HAMILTON'S SUCCESS IN 2005:
National Award of Excellence
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The National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure (InfraGuide) announced that the City of Hamilton has been named the 2005 recipient of the InfraGuide National Award of Excellence. The Award recognizes leadership and innovation in municipal infrastructure management that embraces InfraGuide's Principles and Guidelines for Sustainability. |
Since the late 1990’s, the City of Hamilton has been proactive in the development of asset management practices and has developed a reputation across Canada and the United States as one of the leading municipalities in the field. In December 2004, the Capital Planning and Implementation Division of the Public Works Department decided to develop a comprehensive State of the Infrastructure Report as well as a State of the Infrastructure Report Card for summary and communication purposes.
The State of the Infrastructure Report is primarily configured on the basis of numerous Best Practices developed by InfraGuide, and includes all major components representative of most major public works assets found in communities across Canada. It lays out the basis for more detailed asset management plans in the future based on service levels and life-cycle analysis. The State of the Environment Report Card is a one-page, easy-to-understand document that will assist the public in understanding infrastructure issues, including condition and performance, need versus capacity, and funding versus need. The tools and thought processes developed through this project can be easily replicated in other municipalities, and for all types of assets even with different life-cycles.
“With the implementation of best practices by the National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure, and the seven (7) essential elements identified in the Municipal Infrastructure Asset Management Best Practices, the State of the Infrastructure Report will be used to identify current management practices, as the City of Hamilton continues to pursue the goal of sustainable asset management,” said Mayor Larry Di Ianni.
The Award will be presented on February 4, 2006 at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Sustainable Communities Conference. For more information on the National Award and InfraGuide, please visit www.infraguide.ca.
Green Fleet Implementation
The Green Fleet Implementation Plan has been developed for the City of Hamilton’s Central Fleet, which manages vehicles used by the Public Works Department, the Planning and Development Department, and several other City agencies (the Corporate Fleet). As a large consumer of energy, the City has an influential role in developing more efficient vehicle technology that reduces both energy consumption and environmental impact.
Biodiesel for the entire City fleet and hybrid electric vehicles for the Corporate Fleet are being recommended as practical and affordable tactics. Participation in anti-idling campaigns has proven to be successful and this plan includes a new anti-idling policy for City vehicles. It excludes vehicle acquisition for Police, Fire, and EMS vehicles but does affect fuel for these organizations, as well as for GO Transit buses based in Hamilton.
The Plan will reduce the carbon dioxide output of this inventory by 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes and significantly reduce other forms of pollutants over the three years of the Plan and continue in future years. It will accomplish this by focusing on greater use of biodiesel and hybrid-electric vehicles. Central Fleet estimates the additional cost to implement the Plan will be less than 1.9% of the forecast $16,810,600 already planned for vehicle replacement over the next three years from 2005 to 2007 (see Table 1 – Vehicle Replacement Costs 2005 – 2007). The increase to operating costs is expected to be less than 1% in the worst case situation, based on adjustments to fuel.
The Green Fleet Implementation Plan is a way to implement affordable and sustainable vehicle technology that clearly demonstrates the City’s leadership role toward reducing its environmental impact. It is a component of Objective 8 in the City’s “Roadmap to Sustainability”, making substantial progress toward the City’s overall plan for improving the environment. It contributes to “VISION 2020” goals for a healthy, sustainable city. It also implements recommended policies from the Transportation Master Plan.
Hamilton Community Energy
Receives Pollution Prevention Award |
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Hamilton Community Energy (HCE), a Hamilton Utilities Company, has received national recognition for improving local air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. HCE is the recipient of the 2005 Canadian Council of the Ministers of the Environment Pollution Prevention Award in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Category. The award was presented June 5th 2005 in Victoria, British Columbia.
The award recognizes the environmental benefits of Hamilton Community Energy’s downtown district heating project which delivers thermal energy in the form of hot water to thirteen buildings in downtown Hamilton. The Combined Heat and Power Plant, known as “The Energy Centre”, uses waste energy from an efficient, gas fired engine to generate heat and 3.5 MW of electricity. The technology being used results in an alternative energy supply operating at 30% or more efficiency than traditional heating systems.
“We are reducing greenhouse gases and smog precursors by millions of kilograms per year and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars on an annual basis in energy costs for the downtown Hamilton facilities connected to the system,” said Ian Collins of Hamilton Community Energy. “The downtown Energy Centre represents the first phase of a much broader community-wide opportunity,“ added Collins. “The potential of Hamilton’s heavy industrial base presents a unique chance for the City and the province to establish a community-wide district heating system that would utilize waste heat from the industrial cores as its primary heat source. This repeatable model can be replicated across Ontario addressing the key energy and environmental issues facing us today.”
The downtown buildings currently connected to the HCE heating system include City Hall, Copps Coliseum, Hamilton Convention Centre, Central Library, the Ellen Fairclough building, Hamilton Board of Education Administrative offices, and Victoria Park Community Homes, which provides social housing.
For past success stories please visit our Success Story Archive.