Condo and commercial buildings in Toronto now have a new program through which they can expect to reduce energy consumption. Toronto Hydro’s PUMPsaver is available to building owners to install variable frequency drives (VFDs) to reduce heating and cooling costs.

"Toronto Hydro's customer base is unique because of the high volume of multi-residential buildings in the area. These buildings require conservation programs tailored to their needs in order to help achieve energy savings. We're happy to launch a program like PUMPsaver to help customers better manage their building's energy use and electricity costs,” said Chris Tyrrell, executive VP and chief customer care and conservation officer at Toronto Hydro.

In many condominium buildings, hydronic heating and cooling systems waste energy by operating often oversized pumps at full capacity. VFDs can help reduce the costs for these buildings. The installation is completed by a qualified professional and can reduce electricity use of the pump's motor (or motors) by up to 35%. The program is a simple end-to-end solution and is offered to qualified business customers free of charge.

Under Ontario's new Conservation First Framework, local distribution companies, like Toronto Hydro, are encouraged to develop conservation programs tailored to the regional needs of their customers. The launch of this program will help contribute to Toronto Hydro's allocated target of achieving 1.58 terrawatt-hour (TWh) energy savings by 2020, the largest target in the province, and will help customers more efficiently manage energy consumption and costs.

To participate in the PUMPsaver program, a Toronto Hydro customer must own a multi-residential condominium or commercial building or have written permission from the owner, have a closed-loop hydronic system with flow restriction at the main pump and a pump motor greater than 10 horsepower (HP) in size that is compatible with a VFD installation.

To learn more about the PUMPsaver program, visit www.torontohydro.com/PUMPsaver.