In the Air - HRAI Industry News

Efficiency Manitoba was launched to develop and support energy saving initiatives across the province. Thanks to years of partnering with various sectors, including HVACR, the Crown corporation continues to charge ahead on its founding mission. 

Originally part of Manitoba Hydro, Efficiency Manitoba became its own Crown corporation in 2019. Over the past several years, the organization has developed a series of energy saving programs aimed at helping the province reduce its annual electricity and natural gas consumption by 1.5 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Today, these offerings include a host of practical, incentive driven programs that help homes and businesses cut electricity and natural gas use. These include rebates for high efficiency equipment such as lighting, insulation upgrades, and HVAC systems, as well as support for energy studies, building retrofits, and custom efficiency projects for commercial and industrial customers. 

Jason Arlt is an energy efficiency specialist with Efficiency Manitoba. He joined the team after years in the home building industry, where his interest in greener industry practices first took shape. “I already had the passion for energy efficiency, and working with Efficiency Manitoba has really allowed me to keep running with a lot of the skills I learned in my previous career,” he says. 

Plugging in to the HVAC community 

Today, Arlt is funnelling his industry experience and passion into running Efficiency Manitoba’s Commercial HVAC and Air Source Heat Pump programs. The latter was launched in 2022 and provides financial rebates for qualifying residential projects, including a 2,000 dollar rebate for a centrally ducted cold climate air source heat pump and a 1,500 dollar rebate for a ductless cold climate air source heat pump. 

According to Arlt, the rebates were created to promote heat pumps in a province where the technology was initially met with skepticism. “Initially, there was a lot of resistance to heat pumps because it gets so cold here so we wanted to offer a program that encourages Manitobans to put energy-efficient heat pumps in their homes.” 

Despite some ups and downs, Arlt reports that the Air Source Heat Pump program has been successful in moving the needle on adoption. “We're starting to see a turn in the industry where people have more familiarity with heat pumps,” he says. “We're feeling really good about what we're doing because it's making a difference and getting the word out there.” 

Much like the HVAC community, Efficiency Manitoba is constantly adapting. Looking ahead, the organization aims to bring even more value to its Commercial HVAC programming. “Right now, we’re trying to get a feel for the market, where the opportunities are, and we’re looking at potentially adding a rooftop unit program for air source heat pumps, along with a number of other changes. It’s an exciting time.” 

In the meantime, Arlt says HVAC contractors have an important role to play in helping the province warm up to heat pump technology. It is a win win, he explains. When contractors educate customers on the value of heat pumps and their energy saving advantages, they not only advance Efficiency Manitoba’s goals but also strengthen their own sales pipeline. “Contractors really play a role in educating their customers, and that, in turn, makes everybody more successful. Education is key, and Efficiency Manitoba will do our best to support them in doing that.” 

For his part, Arlt has also spent several years championing the organization’s message and supporting HVAC professionals as Secretary of HRAI’s Manitoba Chapter. “Being involved with HRAI has been a great experience. Serving as Secretary and meeting monthly to shape programming for our local chapter has helped me stay closely connected to the HVAC community. It’s strengthened relationships across the industry and given me a better understanding of what contractors are seeing on the ground.” 

Staying current 

Arlt has watched the organization grow significantly over his four years with the team. “It's been a great ride,” he says. “We literally went from an organization of almost no one to now having a team of over 100 passionate people who are not just creating programs, but actively managing and evolving them.” 

That growth, he continues, can be attributed to a management team skilled at articulating Efficiency Manitoba’s vision and recruiting people who are passionate about delivering on it. Moreover, he adds, “We're also a pretty small organization compared to most government organizations, so we're able to be nimble. We can pivot, listen to what's happening in the market, and do what needs to be done.”