Federal Government Invests in Renewable Energy Supermarket

Published on October 25, 2018

A new Longo’s supermarket will soon be opening in Stouffville Ontario, and is receiving $1.4 million from Natural Resources Canada’s Energy Innovation Program, in order to make it the first Near Net Zero Energy (NZE) supermarket in Canada.

The supermarket will create enough power through renewable technologies to account for 65% of its necessary power requirements, and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1500 to 2000 metric tonnes a year.

Markham-Stouffville MP and Minister of Indigenous Services, Jane Philpott, announced this investment on October 9th. She stated that she was proud to be a part of the project, and that by utilizing renewable energy technologies and energy efficient practices, the project will help to protect the environment while also creating new jobs.

“Longo’s Stouffville supermarket will demonstrate first-of-its-kind, net-zero energy solutions, making it one of the most sustainable supermarkets in Canada,” Philpott said.

Some of those net-zero energy solutions are outlined by Natural Resources Canada, including: LED lighting, solar photovoltaics on the roof, combined cooling, and a high efficiency building envelope.

Natural Resources Canada also remarks that building a supermarket to have reduced greenhouse gas emissions can be challenging in Canada due to the wide variation in climate; as they often have high heating and cooling requirements

President and CEO of Longo Brothers Fruit Markets, Anthony Longo, believes that this project will set a benchmark of energy efficient performance for new supermarkets to follow. He also notes that Longo’s has a proud history of pioneering new environmental initiatives, recalling that Longo’s was the first supermarket to have a solar energy system attached to the power grid.

Net Zero Homes

Another green energy initiative that is currently being carried out across Canada, but is achievable for homeowners, is to build a Net-Zero Energy home. Using various methods to reduce energy usage, a home can apply to qualify as a Net-Zero Energy home if it also produces as much energy through renewable sources as it uses.

Similar to Loblaw’s Near Net Zero Energy supermarket, a Net-Zero Energy home creates high levels of efficiency through strategies such as: high levels of insulation and air sealing, a dedicated ventilation point(s), and high-efficiency appliances.

During and/or after the construction process, a Net Zero Energy home will need to have an evaluation of its overall energy efficiency through a Home Energy Assessment, conducted by a Registered Energy Advisor.

Barrier Sciences Group is happy to provide these services, and to contribute to helping homeowners improve their energy efficiency - working to save them money on utility bills, and improve their home air quality and comfort.

For any homeowner who is looking to improve the energy efficiency of their own home, a Home Energy Assessment or an Airtightness Testcan also be conducted. This supplies our Registered Energy Advisors with all the information they need to provide you with a list of possible energy-saving solutions for you to take - ranked in order of what will net you the highest increase in efficiency per dollar.