News Release

VANCOUVER – BC Hydro offered a sneak peak on Feb. 8 of the Power Smart Village  – the company's free, family celebration site for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

The Village opens to the public on February 10 and promises to be the unofficial sustainability hub of the Games.

Located in downtown Vancouver on Dunsmuir Street between Homer and Hamilton, the Village features a sustainable dance floor that generates electricity as people dance, a home of the future that showcases the newest innovations in conservation and an energy-efficient outdoor theatre.

"The Power Smart Village offers a vibrant and dynamic site for British Columbians and visitors to enjoy," said Blair Lekstrom, Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. "The Village is centrally-located and in close proximity to other public venues, providing an incredible opportunity for us to showcase B.C.'s leadership in conservation and sustainability to the world."

BC Hydro has partnered with GE and Chevrolet to feature a futuristic green home at the Power Smart Village. The home demonstrates existing and emerging conservation-enabling technologies including GE Profile "Smart" appliances and the Chevrolet Volt – GM's extended-range electric vehicle coming in 2011.

The home has been constructed out of two recycled steel shipping containers and features other sustainable living elements including vertical gardens on the exterior walls, solar panels and energy efficient windows and lighting.

"As the Official Supplier of electricity to the 2010 Winter Games, BC Hydro will help ensure that the Games set a new standard in sustainability performance," said acting BC Hydro president and CEO Bev Van Ruyven. "We are carrying this clean energy focus into the Power Smart Village to provide a fun, free and interactive area for the public to gather and learn about conservation."

The Power Smart Village will be one of the few celebration sites that will remain open during the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games. The Village opens daily at 10 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. During the Paralympic Games, the Village closes at 6 p.m. each day.

Contact:

Simi Heer, BC Hydro
Media Relations
Phone: 604 623 3963
Cell: 604 375 2746
simi.heer@bchydro.com

Backgrounder

Power Smart Village

BC Hydro's Power Smart Village offers a free, family public celebration site for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Village promises to be the unofficial sustainability hub of the Games.

Located in downtown Vancouver on Dunsmuir Street between Homer and Hamilton, the Village will be centrally-located and in close proximity to celebration sites and Olympic venues.

The site will open daily at 10 a.m. and will be one of the few celebration sites that will remain open during the Paralympic Games.

The Power Smart Village promises to be a vibrant and dynamic site and will feature numerous interactive and sustainability-focused pavilions.

• Club Energy is a sustainable dance floor that produces electricity as people dance. The more active the dancers, the more the electricity produced. The amount of electricity produced is tracked through a meter linked to the dance floor.
• The Home of the Future showcases the future of sustainable living. The structure is made of recycled freight containers wrapped in cedar cladding and pine beetle wood. It features numerous conservation-enabling technologies including smart appliances, a digital smart meter, energy efficient lighting, green walls and solar panels. The home also features the Chevrolet Volt – GM's new electric car.
• The Kids Zone features fun activities for children including a seven-foot digital graffiti wall. Using an infrared marker kids can tag the "expression wall" with their thoughts on sustainability and conservation or with a message for Canada's athletes.
• The Power Smart Theatre offers an energy-efficient outdoor theatre for passers-by to gather and watch televised Games events.
• The Conservation Lab provides an interactive audio-visual experience for people of all ages. A short video teaches attendees about conservation and then tests their knowledge through a short, fun quiz.
• Two 18-foot high Salish welcome figures greet visitors at the Power Smart Village. The carved figures honour the Games while showcasing aboriginal carving skills, artistry and storytelling.
• A Paralympic celebration display showcases the innovation and passion in Paralympic sport with features on BC Hydro's Paralympic athletes.

The Home of the Future at the Power Smart Village

The Home of the Future, at BC Hydro's Power Smart Village, demonstrates the future of sustainable living. It's a showcase for the latest in home conservation.

The Home of the Future is filled with many energy-saving products and ideas:

• Smart meters are digital meters that have the ability to provide real-time feedback on electricity consumption. They can give you greater control of your home's energy use by providing information through in-home feedback displays.
• Smart appliances communicate with smart meters and in-home energy management devices. They are programmed to adjust their operation to conserve electricity without sacrificing convenience, control or comfort.
• Solar panels collect sunlight and convert it to energy that can be used as electricity.
• Hybrid water heaters use half the energy of today's water heaters by absorbing heat from the surrounding air and transferring it to the water in the tank.
• The Home of the Future is made of two recycled shipping containers. Millions of excess shipping containers around the world can be put to good use by converting them to sturdy, lower-cost homes. They act as building blocks that can be stacked and connected to provide efficient living spaces.
• Cedar cladding covers the walls of the Home of the Future. Unlike concrete or aluminum siding, it is natural and 100 per cent biodegradable. Plus, it acts as an acoustic barrier and provides a layer of insulation.
• Green walls consist of a series of interlocking panels. They can reduce heating and cooling costs by providing an extra layer of insulation while also providing a sustainable urban food source.

Visit the Home of the Future at the Power Smart Village during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The Village is open from Feb. 10 to March 21, 2010. It is located in downtown Vancouver, close to celebration sites and 2010 Winter Games Venues.