ane

College finds a treasure

Burning cache of oil
produces savings

IT’S NOT exactly the equivalent of the Beverly
Hillbillies, but Northwest Community College has
struck oil,

Maintenance workers are burning 20,000 galions of
furnace oil long forgotten but subsequently found in
two underground tanks.

The oil has likely been there for at least seven years
and since it has long been paid for, burning it instead
of natural gas is saving the college up to $1,000 a day,
says college facilities manager Cindy Harmel.

“Tf all that oi] is good, we’re tooking at substantial
savings,” she said.

“In October the bill for gas was $25,000 2 month
and it wasn’t even winter yet,” said Harmel.

The college has been burning the oil since early
Navember, ’

First estimates, based on speaking with boiler
experts, were that the oil would last well into the new
year. But the burn rate is higher than expected, said

_Harmel.

“IT expect we'll now save about $50,000," she said.
Harmel, who was hired this year, became interested
in the tanks after noticing that the heating system,

which typically burns natural gas, could also burn oil.

She also noticed the underground tanks on college
drawings.

“At first I was approaching it as getting rid of the
tanks because of the environmental liability. There
was no thought there might be oil in there. But the
crew came back and said there was oil in those tanks,”
she said.

The oil was tested and found, at least on the top
layers, to be combustible, Harmel continued.

“Chances are the oil is still all good, but even it
isn’t, this is a pesilive thing and it’s nice to do a
positive thing,” she said.

Since the college can burn oil as well as natural gas,
Harmel is writing Pacific Northern Gas to request a
rate reduction. That’s. because it now pays a premium
Tate in return for the gas utility to ensure there is a
constant supply. But having a back up fuel source
means the college can get off the more expensive rate
and pay less.

The tanks will be removed for environmental

reasons once they ate dry. But Harmel has located a Facilities manager Cindy Harmel recently discovered two underground tanks ful of ail.
That cil is now being burned, meaning the college is saving money because i! doesn't

10,000 litre above-ground tank to held oil in case it is
ever needed.

LARGE BOILERS at Northwest Community College provide heat at the campus here, China is also welcoming the development of schools

have to use natural gas.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, December 10, 2003 - A3
ee

News In Brief

MBA anyone?
THE UNIVERSITY of Northern British Columbia
may introduce a Master's of Business Administration
program within a year.

It surveyed regional employers, recent MBA
graduates from other institutions and took on-line
comments from prospective students and found
general acceptance of the idea.

“Our work shows that there is a market in northern
B.C. for an MBA — one that would enhance the
skills of managers in a variety of occupations, while
recognising the particular needs of northerners,” says
UNBC business professor Charles Schell.

A program would permit part time study, take into
account people working full time and consist of face-
to-face as well as on-line courses, he said,

UNBC’s business school will now refine the
curriculum plan and cost before seeking support
from the university’s senate and board of directors.
Depending upon approval, the first courses could
begin by late summer of 2004,

Foreign students wanted
SKEENA MLA Roger Harris says he was able to put
in a good word for School District 82 when it comes to
tecruiting foreign students.

Haris, who attended a resource conference in
Prince George last month, said he brought the issue up
with Canadian businessmen who have direct contacts
with school districts in China.

School District 82 is considering recruiting foreign
students and exporting local curricula as a way to earn
more revenue,

“B.C. has a strong advantage over every other
province in Canada,”: Harris said, explaining it’s
physically closer to China because it’s on the coast,
plus it’s home to a large population of Chinese
immigrants,

“They view that as a significant factor,” Harris
said. :

The representatives Harris spoke with are with a
company that’s already working with the Quesnel
school district.

that offer a B.C. high school diploma.
“You could set up a school in China,” said Harris.

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