Welcometo the member profile for City of Kitchener
Public administration
industry
1245
employees
5
facilities
Pledging Partner
GHG Reduction Target
Membership Goals
1
Work towards our newly set absolute greenhouse gas reduction target of 8% to be achieved through a series of actions that will reduce carbon emissions from our operations and strengthen resiliency to continue providing valued services to Kitchener residents.
2
Establish a plan to reduce carbon emissions (mitigation) as well as improve the City's resiliency to climate change (adaptation) through The City's Corporate Climate Action Plan.
3
Promote functionality, resilience, wellbeing and leadership through sustainability efforts on our buildings, pumping stations, fleet, outdoor lighting, and waste, in addition to our carbon, cost and energy reductions
Sustainability Projects
2019
Waste Diversion Pilot – This Waste Diversion Pilot is the first of it’s kind in Ontario and perhaps Canada! This innovative one year program began in July 2019 and is centrally administered by the Downtown Kitchener Business Improvement Area (BIA) and supported by Sustainable Waterloo Region. In 2019, 13 organizations were working to support the local circular economy by creating much needed jobs, diverting waste from landfill and generating a renewable source of energy! Diverted 83.83 tonnes of organic waste from the landfill. Diverted 19 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from the Region of Waterloo’s landfill. Generated 565,861 lightbulbs by the anaerobic digestion process, converting the organic waste to energy. Powered 36.59 homes for a month from the clean energy generated through anaerobic processing of the waste.
The City established an Energy Efficiency Reserve Fund, to complete energy audits at 53 municipal facilities to inform capital planning and ensure conservation, efficiency and innovation. In 2019, the city completed energy efficiency projects resulting in 999.28 megawatt hours saved.
Retrofitted all of its streetlights to LED smart lighting, with controls and dimmers.
2018
Facilities received lighting upgrades, replacing high-pressure sodium, metal halide, and fluorescent fixtures with LED bulbs. Lighting retrofits occurred at the Breithaupt Centre Pool, Budd Park soccer field, Don McLaren Arena, City Hall elevator lobbies and stairwell, Sportsworld Crossing Twin Pad, and the Guelph Street Storage Facility. Both the Breithaupt and Forest Heights Pools also had their hot water heat recovery system upgraded. They now repurpose hot water from a boiler to heat swimming pool water, resulting in a more energy efficient system.
2017
LED Lighting Retrofits: Numerous LED lighting retrofits have been completed including: Duke and Ontario parking garage (including offices, elevator area and parking area), Kitchener Kids Museum, Kitchener Operations Low Base, portions of the outside lighting in the Centre in the Square, among others.
LED Streetlight Conversion: The City of Kitchener is converting over 16,000 streetlights to LED fixtures that include adaptive controls (smart sensors) that make-up a city wide narrowband network.
Waste Division: Plastic from storm and sewer pipes were previously being disposed of in waste bins. As of 2017, the City has found a recycler to avoid this plastic going into the landfill.
Sustainable renovations: 500 sq. ft. on nine floors of City Hall is shifting to broadloom to tile carpeting. The carpeting being removed will be recycled and the new tiles are stuck together at the corners, instead of using glues and VOC substances.
2016
Sustainable Commuting Initiatives: Zero % interest loan were given to employees to purchase bicycles; they were also provided secure (cage) parking for bicycles at City Hall. A Staff Bike Ride was also hosted from City Hall to the Kitchener Operations Facility, which spanned 9kms. Free food vouchers for the staff BBQ were offered to employees using alternative transportation to work. An introduction to electric vehicles has also been made by having 4 electric motorcycles for bylaw officers.
Sustainable building practices: The Council has passed policies that ensure new city owned buildings greater than 5,330 sq. ft are at minimum LEED silver standard; thus far the Kitchener Operations Facility is at Silver Standard, the Activa Sportsplex and Kingsdale Community Centre are at Gold Standard, and Fire Hall #7 has building features that allow it to qualify for Silver Standard. LED light retrofitting was conducted in multiple city buildings including City Hall, the Kitchener Auditorium, County Hills community centre and Victoria Hills community centre; the anticipated GHG reduction is 99 tonnes.
2015
Stormwater Management: Constructed an overflow storm sewer on Rosthay Avenue.
2014
Council adopted Multi-use Pathways and Trails Master Plan. The city-wide network of multi-use pathways proposed in the master plan will provide continuous and linked walking and cycling routes throughout Kitchener, building upon, expanding, improving and connecting the existing “community trails” encouraging the most sustainable form of transportation.
2012
The Kingsdale Community Centre received LEED gold. The 16,500 square foot facility that opened in Oct 2011 features five program rooms, a large gymnasium with an adjoining commercial kitchen and bar area, which are available for rental, and an outdoor splash pad.