BC Business
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For many years, BC Hydro has helped businesses save energy and money. It continues to assist businesses to reduce their operating costs through its Power Smart Express program.
The Power Smart Express program is geared specifically to small and medium-sized businesses, providing financial incentives and industry support to complete energy-efficient upgrades.
“Power Smart has been working with business customers since 1989,” explains Reid Arkinstall, marketing product development specialist with Power Smart Marketing. Implementing energy-efficient changes to lighting, refrigeration, heating and ventilation systems, and kitchens may seem like a daunting prospect, but the program relieves much of the burden. The program enables businesses to conserve energy in a convenient, streamlined way.
Businesses are connected with members of the Power Smart Alliance, an independent network of registered contractors and distributors that help provide solutions and implement upgrades. They’re involved throughout the process, making it a seamless one.
“Those vendors or contractors go right to the customer’s site and help them by identifying what opportunities there are or talking through what they’re interested in doing to reduce their footprint,” Arkinstall says. “Then they install equipment or do whatever upgrades are needed. They’re on hand from start to finish so that it’s as simple as possible for business owners or managers.”
Incentives can help cover up to 75 per cent of the cost of an energy-savings project.
“In addition, businesses save money in the long-term by reducing their footprint,” Arkinstall notes. “The adoption of the program also meets increasing expectations from consumers that businesses be sustainable and environmentally focused.” Organizations in a range of sectors, from manufacturing to digital technologies, can benefit from the program. The most common types of participating businesses are retailers, hospitality and office towers. Property managers receive an average incentive of $3,620 by participating in the Power Smart Express program, while restaurant owners receive an average incentive of $2,477.
Since 2003, more than 9,000 small-to-medium businesses have participated, yielding enough energy savings to power over 23,000 residential homes every year.
Customers can learn more at bchydro.com/express or by calling 1-866-522-4713.