City of Lacombe Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex REALice Retrofit

OVERVIEW

As part of the MCCAC’s Recreation Energy Conservation (REC) program, the City of Lacombe installed a REALice system at the Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex. REALice is an energy-saving de-aerating system for ice rinks. It creates a controlled and structured vortex to remove gases and other particulates such as limescale as water flows through the device. REALice treated water eliminates the need to use heated water when building or resurfacing your ice and reduces compressor loads. The system has no moving parts and is easily integrated into existing piping systems.

This project was completed in July 2021.

APPROACH

This newly installed system will help to reduce the costs of heating the water used to resurface the ice as well as the electricity costs associated with cooling the ice following resurfacing. This system eliminates the need for hot water when building and resurfacing ice by removing micro air bubbles from the incoming water resulting in lower natural gas consumption from hot water heaters and less load on compressors.

RESULTS

The REALice installation resulted in a reduction of 39 tCO2e/year and an energy cost savings of $6,102.26/year. The project resulted in an 8% GHG reduction from the existing system and 3% reduction facility-wide compared to the baseline.

“We’re excited to be using this technology. By using colder water for ice making with the REALice system, we’ll be reducing the energy we use at the arenas while still being able to provide great ice to our many groups.”

Calvin Bennefield, Manager of Parks and Facilities

“Lacombe is a winter sports and recreation destination. Council is pleased to see the City will be able to sustain that reputation, while at the same time reducing costs and keeping our local environment at the forefront.”

Grant Creasey, Mayor, City of Lacombe