Granville Island Public Market

The story

We were in the market for a Power Smart lighting solution.

"Getting brighter and more ambient lighting, at a lower energy cost, is a definite plus for our tenants, our customers and our bottom line."

— Lino Siracusa, Director, CMHC, Granville Island

The situation

Popular with local residents and tourists alike, Granville Island is a bustling destination that sees almost 12 million visitors a year. The Island blends industrial facilities with galleries, theatres, restaurants and shops. A former industrial site, the island was redeveloped in the 1970s by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), which still administers it.

The heart of the island is the Granville Island Public Market, a 50,000-square-foot facility that offers butchers, produce and fast food merchants, bakers, florists, candy makers, and crafts people under one roof. In a facility of this type, lighting must create a warm, welcoming, safe atmosphere, and must also compliment the food and other products on display. However, the lighting in the Public Market's common areas had become inadequate, inefficient and old. Leasing Manager Colleen Welsh noticed that the lighting seemed to be getting dimmer, and a survey of the fixtures turned up a mix of different ballasts and bulbs that had been installed over the years. Her conclusion: the lighting system needed upgrading.

The solution

CMHC became a Power Smart Partner in 2003 and began to work with BC Hydro to plan a lighting upgrade for the Public Market. Together, CMHC, Hydro and lighting consultant Total Lighting Solutions designed a lighting retrofit of the entire common area. Based on projected energy and maintenance savings, along with a Power Smart Partner incentive and the potential for improved tenant and customer satisfaction, CMHC's senior management approved the project, and it was completed in March 2004.

The project involved:

• redesigning the high bay lighting layout throughout the Public Market and adding fixtures where lighting levels were inadequate,
• installing 164 multiple-lamp compact fluorescent fixtures with independent distribution and control of both down- and up-lighting,
• installing daylight controls to automatically adjust lighting levels to available daylight; and
• upgrading the electrical wiring to a more logical configuration for controlling lighting in different areas.

CMHC was so pleased with the results of the common area lighting project that it is now considering two additional projects:

• one to upgrade the lighting within tenant areas in the Market to make it more energy-efficient and consistent,
• another to upgrade the exterior lighting on parkades, along roadways and on building exteriors throughout Granville Island to brighter, more energy-efficient technologies.

The benefits

Reduced operating costs

The lighting upgrade is saving Granville Island Public Market 123,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, worth $6,700 in reduced energy costs annually. In addition, because higher-efficiency lights last longer, maintenance costs for replacing burned-out lamps will also be lower.

Improved lighting quality

The energy-efficient lights provide brighter, more uniform light with improved lighting levels, enhancing the comfort of both tenants and customers. Also, the excellent colour rendering of the new fluorescent technologies showcases the food and other products to best advantage.

Reduced environmental impacts

Lower energy consumption results in reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced environmental protection.

Contact us

Find out how Power Smart can energize your bottom line. Call us today at 604 453 6400 in the Lower Mainland or 1 866 453 6400 elsewhere in B.C.