Stories & features

Shared learning from across B.C.

It's been five years since we first featured our strategic energy management cohort program. During that time, teams from facilities all across B.C. have benefitted from the cohort's fully funded shared learning experience.

For each cohort, an energy expert leads a group of 12 industrial customers through a two-year program to implement a holistic approach to energy management. With individual coaching and group workshops, you'll learn how to save energy at your business immediately, and develop a strong foundation for continuous energy improvement.Topics include:

• Setting your organization's energy efficiency goals and priorities.
• Preparing individuals to lead energy efficiency efforts at your organization.
• Training staff to identify energy waste at your facility.
• Using diagnostic tools to identify energy waste.
• Measuring, tracking and reporting on energy efficiency improvements and savings over time.

Soprema Canada's long list of opportunities

One of the companies just finishing the 2022-24 cohort is a team from Soprema Canada's Chilliwack plant.

Founded in France in 1908, Soprema designs and manufactures innovative and sustainable waterproofing, insulation, soundproofing, and vegetated solutions for roofing and civil engineering. Soprema Canada employs over 1,000 people in 14 manufacturing facilities, and 11 technical sales support offices. The Chilliwack manufacturing plant opened in 1999, making rolled roofing and panel membrane protection boards for Western Canada and the US.

Soprema's flat roofing products are mostly used in commercial buildings like hospitals, airports, schools, Olympic venues, and large corporate buildings for clients like Facebook and Amazon.

Stacy Johnston is Soprema's purchasing leader and environmental coordinator in Chilliwack. She sits on the company's sustainable development committee for Canada and led Soprema's cohort team. "Soprema is very focused on energy conservation, reducing our footprint and long-term sustainability. Our core team are based in Quebec, so having a program we could launch and lead from B.C. was exciting," Stacy explains.

With a strong corporate sustainable energy plan in place already, Stacy found the cohort very useful. "The first year in was really informative and we learned lots about energy efficiency. We melded our environmental program and the sustainable energy management (SEM) program together, which was very helpful. SEM helped us to fully engage our whole team as it aligns perfectly with our lean manufacturing process."

"We went through all of the tools and information to be able to understand what a good project could be – like improving our energy resources and tracking our energy performance," says Stacy. "I think the biggest eye-opener was the treasure hunt that we did throughout the whole plant. We split out into teams and attacked different areas systematically. The result was a huge list of quick wins and projects that could be a great benefit. I loved it."

"There are so many things that can easily go unnoticed," adds Stacy. "Are your pipes all covered? Are the doors shut? Is there any equipment running unnecessarily? Lots of quick wins that helped us gain traction fast and hit the first-year goal. And in the second year, we've kept that trajectory going. We expect more treasure hunts and more opportunities in the future."

As Stacy's team comes to the end of the cohort program, what kind of results have they seen? "There are two big focuses coming out of the cohort for us: air compression and heat. The cohort has helped us develop strategies for both, including tightening up our standard operating procedures. We're very proud of the progress our team has made over the years on various environmental initiatives – and the impact the Chilliwack team has given to the Soprema group's sustainable development commitment to protect the environment, fight against climate change and improve health and well-being."

"BC Hydro have been a tremendous resource. They joined us on our treasure hunt and they're constantly providing us new information about the programs they offer and helping us find ways that we can tap into their savings. We're so fortunate here in B.C. to have BC Hydro's very clean energy source. In the future, I can see Soprema increasing electrification to make sure that we really are capturing the cleanest energy source possible."

Come and join our next cohort

We're looking for businesses to join our next cohort. If your business or facility uses between 3 and 15 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year and you have access to your facility's electricity use and production data, ask us about signing up for the strategic energy management cohort program.

Contact your Key Account Manager or Regional Energy Manager, or call 604 522 4713 in the Lower Mainland or 1 866 522 4713 elsewhere in B.C.