By John Poole
Hydro Energy Efficiency Advisor

Travelling on Columbus Drive in St. John’s at night, one might expect to see a bright six-story building, but instead, they are more likely to see a dark building with isolated office lights turned on by a few employees burning the midnight oil. While many office buildings leave their lights on at night, Hydro Place and other Nalcor and Hydro offices throughout the province take a step for the environment and turn out the lights.

Since 2007, Hydro has implemented energy conservation initiatives which result in just under 3,000,000 kWh of annual energy savings. That is about the same amount of energy used by 120 electrically heated average sized homes in a year. One of first things Hydro did to improve internal efficiency was to look at where energy was wasted. Hydro is mandated to provide least cost power and we strive to ensure the proper management of our energy resources. We want to ensure energy is used in the most efficient manner, and especially not wasted in our own operation.

Some examples of Hydro’s internally focused energy conservation initiatives include: promoting a conservation culture within Hydro; operational changes such as manually turning off trace heating and unit heaters in the spring; lighting retrofits, replacing older inaccurate thermostats with digital ones; installing programmable thermostats wherever possible; retrofitting Hydro Place’s lighting, controls, and HVAC systems; re-evaluating cooling/heating technologies and loads at end of equipment life cycle; building the Happy Valley-Goose Bay office to LEED standard; and evaluating the efficiency of new vehicles and diesel generators as part of a life cycle analysis, moving beyond examining just the initial purchase price.
 
It’s important to continually re-evaluate common practices. Just because we have always done something a certain way, doesn’t mean it is shouldn’t be re-evaluated periodically to see if there is a better way to do it. It can be easy to fall into the comfort of familiarity, but at Hydro we continually challenge ourselves to improve, and now more than ever we are applying that attitude to improve the energy efficiency of our own operation.

Two examples come to mind that demonstrate how our employees have not only adopted an energy conservation culture, but have been proactive about taking it to the next level. The first example is a cooling system for a server room at Hydro place was at the end of its life and required replacement. Instead of simply replacing the unit with a similar capacity cooling unit (which unfortunately is too common an occurrence in any organization), the IT department contacted our Internal Energy Efficiency Advisor at the time to enquire whether there were any opportunities to improve the system’s efficiency. There were no perceived issues with the existing cooling system, but regardless the question was asked if it could be made more efficient. A third-party analysis was performed on the cooling load and it turned out that as a result of upgrades and improvements to server efficiencies over the years, the cooling load was less than half the initial design load.  The existing cooling system was replaced with a smaller one more appropriate for the load, reducing replacement costs and improving the seasonal efficiency of the system.

The second example is a recent one, where personnel responsible for the operation of Hydro Place followed-up on a mass email sent out to inform that our engineering department would be attending an off-site meeting. As the engineering department occupies nearly an entire floor, Hydro Place facility personnel investigated whether the HVAC systems serving their area could be placed in unoccupied mode to conserve energy. This level of attention to day-to-day, floor-by-floor occupancy and schedules exceeds conventional operating practices for commercial facilities.

There are so many more examples of our people sincerely embracing our energy conservation culture, but those two examples really stick out because of how they were the result of individuals taking it upon themselves to be proactive.

The focus for Hydro’s internal initiatives in 2012 is on expediting the phase out of T12 fluorescent lighting, evaluating more efficient options for older high-intensity discharge (HID) lighting, installing controls to automatically setback heating systems in support buildings, and performing energy walkthrough audits of our sites to identify other opportunities.

These are exciting times for our energy conservation initiative, our people are onboard, we are analyzing our sites for energy conservation opportunities, we’re testing new technologies and operating strategies for our facilities to eventually standardize across Hydro. It all adds up to significant steps in the right direction.

By Jonathan Drummond
Site Superintendent, Bull Arm Fabrication, Nalcor Energy

Last Saturday, March 24, I attended the Kids Eat Smart Foundation Gala, a ‘birthday party’ to celebrate and support the Kids Eat Smart Program in their 20th year. For those who don’t know, Kids Eat Smart is a program focused on ensuring that schools have breakfast clubs. The breakfast clubs serve kids nutritious breakfasts so that they can focus on their schoolwork, instead of an empty stomach. Since its inception in 1992, Kids Eat Smart has grown to become a province-wide organization, operating in 75 per cent of the schools in this province. But there’s more.

During the event we were told some of the unbelievable and staggering facts about the KES Program. Would you believe that the program has seen 5,800 volunteers help feed breakfast to kids across NL as part of Kids Eat Smart breakfast clubs? Can you fathom that Kids Eat Smart estimates more than five million meals have been served to children across NL through the program? And it’s fantastic to know that Kids Eat Smart, a Newfoundland and Labrador organization, won the 2007 National Award for Excellence in Health promotion from the Canadian Medical Association.

