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 		 Power Smart
 
 

 
 

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o get the most out of our valuable water resource, BC Hydro created Power Smart. It helps the people of BC both conserve energy and save money, while helping the environment.

Power Smart helps you use electricity more efficiently, reducing your consumption and your bill, with our Power Smart products, services and information enabling you to get the most from your energy dollar.

Power Smart has created a culture change for British Columbians. Turning off the lights was a big step a few years ago, but it's a habit for most people now.

In fact, about 700,000 BC Hydro customers have participated in Power Smart since its inception in 1989.

Since then, more than 16,000 homes have become more energy efficient with upgraded insulation and draftproofing, ventilation, thermostats, windows and doors through the Power Smart Home Improvements program.

Close to 20,000 commercial buildings have benefited from Power Smart energy efficiency improvements, saving almost 600 million kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, enough to meet the needs of about 60,000 homes.

The Power is Yours
BC's building design community has adopted Power Smart principles and changed its standards. The Power Smart new Building Design program influenced the construction of 60 million square feet of energy-efficient construction - for example, the new Vancouver International Airport, the BCIT Downtown Campus Building and the University of Northern British Columbia. Energy savings total about 350 million kilowatt-hours a year - enough to serve the needs of about 35,000 homes.

Under the Refrigerator Recovery program 152,000 old, inefficient refrigerators have been collected for recycling. Since the program's inception, 15,200 tonnes of metal have been recycled, enough to build another Lion's Gate Bridge, and then some. The fridges recovered would more than fill five Vancouver Trade and Convention Centres. If laid end to end, these fridges would stretch from Vancouver to Hope.

There are many ways to be Power Smart. Some of the Power Smart endorsed products include appliances, dimmer switches, halogen lamps, showerheads, skylights, spa covers, windows - and 18 other categories.