22 April 2025
Happy Earth Day!
Over the years, Silvera has aimed to reduce energy consumption across our housing portfolio. This effort is driven in part by the rising cost of utilities and the City of Calgary’s climate emergency declaration.
Silvera receives funding from the City and, as such, we are expected to align with their climate risk reduction goals and emissions targets. Silvera has set an ambitious energy reduction benchmark for 2025, despite challenges like aging buildings and limited funding for major capital projects.
One of our key strategies is to maintain a stable financial structure and leverage our trusted reputation. In 2023, we planned capital maintenance and renewal (CMR) projects, focusing on energy conservation measures (ECMs) for 2024.
Energy audits identified several ECMs to improve efficiency and sustainability. These measures include:
- installing lighting controls
- implementing drought-resistant vegetation
- replacing outdated mechanical equipment with environmentally compliant alternatives and
- equipping buildings with automatic window shades.
As an affordable housing provider, Silvera must balance environmental sustainability with the financial constraints we face. Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is crucial, but we face challenges in allocating funds to support these varied needs. Silvera prioritizes essential maintenance and renewal projects to ensure our buildings are safe, functional, and livable for residents.
Silvera acknowledges the importance of reducing our impact through fewer GHG emissions while recognizing potential long-term savings from energy efficiency improvements. We remain committed to making incremental, sustainable changes in our operations to help reduce our environmental impact.
Ultimately, meaningful environmental progress requires substantial government investment. Without dedicated funding, we are limited in our ability to implement large-scale emissions reductions. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with all levels of government to bridge the gap between environmental responsibility and the practical needs of affordable housing operations.