As someone who has volunteered with Kids Eat Smart I can tell you it’s great to realize that the time you give makes such a difference. Similarly, it’s great to see that Hydro is a sponsor of the program, supporting KES in their everyday mission to feed kids, and supporting them towards their future plans to keep growing across this province so that even more children will get a healthy breakfast, leading to equal opportunity’s to learn and grow.

The birthday cake to celebrate the Kids Eat Smart Foundation's 20th birthday!

By Sarah Churchill, Safety Analyst

March is here bringing the first attempt at spring. With weather like we've had, the most "spring" we may see for a while may be when the clocks spring ahead this weekend. In Newfoundland and Labrador, Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. local time on the second Sunday in March, which means we're all going to lose an hour of sleep this Sunday, March 11. As much as we all may dislike losing an hour of sleep, daylight savings time may have a bigger impact on us than the discontent we may feel.  

According to the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, "One hour of lost sleep may not seem like a lot. But our findings suggest it could have an impact on people's ability to stay alert on the job and prevent serious injuries," said the article's lead author, Christopher Barnes, PhD. Barnes and co-author David Wagner, PhD. Both were doctoral students in organizational behavior at Michigan State University when they conducted this research.

On average, there were 3.6 more injuries on the Monday following the switch to daylight saving time compared to other days, and 2,649 more days of work were lost as a result of those injuries. That's approximately a 68 percent increase in lost work days. In their analysis, the researchers controlled for weekends and holidays. Work experience did not appear to play a role in the number of injuries suffered.

Although this was an American study, we can all be impacted the same. It is important for all of us to take a moment and realize that we may not be on top of our games on Sunday and Monday, therefore be extra vigilant in evaluating tasks for hazards and risks as you go about your business on
Sunday and into next week.

This information was taken from a safety talk at the following web link:

http://www.safetytoolboxtalks.com/toolbox-talks-mainmenu-2/34-behavioral-safety/277-daylight-savings-time-safety

NOTE: Daylight Savings time is also a great time to check all the detectors in your house! Ensure they are working appropriately and change the batteries if needed.

By Jennifer Pope, BSc, RD (Registered Dietitian)

Did you know that March is Nutrition Month? Every year throughout the month of March, dietitians from across Canada remind Canadians of the positive impact that nutrition and healthy eating has on our health and wellbeing.

This year’s Nutrition Month Campaign — GET THE REAL DEAL ON YOUR MEAL — is focused on busting popular food and nutrition myths. Dietitians, the food and nutrition experts, have never been more prepared to deliver THE TRUTH.

Living in a world of technology, Canadians are continuously exposed to new food and nutrition trends. Whether it is the latest "soup diet" or newly discovered "superfood," individuals are left to question the validity of this readily available nutrition "advice."

For this month’s Nutrition Campaign, dietitians have identified 39 popular myths that are heard regularly, and have revealed THE TRUTH. All truths are evidence-based and are supported by current scientific references. Visit http://www.dietitians.ca to get the truth on a different myth for each day in March!

Let me leave you with one of the popular myths that dietitians have busted!

MYTH: Avoid carbs if you want to lose weight.

THE TRUTH: Cutting carbohydrates (carbs) might help you lose weight in the short term, but it’s mostly because you are eating less food and fewer calories. Drastically cutting carbs means you’ll miss out on the nutritional benefits of healthy choices like whole grains, fruit, starchy vegetables, and legumes.

Because so many foods are off-limits, it can be tough to stick with low-carb diets for very long. The best weight-loss plan is one you can stick with. To lose weight and keep it off, exercise regularly and use Canada’s Food Guide to plan a balanced diet with good food choices in the right amounts for you.

By Rick Kennedy, Manager of Transmission and Rural Operations, Labrador Region

In Happy Valley – Goose Bay and surrounding area, we’ve seen a large amount of snow accumulate over the past few weeks. While the snow has created an opportunity for friends and families to get out and enjoy winter recreational activities, I’d like to remind people in the area to keep safety top of mind.

Remember to always use extra caution when snowmobiling near power lines. We install guy guards on all our power lines, and with so much snow in the area, some of these guy guards may be hidden.

Our crews are working hard to mark any wires covered in snow and we appreciate the effort of snowmobilers to exercise extra caution. In fact, we encourage recreational snowmobilers to avoid power line right of ways altogether because of the risks involved. 

We also advise snow clearing operators to avoid pushing snow banks close to power lines, and to remove snow that has been already been piled near power lines. This creates a safety hazard for children who may climb the snow banks and easily reach the power lines. There is also a potential for snow clearing equipment to come into contact with power lines. Contact with electricity is extremely dangerous and can cause serious injury or death.

All members of the public are asked to remind the children in their lives about the dangers of playing near power lines, and encourage them to play safe in this winter.

