Waste Diversion
Solid Waste Management Master Plan
In consultation with the community, the Public Works Department has developed and implemented a Solid Waste Management Master Plan to bring the community to an aggressive 65 per cent diversion of waste from our one and only landfill site. This plan includes a Blue Box program that accepts a wide array of recyclable materials (including Styrofoam, bakery trays, tetra packs), household hazardous waste program, white goods disposal and a Green Cart organics program that includes a $30 million facility that will move us toward our diversion goal quicker and extend the life of our landfill. The Plan also includes the introduction of three Community Recycling Centres -- all now up and running.
Energy Conservation
Corporate Energy Policy
The Office of Energy Initiatives in the Public Works Department has developed a Corporate Energy Policy that will be proposed to Council in mid-November 2007. The Policy is specifically designed to facilitate the achievement of City-wide energy reduction targets, provide for ongoing energy monitoring and targeting of utility usage and defining policies regarding capital investment related to energy.
Investing in energy efficiency has many direct and indirect benefits to the community and other stakeholders. Whatever we save, we reduce in demand for fossil fuels and nuclear power and we assist with overall system reliability. Saving on energy costs is also direct benefit to the taxpayers and ratepayers of Hamilton, both in terms of dollars and reduced Greenhouse Gas emissions.
Energy Retrofit Pilot Project
As part of an overall commitment to investigate opportunities for energy conservation and demand management, our Public Works Office of Energy Initiatives is currently implementing a comprehensive Energy Retrofit Pilot Program for a cross-section of the City’s portfolio of 20 buildings. Honeywell Limited is implementing the retrofit measures including: lighting, heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), controls, building envelope, water conservation and other energy efficiency measures.
The purpose of the pilot program is to test different energy efficiency technologies and demonstrate to various internal stakeholders what energy and environmental benefits can be achieved in our facilities. Facility types include: parks & recreation; social housing; libraries; arenas; fire stations and other facilities such as offices and operations centres.
The pilot project, expected to conclude in November 2007, is guaranteed to save the City over $280,000 annually, however reducing energy consumption means more than just saving money. As we face the challenge of global warming implications, it is increasingly critical for the City to do its part to protect our environment by reducing emissions and conserving energy. This program is projected to reduce CO2 emissions by over 1,000 tons per year, which is equivalent to removing about 157 mid-sized cars from the road.
Hamilton Renewable Power Incorporated, Cogeneration Facility
Hamilton was the first municipality in Ontario to be accepted by the Ontario Energy Financial Corporation to build a generator for sustainable green energy. Under current legislation, the City was not able to participate in this venture directly. Therefore, the City of Hamilton created Hamilton Renewable Power Incorporated. The Cogeneration Facility, located at the Woodward Avenue Wastewater Treatment Plant, officially opened in September 2006. This project positively impacts the economic and environmental fabric of our community.
The completed construction of this 1.6 MW Cogeneration Facility takes methane gas created by the wastewater treatment process and produces electricity and heat. The Cogeneration Facility converts 32 per cent of the available energy in the digester gas to electrical energy (electricity) and 48 per cent to thermal energy (heat). This electrical power and heat is used to operate the Woodward Plant.
This green, environmentally sustainable business venture will provide the City of Hamilton with an overall net benefit of up to $1 million through the energy sales to the province and the heat that is harvested from the engine is used to heat wastewater facilities and saves in natural gas costs.
Energy from waste project at Glanbrook Landfill
Landfill gas generation is a natural process that occurs in any landfill as solid waste decomposes. The gas, composed primarily of methane (50%) and carbon dioxide (50%), is produced when organic material breaks down in an oxygen free (anaerobic) environment.
The Glanbrook Landfill Gas to Energy (LFGTE) project is a partnership between the City of Hamilton and Hamilton Renewable Power Inc to collect landfill gas, generate electricity and sell to the Ontario grid.
The power plant will generate 26 million kilowatts-hours of electricity per year, which is equivalent of powering up to 2,100 homes. The LFGTE project will not only generate renewable electricity, but will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and odours. The LFGTE project will reduce approximately 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent of emissions every year, which would otherwise be released to the atmosphere (in the absence of the project). This greenhouse reduction is equal to removing 18,000 vehicles from the road.
The commissioning or start up of the facility with actual generation of electricity is scheduled for summer 2008.
LED Traffic Light Conversion
A retrofit program started in 2007 is converting all remaining incandescent traffic signals to the higher efficiency LED traffic signals. These LED traffic signals require 70 per cent less energy than the incandescent bulbs. LED traffic signals have been in place at all new signal installations since 2004. The next piece of this program is to research and implement other traffic signal energy saving programs, such as re-timing of individual and group traffic signals.
