Sustainable Facilities and Infrastructure

The Town of Okotoks received its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification in 2015 for the Southridge Emergency Services Building. The three-storey, 30,000 ft² facility achieves 41% energy cost savings through initiatives such as triple-paned glass to prevent heat leaks and 31% indoor water savings through a built-in rainwater harvesting system for washing emergency vehicles!

Construction on the Operations Centre buildings began in June 2015 and was completed in 2017 with the opening of the main Operations Centre. These buildings include over 58,000 square feet of space for housing the Transportation, Fleet, Parks, Water and Waste Services business centres and all their equipment.

It includes the Eco Centre, a dedicated one-stop location for recycling items not included in the blue cart program and for the safe disposal of excess and niche materials such as household hazardous waste, CFL bulbs, and electronics!

Part of the Operations Centre is dedicated to the Environmental Education Centre which serves as an interpretive centre, a classroom for workshops and school presentations, and an insightful visual exploration of Okotoks' water system and watershed.

In 2019, the Operations Centre received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Gold certification, with a focus on energy efficiency.

The Okotoks Arts & Learning Campus was completed in 2021. The Town collaborated on this joint-venture project with Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools and stakeholders Bow Valley College, Foothills School Division, and the Okotoks Public Library. The Campus serves as a public library and houses valued community partners, such as the Christ the Redeemer school division, St. Luke’s Outreach Centre, and the Corner Co-working Space.

The campus building was constructed with innovative systems to improve indoor air quality, including carbon dioxide sensors to ensure adequate fresh air ventilation in densely occupied areas. It was also designed to reduce building energy demand by nearly 50% when compared to typical buildings of a similar size. Due to the building’s proximity to the river, the first floor of the building was raised an additional 600 mm and the main floor was constructed with waterproof materials. All heating, cooling, and mechanical equipment was installed above the first floor to prevent flood damage in the event of a significant flood.

During construction, care was taken to limit the impact to existing natural areas. Smaller, healthy trees in the project area were preserved as part of the campus. The green field areas, spanning 5,350 square metres, represent 33% of the overall site and are irrigated with non-potable water.

For more information about the Arts & Learning Campus and ongoing additions to the outdoor campus, visit okotoks.ca/ALC 

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A 508.8 kW DC solar PV system was installed on the rooftops of the Eco-Centre and Fleet Buildings in May 2020. This system supplies electricity to the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). This system was installed with over $430,000 in grant funding from the Municipal Climate Change and Action Centre (MCCAC), covering more than 40% of the purchase and installation costs.

During the first three full years of operation (2021-2023), the system installed on the Eco-Centre and Fleet buildings generated close to 1.5 million kWh of electricity. As of the end of 2023, the use of this electricity at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (89%) and the sale of excess electricity (11%) to the electric grid has resulted in a financial benefit of approximately $260,000.

The electricity generated by the Eco-Centre/Fleet Buildings solar PV system as of the end of 2023 has offset over 1,100 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is roughly equivalent to the grid emissions from the electricity use of 230 average Okotokian homes over one year.

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A 424.8 kW DC solar PV system was installed on the rooftop of Viking Rentals Centre (formerly Centennial Arena) in October 2021. This system supplies electricity to the Viking Rentals Centre. This system was installed with approximately $166,000 in grant funding from the MCCAC, covering approximately 30% of the purchase and installation costs.

During the first two full years of operation (2022-2023), the system installed at the Viking Rentals Centre generated over 1 million kWh of electricity. As of the end of 2023, the use of this electricity at the arena (91%) and the sale of excess electricity to the electric grid (9%) resulted in a financial benefit of approximately $150,000. 

The electricity generated by the Viking Rentals Centre solar PV system to date has already offset nearly 600 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is roughly equivalent to the grid emissions from the electricity use of 125 average Okotokian homes over one year. 

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The Town is excited to share the successful installation of a new 149.6 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the Operations Centre—one of two new solar projects recently completed. This system is expected to generate approximately 175,000 kWh of clean electricity each year, meeting about 50% of the facility’s energy needs and offsetting more than 96 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually.

Funded in part by the Municipal Electricity Generation (MEG) Program through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre, this project demonstrates the Town’s ongoing commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering operational costs, and increasing energy independence.

Find Project Details Here

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We have completed the installation of a 93.5 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Fire Hall No. 1—part of the Town’s fourth major solar energy project. This system is designed to generate approximately 96,000 kWh of renewable electricity each year, supplying nearly 90% of the building’s total energy needs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 53 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually.

The project was made possible with support from the Municipal Electricity Generation (MEG) Program, funded through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre. By integrating solar energy into emergency services infrastructure, the Town is not only cutting operating costs and improving energy resilience, but also reinforcing its commitment to climate leadership.

Find Project Details Here

We recently upgraded 25 public faucets in the Okotoks Recreation Centre to metering pillar tap faucets. Our new faucets are designed to minimize waste and maximize efficiency, delivering only 0.17 gallons (0.64 L) per cycle at factory settings. With automatic shut-off, they prevent unnecessary water flow, ensuring over 75% savings per use compared to a standard faucet running for 20 seconds. By reducing water consumption, these faucets also lower energy use from heating hot water; contributing to sustainability without compromising convenience.