The Colwood Fire Department is looking at a savings of roughly $1,500 a year in energy costs thanks the hard work of one individual.

Joanne Topping, the emergency services support co-ordinator at Colwood Fire Rescue, doesnB次元官网网址檛 have a lot B次元官网网址� if any B次元官网网址� free time in her day. But that didnB次元官网网址檛 stop her from trying to find ways to make the fire hall more efficient. While she turns lights and computers off behind others, setting her sights on even bigger cost saving measures has started to add up in savings for the city.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e managed to cut my bill at home quite significantly,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚f you can do it at home, you can do it here B次元官网网址� We forget about the obvious.B次元官网网址�

After looking at the hallB次元官网网址檚 hydro bills, paired with the high replacement costs of T12 florescent lamps, and after receiving a cold call from a B.C. Hydro representative, Topping decided something had to be done.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 people that will do the legwork for you, you just have to initiate the process,B次元官网网址� she said. Working with a Hydro staffer who also recommended a number of contractors, she helped the hall lower its energy costs through the replacement of more than 60 halogen light bulbs and a dozen T12 florescent lamps with LED bulbs.

While the fire hall was renovated roughly 10 years ago, there are still areas that could use updating, she noted. B次元官网网址淲e still have the old half of the building.B次元官网网址� That section has sometimes been overlooked and Topping said a few fixtures still need to be replaced. Most of those are on the exterior of the building, or in the museum. B次元官网网址淚 hope to maybe do some of that replacement on our own,B次元官网网址� she said, pointing a further cost-saving measure.

A number of lights at the fire hall are motion-activated or on timers, although some have to be left on to help facilitate volunteers coming and going at all hours of the day.

ItB次元官网网址檚 especially important that those lights are as energy efficient as possible, she said, adding that even small measures, such as replacing some of the T12 florescent lamps with T8s, has made a difference.

Colwood Coun. Cynthia Day, chair of the CityB次元官网网址檚 protective services committee, said, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 interesting B次元官网网址�  itB次元官网网址檚 just that common-sense approach.B次元官网网址� The steps Topping has taken are B次元官网网址渁ll things that many of us would do in our daily lives, but donB次元官网网址檛 look at in a big workplace.B次元官网网址�

In this case, Day said, all of the work Topping did allowed the fire department to move straight into a plan of action. B次元官网网址淲hen Joanne and others take that leadership step and are recognized for it, they energize others to take those steps. The firehall has been a great leader in that way.B次元官网网址�

DayB次元官网网址檚 hope is that others will follow the departmentB次元官网网址檚 lead to make their own businesses and workplaces more energy efficient. B次元官网网址淭he whole city has been working towards that B次元官网网址� It really takes those individuals that own it.B次元官网网址�

Topping noted that thanks to the hard work of firefighter Scott Abrahamson and many others, Colwood Fire Rescue received gold certification in the Vancouver Island Green Business Certification Program in 2014. Last year they were only one criteria area short of achieving the top-rated B次元官网网址済reenB次元官网网址� certification.

B次元官网网址淭hese kinds of initiatives are always ongoing,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲e are very aware of that here and thatB次元官网网址檚 thanks to the City.B次元官网网址�

katie@goldstreamgazette.com