Montreal Biodôme, School Board Receive International Energy Efficiency Awards

The Montreal Biodôme and the Samares School Board have received international awards from the Association of Energy Engineers for completing exceptional energy efficiency upgrades. These two projects were designed and delivered by Ecosystem, a company specialized in energy performance.

The Montreal Biodôme is receiving the prestigious International Energy Project of the Year award. The project features a heat recovery system and an innovative open-loop geothermal system—one of the largest of its kind in Canada—which are meeting 100% of the Biodôme’s heating and cooling needs. The project performed above and beyond initial expectations, surpassing savings targets by 39%.

The Samares School Board, north of Montreal, PQ, is the recipient of an Institutional Energy Management award, recognizing the school board as a pioneering leader in energy efficiency and sustainable development. In four project phases, Ecosystem upgraded 80 schools, which substantially reduced the school board’s energy bills. Greenhouse gas emissions were cut by nearly 5,000 metric tons per year and oil consumption was completely eliminated.

The Samares School Board installed thermal storage units and geothermal fields in 2006, incorporating aerothermal energy solutions to draw free energy from the outside air, which was relatively uncommon at the time. One of the schools also generates energy with a wind turbine. As a result of a $17.9 million investment, the school board
• reduced its energy bill by 44%
• will save $1.7 millionannually
• will earn $3.1 million in guaranteed incentives

Find out more: http://ecosystem-energy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/AEE-Award-2015-Biodome-CSSamares.pdf.