New Energy-Efficient Fleet Maintenance Garage Begins Construction

Published on October 30, 2018

The city of Kingston has begun construction on a new fleet maintenance garage that is set to achieve Silver certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), meaning that it will reach the required level of energy efficiency and environmental friendliness specified by LEED.

This new maintenance garage is set to replace Kingston’s current 70 year old garage, and initially had a $26 million dollar budget. With therepealing of the cap and trade system by the provincial government, this project had its budget altered to $24.25 million, but is still expected to be able to achieve the levels of energy efficiency required to attain LEED Silver certification.

The new fleet maintenance garage is set to have: 10 regular and 2 drive-through truck bays, five car maintenance bays, a wash bay, a welding area, portable hoists, a bridge crane, a parts room, in-floor radiant heating, staff facilities, and administrative offices.

In terms of energy conserving methods and strategies, the project had initially earmarked part of the budget for retrofitting existing buildings as well as a geothermal system, but it had to alter its strategy towards installing only rooftop solar panels, in order to stay under the new budget while still achieving LEED Silver certification.

Cindie Ashton, communications officer for the city of Kingston, has said that the city is busy working on finding different ways to save money on the project, while also ensuring that the building will be highly energy efficient, and LEED Silver certified.  

The new fleet maintenance garage is set to be 4000 square meters, and is being built at 701 Division Street in two phases. Phase one occurs during the summer of 2018 to the late fall of 2018, and is set to install site-servicing, grading, and stormwater management. Phase two will be completed from the spring of 2019 to the summer of 2020, and will entail the construction of the new structure and on-site parking.

Efficiency Testing During Construction

To really ensure that a project such as this new fleet maintenance garage is meeting these high energy efficiency standards, the level of energy efficiency needs to be tested by a building envelope consulting firm, both during and after the construction process, in order to be sure of how energy efficient the building actually is.

Similarly, for a residential home or condominium in Ontario, a Registered Energy Advisor from Barrier Sciences Group can conduct a Home Energy Assessment, which provides precise information about the building’s energy efficiency levels, as well as what would be the most cost-effective modification or renovation to make to improve efficiency.  

This test, along with an Air Tightness Test, can be conducted on older homes to great effect. Older and existing homes often have lower levels of air sealing than homes built today, meaning they are much less energy efficient. With an Air Tightness Test however, unseen air leaks can easily be found and marked, so that an insulation company such as our friends at Great Northern Insulation can seal them.

A Home Energy Assessment can also help qualify a home for rebates that are currently available from Union Gas, and our Registered Energy Advisors are happy to help you find the optimal path to a lower utility bill and carbon footprint, while also helping to improve the comfort and value of your home.