Sustainable Energy

In accordance with the Green Energy Act, Richmond Hill annually reports and publishes the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of Town facilities in the Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions Report.

In 2015, our overall energy consumption decreased by 4.7% and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions decreased by 6% as compared to 2014.

View the 2015 Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions Report.

View the 2014 Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions Report.

You can get a paper copy of these reports through the Office of the Clerk, located at:

225 East Beaver Creek Road, Ground Floor
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4 

Public agencies, such as Richmond Hill, must create five-year plans to conserve energy and manage energy demand, as required by the Green Energy Act. Richmond Hill's five-year Energy Conservation and Demand Management (CDM) Plan covers activities throughout 2014-2018 and identifies projects that will reduce energy consumption and management energy demand in Town facilities.  

You can get a paper copy of the CDM Plan through the Office of the Clerk, located at:

225 East Beaver Creek Road, Ground Floor
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 3P4

Renewable energy systems 

Richmond Hill demonstrates its commitment to becoming a leader in sustainable energy use by installing renewable energy systems in Town buildings.

Renewable energy systems installed in Town buildings:

Outdoor lights conversion to LED project

Outdoor lighting in Richmond Hill takes up a large part of our overall energy usage. There are about 16,000 streetlights, 350 parking lot lights and 1,200 park lights in Richmond Hill. Most of our lights are High Pressure Sodium (HPS) Luminaires and the cost of using these lights is growing.

We are converting the current High Pressure Sodium (HPS) outdoor lights to more energy efficient light-emitting diode (LED) technology. Using LED lights reduces energy consumption, costs and associated GHG emissions. Outdoor lights in Richmond Hill will be replaced over the next few years.

SMART Green funding program - for manufacturers

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), in partnership with the Government of Ontario, has a new $25 million SMART Green Program that will assist manufacturers in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving their energy efficiency.

The SMART Green program is open to small and medium-sized manufacturers throughout Ontario and provides assistance in the form of non-repayable grants of 50% of eligible costs up to $500,000. The purpose of this program is to support investments in technology and process improvements by manufacturers, which result in GHG emissions intensity reductions and/or avoidance through upgrades to process/production equipment, and more. 

For full details, visit the CME Smart Program website.

Green Ontario Fund home renovation rebates - for homeowners

Ontario families can now access rebates to complete low-carbon, energy-efficient renovations to their homes through a new program from the Green Ontario Fund, a non-profit provincial agency funded by proceeds from the province's cap on pollution and carbon market.

New GreenON Rebates will cover:

• Up to $7,200 off new insulation and a $100 rebate for air sealing
• Up to $20,000 to install ENERGY STAR certified ground source heat pumps (home geothermal) or up to $4,500 to repair existing heat pump systems
• Up to $5,800 off air source heat pumps that are ENERGY STAR certified or meet program requirements
• Up to $5,000 for replacement windows that meet program requirements

In addition to the renovation rebates, homeowners and tenants can access a $100 smart thermostat rebate through a partnership with Save on Energy.

The province is also launching GreenON Support, a free over-the-phone service offering impartial advice from energy experts to help consumers learn how they can save money and reduce their carbon footprint through home upgrades.

Visit GreenON.ca to find out how small - or big - changes in your home can help save money while reducing greenhouse gas pollution.

Energy efficiency tips

Richmond Hill encourages energy efficiency through programs such as Earth Hour. The following tips can help you reduce energy use and costs in your home:

• Install a programmable thermostat to avoid unnecessary heating and cooling of your home
• Use ceiling fans to cool your house and circulate air whenever possible
• Use power bars for multiple appliances that can be shut off when not in use
• Draft-proofing your home by adding weather-stripping to doors and windows ensures that cool air stays in your home during the summer and hot air during the winter
• Leave window coverings open during the day to let the sunlight naturally warm your house in the winter
• Switch your lighting from less efficient bulbs to compact fluorescents and Light-Emitting Diode (LEDs).
• Install energy-efficient appliances, such as fridges, washers, driers and dishwashers
• Wrap your hot water tank with an insulating blanket, especially when it's located in an unheated area
• Wrap hot water pipes with insulating material and fix leaking faucets
• Set the thermostat on your hot water tank to a reasonable temperature
• Change furnace filters regularly to save up to five per cent of energy use (every other month or monthly if you have pets)

Learn more power-saving tips.