Frequently Asked Questions
Program Overview
What is the Power Savings Blitz Program?
The Power Savings Blitz program is designed to retrofit small
commercial businesses across the province. The program provides turn-key lighting
and water heating retrofits for small commercial businesses in the office or
non-food sub-sectors whose electricity usage is less than 50kW of demand. Funding
up to $1,000 is provided for the retrofit, with an opportunity to pay costs over
the $1,000 limit, at each business’ discretion.
Who qualifies for the Power Savings Blitz program?
Program participants must be small commercial businesses located in the service area of a participating local electricity distribution company ( LDC) and have an electricity demand of less than 50 kW. This includes a wide range of businesses including, professional dry cleaners, restaurants, medical offices, beauty salons, grocery stores, convenience stores and other small retailers.
If I own two businesses in a participating Burlington Hydro’s
region, can both businesses be retrofitted?
Each business will qualify provided they each have a separate account
with Burlington Hydro and they meet the eligibility requirements.
Will it cost me anything to participate in the program?
Funding of up to $1,000 is provided for the retrofit, with an opportunity
to pay costs over the $1,000 limit, at the discretion of the customer.
Do I have to carry out a retrofit costing more than the maximum
($1000) incentive?
There is no obligation to carry out a retrofit costing more than $1000. If
the job cost exceeds the $1000 incentive threshold, the retrofit can
be scaled down accordingly to a more suitable level.
My LDC is not participating in this program, can I still participate?
If your local distribution company is not participating in the program,
you are not eligible.
Why would I want to participate in the Power Savings Blitz program?
Participants in the program will receive a free electricity assessment
and an energy efficiency retrofit valued at up to $1000 that will help
reduce their electricity consumption and provide savings on their monthly
bill. The participants will also receive a window cling sticker
for their business that highlights the fact they participated in the
program and are doing their part to conserve.
My business is one of many; is it really possible to make a
difference by participating?
Absolutely! By participating, you and thousands of others will allow
us to reduce the strain on the electrical system during peak periods.
By doing very little on your part, you are making a significant contribution
to conserving electricity and helping to improve our environment. We
expect that the Power Savings Blitz program will reduce the demand on
the electrical system. This means there will be less need to buy peak
demand electricity that saves everyone money by keeping electricity prices
lower than they otherwise would have been.
Do I have to participate in the Power Savings Blitz program?
The program is entirely voluntary. We're confident that people will find
it to be an easy way to help reduce the strain on our electricity system
and benefit the environment.
I'm not comfortable with strangers working on my business. How
will I know if the people who arrive are legitimate? We understand
your concern for security. Rest assured that the installation
will be done by qualified installers working on behalf of your participating
electricity distribution company. When the installers come to your
door, feel free to ask them for identification to prove that they are
working on behalf of Burlington Hydro on the Power Savings Blitz program.
Process
How does the Power Savings Blitz program work?
Energy assessors working for Burlington Hydro go door-to-door within
a targeted area and offer to provide a free energy assessment of lighting
and water heating, to determine cost and savings opportunities. After
the assessment is completed, the customer then decides if they want to
have a retrofit completed. If so, a work order form and customer agreement
is signed. Funding of up to $1,000 is provided for the retrofit, with
an opportunity for the customer to pay costs over the $1,000 limit, at
their discretion. The retrofit includes material and labour. The minimum
amount for a retrofit is $300.Once the assessor completes the work order
and customer agreement and it is signed by the customer, an appointment
is booked for a licensed electrical contractor to come in and complete
the turn-key retrofit.
I am interested in the program, how can I book an assessment?
To have an assessment of your business completed Burlington Hydro would
first have to confirm that your business is eligible for the program.
If so, the customer should leave their contact information and Burlington
Hydro will call as soon as possible to schedule an assessment.
Is the retrofit going to interfere with the operations of my
business?
The retrofit is quick and easy and can generally be done while the business
is open. The full retrofit shouldn’t take more then two hours to
complete. There is very little mess because there is no change to the
lighting footprint or the electric water heating unit; hence there is
no need for repairs or re-painting.
I don’t own the building; do I need to get the landlords
permission?
The customer will need to represent and warrant that it has the authority
and right over the property to authorise the installation of the energy
upgrades. In cases where the customer is unsure if they have authority,
the customer should contact the landlord.
Program Measures
What measures are included in the program?
The applicable measures include:
Lighting
- Fluorescent lighting systems
- Compact fluorescent lighting
- LED “EXIT” signs
Electric Water Heating
- Water heater jacket
- Pipe insulation
- Faucet Aerator
How can T8 fluorescent lighting save energy?
The T8 fixtures are:
Highly energy efficient
Better able to keep up their light level
Able to light up quickly without any delay or flickering
How can the compact fluorescent light bulb save energy?
CFLs are more efficient and use only a quarter of the energy that regular
(incandescent) bulbs use and they can last up to 8 years.
What should I do if a CFL breaks?
The amount of mercury in a CFL is very small. If a bulb breaks, your
greatest risk is getting cut from pieces of glass. You can minimize
any risks by following these proper clean-up and disposal guidelines.
Don’t vacuum. Sweep up all of the glass fragments and fine particles.
Place broken pieces in a sealed plastic bag and wipe the area with a
damp paper towel to pick up any pieces of glass or fine particles. Put
the used towel in the plastic bag as well. Please dispose of the
bulbs in an environmentally friendly manner.
How can water heater wrap save energy?
Hot water heater insulating blankets are inexpensive and effective. They’ll
add to the existing insulation and will help reduce heat loss.
How can water heater pipe wrap save energy?
The wrap insulates the pipes, and greatly reduces heat loss as hot water
travels to your bathroom or kitchen. When heat loss from hot water
is reduced, less energy is required to provide you with the hot water
you need.
How can a low flow faucet aerator save energy?
By adding air to the water stream, the aerator reduces the amount of
water you use without reducing effectiveness. This also reduces the
amount of energy needed for heating and providing water to your sink
areas.
