Energy Management
Through our Strategic Plan, Niagara College is committed to excellence in the operation of our college. NC is dedicated to leadership on climate action through the goals of the 2024-2029 Sustainability Plan, with energy management being a key priority area. Niagara College has set clear goals for campus-based energy consumption, and everyone can contribute. The energy initiatives support national and sector-wide goals for carbon reduction, aiming for net zero by 2050, which will ensure a more sustainable and prosperous future for all.
Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan
Niagara College is required to comply with Ontario Regulation 25/23: Broader Public Sector: Energy Reporting and Conservation and Demand Management Plans. Institutions reporting under this regulation will be able to provide meaningful information to the Ministry of Energy about the way energy is being utilized. This information can help the Ministry to benchmark Ontario institutions, make comparisons and develop conservation initiatives Broader Public Sector Organizations can adopt. Organizations are required to report on their electricity, propane, fuel oil, natural gas and district energy use.
The annual data submissions and reports are available here.
Energy Hunts
Energy hunts, similar to energy audits, are collaborative and educational experiences that can be completed by teams throughout the college.
Before team members conduct a walk-through of their spaces, they are coached on what to look, listen and feel for to identify the nine types of energy waste. From there, the information is used to collectively determine quick wins (low cost/effort), and to explore processes, controls and solutions.
| Type of waste | Examples of Opportunities | Definition | |
| 1. | Unnecessary Running or Idling | -Equipment and lights on during non-operating periods. -Running pumps or conveyors during idle periods. | During non-operating periods, leaving equipment, motors, conveyors, lights, etc. turned on waste energy, especially during longer periods of inactivity, such as nights and weekends. |
| 2. | Leaks | -Compressed air leaks, uninsulated steam pipes, water valve leaks, broken duct work. | When something’s leaking, there’s waste, whether it be water, steam, heat, or air (and especially compressed air!) |
| 3. | Friction Loss | -Clogged filters, obstructed blower discharge, restricted flow due to damper settings, dirty heat and cold transfer services. | Friction cannot be eliminated, but it can be reduced. Energy waste due to friction loss happens when there are unnecessarily restrictive nozzles or filters, too many bends in a pipe, fouling on surfaces, etc. |
| 4. | Sub-optimal Efficiency | -Replace existing equipment with higher efficiency models. -Ensure proper installation of equipment and set to run at peak efficiency. | Sub-optimal efficiency includes poorly chosen equipment that has a clearly more efficient alternative. In less extreme cases it can also include equipment that is poorly commissioned, and equipment losing energy to wear, misalignment, or poor maintenance. Sub-optimal systems could be better, but they’re not. |
| 5. | Malfunctions | -Broken or stuck actuators, valves, and switches. -Malfunction/broken equipment. -Bearing failure. -Broken or uncalibrated sensors and gauges. | Broken and poorly-functioning equipment wastes energy. If equipment is producing excessive heat, vibration, or noise, it’s likely that there’s a malfunction as these are all forms of energy being wasted from the system, rather than working for the system. |
| 6. | System Imbalance | -Improper set points (overrides, bypass/manual mode) -Simultaneous heating and cooling. -Improperly programmed controls. -Excessive water spillage. | Systems that are not drawing the right amount of energy for the function they’re delivering are imbalanced. Some examples of imbalance include oversizing of motors and other equipment, running at a constant rate despite varying demand, and poorly configured (or permanently overridden) controls. |
| 7. | Misapplication | -Improperly sized or ill-suited equipment. -Compressed air used for open blowing, power tools, hand-held blowguns, vacuum generation. -Compressed air used for personnel cooling. | Systems that have less expensive and more appropriate options available are typically wasting energy (along with money). Misapplication is using the wrong, and usually more energy-intensive, tool for the job. |
| 8. | Underutilization | -Downtime, last minute changes, rush orders, running below peak efficiency, bottlenecks. -Processes running below optimal capacity. | Most systems have a rate of work that makes sense for efficient and sustainable productivity. When equipment is used sporadically on account of rushed orders and scheduling changes, the disruptive flow of operations tends to reduce overall efficiency and causes energy waste. |
| 9. | Traditional Lean Waste | -Excessive material handling and excessive scrap or rework. -Unnecessary waiting. -Product over-processing. | Lean operation reduces many of the examples of waste listed (left), which, in turn, saves not only time and materials, but also energy. |
To schedule an energy hunt, email [email protected].
News
January 2025: Introducing the College’s Energy Team and How You can Do your Part
March 2025: Green Victory: Daniel J. Patterson Campus wins Earth Hour Competition
April 2025: Culinary Innovation Students Diversify Their Experience with Case Study Focused on Energy Conservation
April 2025: Teaching Greenhouse, Cannabis Production facilities outfitted with energy-efficient lighting
Contact
We invite the NC community to learn more and consider some simple ways to reduce energy consumption on campus and make a difference towards our collective goals. As the eyes and ears of the campus, we welcome your feedback on the College’s energy use. In your day-to-day on campus, do you see areas where energy is wasted?
Let us know at [email protected]