2012 Winners

Did You Know

- Tip: Close window blinds to shade your space from direct sunlight.
- Tip: Replace your exit lights with upgraded energy efficient models.
- Dripping taps can waste 9,000 litres of hot water each year.
- Installing occupancy sensors and dimmers in break rooms, restrooms and conference rooms can reduce lighting costs up to 40%.
- Computers are used only an average of 10% of the time they are turned on.
- For each degree that you raise the thermostat, energy savings can be as much as 5 per cent of your air conditioning costs.
- Installing an energy efficient attic fan or evaporative cooler helps reduce or replace air conditioner use.
- The fastest way to electricity savings for your HVAC is to install programmable thermostats.
- Ink-jet printers consume less energy than laser printers.
- Tenants account for 25 – 50% of the total energy use in an office building.
- Lighting may account for 25– 40% of the total electricity use in an office building.
- If your equipment is over 5 to 10 years old, there is more efficient equipment on the market that could save you enough energy for you to afford the replacement in a very short payback period.
- New high efficiency T8 and T5 fluorescent tubes last longer (up to 16 years), cast attractive lighting colour and need less maintenance than standard T12 lamps.
- Replacing old stand alone air conditioning units with energy efficient models can save up to 30% on your energy cost for air conditioning.
- Replacing your holiday decorative lights with LED lights can result in an 85% reduction in energy costs.
- Performing regular maintenance activities on your HVAC system can save up to 30% of fan energy and up to 10% of space conditioning energy use.
- Air movement from a ceiling fan can cool a room by up to 4 degrees.
- Replacing your T12 fluorescent and magnetic ballast exit lights with energy efficient T8 lamps and electronic ballasts can reduce energy use by up to 40%.
- Replacing large-volume toilets with 6-litre-per-flush models saves at least 70% of the water used.
- Save 30-70% in energyby replacing your older room air conditioner with a more efficient ENERGY STAR model.
- A standard fan costs less than $1/month to operate while a central air conditioning unit can cost up to $178/month.
- Just eight gas lamps, burning year-round, use as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average-size home during an entire winter.
- Commercial buildings account for 20% of the carbon emissions in the GTA, and consume 37 per cent of the electricity and 17 per cent of the natural gas.
- Installing shading devices on southern- and western-facing windows will help you bet the heat and the costs of air conditioning.