Everyone wins when nobody gets left behind.
It’s our mission to help lower energy costs for Bridgewater’s homeowners, tenants, landlords, and businesses.
The Town of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia won a national Smart Cities Canada Challenge grant in 2019. We’re here to show you what we’ve been doing — laying the groundwork for new programs, incentives, and funding for a path out of energy poverty.
As of Summer 2023, Energize Bridgewater has supported the following number of households and results—and counting!
Energize Bridgewater is helping households reduce energy costs and find affordable housing options.
The numbers below represent households that entered our programs and are in progress now or have completed their home upgrades.
116
More affordable homes with efficiency upgrades
67
More affordable apartments with efficiency upgrades
675
Households supported through SSODA
2*
Fewer annual tonnes of greenhouse gases per home
$619*
Average annual efficiency savings per home
*Only includes homes that have completed upgrades.
We connect those who need help to community services
We connect residents experiencing homelessness, housing insecurity, and energy poverty with the community services they need — housing, or social services — when they need it most. We are a hub for a connected community that includes everyone.
We’ll help you install and get credit for renewable energy
We want to see rooftop solar systems and solar farms in Bridgewater. This will give residents the chance to generate their own power, “banking” the excess sunshine they collect and apply those gains to lower their power bill.
We upgrade homes to lower monthly energy bills
We’ll hire a team of experts to insulate your home, or to install smart thermostats, heat pumps, or solar panels for a win-win for your household. We connect you to grant funding or low-interest loans, and to quality contractors for a job well done.
We’re setting up an energy information system
Better information leads to better decisions. To help homeowners, and landlords make the most of their upgrades, we’ll give easy-to-understand access, with expert support to be sure we all save money and make a difference.
We’re helping to reduce costs for renters
We’ve got a program to help landlords with rebates for energy upgrades, and help tenants with stable rental rates and energy costs. Tenants and landlords will be able to reap the rewards of living in an efficient and energized community.
We’ve helped everyone to easily get around town
We established Bridgewater’s bus service with plenty of public input and enthusiasm. We are also making our streets and trails safer and more accessible to all while encouraging walking, rolling and cycling in our town.
“Energize Bridgewater’s Home Upgrades Program aims to cut participants’ energy costs in half. Results will vary home to home, but that’s our impact goal—to make a real difference.”
Jessica McDonald, Project Director, Energize Bridgewater
ABOUT US
A clean and affordable energy economy is everyone’s business.
We’re making our community more green and more affordable. Join our movement of practical, grassroots visionaries as we set up energy grants, retrofit homes, and connect with programs to help families thrive today.
DOWNLOAD THE BRIDGEWATER COMMUNITY ENERGY INVESTMENT PLAN
DOWNLOAD THE ENERGY INVESTMENT PLAN TECHNICAL BACKGROUNDER
DOWNLOAD THE PLANNING TOOLKIT FOR MUNICIPALITIES
The Town of Bridgewater manages the ENERGIZE BRIDGEWATER project. We’re grateful to the renewable energy, community economic development, education, and community engagement experts who have shared their knowledge.
This includes current and past members of the Energize Bridgewater Advisory Committee as well as many others who have volunteered their expertise and perspectives over the past years.
Our Partners
Together with our partners, we are exploring emerging energy technologies, affordability, and better outcomes for our environment and our health. We’re developing new modes of shared service delivery, and shaping initiatives and policies for Bridgewater’s local energy economy.
Our Pathfinders
How can we help more residents of Bridgewater overcome energy poverty, and what technologies might help us achieve this? In seeking answers, many grassroots change makers, experts, and innovators have shared their insights and have been indispensable to our community as we find our way together.
Affordable Energy Coalition
Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia
Be the Peace Institute
Berwick Electric Commission
Big Brothers, Big Sisters of South Shore
Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation
Bridgewater Active Transportation Committee
Bridgewater and Area Lions Club
Bridgewater Development Association
Bridgewater Pharmasave
Clean Foundation
Davis Pier
Details Event & Design Studio
Dalhousie University Computer Science
Ecology Action Centre
Efficiency Nova Scotia / EfficiencyOne
Elmwood Winery
Energy Services Association of Canada
Envigour
Family Services of Western Nova Scotia
Green Power Labs
Groundwork Planning + Accountability
HeartWood Centre for Community Youth Development
Housing Nova Scotia
LaHave River Credit Union
L&B Electric
Lunenburg County Seniors Safety Program
Lunenburg County YMCA
Halifax Regional Municipality
Mashup Lab
Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute
Municipal Joint Services Board - Lunenburg Region
The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
New Dawn Enterprises Limited
Nova Scotia Community Transportation Network
Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Renewables
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Nova Scotia Power
Nova Scotia Works
Nova Scotia Community College Lunenburg Campus
Petite Riviere Vineyards
Picnic Studios
Quality Urban Energy Systems of Tomorrow (QUEST)
RNDT Development
Roswall Inc.
SchoolsPlus
Second Story Women’s Centre
Small World Learning Centre
Society St. Vincent de Paul
Solar Power NS
Souls Harbour Bridgewater
South Shore Family Resource Association
South Shore Housing Action Coalition
South Shore Public Libraries
SNC Lavalin
St. Mary’s University Mathematics and Computing
Sustainability Solutions Group
The Ark and Support Services Group
The Salvation Army, Bridgewater Corps
TNG Construction & Marine
Transition Bridge South Shore
Town of Bridgewater
TownSuite Municipal Software
United Way Lunenburg County
Verterra Group Environmental Strategies
Switch to LED lightbulbs for cheaper electricity bills — only 10% of the energy used by an incandescent bulb creates light. The rest is burned off as heat.
Lay carpets and rugs to retain heat better than hardwood or tile.
Wash your laundry on the cold cycle! Your washing machine spends 80-90% of its energy heating water. Even better, choose a front-loading machine next time you upgrade, which uses only 60% of the water and half the energy of a top-loading unit.
Air-dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s ‘heat dry’ function.
By driving aggressively or above the speed limit, we burn through 31% more fuel. Get into the car with time to spare, so you’re not rushed, and drive between 80 and 100 km/h.
Air-dry your laundry, even on sunny winter days, for a fresh scent and big energy savings.
Unplug your desktop computer when you’re not using it. Even turned off, a plugged-in computer burns up 80 watts per day.
Be aware of your kitchen's big energy draws. Cook with your microwave, toaster oven, or crock pot to use a fraction of the energy of your oven.
Fix leaky faucets.
Clean the dust off your fridge's back coils and clean out your dishwasher’s filters and drains so these essential appliances don’t have to work so hard to do their jobs. And don’t overfill your fridge and freezer — when it’s jam-packed, it draws more energy.
Strategically plant trees or shrubs around your house to create wind blocks, saving up to $250 a year in energy costs.