We encourage the public to call Hydro at 1.888.737.1296 to report any safety concerns this winter, or any time throughout the year.

For more information about electrical and recreational safety, please visit HydroSafety.ca.

By Alex Collins
Corporate Communications  

Since moving to St. John’s two years ago from Alberta, our family is always on the lookout for different community events and activities. This morning, we discovered the CBC Pancake Breakfast. In addition to supporting the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing and Homelessness Network, it was a great (and delicious) opportunity for my five-year-old daughter and I to spend some quality time together before she headed to daycare and I headed to work.

We first heard about the breakfast because NL Hydro is a sponsor, and I noticed a post on our Facebook page. When we arrived this morning and sat down for our pancakes, my daughter recognized the Hydro logo on the list of sponsors on each table. "That’s cool," she said. "I see the Hydro circle everywhere."

While she sees the Nalcor and Hydro logos every day when she gets to daycare at Hydro Place, she often points out the logo when we’re at different community events. Last week, when looking through the program for the RCA’s show "Dancing with Rage" I’d recently attended, she pointed out the Nalcor logo and said, "Hey, it’s your work again!"

Working with the Communications team at Nalcor, I see first-hand how much time and effort our employees put into community involvement – after all, Community is one of our company’s five goals. And it’s not always just monetary contributions and sponsorships. We often see our employees at events and supporting different activities and charities around the province. Through my employment at Hydro, I was introduced to Ronald McDonald House Newfoundland and Labrador, and able to volunteer with them and support the great work their doing. I’m proud to work for a company that my daughter knows is a proud and active member of the communities where we live and work and I’m proud of my co-workers for all they do to support the important work of many important community groups.

Thanks to all the volunteers at the CBC Pancake Breakfast this morning, we had a great time and a great meal. And thanks to all the volunteers and organizations who make events like this happen throughout Newfoundland and Labrador every day.

My daughter, happy and full of pancakes 

Pancake Day sponsors!

By Sarah Churchill, Safety Analyst

Gifts are fun to give and receive during the holidays. Just make sure the gifts you give are safe and fun! Here are a few tips:

By Sarah Churchill, Safety Analyst

Close or far, travel is a common part of the holidays. Planning ahead is an important part of staying safe. These tips will help ensure holiday travel is fun and safe:

• Plan your route prior to leaving.
• Check the weather and road conditions.
• Let someone know your estimated departure and arrival times, as well as your destination. Check in when you arrive and leave.
• Keep a well equipped car emergency kit in your trunk in case of an emergency.
• Dress for the weather and take extra clothes just in case.
• If you are travelling by plane, keep updated on the arrival and departure times of your flight(s).
• If required, ensure you have all your vaccinations prior to leaving.

Health Canada also offers great travel safety tips on their website: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/travel-voyage/index-eng.php

By Sarah Churchill
Safety Analyst

When hanging decorations or putting up lights, keep these tips in mind!

• If using a ladder, ensure the surface is even and ask some one to hold the ladder while you work to help avoid the ladder from falling or tipping.
• Hang decorations away from open flames.
• Keep decorations that smell like candy or other food away from children. These may be tempting for a child and may be poisonous or become a choking hazard.
• If young children will be visiting for the holidays, ensure the house is "child friendly". Keep breakable and small decorations, matches, lighters and heat sources out of reach. Keep children away from electrical outlets, wires and cords.
• If you plan to have visitors over the holidays, make sure walkways and driveways are well lit and free of slip and fall hazards.

By Merissa Wiseman
Senior Communications Advisor, NL Hydro

Because we're still experiencing extremely high winds in areas of the the Great Northern Peninsula, the Baie Verte Peninsula and Notre Dame Bay, communities in those regions continue to experience power outages.

While the high winds continue, we're unable to confirm a restoration time for our customers. We'll provide an another update later this morning on our progress to restore power. Thanks to our crews for their hard work to get the power restored, and our customers for their patience.

Here's a quick update by region:

• Great Northern Peninsula: Extreme high winds have prevented crews from climbing structures and operating boom machinery to remove fallen trees and downed power lines. Crews have been removing fallen trees where accessible from the ground.
• The following communities are currently without power:
• Englee, Roddickton, Bide Arm, Conche
• St. Anthony
• Bear Cove to Eddie’s Cove East
• Glenburnie and Wiltondale
• All communities on the Baie Verte Peninsula: The transmission line has tripped on the Baie Verte Peninsula causing outages for all customers in these areas. Newfoundland Power crews are working on this line. Six Hydro crews are working to remove fallen trees and downed power lines from distribution lines in these communities.
• South Brook, Roberts Arm and Port Anson in Notre Dame Bay: Customers are experiencing intermittent outages in these areas. Crews are working to remove fallen trees from the lines and repair broken service masts.