Joe Poulin, of Poulin Timber Works, will soon be saving money, and energy, by converting his old, inefficient electric heating system to a new high-efficiency boiler and furnace.
Poulin’s efforts helped win the recent conservation challenge, an event hosted by Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by B.C. Hydro’s Powersmart program. He received a free chamber membership renewal, and will be registered for the Building Sustainable Communities Conference, hosted by the Fresh Outlook Foundation.
The conservation challenge, which ran Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, was a prototype initiative created by and Hydro to help businesses reduce their energy inputs. Suggested conservation practices ranged from e-mailing weekly conservation tips to employees to replacing inefficient electrical devices to forming workplace green teams.
Entrants had to submit four sustainable activities, with supporting evidence, to the chamber to be eligible for prizes.
Poulin Timberworks was an early participant in the challenge. Since attending the chamber’s green breakfast back in September, he has followed through with numerous conservation commitments.
He is now recycling sawdust into compost for fruit trees, and bark into landscaping mulch. Even better, he will be diverting waste wood destined for the landfill to the boiler to be used as fuel.
Waste wood is biomass and the use of biomass technologies are generally considered to be renewable and carbon neutral. This is due to the short processing cycle involved, combined with the regeneration of carbon through replanting, according to a circular from the Clean Energy Association of B.C.
The timber works company – which specializes in timber frame homes, log and timber structures, signs and carvings – also salvages trees from local construction that would normally go to landfill. When purchasing virgin log timber, they source local material.
As the company is located up Silver Star Road, Poulin is encouraging employees to carpool to work.
