. Here is what they shared:

1. Take advantage of rebates and incentives
   • CleanBC is offering rebates for EV Ready plans, EV ready infrastructure, and EV chargers. Read the guide.
   • NRCan offers a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure Program for multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs).
   • CleanBC Go Electric Fleets Program offers funding to reduce barriers for the adoption of ZEVs.
2. Be mindful of challenges most MURB stratas face. This includes infrastructure cost approval, load sharing, limited space within electrical rooms and costly network fees.
3. Consider load management or load sharing for constrained electrical systems. This can be done at the circuit, panel, or system level.
4. Review and familiarize yourself with manufacture, municipal, and utility provider guidelines and requirements.

5. Plan for the long-term. You will save money if you do all your coring and trenching at the same time and use conduits large enough to be used for future expansion rather than having to do it each time a new charging station needs to be installed.
6. Don’t forget about fleet vehicles. With more medium and heavy-duty EV options becoming available, it is a good time to start evaluating ZEVs to reduce your organization’s GHG emissions.

Our Electrical team will be happy to work with you to identify your needs and provide customized recommendations.

Want to discuss how our services can support your organization?

We are excited to share that we have five new Associates joining the Prism leadership team this fall. Prism Associates are individuals with the experience, expertise, and passion to support our clients in creating a greener, more energy-efficient world.

Each Associate takes on company-level responsibilities, leading different aspects of our business, from quality assurance to business development to employee engagement. Our Associates support the growth and development of our junior team members and are key to fostering our company culture of care and collaboration.

Our new Associates:

Tim Aske is a valued member of the Energy Team and maintains a high standard in client deliverables by carrying out technical reviews for Energy Team projects. He currently leads the Fault Detection Diagnostics, Recommissioning and Direct Digital Control services within Prism.

Sarah Colman is an integral part of the Sustainability Team, leading the Sustainability Strategy and Reporting Service areas. She will be working with the Marketing team to set the direction for Prism’s long-term marketing plan and leading the company’s B Corp assessment.

Adam Franklin currently leads Electrification and Electric Vehicle, Lighting & Lighting Controls and Power Quality Service areas at Prism. Clients know Adam as consistently delivering high quality work and acting as technical reviewer for electrical projects.

Lyn Papio has stepped into the role of the People, Culture and Operations Team Leader and has been instrumental in helping the company respond to the many challenges we faced in the last couple of years all while continuing to dedicate her energy to supporting the employee experience at Prism and PUMA

Ari Spiegel leads the Energy Audits and Training Service teams. As an avid teacher and enthusiast for energy management, Ari will also be providing leadership to Prism’s sister organization, PUMA, and supporting them in their business development efforts.

“We are very fortunate to have these individuals who are passionate and dedicated to their work join the leadership team at Prism. Each of them has demonstrated their willingness and ability to mentor others and share their knowledge to create value for our clients. Together, along with every Prism employee, we look forward to helping our clients make an impact.” – Robert Greenwald, Principal and President.

Learn more about our current opportunities and reasons to join the Prism team.

Financial support for energy conservation and climate action projects through rebates and incentives is a critical component of helping many projects proceed. However, without knowing which funding options work best for your project, it’s possible you may be missing out.
Rebate programs can help to offset 50-100% of the cost of an energy study and as much as $1M towards the cost of retrofits.  Sometimes more than one incentive program can be applied to a single project, while some programs may offer less for a study but more for implementation.  Understanding these programs and which one will offer the most value to your project can be confusing and time consuming.

Although many of us are aware of various rebates and incentive programs that support energy and carbon reduction projects, learning about new programs and keeping up to date with changes is important if we want to maximize the funding available and get projects moving.

Some tips from Prism’s team when you’re looking at rebate and incentive options include:

1. See if the program will offer an incentive for implementation of measures once the study is complete if you’re conducting a study first.
2. Consider whether the program favours energy savings or carbon reduction and how this aligns with your priorities.
3. Check that the program timeline works for your project and aligns with your internal funding schedule.
4. Understand any measurement and verification (M&V) requirements and the impact of equipment performance on the incentive.
5. Read the fine print – see if there any claw backs associated with not implementing the project.

