Upgrades to 11 city-operated arenas have the potential to significantly reduce energy use as part of a multi-year plan.
According to Glen Stefanyshen, Winnipeg’s Superintendent of Buildings, Asset Operations, and Energy Management, funding from the Government of Manitoba has led to various upgrades. One that has caught the most attention is the new ice plant controls.
“The brine pump is something that typically has one run continuously while the ice plant is in operation. For about six months typically for our ice plants. But now we’ve installed some sensors on the ceiling of the ice rink that senses the temperature of the ice surface. And we’re able to cycle the brine pumps according to demand.”
The energy use of the Terry Sawchuk Arena’s 20-horsepower motor is anticipated to decrease by 40 per cent. Stefanyshen says similar energy reductions are expected at all locations.
Although the budget varies depending on the facility, the initial estimate for the ice plant upgrade is about $35,000 per rink. A total of $8 million was allocated for repairs and maintenance at city-operated arenas and some community rinks.
The ice controls are just one of many new additions with LED lighting and a new smart energy management system developed in-house by the city’s technical team.
According to Stefanyshens, LED lighting was a no-brainer. It reduces energy use and improves light quality within the arenas. The new energy system downloads daily booking schedules and adjusts the ice plant operations, much like a home thermostat.
“You can set it up such that once the building is occupied, it’s going to start cooling the ice plant.”
Energy efficiency is also being applied to spectator areas. While not yet fully operational, a motion sensor-based system is being developed to control the heating in seating areas.
“For example, when I play hockey, there are no spectators, and they won’t be activated. There are going to be motion sensors that will be used to detect if there are actually people in the stands, and they’re going to turn on the space heaters based on that schedule and the motion.”
Stefanyshens adds that all of these upgrades will improve the experience for Winnipeggers coming to the rinks.
“Recreation is a very important thing for everybody. And in today’s society, I know that looking back, when I was young, which was a long time ago, the ice rink was always a focal point of all of your activities. So it’s very important to a lot of different people.”
It will still be some time before the long-term savings from the upgrades can be estimated, with Stefanyshens saying they will collect data throughout the season’s operations.
– Ryan Funk, U Multicultural
