The City of Ontario continues full steam ahead with “Smart Ontario,” an initiative improving safety, efficiency and connectivity through the modernization of energy infrastructure at 26 facilities, including the Ontario Convention Center and Toyota Arena.
When construction broke ground in late 2020, energy and operational savings were estimated to exceed $75 million over the life of the new equipment and greenhouse gas reduced by more than 10,000 tons annually.
As the project nears completion, Smart Ontario is well on its way to fulfilling initial projections. During the 2021 construction calendar year Ontario reported reducing energy use by nearly 4.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh), saving the City over $750,000. These exceptional savings results will continue to grow as project components are completed and put into service, including HVAC replacements, LED streetlights, solar photovoltaics and battery energy storage systems (some of which require SCE approvals prior to operation).
“The energy savings during construction have exceeded our expectations. What’s most exciting is that this is just the beginning,” said Ontario Mayor Paul Leon. “Replacing our outdated infrastructure to create smart and sustainable facilities serves a multifaceted purpose. Not only are we preserving taxpayer dollars, but we are also creating a cleaner environment for our community to proudly live, work and play in.”
