Invest $21 million; save $128 million … really?  That sounds a bit fantabulous given today’s marketplace.  Nevertheless, a recent study by C3, Alberta’s independent climate change agency, demonstrates we can readily achieve these results in just one province.  How?  Energy conservation is the answer.

Furthermore, if Albertans undertook all options available to convert residential, commercial and institutional buildings into highly energy efficient technology partners, we could save almost $700 million on an investment of just $326 million.  The results would be even more positive if industrial applications were added to the calculations.

What C3 has done is prove Walt Patterson’s assertion that the “first strand in reducing our dependence on fuel ought to be upgrading existing buildings and other user-technology – the top priority for real energy policy around the world.”  Yet politicians continue to shy away from paying little more than lip service to the potential for real productivity gains in the realm of energy efficiency programs. 

In an effort to persuade policy makers to take a more aggressive approach, C3 is preparing a best practice planning framework.  Stay tuned … if we’re serious about adopting a comprehensive national energy consensus, C3’s framework could very well provide us with a critical piece of the roadmap we need to succeed.