While the Prism team can help educate and navigate you on various programs, there are also several useful online resources available to help.  Below is a summary of our ‘go to’ resources you might find beneficial:

Here’s what some of our clients have shared about the value of finding the right incentive program:Now is a great time to consider possible funding contributions to your projects through rebates and incentives.  Momentum continues to build around deep carbon reduction in the built environment, and so too does the funding programs and incentives out there to help support it.

“Prism has been instrumental in maximizing the City of Port Moody’s investment to reduce emissions from civic facilities. They identified several funding options for the City to consider and worked with staff to customize an approach that maximizes the City’s investment and meets all project goals. Prism has led the City’s team through the funding application by researching and laying out application requirements, tracking application components, and preparing key documents.”
-Laura Sampliner, Sustainability and Energy Coordinator, City of Port Moody
“The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen (RDOS) has found the custom study from Prism and the FortisBC incentives invaluable to progressing energy saving actions in corporate buildings. Incentives offered for the study and the incentives in the study have received high-5s and smiles from the engineering and finance departments. Without these incentives, it is doubtful an engineering report of this calibre would have been affordable.”
-Jeremy Dresner, Senior Energy Specialist, Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen

Depending on whether you are considering funding for a study only, or study followed by implementation, the best incentive program to maximize your overall contributions might not be the most obvious path.

Contact Sam Thomas if you’re unsure about which funding path to pursue, and we’d be happy to help guide you in the right direction!

“As a technician, being able to implement energy saving activities and knowing how to make adjustments for sustainability in our buildings has been very rewarding,” says Bob DePaiva, Colliers Building Operator.

In 2019, Prism worked with the Colliers Energy & Sustainability Manager and General Vancouver Operations Manager to design and deliver the “Colliers Building Operator Challenge”. The year-long challenge provided quarterly training sessions, ‘take-home’ exercises, and participation prizes. It gave operators the opportunity to come together to learn, discuss, and share ideas about saving energy in their buildings. The combination of training, discussion and easy-to-implement actions meant operators not only learned how to identify and implement energy saving strategies, they were inspired and motivated to apply these learnings.

Before Prism designed the challenge and accompanying training sessions, a survey was conducted to understand operator needs and desires as well as what would motivate them to participate in the upcoming challenge.

“We believe that a thorough understanding of our audience is key to developing initiatives that will engage and educate. Our survey results allowed us to narrow in on topics that were most relevant to the group and to structure the challenge in a way that positioned operators to ‘do the best job they can’. This was the number one motivator operators identified for participating in the challenge,” shares Christine Obee, Sustainability Engagement Specialist at Prism Engineering.

Once the challenge wrapped up, PUMA, a web-based utility monitoring software, was used by Nicky Arthur, Energy & Sustainability Manager at Colliers to analyze energy savings. Evidenced by energy usage data and the absence of other capital projects that could have reduced emissions, Nicky concluded that the bulk of these savings were attributable to low and no-cost actions, such as those covered in the training sessions.

“We wanted to measure the actual savings that could be attributed to actions by our operators.  Based on feedback from our team, we realized that many of the measures they implemented had a significant effect on gas consumption – things like altering Direct Digital Controls (DDC) schedules and setpoints,” shared Nicky.

When comparing 2019 (with the Operator Training Program in place) to 2018:

• Electricity consumption savings increased from 10.5% to 12.8%
• Natural gas consumption savings increased from 0% to 4.8%
• Overall energy consumption savings increased from 7.5% to 10.3%
• Overall energy cost savings increased from 10.2% to 12.5%

The estimated energy saving attributed to the building operators after their training is 2,584,372 ekWh (9300 GJ), or 2.8%. This is equal to saving over $140,000 annually. Emissions saved equals 264 tCO₂e.