Affordable housing complex home to powerful new system

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The home of Ontario's largest and most powerful rooftop solar thermal heating system is none other than a 170-unit affordable housing complex in Leslieville.

The unveiling of the innovative solar energy collection system was Wednesday morning at the WoodGreen Community Services' site at 1070 Queen St., near Pape Avenue.

The hot water heating system includes a room in the basement that contains energy storage tanks and 108 glazed flat plate energy collectors on the building's roof. Taylor Munro Energy Systems of Vancouver designed and installed the system.

"From WoodGreen's perspective, it's going to control our costs for domestic hot water," said Brian Smith, the non-profit organization's president and CEO, adding that WoodGreen would be taking a look at all of the buildings in its roster too see if such solar heating systems would be beneficial at other sites.

"It can also be a good way to inspire other non-profit housing providers to install such systems. It just makes financial sense."

Smith said he hopes WoodGreen will inspire other housing providers and similar organizations to consider the cost-saving as well as environmental benefit of alternative energy technologies.

And the benefits are many-fold, said Alex Winch, president of Mondial Energy Inc., the company that paid for, owns and operates the custom-designed solar thermal energy system. WoodGreen purchases the solar thermal energy from Mondial Energy at a competitive 10-year fixed rate.

While this installation initially cost Mondial Energy $200,000, it is expected to generate over 200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year, displace more than 32,000 cubic metres of gas annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61 tons per year.

The installation is also expected to generate 34 per cent of the building's total annual hot water requirements.

A Beach-based business, Mondial Energy, started in 2004 and has since financed, installed and maintained numerous solar energy installations worldwide.

In the coming weeks, Mondial Energy will unveil another rooftop solar heating system at the Hospital for Sick Children. They also have numerous projects on the go at SeniorLink buildings in east Toronto.

Winch said that some of his most cost-effective partnerships involve working with social housing providers and government institutions that typically have very limited budgets. The concept is quickly gaining ground as solar energy collection technology can be used anywhere.

"Renewable energy is taking off. It's partly because of fossil fuels and partly because of climate change," he explained.

Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns applauded the initiative and said he couldn't wait for the day when solar energy collection systems become a part of every day life like installing hot water tanks.

"This building is a great asset to the community," said Tabuns, noting WoodGreen has been a pioneering community builder for a long time. "My thanks and congratulations for bringing the future a little closer."

Tabuns, who also credited Mondial Energy for its leadership, underlined that the government must make a genuine commitment to using available technologies, like solar heating systems, to curb climate change and cut fossil fuel use.