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To the uninitiated, SHRRP (commonly pronounced shurp) and MEER sound like characters from Star Trek. In fact, they are acronyms for programs that might just save your non-profit or co-op a lot of money.

Most social housing providers are already familiar with The Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program (SHRRP), and many have accessed funds through the program to upgrade their buildings. What is less commonly known is that the Ontario Power Authority is offering the Multi-Family Energy Efficiency Rebates (MEER) program, which provides financial incentives to offset some of the capital costs associated with energy-efficiency upgrades.

“So how does my housing corporation access these MEER funds?”
I thought you’d never ask!

Without going into all of the details here, there are 2 options for MEER funding: Custom and Prescriptive.

1. Custom incentives are calculated based on the actual energy savings, in kilowatt-hours (kWh) that will result from installing a particular measure.
2. For prescribed upgrades, on the other hand, a set dollar figure will be paid for each measure installed. For example, $60 will be paid for every old refrigerator that is replaced with an ENERGY STAR® rated model.

“Our new appliances are already being paid for with SHRRP funding. How can the MEER program help?”

SHRRP funds are stackable, meaning that additional funding sources can be added, as long as the total funding does not exceed 100% of the purchase price. However, most providers had items on their SHRRP “wish-list” that simply could not be accommodated. So the simplest answer is to find out how much MEER money your energy-saving upgrades are worth, and talk to your service manager about re-allocating an equal amount of existing SHRRP money to another approved expenditure. It’s a win-win for all concerned!

I know this all sounds complicated, but SHSC and GLOBE have resources to help. Contact SHSC Customer Care if you want more information on MEER.

Make it so!

You’ve been given the go-ahead from your service manager to spend some of the SHRRP funding on a major project like a new roof or a make-up air unit. Now you just need to find someone to do the work.

Sounds simple, right?
Not necessarily. As one housing provider, a one-person operation in eastern Ontario recently put it,

“There is so much work out there that contractors can afford to cherry-pick”.

The provider has exhausted the list of qualified local firms, but casting a wider net could mean posting a public tender document. Like many housing providers, he simply doesn’t have the time or the experience to take this on.

So, what are the options?
Under an agreement between the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and SHSC, housing providers and service managers have access to a host of free technical and non-technical services. From site inspections to priority setting, preparing bid packages to evaluating submissions and more, SHSC’s Technical Services team has the expertise to help you spend those SHRRP dollars. We’ll work with you in person or over the phone.

All you need to do in order to access these services is to call SHSC’s Customer Care line at 1-877-733-7472.

Recently Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced that the federal government will stick with its two-year economic stimulus strategy but won’t be enhancing it with any new spending programs in the 2010 budget.

In the housing sector, many providers are scrambling to use Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program funding before it disappears. In the mad rush to put together plans, follow guidelines and implement projects, there’s been some confusion on the correct processes and controls for spending the money. We’ve heard this in calls to the new SHSC Customer Care line — particularly around procurement and purchasing. For vendors and service providers, this isn’t an issue. They’re focused on moving product. But for you, it will make a difference — since you’re accountable for the spending decisions you make.

Here are a few things to consider so you can avoid your own personal eHealth scandal:

• Are you following the approved practices in force in your municipality?
• Are you doing public competitive procurement?
• If you’re using a bulk purchaser, are they following SHRRP purchasing rules?

You can also check out the SHRRP-compliant SHSC Appliance Bulk Buy program.

Consider that the world-renowned International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that there is a 90% chance that there will be more frequent heat spells and more severe weather. But wait, what does climate change mean to housing providers? Higher utility bills and maintenance costs! If those reputable predictions become a reality, climate change impacts will quickly become one of the most pressing issues facing our sector.

And then there is the opposition who question the IPCC’s assessment of climate change and who do not consider it to be as pressing an issue. After all, why should society spend billions of dollars to mitigate a threat that may not be as bad as predicted?

Whichever side of the coin you happen to be on, investing in renewable energy systems is something everyone can agree on. Renewable energy systems that harness sunlight, wind, and geothermal energy for electricity, space heating or water heating accomplish three important goals: reducing climate change impacts, saving drastically on utility bills, and increasing tenant comfort. In short, renewable systems will help modernize buildings and will turn social housing into more cost-efficient and attractive businesses.

