Defence infrastructure is being greened in order to reduce carbon footprint and provide military personnel with sustainable and efficient facilities in which to work and train.
A new energy performance contract (EPC) to upgrade infrastructure at CFB Comox was awarded by the Department of National Defence on November 18. Some 105 facilities will be upgraded at the Base. This will reduce energy costs in the region by nearly 13 percent. That’s $250,000 annually. Energy retrofits will also lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over 32 percent, or 1,820 tonnes per year. This is equivalent of taking more than 350 cars off the road!
“It is critical that we take steps as an organization to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Energy performance contracts like this are an effective means to green and modernize our infrastructure while, at the same time, lowering energy costs for the base. All of these retrofits and upgrades at Bases and Wings across Canada add up – we will continue to invest in greening our facilities as we work toward meeting our emissions targets and securing a greener future for Canadians,” said, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence.
The contract for this work is valued at $12.5-million and was awarded to MCW Custom Energy Solutions of Toronto, Ontario. Work is expected to begin in early 2022. It is anticipated that all retrofits and upgrades will be completed by early 2023. The full reduction in energy costs will be realized by fall 2023.
The goal is to reduce GHG emissions by 40 percent by 2025. The project will help meet this target five years ahead of schedule. It will also contribute to the federal government’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.