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Case Studies 

Read the following case studies to learn how others in your industry have made their business more sustainable.
 Air quality
Warehousing:
Toyota introduced load sharing with Honda and Chrysler saving an estimated 680 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) and 9 tonnes of smog-forming contaminants per year!

PDF icon Toyota

 Energy efficiency
Health Services:
The Children and Women Health Centre has reduced annual energy requirements by 15% through the upgrade of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) systems.

PDF icon The Children's and Women's Health Centre

Hotels/Motels:
The Renaissance Hotel energy intensity coefficients (based on electrical, steam and natural gas usage) are about 25% lower than national industry averages.

PDF icon The Renaissance Hotel

Manufacturing:
Creo saves $29K by upgrading lighting

PDF icon Creo

 Green Team
Commercial Offices:
The greening of Boston Pizza International corporate office began with the efforts of departmental "champions" looking for opportunities to reduce waste and improve recycling.

PDF icon Boston Pizza International Coporate Office

 Liquid waste
Automotive Services:
The Garage collects an estimated 1600 Litres of grit and sludge in their oil interceptor annually that is not discharged to sanitary sewer.

PDF icon The Garage

 Sustainable Purchasing
Transportation:
Novex aims to reduce fuel costs by 50%

PDF icon Novex

 Waste reduction and recycling
Commercial Offices:
TELUS Saved $596,000 in 2002, by reducing waste

PDF icon Telus

Commercial Offices:
Metrotower Office Complex diverts an estimated 1.5 tonnes of mixed paper and cardboard each month, materials banned from the regional landfills, through their successful recycling program.

PDF icon Metrotower Office Complex

Hotels/Motels:
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver saves $5,280/year by reducing waste!

PDF icon The Fairmont Hotel

Manufacturing:
Nature Path has two primary environmental goals: to become zero waste certified before 2010; and to be climate neutral before 2020.

PDF icon Nature's Path

Retail:
Mountain Equipment Co-op saves $63K per year by reducing waste!

PDF icon Mountain Equipment Co-op

Retail:
An enviro-discount was given by lululemon athletica to over 99,000 of their customers in 2006 that chose not to take a bag with their purchase.

PDF icon lululemon athletica

 Water use
Recreation:
Sportsplex estimates water savings of approximately 14,000 cubic metres (m³) through the use of low-flow devices year.

PDF icon Sportsplex

Restaurants:
Capers Community Markets’ Robson store reduced annual water usage by approximately 190 cubic metres (m³) with eco-efficient toilets and faucet aerators

PDF icon Capers Community Markets

Commercial Offices:
The cafeteria at Metro Vancouver Head Office saves 2,900 cubic metres (m³) of water a year. This saves $3,500 in water and gas costs.

PDF icon Metro Vancouver Head Office Cafeteria Once-Through Cooling Water
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Hybrid Automobiles

Fast Facts

Many consumer electronics and office equipment sold in Canada now show the ENERGY STAR symbol on the product, on its packaging or in its literature.

Just how much power does your computer consume?

Electricity consumption over a 12 hour period (in watt-hour), computer and monitor*

  • Left "On" (computer without power management features enabled) = 1,680
  • In standby mode (ENERGY STAR qualified computer and monitor with power management features enabled) = 360
  • Turned "Off" = 24

    * For a pesonal desktop computer and 17" CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor.