Energy Efficiency Upgrades Across Five Municipal Buildings – City of Airdrie

Overview

As a part of the Community Energy Conservation (CEC) Program, the City of Airdrie completed lighting upgrades, REALice retrofits, and a net zero dehumidifier upgrade across five municipal facilities as part of its commitment to sustainability, operational efficiency, and fiscal responsibility. City leaders recognized this project as an opportunity to modernize infrastructure while simultaneously reducing utility expenses and environmental impact.

Approach

City staff, working with a local contractors, replaced outdated lighting systems, added new REALice systems that avoid using hot water for arena floods, and added a net zero dehumidifier to keep humidity low and prevent fog in the arena. The energy efficiency upgrades occurred at the following five facilities:

Plainsmen Arena – 320 Centre Ave E, Airdrie, AB
Municipal Police Building – 2 Highland Park Way NE, Airdrie, AB
Genesis Place – 800 East Lake Blvd NE, Airdrie, AB
Veterans Fire Station – 1692 Veterans Blvd NW, Airdrie, AB
Parks and Public Works – 23 East Lake Hill NE, Airdrie, AB

Building	Project Description	Project Cost	Rebate	Annual GHG Reduction
Plainsmen Arena	Net zero dehumidifier upgrade	$27,885	$13,943	7.60 tonnes of CO₂e
Municipal Police Building	Lighting retrofit (291 fluorescent fixtures to 283 LED equivalents)	$134,456	$39,711	33.13 tonnes of CO₂e
Genesis Place	REALice cold water flood system for two ice surfaces	$48,595	$24,298	41.58 tonnes of CO₂e
Veterans Fire Station	Lighting retrofit (37 fluorescent fixtures to 21 LED equivalents)	$25,720	$9,333	9.89 tonnes of CO₂e
Parks and Public Works	Lighting retrofit (75 fluorescent fixtures to 75 LED equivalents)	$46,688	$22,331	24.55 tonnes of CO2e

The project was initiated in 2025 with installations completed during the first quarter of 2026. This project was funded by the Government of Alberta.

Results

The transition to high-efficiency equipment delivered substantial energy savings across all five municipal sites. The reduction in energy use translated directly to decreased operating costs of nearly $30,425 annually. These savings free up municipal funds for reinvestment in other community priorities.

“These energy conservation projects demonstrate Airdrie’s commitment to environmental stewardship and fiscal responsibility. By modernizing our municipal facilities with energy-efficient technologies, we’re not only reducing our environmental footprint, but also ensuring long-term cost savings for our residents while improving working conditions for our first responders and other City staff.”

Heather Spearman, Mayor, City of Airdrie