LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Fort Simpson home and business owners are now in a better position to save money on energy consumption.
Steve Outlet, back centre, a program co-ordinator with the Arctic Energy Alliance, demonstrates how a blower door works to students at Aurora College and Thomas Simpson School in Fort Simpson on May 8. - photo courtesy of Teresa Chilkowich
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Steve Outlet, a program co-ordinator with Arctic Energy Alliance, was in the village to offer free advice on maximizing energy efficiency between May 6 and 10.
Outlet and Teresa Chilkowich, the society's regional energy project co-ordinator for the Deh Cho, spent a week providing information to a variety of people in the community.
The visits by the society's staff from Yellowknife are a great opportunity for community members to tap into expertise about energy efficiency and energy savings in person rather than over the phone, said Chilkowich. The technical staff usually make community visits to provide a specific service, but then the rest of their time is fully utilized so as many people as possible can be reached, she said.
While in the village Outlet did approximately six home consults along with two home energy evaluations. During the free consults Outlet listened to home owners' concerns, mostly linked to energy issues, and provided suggestions.
"A lot of people are very proud of their homes," he said.
Outlet said the people he visited had done wonderful jobs with their homes, but were looking to make improvements or maintain them. Maintenance-based upgrades can create huge savings and reduce the strain on other systems, he said.
Improving air sealing is one of the most important projects people can do because air leakage is one of the biggest heating costs for any type of building, said Outlet. Making changes that improve air sealing can take awhile, but homeowners can do some of the work themselves, he said.
For people looking to build a new home or commercial building the society provides a service where it models the building's plans using a software program. The program can tell how energy-efficient the building will be.
Outlet and Chilkowich also provided advice to members of the business community during a lunch meeting on May 9 organized by the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce. Outlet listened to and responded to questions posed by six business owners about their specific energy systems.
"Business people have to want to improve," he said.
The society offers free yardstick energy audits to determine if a building would benefit from a full-energy audit. The yardstick audits require two years worth of energy consumption data.
Lighting upgrades along with more efficient heating systems are two areas where most businesses can improve. If a heating system is nearing the end of its lifespan, business owners should already be preparing ahead, Outlet said.
"That way you can shop around and you can get advice from us," he said.
Outlet also spoke to the building trades helper program at Aurora College and two classes from Thomas Simpson School on May 8. Outlet discussed potential careers related to biomass in the territory as well as the construction of energy efficient houses.
Chilkowich said people interested in further information from the society can reach her at her office in the Dehcho First Nations' building.
