BC Hydro Power Smart Awards & Forum » Workplace Conservation Leadership Award

WORKPLACE CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP AWARD

Greg Olynyk, a trainer in the information technology department at Catalyst Paper’s Elk Falls Division, might be expected to actively promote energy conservation. After all, Greg is the communications lead for the Power Watchers energy management team. But Greg has gone above and beyond the expected.

First, Greg launched a Power Watchers website on the mill’s intranet where employees can find energy-efficient equipment maintenance information, water use charts, mill conservation projects and ideas the Power Watchers group has generated, plus dozens of other topics.Greg also participated in the BC Hydro Conservation Research Initiative at home, then chronicled his household energy improvement projects on the Power Watchers website, inspiring other employees to follow his example.

Greg’s passion for conservation is also evident in the numerous information sessions and other promotions he has developed and delivered to various employee groups at Elk Falls.

A believer in conservation who became a city-wide champion, Soki Kaur, Customer Service Coordinator in the City of Victoria’s Engineering Department, undertook to lead Victoria’s participation in BC Hydro’s Turn It Off Challenge in 2007. Her incredible commitment galvanized all of Victoria’s 540 employees, from City janitors to the Mayor, and led Victoria to win its division in the province-wide challenge.Soki’s encouragement and leadership resulted in a change in organizational behaviour toward conservation, a significant drop in the City’s energy consumption and the formation of a staff conservation committee. City staff are now pursuing a conservation plan that will be implemented throughout the organization.

Soki’s example was so inspirational that, at BC Hydro’s request, she made a presentation to regional companies and organizations on the successes of the City of Victoria’s conservation committee. In this way, the actions of one unlikely leader may reverberate throughout the entire region for years to come.

It all started with a survey. As a first step in launching a grassroots energy awareness campaign, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority’s Regional Director David Procter joined forces with other departments to gauge the energy knowledge and attitudes of 24,000 employees. They used the results to craft a communications program that is spreading energy and environmental awareness throughout the organization.

Led by David and his team, Vancouver Coastal Health formed a multidisciplinary committee dedicated to evaluating energy and environmental opportunities for the organization. The committee also started sharing energy ideas and initiatives with other health authorities and secured funding for $2.1 million worth of energy savings projects.

In late 2007 David took the grassroots movement to the senior executive level when the Senior Executive Team endorsed an organization-wide commitment to energy management and reduction. Along the way, this energy ambassador is bringing energy awareness to every level of Vancouver Coastal Health.

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	Mark Brandow, Centra Windows’ Sales & Marketing Manager, developed an employee-based energy conservation campaign during the fall of 2007 that had a tremendous impact on Centra employees, their families and their customers. An internal review of Centra’s energy consumption inspired employees to find numerous ways to save energy at work. Employees also joined Team Power Smart and set their own household energy reduction targets. Thanks to Mark’s vision and leadership, Centra Windows now has a culture of energy conservation awareness and participation.
	In 2007 the City of New Westminster placed third in their division in BC Hydro’s Turn It Off Challenge, thanks in great part to Rod Carle, the leading force behind the City’s energy conservation push. Rod promotes energy efficiency by providing information to, and seeking ideas from, City employees. Under his leadership, the City has established an Energy Management Committee and carried out energy audits on all municipal facilities. In New Westminster, Inspector Watts—also known as Rod Carle—is on the case.
	In his position as Senior Corporate Policy Analyst, Delta’s Mike Brotherston championed a staff energy conservation program for BC Hydro’s 2007 Turn It Off Challenge. Mike’s task force coordinated an interdepartmental challenge in which workstations were audited to see what percentage of employees had unplugged or turned off their equipment for the weekend. This friendly rivalry spurred staff to show the greatest reduction in energy use—and made Delta one of the award-winning municipalities in the BC Hydro Turn It Off Challenge. Mike has since been promoted to Manager of Climate Action and Environment.