Multi-Family

Starlight
Investments Ltd.
Green advantage turns older
buildings into star performers

Starlight is a dynamic real estate ownership and asset

management company with a goal of becoming one
of the environmental leaders in the multi-family rental
industry. In 2013, only two years after its formation, the
company received the annual Environmental Excellence
Award from the Federation of Rental-Housing Providers
ofOntario(FRPO).
The award reflects a visionary approach to greening
both the building portfolio and the bottom line. Starlight
boosts returns to its investors by identifying and
acquiring older properties with a view to unlocking
their value through strategic building improvements. This
value is then realized in better rentability or through sale
of properties at the right opportunity.
Energy efficiency upgrades have given Starlight a green
advantageenabling them to substantially reduce the
carbon footprint of their portfolio while bringing down
operating costs and enhancing property values.
Enbridge Gas Distribution assists Starlight to meet their
energy and environmental goalsproviding naturalgas
consumption analysis, incentives and impartial
expertadvice.
Summary
45 GTA properties upgraded in two years
Enbridge equipment incentives totaling
$223,470.00
Annual natural gas savings estimated at over
2.2 million m3*

Enbridge brings experience and expertise to the table.

They have worked in the same types of buildings
with the same equipment, so they know what works.
Their impartial advice gives us condence in the
technologies and savings numbers, and their incentives
really help to improve project paybacks.
John Lucic
Executive Director, Energy & Technical Maintenance
Starlight Investments Ltd.

Challenge
Aging building systems were dragging down energy
performance and driving up operating costs. Older
boilers were operating with seasonal efficiencies less
than 60 per cent. The massively oversized and poorly
controlled equipment was inefficient all year round,
particularly in warm weather when it was used to heat
domestic hotwater.
Starlight recognized that upgrading energy and water
systems in their buildings would increase the rental and
resale value of their properties, reduce operating costs,
and go a long way toward positioning Starlight as an
environmentaltrailblazer.
With nearly 100 buildings in the GTA, Starlight needed to
prioritize investments in order to get the best returns and
build momentum toward greening the overall portfolio.

Projected CO2 emissions reduction as much as

4,100 tonnes per year*
Greater tenant satisfaction and higher
resalevalues

*The figures provided are unaudited and have not been subject to the full extent of Enbridges
regulated evaluation, measurement and verification process before the Ontario Energy Board.

Before

Solution
Starlights dedicated energy management team took
advantage of Enbridges Energy Compass program
to identify the poor performing buildings within their
portfolio. An Enbridge Energy Solutions Consultant
then provided a detailed analysis of existing conditions
in each building and calculated the estimated natural
gas savings for recommended energy efficiency
technologies and measures. Together, Starlight and
Enbridge identified the energy efficiency opportunities
with the best potential savings and paybacks. Starlight
then put together a comprehensive three-year plan to
reduce the portfolios energy use and carbon footprint.
In 2013 and 2014, Starlight upgraded 45 GTA properties.
Bundling a number of measures made it possible to
achieve attractive project paybacks and return on
investment. Retrofit incentives from Enbridge further
improved the payback horizon.
Energy-efficient equipment supported by Enbridge
incentives included:
Mid-efficiency gas boilers
Boiler controls
Building automation systems
Low flow showerheads
Novitherm panels
The new boilers are rated at 84 per cent to 88 per cent
efficiency. Close monitoring of the boiler controls and
building automation systems ensures that the higher
efficiencies are achieved in day-to-day operations. The
water saving measures in turn contribute to a reduction
in natural gas used for domestic water heating while
Novitherm radiator panels, which reflect heat back into
the apartment units, make it possible to reduce heating
set points.

After

One of Starlights biggest strengths is identifying

opportunities and re-positioning properties to create
value. Reducing energy consumption and associated
greenhouse impacts helps us stand out as an
environmental leader in the industry while reducing
operating costs and enhancing
the overall worth of the portfolio.

Daniel Drimmer
President & CEO
Starlight Investments Ltd.

Results
In total, Starlights natural gas conservation projects
within the Enbridge Gas Distribution franchise
area are projected to save 2,234,704 m3 of natural
gasannually.
This would reduce carbon emissions by as much
as 4,100 CO2 tonnes per yearthe equivalent of
removing about 800 cars from the road over the
course of a year.
Based on the projected total natural gas savings
from the projects Starlight qualified to receive
Enbridge incentives totaling $223, 470.
Along with the natural gas equipment upgrades,
Starlight has undertaken a number of electricity
and water saving projects to further trim utility
bills and carbon footprint. Adding to the savings,
maintenance bills have dropped substantially.
The building system transformations have improved
tenant comfort and rentability. Starlight is also
seeing these efficiency investments translate into a
significant increase in resale values.

Contact Enbridge Today

Upgrading your building by investing in efficient equipment and systems can pay off in long-term environmental
and financial benefits.
If you are considering an energy efficiency improvement to your existing building, you may be eligible
for monetary incentives. To get started and for more details, contact your Enbridge Energy Solutions
Consultanttoday:
1-888-427-8888

energyservices@enbridge.com

www.enbridgegas.com/businesses