A $25,000 grant from the B.C. government will help The Trading Post Feed and Tack store in Cassidy will run a leaner operation.
The money will has come through the LiveSmart B.C. Champion Program - a component of the $17 million LiveSmart B.C.: Small Business Program launched in January 2011 - and is a province-wide effort to help 13 small businesses install energy saving upgrades.
The Trading Post Feed and Tack, located south of Nanaimo, is installing insulation, replacing light fixtures with sky tubes and upgrade existing lighting, cutting air leakage through the building's envelope, installing solar air heating units, low-flush toilets and occupancy sensors in bathrooms, replacing exterior doors and insulating hot water pipes as part of an extensive renovation project.
Upgrades like these can save a lot of money, especially on older buildings that had little and in some cases no insulation.
Meredith Dean, comapany owner, said the building her store is located in was old when she moved in in 1985. There were several areas of the structure that had no insulation or vapour barriers. She estimates lighting upgrades alone have already cut her store's energy consumption by about 3,000 watts.
"On our first bill for heating and cooling we've seen a drop of about 25 per cent," Dean said.
Much more work is yet to be completed on lighting, plumbing and insulation in the company's storage rooms and machine sheds that will realize even more savings and provide a far more comfortable environment for the staff and customers.
Projects like this, which focus on small businesses - October is Small Business Month - show how money can be saved by taking action to conserve energy.
The businesses selected for the program were chosen from LiveSmart Small Business Champion applications, which were evaluated for project feasibility, energy and cost savings potential and their benefit and value to other companies in their communities.
The businesses will share their project ideas with their communities so others can benefit from their experiences. They will also be featured on the LiveSmart B.C. website to share their knowledge with businesses across B.C.
For more information about the program and ways to cut energy costs, please visit the LiveSmart B.C. Website at www.livesmartbc.ca.