Efficiency for Organizations

Affinity Credit Union and the Saskatchewan Environmental Society (SES) have been working together since 2000 to make it easier for non-profit organizations to reduce their utility expenditures through energy conservation with the Efficiency for Organizations Program. To date, assessments have been conducted for almost 100 buildings.

Who Can Participate?

Non-profit organizations that operate in the Saskatoon and Regina regions.

What does the program involve?

Organizations receive free-of-charge:

  • Level 1 energy audit, providing an overview of your building’s energy savings potential
  • Written report outlining the findings of the preliminary energy assessment
  • Where reasonable, estimates of costs and savings associated with changes are provided
  • Presentation of the results of the assessment by the SES Energy Conservation Engineer
  • Utility monitoring following retrofits to confirm the effectiveness of the retrofits

The SES is very excited about this collaboration. We feel that it shows considerable foresight on the part of Affinity Credit Union. Not only is it good for the environment but it also allows SES to help other non-profit organizations. Demands on non-profits always outpace funding. An investment in energy conservation will have a positive financial impact on an organization for many years. If you know of any non-profit organizations in the Saskatoon or Regina areas that you feel might be interested in this program, please contact us.

What is required?

  • Sign a release giving the SES access to your energy consumption data. (Note that this information will be used only for assessing energy conservation options and the effectiveness of retrofits)
  • Be available to accompany the auditor during the assessment (two to three hours)
  • Allow the SES to monitor the energy savings achieved by the energy conservation retrofits

Program Benefits:

  • Non-profit organizations can get control of their utility costs (electricity, gas, and water) and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing their energy consumption
  • Increased energy efficiency has a positive financial impact for many years
  • The Association of Energy Engineers notes that the following energy savings can be achieved:
    • No cost actions 5-15%
    • Low-cost/ short payback 15-30%
    • Higher cost/ longer payback 30-50%
  • Deep retrofits achieve energy savings from 50 – 70% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80-100%. (Natural Resources Canada)

Retrofit Loans:

Affinity Credit Union is prepared to provide loans to eligible non-profit organizations and understands the merits of using energy savings to repay a loan. They can tailor your payments to fit your savings, where practical. These loans can cover expenses such as:

  • Materials and labour to complete the retrofit
  • Project management or technical assistance expenses