Union Gas helps Simcoe make social housing more energy efficient

Conservation program expected to save county $150,000, lower natural gas use

ORILLIA, ON, Feb. 27, 2014 /CNW/ - Union Gas is helping the County of Simcoe make its social housing more energy efficient, lowering its costs by $150,000 and saving enough natural gas to fuel more than 200 homes.

The Union Gas Affordable Housing Conservation Program helped County of Simcoe Social Housing install energy efficient upgrades at two of its facilities last year. The upgrades, which include an upgraded ventilation system and a new condensing tank water heater, are projected to save $150,000 in energy costs over the life of the new equipment, and lower its natural gas use by 430,000 cubic metres, enough to fuel more than 200 homes.

The affordable housing program is part of the Union Gas EnerSmart program, which offers incentives to municipal, commercial and industrial customers to implement projects that will use natural gas more efficiently, reducing energy costs and emissions.

Gerald Laforest, Union Gas commercial/institutional markets account manager for the northeast district and Moe Lapointe, Union Gas utility services manager for Orillia, presented a $54,000 incentive cheque to Warden Cal Patterson and Councillor Alicia Savage, Chair of the Simcoe County Housing Corporation Board, in the County of Simcoe Council Chambers in Midhurst, Ontario today.

"We want to help our municipal partners lower their energy use and manage costs as efficiently as possible through the wide range of incentives we offer through our EnerSmart program," Laforest said. "The upgrades County of Simcoe Social Housing has made to its facilities will reduce energy consumption and lower operating costs every year."

"As a corporation, we continually make strides to help ensure conservation and green initiatives guide our thinking and actions," said Warden Patterson. "County Council has shown leadership by approving the Energy Management Program and the Green Fleet Action Plan, which are aimed at reducing our carbon footprint. We look forward to partnering with Union Gas on this innovative energy conservation program."

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 6.3 billion cubic metres of natural gas savings, and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of removing 2.1 million cars from Ontario's roads for a year.

About the County of Simcoe
The County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.

About Union Gas
Union Gas Limited, a Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE) company, is a major Canadian natural gas storage, transmission and distribution company based in Ontario with 100 years of experience and service to customers, assets of over $5.8 billion and approximately 2,200 employees. The distribution business serves about 1.4 million residential, commercial and industrial customers in more than 400 communities across Ontario. Union Gas is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers for 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. For more information, visit uniongas.com or find us on Twitter: twitter.com/uniongas, Facebook: facebook.com/uniongas and YouTube: youtube.com/user/uniongas.

SOURCE: Union Gas Limited

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

County of Simcoe 
Allan Greenwood 
Director, Corporate Communications
705-726-9300 ext. 1230
[email protected]