In the past, cost has been considered a barrier, and yes, there certainly are upfront costs to installing renewable energy systems. Fortunately, the government’s new focus on renewables has led to numerous incentives and funding programs like SHRRP, ecoENERGY – Renewable Heat program, the Ontario Solar Thermal Heating Incentive, and the Ontario Solar Energy Systems Rebate. The Micro Feed-In-Tariff program even gives providers an opportunity to add a new revenue stream by selling electricity generated with renewables. With all of the money out there ripe for the taking, there has never been a better time to get into the renewables game.

Before investing renewable energy it’s important to address any underlying energy efficiency and conservation issues in the building which will help maximize the economics of the system. Things like educating staff and tenants, and simple retrofits like air sealing around windows will make savings from renewable energy systems even greater.

GLOBE and SHSC have prepared a guide titled Strategically Planning Renewable Energy Projects for Social Housing to provide a short overview of the various renewable technology out there, what to consider when installing them, and some helpful questions and answers.

• Replacing roofs is an excellent opportunity to improve energy efficiency
• Using light coloured shingles, surface coating and gravel can further add to your energy savings
• ENERGY STAR® cool or reflective roof products reduce the amount of heat transferred into a home
• Strategically planning and timing your projects together will help you achieve maximum savings
• Roof replacement time is the best time to consider a renewable energy system

An important part of any housing providers’ energy efficiency program is ensuring that major appliances are as efficient as possible. One way of achieving that outcome is to switch to ENERGY STAR® appliances.

One of the biggest consumers of energy in the home is the fridge. Although energy savings are attained at the unit level when an old unit is replaced by an ENERGY STAR® unit, the story does not end there.

Unless a fridge is taken off the market and out of use through a decommissioning process, the energy saved in one place is used in another. That means that from a community standpoint, and when it comes to reducing the effects of Global Warming, the goal has not been accomplished.

There are also other important considerations to take into account. Reducing waste streams headed for landfill is an important outcome as is reducing the amount of hazardous waste entering the atmosphere. Of these materials, one of the most dangerous in terms of environmental hazards is Fluorocarbon refrigerants.

Fluorocarbon refrigerant contained in air conditioners and refrigerators can be extremely harmful to the environment. 1kg of refrigerant emissions (R410a) has the same greenhouse impact as two tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is comparable to the equivalent of running your car for six months.

A technician that holds a Refrigerant Handling License has the training and skills to minimize the emissions of these refrigerants to the atmosphere. It is an offence for anyone else to handle fluorocarbon refrigerants.

According to the OPA, a proper decommissioning process ensures that more than 95 per cent of materials from all old, inefficient fridges, freezers or air conditioners are recycled.

In many jurisdictions decommissioning is mandatory in any incentive program. SHSC supports the decommissioning of appliances in all replacement programs.

What follows is a step by step description of the decommissioning process.

Step One

Cords are cut and thermostats are broken to disable appliances. At the processing plant, refrigerators are placed onto one of five lines of rollers. As many as 300 refrigerators can be loaded at one time. The bar code of the fridge is scanned, recording that the unit has been received and decommissioned.

Step Two

All loose plastic and aluminum is removed and separated. Plastic is later baled or crushed and recycled. Aluminum and copper are salvaged from each air conditioning unit. Specialized hoses are then attached to extract the propellants — commonly known as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) which can be harmful to the environment. The process for freezers varies slightly. Their mercury switches are removed. (More propellants are housed in the insulating foam than in the refrigerator lines; both sources are disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner.)

Step Three

A hole is drilled in the back of each refrigerator’s compressor. The refrigerators are placed onto a “Tipper Table” so that all of the compressor oil can be collected and properly disposed of. At this point, units with polyurethane foam insulation have their compressors removed; the units insulated with fiberglass are left with the compressors inside to be baled later. Air conditioners have their covers and PCB capacitors removed and disposed of properly before they are sent on for baling.

Step Four

The units arrive at the baling machine, which crushes the remaining metal, i.e., the “shell” of the refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners.
Refrigerators are crushed four at a time into “blocks”. Refrigerators and freezers with foam insulation are baled and taken to a steel mill, where they are destroyed. Units insulated with fiberglass are baled and sent to a shredder. The material is reused.

Outcomes

Reusing, recycling, and disposing of the various components of the retrieved units means less landfill. Each refrigerator has about four kilograms of foam insulation. About 10 to 15 per cent of the weight of the foam insulation is comprised of CFC-based blowing agents. The destruction of these CFCs prevents 1.8 – 2.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the atmosphere. Most of the steel produced through the decommissioning process is used to make reinforcing bars for bridges (rebar) and other useful materials.

