NEWS: Manitoba enacts Canada's highest standards for home-heating energy efficiency

November 16, 2009
Manitoba News Release

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Expected to Drop by 800 Tonnes in First
Year, Homeowners Expected to See Lower Fuel Bills


As of Dec. 30, Manitoba will have the highest energy-efficiency
standards in Canada for replacement furnaces and boilers used in
homes and small businesses, Innovation, Energy and Mines Minister
Dave Chomiak announced today.
 
"Manitoba is the first province in Canada to require replacement
furnaces and boilers to meet such high standards of energy
efficiency," Chomiak said.  "This is a key step in reducing
greenhouse-gas emissions and fulfils one of the requirements
under the Climate Change and Emissions Reductions Act."
 
It is estimated the new standards will reduce greenhouse-gas
emissions by more than 800 tonnes in the first year, Chomiak
said, adding the reduction in emissions will increase yearly as
older boilers and furnaces are replaced with high-efficiency
models.
 
Under the new standards, furnaces will be required to have a
minimum efficiency of 92 per cent, an improvement of 14 per cent
from the current federal minimum standard of 78 per cent and
two per cent better than the proposed federal minimum standard of
90 per cent.
 
Hot-water boilers will be required to have a minimum efficiency
of 82 per cent and low-pressure steam boilers will be required to
have a minimum of 80 per cent.  This compares with the current
federal standard of 80 per cent for hot-water boilers and 75 per
cent for low-pressure steam boilers.
 
The regulations cover natural-gas or propane replacement furnaces
that have an input rating not exceeding 65.92 kilowatts (kW) or
225,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/h) and single-phase
electric current.  Furnaces up to this size would typically be
installed in single-family residences and in some small
commercial buildings.
 
The regulations also cover boilers that use natural gas or
propane and are intended for use in low-pressure steam or
hot-water central-heating systems and have an input rating not
exceeding 88 kW (300,000 Btu/h).  These are small boilers
typically found in residential dwellings and in some small
commercial buildings.
 
"As well as making Manitoba a greener province, these new
standards will significantly cut heating bills for homeowners and
small businesses," Chomiak said.  "The savings for consumers and
the benefits for the environment will compound every year the new
standards are in place."

There will be exemptions for gas furnaces intended for
installation in mobile homes, through-the-wall gas furnaces,
outdoor gas furnaces and gas furnaces that are made in Manitoba
for the export market.
 
Efficiency standards for gas furnaces and small gas boilers in
new construction are under consideration for inclusion in the
Manitoba Building Code, which is currently under review.
 
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