FortisBC named regional utility of the year
By Contributor
FortisBC has been named the regional utility of the year by Natural Resources Canada’s ENERGY STAR® Market Transformation Awards.
FortisBC was acknowledged for the success of its water heater program, which promotes the adoption of high-efficiency residential water heaters, including
ENERGY STAR tankless, hybrid, and condensing storage models. With rebates and an awareness campaign, FortisBC was able to increase the overall market uptake of high-efficiency water heaters in B.C. homes.
FortisBC began the program when it noted the availability and customer adoption of these models were low, despite pending regulations and energy saving benefits. Once the early pilot results confirmed the performance and efficiency of these models, FortisBC launched the program targeting both customers and natural gas contractors
Susan Woodage of Princeton, B.C. was one of the 2,300 homeowners who took advantage of the offer and purchased a new, tankless water-heater.
“It’s wonderful, everyone should have one,” said Woodage. “I like the instant hot water, I don’t have to waste money keeping a big tank of water hot and it saves space. Nice to have the rebate, too.”
FortisBC is the only utility in Canada to offer these types of rebates, and as a result, prepare the B.C. market for pending regulation changes. The incentives also encouraged customers to upgrade their water heaters and save money on their energy bills.
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