RED DEER
The City of Red Deer’s participation in the Alberta Solar Showcase is just one of the steps it’s taking towards environmental sustainability. For example, although there is presently no formal requirement in their mandate, the city is using LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for new municipal buildings. City officials have learned it’s more economical to design energy efficiency into a building than retrofit later.
The city is also an active participant in the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance, the Parkland Airshed Management Zone Association and the ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability. Its new Environmental Advisory Committee, comprising community stakeholders, advises city council on relevant matters. Last but not least, all of Red Deer’s traffic lights have been replaced with energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) fixtures.
“Participating in the Alberta Solar Showcase aligns with our commitment to lead by example when it comes to environmental initiatives in Red Deer,” says Mayor Morris Flewwelling. “The City of Red Deer already had plans to include a solar PV system at the new Civic Yards, so this showcase gave us an opportunity to highlight the project and demonstrate how we’re being sustainable.”