The Race to Reduce is on in Hamilton/Halton

$30,000 Union Gas sponsorship supports energy use challenge for commercial office spaces

HAMILTON, ON, Feb. 18, 2013 /CNW/ - CivicAction's Race to Reduce smart office energy challenge will boost its activity in the Hamilton/Halton area, courtesy of a two-year Union Gas sponsorship.

Union Gas' $30,000 contribution will help extend the challenge to more than 3,470 office customers in Hamilton, Halton, Burlington, Oakville and Milton.

The sponsorship will also support a free Energy Reduction Event on Feb. 21, 2013 for office building owners, managers and tenants in the Hamilton/Halton area, hosted by Union Gas, CivicAction, and BOMA Toronto.

Launched in May 2011 by the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance in the Toronto region, the Race to Reduce challenges commercial office building landlords and tenants to publicly commit to work together to reduce the total energy used in participating office buildings by at least 10 per cent by the end of 2014. The Race aims to inspire collaboration to reduce operating costs, energy use, and carbon emissions in the office building sector, while improving air quality.

"Both landlords and tenants have a role to play in energy reduction," said Dave Simpson, director of in-franchise sales and marketing and customer care for Union Gas.  "By using less energy and becoming more efficient in our buildings and office buildings, landlords and tenants can have significant impact on reducing operating costs and improving our region's environment."

Race to Reduce provides a tool kit of technical advice, case study intelligence and know-how that will help organizations learn more about how they use energy, measure and monitor their energy use and ultimately change the way they operate the equipment they use to increase their energy efficiency and to reduce their energy use.

"Landlords and tenants often have competing objectives, which is a significant barrier to energy reduction when tenants are responsible for up to half of a building's energy use," said Brad Henderson, senior managing director of CBRE Limited, and voluntary co-chair of CivicAction's Commercial Building Energy Initiative which created the Race. "The Race to Reduce provides a unique opportunity for landlords and tenants to work together toward a shared and measureable energy reduction goal that is beneficial to both on so many fronts."

At the Feb. 21 event at Burlington City Hall, representatives from the region's utility companies will join CivicAction, BOMA Toronto, and WWF's Living Planet @ Work to share case studies on capital, operational, and behavioural best practices for reducing energy use in commercial office space. Union Gas and saveONenergy incentive programs for energy audits, equipment, retrofits and training are just some of the energy reduction opportunities that will be highlighted.  For more information and to register visit racetoreduce.ca.

Union Gas has been dedicated to energy conservation and reducing its environmental footprint for over 15 years. Since it first began offering Demand Side Management programs in 1997, Union Gas has delivered over 4.3 billion cubic metres of natural gas savings, and reduced carbon monoxide emissions by the equivalent of removing 1.4 million cars from Ontario's roads for a year.

About Union Gas
Union Gas Limited is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across northern, southwestern and eastern Ontario. One of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2013, Union Gas is a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company with assets of $5.8 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. For more information, visit uniongas.com

About CivicAction
For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior executives and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. CivicAction is led by a board of directors and a 75-leader steering committee. For 2012-2013, CivicAction has three areas of focus: accelerating regional transportation; enhancing the region's economic performance; and fostering inclusion and resilience. For more information visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA.

The Race to Reduce is funded in part through the Conservation Fund of the Ontario Power Authority. For more information or to join the challenge, visit www.racetoreduce.ca or contact Tiffany Vong at [email protected] or 416-309-4480 x503.

SOURCE: Union Gas Limited

Andrea Stass, Manager, External Communications and Media Relations
Ph: 519 436-5490 or 1-800-571-8446 ext. 5005490
Cell: 519 365-1010
[email protected]