GC 2020
59 results found
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a street car named DESire (DES = District Energy System)
What if the transit line you road on also carried the energy used to heat your home?
Just as density begets transit, density begets District Energy Systems (DES).
A DES is a utility like BC Hydro’s electricity grid, or Terasen’s Natural Gas network - only it uses hot water to carry energy. The hot water can be used to heat your home, office or favorite karaoke bar. The heat can be generated from clean energy sources like solar thermal panels, ground source heat pumps, or sewage waste heat recovery - like at the Olympic village. These clean energy technologies are…
171 votes -
Increase overnight rates for energy consumption in offices
Every night thousands of lights, computers, printers and other office equipment are left on needlessly in empty office buildings across the city.
By imposing a tariff on this sort of waste, business might be forced to evaluate their policies and work to reduce energy waste.
Of course, some equipment must be left on – servers, refrigerators etc. – so the tariff would need to scale and offer exemptions for critical equipment.
BC Hydro estimate that 40% of employees in B.C. leave their computers on after working hours and this wastes 500 gigawatt-hours of electricity (http://www.bchydro.com/powersmart/technology_tips/managing_energy_costs/computer_power_management.html?WT.mc_id=b-10-08_computers)
82 votesBC Hydro and other energy utilities make rate proposals to the BC Utilities Commission who are the regulator for energy rates. For more info check out: www.bcuc.com
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Encourage smaller, denser housing
Many people around the world live in smaller housing units in denser neighbourhoods. In Toronto, many freehold lots are between 15-20 feet wide. The typical Vancouver lot is 33 feet wide. We could double the density in the City by encouraging the development of smaller, attached homes on freehold lots that are 15-16 feet wide. Density alone is not enough to create a livable city, but density will help to reduce emissions as well as helping to improve the affordability of housing in Vancouver.
39 votesThe Ecodensity planning process kicked off efforts in this area. Laneway housing is a good example smaller, denser housing we are starting to see across the city.
http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/watersewers/sewers/permits/laneway.htm -
Separate organic matter out of the waste stream and convert it to biogas
When food scraps and organic matter decompose in landfills, methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, is created. If captured properly, methane can be used as a fuel source (known as biogas). Biogas is considered carbon neutral since, unlike natural gas, it does not add any new carbon to the atmosphere. Separating organic matter out of the waste stream and converting it to biogas lowers the greenhouse gas emissions associated with our waste, creates a new fuel source, and makes recycling easier.
29 votesThe City has already started a food scraps collection program for neighbourhoods where yard trimmings are collected. These materials are currently composted. With more organic waste diversion, the City will explore opportunties to implement technolgies that produce biogas like gassifiers and anaerobic digesters.
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Encourage geo-thermal power and heating technology for new and existing neighbourhoods
Geo-thermal technology could heat a large number of Vancouver homes and reduce the amount of natural gas and electricity being consumed.
28 votes -
compressed work week
A global trend to compress the 5 day commute to 4 days will make Vancouver a leader not a follower! The traditional work week consists of 5 days with each day being 7-8 hours. Many work situations can be changed to allow for non-traditional work weeks. As an example, if you have a 40-hour work week, instead of having everyone work 5, 8-hour days, some of your employees could work 4, 10-hour days. This would produce a 20% reduction in auto emissions pumped into our air and help our environment. A compressed work week is a commute option because it…
26 votes -
Prohibit the use of outdoor space heaters on both residential and restaurant/cafe patios
I try to avoid businesses which use outdoor space heaters. Outdoor space heaters waste energy by producing heat which is quickly lost in the outdoors, and burn fossil fuels and directly contribute greenhouse gases.
23 votes -
Smart appliances to reduce energy use
Offices that leave lights and computers on all night, and appliances that have transformers and use phantom power, waste electricity. The city should use and promote smart appliances that monitor their use and switch to a low-power state when not in use.
23 votes -
Switch our power source from water (BC Hydro) to solar or wind
Reservoirs disrupt the natural water cycle, collecting dead biological material, resulting in massive amounts of carbon emissions, among other problems. And are NOT green. Let's switch it over to Solar or wind!
18 votes -
Installing a 50 kw Wind Turbine @ Vanier Park to power the MoV, PSC & MM to showcase wind energy
Vanier Park's ideal location for wind and reducing the GHG's for Vancouver's 3 major museums would not only be beneficial environmentally but would be a major attraction to the public.
17 votesGreat idea. The Vancouver Park Board has examined opportunities for small wind energy generation at locations further west like Jericho.