Green Transportation
Green Fleet Plan
The City of Hamilton is one of the leading municipalities in Canada to transition their fleet to greener alternatives. Hamilton’s Green Fleet Implementation Plan was created to reinforce the City’s commitment to improving air quality, preventing climate change and implementing one of the country’s leading low-emissions fleets.
Hamilton’s Public Works Department was recently awarded a Silver Rating for excellence in “greening” its vehicle fleets under a new national program known as E3 Fleet. Hamilton was the first municipality in Canada to receive this honour.
As part of the Green Fleet Plan, Hamilton has replaced 60 older sedans and pickups with hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and introduced renewable fuels, such as five per cent bio-diesel, for the City’s diesel fleet in 2007. The City has also implemented an anti-idling policy for City vehicles, which is intended to reduce unnecessary idling of engines in the City from 30 per cent of operating time to virtually zero.
Results:
- Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and related air pollution
- Reduced carbon dioxide output by 2,300 to 3,300 tonnes over three years
- Key air pollutants reduced by over 50 per cent
- Reduced fuel consumption
- Hybrids overall average 25 per cent lower fuel consumption
- Hybrid cars and utility vehicles are 50 per cent more fuel efficient
- Hybrid pickup trucks are about 10 per cent more fuel efficient
- Delivery of a strong message to the vehicle producers that a “green market” does exist and that Hamilton and other municipalities want more environmentally-friendly vehicles in their fleets
Green Transit Purchases
Earlier this year, the Public Works Department celebrated Hamilton’s $18 million transit fleet purchase. – the largest single purchase in Hamilton Street Railway (HSR) history.
The fleet purchase included the delivery of:
· 22 conventional lower emission diesel buses
· Five 40-foot diesel/electric hybrid buses and;
· Seven 60-foot articulated buses
The conventional lower emission diesel buses produce 80 per cent less emissions than the regular diesel buses they replace.
Hamilton also recently added bike racks to its buses to further enhance its sustainable transportation system. All of the City’s 204 buses will have bike racks that can accommodate two bikes per bus.
Transportation Master Plan
Hamilton’s Transportation Master Plan emphasizes transit, cycling and walking facilities and an efficient road network to support economic development. The Transportation Master Plan identifies policies and strategies for Hamilton’s transportation network over the next 30 years. Based on current transportation trends, and projected growth, an additional 180,000 auto driver trips per day would need to be accommodated by our road network by 2031.
The Transportation Master Plan sets a target of a 20 per cent reduction in projected 2031 single occupancy vehicle trips. Key objectives of the Transportation Master Plan include improved options for walking, cycling and transit, while maintaining and improving the efficiency of trips related to goods movement and employment lands.
The Plan includes recommendations for 120 kilometres of on-street bike lanes, 140 kilometres of multi-use paths, expanding transit to unserviced and underserviced areas, establishing Bus Rapid Transit routes, reducing localized congestion and improving access to employment lands.
Cleaner and Greener Spaces
Street Tree Planting Program
Trees are one of our most precious natural resources. That’s why we’ve implemented the Street Tree Planting Program to achieve our aggressive goal of sustaining a cleaner, healthier and greener environment. Each year, our Forestry and Horticulture staff plant trees at residential, commercial and city-owned properties across Hamilton as part of this program. This fully funded program allows for the installation of new trees and replacement trees on the city-owned portion of a property (road allowance).
There are so many benefits to planting more trees in our city, including improved air quality, emission reductions, smog reduction, storm water control and much more.
Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan
The City of Hamilton is a stakeholder in the Hamilton Harbour Remedial Action Plan. As a partner in the process of Harbour cleanup, significant improvements to city infrastructure are being made.
Hamilton has developed a Wastewater Investment Needs & Strategies (WINS) program which is dedicated to the long-range planning and implementation of sustainable wastewater infrastructure upgrades. The City of Hamilton has partnered with the federal and provincial government to fund improvements to Hamilton’s wastewater treatment system to support the clean up of Hamilton Harbour.
Since bringing water and wastewater operations and maintenance functions back in-house in January 2005, the wastewater effluent that is going out to the Harbour is being treated more effectively to meet aggressive targets to protect the environment. Successful cleanup of the Harbour will provide a healthier environment for fish, wildlife and the residents of Hamilton.
Red Hill Valley Project
The Red Hill Valley Project is an integrated, environmentally responsible infrastructure project with five parts: 8km Parkway, 7km creek relocation, 23 stormwater management ponds, 2.8km Combined Sewer Overflow Pipe, and a Landscape Management Plan.
February 2007 marked the completion of the seven-kilometre realignment of Red Hill Creek. This creek is now the longest, continuous urban creek restoration project in North America using natural channel design. The naturalized channel now runs from the top of the Niagara Escarpment in the south to Windermere Basin in the north.
The realignment of Red Hill Creek will result in the reduction of sediment deposits into Hamilton Harbour and will enhance the fishery in Red Hill Creek through the provision of improved fish habitat and the removal of previously existing barriers.