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Furnace fix for Fruitvale fire hall

The RDKB is undertaking energy assessments at nine of its facilities
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Fruitvale station’s new high-efficiency furnaces will heat their hall and reduce their natural gas use and greenhouse gas production by about 15 per cent. Photo: Submitted

The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) has installed new high efficiency furnaces at the Fruitvale fire hall as part of its commitment to reduce both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by increasing energy efficiency in RDKB buildings and facilities.

“We knew before this project that we could find ways to reduce energy use in our fire halls. With the energy assessment and subsidies FortisBC made available, it was immediately apparent that replacing two old furnaces would shrink our carbon footprint at the Fruitvale Station by close to 15 per cent,” said Dan Derby, Regional Fire Chief for Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue (KBRFR), which includes six fire stations across the Kootenay side of the RDKB.

The RDKB is undertaking energy assessments at nine of its facilities including fire halls and recreation facilities after FortisBC offered free commercial energy assessments to its commercial customers. The new furnaces at the Fruitvale Fire Hall are eligible under the FortisBC rebate program that supports the replacement of old commercial furnaces with high efficiency.

“I am really pleased to see projects like this completed by Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue Service,” said Linda Worley, Chair of the East End Services Committee that oversees KBRFR. “Our committee and our fire service are doing whatever we can to support our regional Climate Action Imperative. That imperative only means something if we act and I’m proud to say that this project is another action toward reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”

In 2020, the RDKB launched its internal Climate and Action Awareness program. This program includes a quarterly newsletter to staff, quarterly reporting of energy consumption at key facilities, quarterly information sessions for staff on a range of energy and climate topics and providing both work and home energy saving tips.

RDKB Climate Action details:

The RDKB signed on to the BC Climate Action Charter in 2008 and committed to work towards being carbon neutral.

In October 2019, the RDKB declared a Climate Action Imperative, recognizing that the RDKB and its communities are already facing significant impacts of climate change and committing to take measurable actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The joint Provincial-UBCM Green Communities Committee (GCC) has recognized the RDKB as a climate leader for achieving Level 3, the second highest level in a four-level program toward becoming fully carbon neutral.

GCC Level 3 recognition means the RDKB has accelerated its progress on commitments to act at the corporate and community levels to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).

The RDKB reports its GHG results to the GCC and the public through the RDKB Corporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory and the annual Climate Action Revenue Incentive (CARIP) Report.

The RDKB has steadily reduced net emissions by about 575 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) which is a 44% reduction since 2008.

READ MORE: RDKB declares climate action imperative

READ MORE: Electric vehicle on the way to Trail RDKB office

The RDKB serves more than 31,000 residents in eight incorporated municipalities and five unincorporated electoral areas. The district stretches across 8,200 square kilometres from Champion Lakes in the east all the way to Big White in the west. Services include recreation and culture, planning, building inspection, environmental programs, economic development and public safety services for fire and other emergencies.



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Sheri Regnier

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