Q&A: Len Horvath

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Len Horvath has been a member of Building Owners and Managers Association of BC (BOMA BC) for over thirty years, and has served on both the Board and the Executive. He now volunteers to represent BOMA BC on BC Hydro's engagement initiatives, and also participates in the Education Committee, which is responsible for coordinating BOMA BC's training programs and educational activities.

Professionally, Len spent 25 years with BCTel, where he was responsible for all their building and real estate activities. He now runs his own company, Quantum Lighting, Inc., which he founded in 1994.

Who do you represent on BC Hydro's engagement initiatives?
I represent BOMA BC, an organization that represents the commercial building industry at both the provincial and civic levels. BOMA BC has 450 members who own or manage over 80 million square feet of commercial properties and facilities with an approximate value of over $8 billion. We are the voice of the commercial building industry.

What are the top challenges currently facing BOMA members?
The biggest challenge right now is doing more projects with less personnel.

When did you become involved with BC Hydro's engagement initiatives?
I became involved with BC Hydro as the BOMA BC representative during the 2006 Conservation Potential Review.

What are your energy interests?
I am interested in applying new technology to achieve better results and significant energy savings, specifically with regards to lighting and lighting controls. That has been the focus of our company and we have completed hundreds of successful projects over the past 15 years.

What BC Hydro initiatives are you currently involved in?
I am a member of the Electricity Conservation & Efficiency Advisory Committee (EC&E) and the Split Incentives Working Group.

What motivates you to engage with BC Hydro?
I am motivated to provide my 40 years of industry experience to assist BC Hydro in developing new and improved conservation initiatives. At this stage of my career, it's about giving back and helping the next generation of industry members understand the value of environmental leadership.

I am also happy to have supported the recent agreement between the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, BC Hydro, and BOMA BC. This agreement sets out targets and outlines a strategy to support BOMA BC in driving both members and non-members to make commercial buildings more sustainable and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is the first time that industry, the government and BC Hydro have put together a comprehensive approach to address the electricity consumption of the commercial building sector. I have high hopes for success over the next few years, and am I excited about what the partnership can bring!

As part of the agreement, BC Hydro is funding an energy manager for BOMA BC to help building operators identify and implement conservation solutions. Peter Laforest, was previously the Manager, Technical Services at GWL Realty Advisors Inc. Peter is highly experienced and will contribute a tremendous amount to the program.

What's your most memorable experience with BC Hydro?
In 1993, we piloted the BC Hydro Power Smart New Building Design program at the TELUS Mobility building in Burnaby which included a number of new locally-developed technologies to save energy. We installed a Delta Controls DDC system to manage the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), and installed a Ledalite direct/indirect lighting system. At the time, it was the largest Ledalight installation in North America.

The systems installed proved that energy-efficient buildings and high-quality working environments went hand-in-hand. Both Delta Controls and Ledalite have since gone on to become leaders in their respective fields.

What are your top two recommendations to help BC Hydro become more stakeholder-focused and better able to meet your interests?
Keep doing what you are doing. BC Hydro does more stakeholder engagement than any other organization that I know of.