Recreation centres

Space heating

• Boilers

Water heating

• Tank-type heaters
• Volume water heaters (domestic water boilers)
• Storage tanks
• Pipes and valves
• Water temperature
• Showers and faucets

Make-up air units

Building structure

• Insulation
• Windows and doors

Swimming pool

• Indoor
• Outdoor

Ice rink

• Heat recovery
• Ice-resurfacing equipment

Space heating

Boilers

• Make sure boilers and associated systems are part of the annual maintenance schedule. Ask your maintenance contractor to measure boiler efficiency at least once each year.
• Use electronic controls to operate boilers and heating pumps only when needed.
• It's critical to have your maintenance contractor check the control systems. Inadequate or incorrectly operating controls can increase your costs by 20 per cent or more. One key area for savings is night setback. Controls should be set so that general areas, offices, etc., are set back to 16 C outside hours of usage.
• If your boiler is over 25-years old, it may need replacing. Installing new, high-efficiency units can reduce your natural gas usage by 30 per cent or more.
• Ensure all bare heating pipes, valves and flanges are insulated in mechanical rooms and unheated areas. Often the pipes are insulated but the valves and flanges are not and this lack of insulation can result in wasted energy.
• Insulate expansion tanks and heat exchangers. 

Water heating

Tank-type heaters

• Make sure these heaters are part of the annual maintenance schedule.
• Flush the tanks yearly to maintain proper heat transfer and improve life expectancy.

Volume water heaters (domestic water boilers)

• Make sure these water heaters are part of the annual maintenance schedule.
• To ensure proper operation, set the boiler operating control to a temperature above 65 C (150 F).

Storage tanks

• Make sure storage tanks are well insulated.

Pipes and valves

• Ensure that all hot water pipes, valves and flanges in accessible areas are insulated to reduce heat loss.

Water temperature

• Set the water temperature to 55 C (131 F). Settings above this temperature wastes energy; settings below this temperature can lead to increased bacterial growth.

Showers and faucets

• Install low-flow showerheads and save up to 30 per cent of hot water usage. Flow reducers on faucets can give additional savings.

Make-up air units

• Use electronic controls to operate the heating only when required.
• Set temperature controls to 16 C (61 F). This temperature is usually sufficient for corridors, stairs and hallways.
• Insulate all heating ductwork located in unheated areas.
• Ensure air filters are changed regularly to maintain proper air flow.

Building structure

Insulation

• When renovating, check insulation levels and upgrade to current standards where possible.

Windows and doors

• Draft-proof windows and doors with weather-stripping.
• Install double-glazed windows to reduce your use of natural gas. Double-glazed windows also help reduce noise levels and improve comfort levels. The payback period on this capital cost is typically 10 – 15 years.  

Swimming pool

Indoor

• Adjust temperature settings in the pool so that the air temperature in the pool area is higher than the water temperature – this greatly reduces heat loss and evaporation from the pool surface.
• Cover the pools and hot tubs when they are not in use to further reduce heat loss and evaporation.
• Reduce pool-room ventilation rates at night when the pool is not being used.

Outdoor

• When you're heating the pool before the start of the season, make sure to cover it. This step reduces heat-up time.
• Cover the pool when it isn't in use to reduce heat loss and evaporation.

Ice rink

Heat recovery

• Consider recovering heat from the refrigeration system for use in the hot water system or as a preheat to water for the ice-resurfacing equipment.
• Make sure the bleacher heating is time-controlled so that it is only used when occupied. Excess use will result in increased gas and electricity consumption.

Ice-resurfacing equipment

• Ensure that the water supplied to the ice-resurfacing equipment is at the correct temperature. Overheating will waste energy.
• Insulate the water storage tanks and the distribution piping to reduce standby losses.