• Damage to buildings under construction and the materials that go into construction are not usually covered by property insurance
• As a member of the SHSC Group Insurance program however your policy does provide coverage for physical damage to property under construction up to a limit of $500,000 on any one project to existing properties
• This saves you money because contractors can eliminate the cost of this insurance from their bids
• For coverage of projects estimated at more than $500,000 you can purchase a dedicated Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy through SHSC Group Insurance
• Wrap-Up Liability Insurance can also be purchased through SHSC to provide liability insurance for everyone involved in the project

Planning a Renovation, Retrofit or Regeneration Project? Make Sure you Have the Right Insurance Coverage

Are you planning a project as part of the Social Housing Renovation and Retrofit Program? SHSC can help with your insurance needs, which will be above and beyond the regular requirements of your day-to-day operations.

Typically, damage to buildings under construction and the materials that go into the construction are not usually covered by property insurance. However, as a member of the SHSC Group Insurance program your policy does cover physical damage up to a limit of $500,000 on any one project for changes, alterations, repairs or additions to existing properties. This is important to know as your contractors can eliminate the cost of this insurance from their bids and save you money. To make sure this cost does not get reflected in your bid, we can provide standard wording to exclude this insurance from your contract.

If you need coverage for a project with a contract price of more than $500,000, you can purchase a Builder’s Risk Insurance Policy through SHSC Group Insurance. This may be a good option to consider, as purchasing this policy through the group may be more cost-effective than getting the contractor to buy this coverage through their own broker.

You may also want to consider purchasing additional Wrap-Up Liability Coverage, which is not included in the standard policy of the SHSC Group Program. Wrap-Up Liability Coverage provides liability insurance for everyone involved in the project – building owners, consultants, contractors and all sub-contractors – for injury or damage to property of third parties. By purchasing this coverage yourself you will know the insurance limits everyone in your project carries and will be confident that all parties, including sub-contractors, are adequately insured.

• Replacing roofs is an excellent opportunity to improve energy efficiency
• Using light coloured shingles, surface coating and gravel can further add to your energy savings
• ENERGY STAR® cool or reflective roof products reduce the amount of heat transferred into a home
• Strategically planning and timing your projects together will help you achieve maximum savings
• Roof replacement time is the best time to consider a renewable energy system

Replacing a roof due to damage and/or age presents an excellent opportunity to improve energy efficiency, comfort levels for tenants, reduce operating costs and C02 emissions which cause Global Warming.

In the case of a sloped roof aim for a minimum of R40 or, preferably, R50. Insulation will not meet its maximum effect in an attic setting unless the attic is properly sealed and a continuous vapour barrier has been installed.

For a flat roof aim for a minimum of R30. This may not always be achievable because of other structural issues such as rooftop mechanical rooms, roof access points and ridge height, but it is important to instruct your contractor to achieve as high a level as possible.

Further savings can be achieved by using light coloured shingles, surface coatings or gravel. These materials reflect heat during summer months rather then absorbing it as dark coloured materials do. An energy efficient roof should reflect a high percentage of solar energy and radiate away energy (heat) after it is absorbed. ENERGY STAR® cool or reflective roof products reflect more of the sun’s rays, lowering a roof surface temperature by up to 100 degrees, and reducing the amount of heat transferred into a home. The ENERGY STAR® program presently considers reflectance only, not emittance. A Roof’s emissivity relates to how quickly it releases heat it has absorbed. Because of this property cooling costs are reduced. This measure also helps to reduce “heat island effect”, a contributor to global warming, particularly in dense urban areas.

As with every energy efficient retrofit measure, maximum results are achieved by combining efforts. The savings gained by a well insulated roof are leveraged by caulking and weatherstripping the building envelope which, in turn, maximizes the efficiency of the HVAC system or, in the case where a system is being replaced, can result in a smaller, less expensive replacement.

Roof replacement time is also the best time to consider a renewable energy system. Because Solar systems have a life span of at least 20 years and, in the case of Solar PV, Solar Thermal and Solar Air roofing, a considerable portion of the cost is installation on the roof, a new roof gives a much greater degree of certainty that these systems will not need to be removed for re-roofing.

Combining all of these measures will result in a healthier, more comfortable building, reduced operating costs, a revenue stream (in the case of Solar PV) from the Feed In Tariff (FIT) and a greener community.