Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is the quickest, cleanest and least costly way for Manitoba to meet its growing energy demands. It also contributes to several other important economic, social and environmental goals for Manitoba:
- Reduces energy costs for individual consumers.
- Expands our ability to export clean, renewable electricity from local hydroelectric and wind sources.
- Increases our energy security by reducing our need to import fossil fuels.
- Allows deferral of additional, new generation.
- Improves our economic competitiveness.
- Addresses energy affordability concerns for low- and modest-income households.
- Creates new opportunities for local businesses and employment.
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
By encouraging conservation, and incenting or requiring more efficient technologies, growth in the demand for energy in Manitoba has been significantly reduced compared to ‘business as usual’. Manitoba’s energy efficiency efforts make an important contribution to preserving our ability to be a significant clean energy exporter, allowing one-third of our renewable energy to be exported in 2014/15.
Families and businesses across Manitoba have saved over $900 million in cumulative electricity and natural consumer savings. Some of our major accomplishments include:
- By the end of FY 2014/15, Manitoba Hydro’s Power Smart initiative has saved more than 749 MW and 2,728 GWh of electricity, and 103 million cubic meters of natural gas.
- New regulatory requirements for energy efficiency in buildings and homes. Manitoba is one of the first jurisdictions to adopt energy efficiency requirements for larger buildings (in 2013) and low-rise single and multi-family housing (in 2015). For information on Manitoba Energy Code.
- The Energy Savings Act, which authorized Manitoba Hydro, to establish a new “on-meter” financing program for retrofitting homes and buildings.
- Energy Efficiency Standards for Replacement Forced Air Gas Furnaces and Small Boilers Regulation, which established new minimum energy performance standards for replacement gas furnaces and small boilers. The efficiency requirement set for gas furnaces is 92%, is the highest level of any jurisdiction in North America.
- Green Building Policy which requires all new projects and major retrofits that are funded by government to meet LEED® Silver standards, plus enhancements in the area of energy efficiency. This policy is the first of its kind in North America.
