BCIT Energy Team launches real-time energy use dashboard to advance sustainability

Saving energy and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions requires knowing where you started. Now, with the BCIT Energy Dashboard, the community can see the journey as it is happening. As part of BCIT’s commitment to advance sustainability across BC and around the globe, the BCIT Energy Team built an interactive tool to monitor real-time energy use of buildings across BCIT campuses.

A visualization of energy use provides insight to help improve the energy efficiency and sustainability goals at BCIT. The initial rollout of the dashboard focuses on natural gas meters which track most of the energy use that creates GHG emissions. Natural gas provides heat and hot water to most buildings on the Burnaby Campus.

More meters enable targeted GHG emission reductions

Initially, the Burnaby Campus had only six gas meters in total, which made it difficult to create a benchmark for gas use in individual buildings. So the team installed over 40 building-level gas and thermal meters enabling extremely targeted GHG emission reductions. This allows for detailed and real-time reporting on the impacts of project initiatives. In addition the dashboard makes BCIT’s energy use data accessible to the community.

For more information on all sustainability initiatives at BCIT visit bcit.ca/sustainability

Since April 1, 2020, BCIT departments have collaborated with the BCIT Energy Team to save $300,000 in utility costs over three months. “We are one of the most metered post-secondary institutes in BC,” says Colin Chan, Energy and Carbon Emissions Manager. “We are excited that this dashboard not only helps with our internal GHG reduction efforts, but it also facilitates staff and student engagement in energy management.”

Living Labs of Sustainability

“Real-time metering marks an important achievement for transforming BCIT campuses into living labs of sustainability,” says Jennie Moore, Director, Institute Sustainability. “It is great to be able to share with our community how the Energy Team’s efforts are helping support BCIT’s energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.”

In addition to the Burnaby Campus meters, the Downtown Campus electricity and steam meters are live. Gas meters at the Marine Campus and Aerospace Technology Campus will be added shortly.