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Create a new area in Playland for human powered amusement rides
The City of Vancouver owns Hastings Park and is creating a master plan for the Park, the PNE, and Playland. The current version of the plan calls for an expansion of Playland, which goes against the Greenest City Goal, unless... a new section of rides was created that were completely human powered. It Vancouver approved it, it would be the first truly green amusement park in the world.
There are many examples of individual human powered amusement park rides but nowhere in the world have they been assembled together to create a green amusement park.
16 votesVery interesting idea. The planners for Hastings Park have looked at these type of amusement parks. Thanks for your interesting idea. We will share it with our project team. In our research we have run across something similar to your suggestion: check out Cyclecide http://www.cyclecide.com based out of San Francisco, operates the countries one and only pedal-powered carnival midway. Check out http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2009/01/maker_profile_bicycle_rodeo.html
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Use power generating tiles for pavement in high density walking areas
Power generating tiles: the more people walk on these tile, the more power is generated, and the less use of traditional power generation options that depend mainly on fossil burning. These tiles could be used downtown, in malls, sky train stations, and any other area with high density of pedestrians.
14 votesInteresting idea. The City is always interested in new renewable energy technologies.
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14 votes
The City does not have jursidiction in this area, though the best way to send price signals to discourage the use of air conditioners may be through sales tax administered by the provincial government.
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Free parking for scooters and motorcycles!
Create free parking for scooters and motorcycles, especially in congested areas like Downtown! It just makes sense: Two-wheeled vehicles take up less space on the road and are more fuel-efficient than cars. We just need safe, affordable and accessible parking.
Vote to support free scooter and motorbike parking!!!
13 votes -
Re-Utilizing the heat from potable water ( Dishwasher, Shower, ... )
We could use the potential heat from our shower, dishwasher and other source of hot water that we utilize everyday and utilize the energy to heat the hot water again ( Re-use it for a thermal recovery )
13 votesThe South East False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility is one of 4 systems in the world where heat is recovered from sewage and distributed to the South East False Creek Neighbourhood. for a district energy system.
www.vancouver.ca/sustainability/building_neu.htm -
Green computing in all government offices
Cloud computing servers that run on renewable wind energy also minimize the need for computer upgrades, high-power servers that stay on all night, and costly software licences. Google has invested hundreds of millions in green power and offers government grade office services at a fraction of current costs. They also recycle computer parts to create their data centres. By using these services, we become greener.
http://gigaom.com/cleantech/google-buys-wind-power-first-deal-for-google-energy/
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/government/index.html
http://www.google.com/corporate/green/datacenters/server-retirement.html
12 votesGood ideas. We are looking for all kinds of opportunities for renewable energy generation, waste heat recovery and energy conservation. Current good examples of waste heat recovery are in newer swimming pools and skating rinks. See a good example though the following link: http://vancouver.ca/parks/info/2010Olympics/pdf/Hillcrest.pdf
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For the City to be Green, the Province must be Green. Stop Oil and Gas development in the interior.
The city is supported financially by the province. It is disingenuous to claim to be the greenest city in the world, while receiving money from the development of oil and gas extraction in our interior. Most of the population of BC lives in vancouver. It is our tacit approval that allows it. Vote No!
12 votesThe City is trying to it’s part within it’s own operations and broadly in the community to reduce dependance on fossil fuels. We will continue to advocate for policy and legislation that supports climate protection efforts.
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Encourage clothes lines through subsidized "kits" and installation assistance
Dryers are huge energy sucks, and outdoor clothes lines can do a fine job drying laundry (at least for the 50 days a year it doesn't rain!). Perhaps a summer student could be hired to come install clothes lines at residences around the city.
11 votesSeveral years ago the City devleoped water saver kits to help people conserve water. Look for clothes line kits to be ready for distribution in 2011.
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Work with existing district steam heating systems to switch to renewable energy sources
Half of Vancouver’s greenhouse gas emissions come from burning natural gas to heat our buildings. The large district steam heating systems found at the hospitals and downtown are significant users of natural gas. Converting these existing systems to renewable energy sources would reduce reliance on natural gas and help to lower our greenhouse gas emissions.
11 votes -
Micro-Hydro Power
Implement water collection systems on all new buildings and retrofit old buildings to generate power from rain water. "Inline stream engines" can also be connected to the city reservoir. Can support all grey water uses and generate compressed air and electricity to work towards creating closed-loop energy systems throughout the city.
10 votesGood ideas! The City is currently doing a feasibility assessment of connecting a micro-turbine to the City’s water system. If the feasibility is positive, it will be considered in the City’s capital budget for implementation.
