Partners in Project Green Releases 2013 Program and Partner Results

- Program partners collectively saved 6,922 KW of electricity in 2013 -

TORONTO, April 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Partners in Project Green, an initiative led by Toronto and Region Conservation and Greater Toronto Airports Authority, released the results of its 2013 Annual Report yesterday. The results show that companies in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone are actively participating in programs and taking on new sustainability challenges surrounding waste management, water stewardship, energy performance and stakeholder engagement.

"Partners in Project Green went through a massive transformation in 2013," said Alex Dumesle, Manager, Partners in Project Green. "We have realigned our programs, governance structure and membership program to enhance value for businesses in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone. We are excited to bring greater resources and opportunities for collaboration to make Toronto a greener place to do business."

A few highlights from the 2013 Annual Report include:

• 3,076 companies completed electricity reduction projects, collectively saving 6,922 KW of electricity
• 31 companies completed 43 projects to conserve 5,921,887 cubic metres of natural gas
• 12 companies collectively reduced water consumption by 1,241,625 litres per day
• 3 material exchanges resulted in diverting approximately 65 tonnes of waste from landfill
• Partners in Project Green hosted 1,448 representatives from 384 unique companies at training & networking events

Other 2013 accomplishments include:

Energy Performance: Energy continues to be high on the list of environmental target areas, due to high paybacks and big results both on the bottom line and environmental performance.  Working with our partners Enbridge Gas, HydroOne Brampton, Enersource Mississauga and Toronto Hydro, businesses in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone saw some significant reductions in 2013.

Waste Management: With more and more businesses turning their sights on improving waste management performance, it was a very active year for this team.  The Materials Exchange Program saw three successful exchanges, resulting in 65 metric tonnes of waste being diverted from landfill, and a number of highly successful events resulted in tangible resources for Partners in Project Green members.

Water Stewardship: Partners in Project Green set its sights on water stewardship in 2013, and laid the foundation for significant impacts. This group will be working to help businesses in and around the Pearson Eco-Business Zone reduce their water footprint, and has some very interesting projects up its sleeve. With Toronto Water and Region of Peel Water's assistance, the Pearson Eco-Business Zone saw some significant reductions. 

Communications & Engagement: Engaging employees in sustainability continues to be one of the most effective ways to drive results, and also one of the most challenging things to get right.  The People Power Challenge assisted 11 facilities with engagement last year, with some pretty impressive results. Partners in Project Green continued to engage businesses in training and networking events, with 1,448 representatives from 384 unique companies attending sessions.

The Partners in Project Green 2013 Annual Report can be downloaded at: http://ar2013.partnersinprojectgreen.com

About Partners in Project Green
Partners in Project Green, an initiative led by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, is a growing community of businesses working together to green their bottom line by creating an internationally-recognized eco-business zone around Toronto Pearson. Through new forms of business-to-business collaboration, Partners in Project Green delivers programming that helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost-effective manner.

SOURCE: Partners in Project Green

Media contact: Rowena Calpito, Supervisor, Public Relations, Toronto and Region Conservation, Tel: [phone] ext 5632, E-mail: [email protected]