Student Works MDP EXCERPT Energy Conservation In Lake Louise

by John Oliver

Energy conservation has, in many situations, proven to be an effective tool for energy management, particularly when there are overriding concerns about some of the environmental and socio-economic costs of energy supply. Maximizing its adoption however, is dependent on many different variables unique to the particular situation at hand. Energy Management & Community Goals Lake Louise's location within Banff National Park requires that its operation and management must comply with Park Canada's guiding principles and operational policies, which has some interesting implications for energy resource management. For example, policies designed to protect the Park's ecological integrity can make the creation or extension of energy supply infrastructure difficult. In addition, demonstrating the values of environmental citizenship, environmental stewardship and sustainable development in the management of the Park's communities can effect energy management in ways far beyond the physical issues of energy supply. Interpreting goals and values such as these in the context of community energy management, gives a strong indication that energy conservation should play a dominant role in the energy management of Lake Louise. The amount of energy that can be saved within a community is, however, dependent on many technical, economic and social variables. Opportunities and Barriers to Energy Conservation in Lake Louise The structure of Lake Louise as a community creates several opportunities for the adoption of energy conservation: There are only a few leaseholders within the community who own and operate all the residential and commercial facilities. This means that there are only a few key people who make the majority of the financial decisions within the community and will require education about the costs and benefits of energy conservation. The community is relatively homogenous in its energy end-use demands. This can create an economy of scale for the implementation of efficiency measures such as compact fluorescent lights or low flow showerheads in the many hotel/motel rooms in Lake Louise. This same community structure can, on the other hand, create barriers to energy conservation. Potentially the most significant barrier for Lake Louise is known as the landlord/tenant problem since all accommodation within the community is rented. This barrier arises when there is little incentive for either the landlord or tenants to invest in energy conservation as neither are guaranteed that they will see the benefits of their investments. For example, a tenant may not invest in efficiency if she does not pay the utility bills or it requires an investment in the building, and for the landlord, there will be a hesitancy to adopt energy efficiency measures if the tenant pays the utilities or the savings could be wasted by bad habits of the tenants. A large percentage of the residents/staff in Lake Louise are seasonal workers, many of whom are in their late teens and early twenties. It could be speculated that this age group may not, when compared to older more established residents, have the best energy-using behaviours. It is often suggested that there may be a negative correlation between energy conservation and comfort and convenience. Such a perception will be significant since hotel operators are concerned with their guests perception of value, making them hesitant to invest in efficiency measures such as low-flow showerheads, which may be negatively perceived by hotel patrons. In comparing Lake Louise to other communities and facilities that have undergone energy conservation programmes it is evident that there are considerable opportunities to have energy efficiency take on a significant role in Lake Louise's energy future. To achieve these, however, considerable effort will be required to overcome some of the significant social and behavioural barriers that are prevalent within the community.

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