If your business uses commercial refrigeration to keep food and beverage products cold, or rooms at a comfortable temperature, your utility bills may be far higher than necessary. Not to mention the fact your system may be wasting millions of litres of fresh water annually.

Did you know the typical sends fresh water down the drain every day it is in use?

In the Capital Regional District, residents do their part for water conservation by adhering to the in summer. If youB次元官网网址檙e a business operator looking to make a meaningful contribution to environmental initiatives, moving to a more efficient cooling system can be a great start, says Glenn Harris, senior manager of the CRDB次元官网网址檚 environmental protection team.

B次元官网网址淥nce-through-cooling (OTC) systems are inexpensive to buy and install, but they cost a lot of money when it comes to the utility bill B次元官网网址� and they waste a lot of water,B次元官网网址� he says.

OTC systems found in various places

A wide variety of businesses and other institutions use OTC systems, from restaurants and bars to food wholesale, retail, or processing facilities; universities, colleges and schools, hotels and motels, office buildings, medical facilities and more. The number of OTC units varies depending on the size and scope of the operation, but itB次元官网网址檚 safe to say their use is widespread around Greater Victoria. But some local businesses have undertaken retrofits of their cooling units. HereB次元官网网址檚 an example of the potential cost savings .

Looking to replace your cooling system?

Whether the long-term cost factor, the environmental impact, or both got your attention, taking steps to investigate your options is as easy as visiting the CRDB次元官网网址檚 website at . There you can find tips and cost estimates for retrofitting your OTC system with a more efficient method of cooling.

Wonder why water conservation is so important for our region?

• The regionB次元官网网址檚 municipal water source, the Sooke Reservoir, relies on winter rains to fill it. There is often no significant rainfall between May and September, the months where water consumption nearly doubles.
• The rain captured in winter must meet the CRDB次元官网网址檚 water needs for the year. Practising water conservation and using water responsibly can help delay the need to fund and develop new sources of water and expand infrastructure to meet increasing demand.
• Conservation is crucial to ensure adequate water supply for drinking water, fire protection, water quality and ecosystem support through the dry summer months.

Learn more about how the CRD can help you transition from OTC equipment to air-cooled or re-circulating equipment at or by calling 250-360-3103.