Northern United Place Energy Audit

Northern United Place provides affordable residential housing to residents in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. Offered within the development are  70 bachelor and 14 one-bedroom units with all utilities included in the total rental price. With a convenient downtown location, these units are available to individuals and families making less than $45,000.00 per year. Aurora College is also located at Northern United Place, offering various academic upgrading and post-secondary programs.

Williams Engineering (WE) provided an ASHRAE Level II Energy Audit supporting Northern United Place’s application for funding under the CMHC National Housing Strategy Co-Investment Fund. WE analyzed the historical utility data, including electricity, natural gas and water use of the previous 12-month period. A site walk-through was completed on the 148,541 square foot facility identifying potential energy conservation measures (ECMs). In addition, interviews with operational staff were conducted to gain a thorough understanding of the current building operations. WE identified multiple potential ECMs, including upgrading the exterior wall insulation, replacing the existing boiler, upgrading the site lighting to LED lighting and replacing the existing air system with a heat recovery system. WE’s ECMs resulted in an overall 23% energy reduction for the building.

The ECMs identified for Northern United Place will reduce capital costs for the facility and enhance the building and environment it surrounds.  Energy Audits such as this empower facility owners to make thoughtful decisions and prioritize energy reduction opportunities, resulting in a higher return on investment and overall comfort for tenants and a positive impact on the communities they are located.