The most important energy conservation project in Queen’s history is moving forward under the banner of CAPit, with the desire to cap emissions, cap utility consumption and cap costs.

CAPit is a $10.7-million energy performance contract with Honeywell, an international energy services company. The project aims to achieve a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 2800 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide.

“The new name reflects the importance of this project to the university’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), and,” says Caroline Davis, Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration). “CAPit will make a significant contribution toward reducing the university’s carbon emissions, helping to achieve the goal of a 35 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, over the 2008 baseline.”

The project will implement more than 170 individual energy conservation measures in 66 campus buildings. These include the installation of low-flow fixtures to reduce water usage, upgraded lighting and building climate controls to reduce energy consumption, as well as heat recovery systems and improvements to building envelopes.

“Work on the CAPit project is now underway, and personnel from Honeywell and Physical Plant Services will be visiting buildings across campus,” says Aaron Ball, Sustainability Manager. “They are starting the first phase of work, which will target water conservation measures, building envelope enhancements and lighting upgrades.”

The water conservation measures will include work in a majority of bathrooms across campus and involve combinations of toilet replacements, urinal and/or flush valve replacements, low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators.

The initial phase of the lighting work includes a series of lamp replacements targeting compact fluorescent lamps retrofitted to LED lamps and T12 and T8 lamps retrofitted to more efficient T8 lamps.  More than 10,000 lamps will be replaced in this phase.

Work will focus on the residence buildings during the summer season while students are away, however other campus buildings will be addressed during this time as the schedule progresses.  Advance notice of affected buildings will be forwarded via Fixit.

More information about CAPit can be found on the Queen’s Sustainability Office website.