The lights in Gillian CarriganB次元官网网址檚 office used to be twice as bright as they needed to be.

A free energy assessment by the non-profit City Green Solutions recommended the simple, no-cost solution of removing half the florescent tubes from ceiling lighting panels.

It was an easy adjustment for Carrigan and her colleagues at Boulevard Transportation Group in Langford.

B次元官网网址淚t feels better in here with less florescent light,B次元官网网址� said Carrigan, general manager and environmental consultant for the transportation planning company. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the type of thing you donB次元官网网址檛 realize is a problem until itB次元官网网址檚 not there anymore.B次元官网网址�

As an added benefit, the company also reduced its energy bill B次元官网网址� which is what City Green is out to help other small and medium sized businesses do through a provincially-funded program that subsidizes the full cost of energy assessments to private companies that spend less than $50,000 per year on electricity.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a rough couple years for business, and this is a way they can save some money,B次元官网网址� said Peter Sundberg, executive director of City Green Solutions. B次元官网网址淭ypically every office space has something that can change to be more energy efficient.B次元官网网址�

The assessment, which takes about an hour, will look at lighting, heating, hot water use and refrigeration. Where retrofits are recommended, an assessment report will include information for government subsidies that will help offset the cost, and give an estimate for the payback period.

If, for example, Boulevard wanted to replace its 32 watt lighting tubes with 25 watt tubes, its assessment said the provincial government would cover a third of the cost and the project would pay for itself through energy savings in less than four years.

The report also gives a list of approved distributers for the products it suggests and, if needed, contractors to install them.

B次元官网网址淲e try to make it as easy as possible for the business,B次元官网网址� Sundberg said.

Since the program launched in June, City Green has assessed 24 businesses in Greater Victoria, and it aims to have 150 done by March 2012.

For more information, see www.citygreen.ca

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