In the Air - HRAI Industry News

HRAI Contractors Division member Arvin Air Systems hosted Ontario MPP Sam Oosterhoff, Associate Minister of Energy-Intensive Industries, and other government representatives and industry stakeholders at the company’s Stoney Creek facility last week as the provincial government announced its new Peak Performance Program for commercial and institutional buildings. 

The program will use financial incentives to encourage properties like offices, retail centres and universities to reduce HVAC use during periods of high demand, protecting the reliability of Ontario’s electricity grid. Program targets include reduced costs for consumers and businesses and peak-demand reductions of up to 100 megawatts in 2026, scaling up to 230 megawatts in 2027.

In response to high system demand, participating facilities will reduce HVAC use for up to three hours on business days between June and September. Participants must be able to reduce at least 500 kilowatts or contribute to a portfolio of aggregated load reduction of at least 500 kilowatts to be eligible for the program. Those who qualify and register will receive a $20 per kilowatt incentive to offset the cost of monitoring and control equipment.

“The new Peak Performance program will give commercial and institutional buildings a new way to manage electricity use during the summer and support a stronger, more efficient grid,” said Associate Minister Oosterhoff.

Peak Performance is part of Ontario’s $10.9 billion, 12-year Energy Efficiency Framework, which aims to reduce electricity demand and reduce the amount of new generation needed in the province. The province says the framework will reduce the province’s peak demand by 3,000 megawatts by 2036, the equivalent of taking three million homes off the grid. 

“Through the use of modern demand-response control technology, as outlined in this New Peak Performance Program, Ontario’s HVACR contractors, like Arvin Air Systems, can help reduce peak electricity demand from commercial and institutional buildings, providing greater reliability to the province’s electrical system while enhancing efficient operation of these buildings,” stated HRAI Chair Joe Muchynski, Vice President of Arvin Air Systems. “This is good for the offices, colleges, malls and other large users of electricity engaged in the program; and it is also very good for all Ontario residents. We will all benefit from enhanced reliability in our electrical grid." 

For more information, contact Adam Freill at afreill@hrai.ca.