The City of Toronto has introduced general guidelines to encourage staff to undertake daily energy conservation actions, as well as specific additional actions to be taken on smog alert days.

Smog alert response plans are created to reduce emissions generated by City operations during smog alerts, while maintaining the integrity of services.

The following smog alert response plan for the City's Facilities & Real Estate division is co-ordinated by the Energy & Waste Management Office.

Continuous conservation actions

Facilities Management office staff shall:

• turn off computer monitors when not in use
• turn off lights and radios, photocopiers and printers when leaving for the day
• print double-sided
• use phone or teleconferencing instead of traveling by car or plane to meetings
• walk, bike, carpool or take public transit or carpool to work
• not idle vehicles

Facilities Management operations staff shall:

• do all the above
• be vigilant about turning off lights when they're not in use
• turn off all equipment when not in use
• not idle vehicles

Smog alert days

Facilities Management office staff shall:

• continue all energy conservation actions
• wear light clothing to remain cool
• work at home with management approval
• travel to and from work during off-peak times (with management approval)
• not idle vehicles

Facilities Management operations staff shall:

• continue all energy conservation actions
• increase cooling set point (temperature) in buildings operated by Facilities & Real Estate by three degrees Celsius (where technically feasible)
• post smog alert signs on all entrances/exits to above buildings
• suspend use of volatile organic compound (VOC) products: oil based paints, solvents, cleaners, etc.
• avoid maintenance activities that produce emissions
• turn off all non-essential lights in lobbies
• reduce the use of escalators
• reschedule lawn mowing, leaf blowing, etc.
• postpone vehicle refueling until after dark
• restrict use of gasoline-powered equipment
• avoid open burning of materials
• not idle vehicles

Winter smog alerts

Facilities Management office staff to:

• continue all energy conservation actions
• refrain from idling vehicles

Facilities & Real Estate operations staff to:

• continue all energy conservation actions
• post smog alert signs on all entrances/exits to their buildings
• suspend use of volatile organic compound (VOC) products: oil based paints, solvents, cleaners, etc.
• avoid maintenance activities that produce emissions
• turn off all non-essential lights in lobbies, displaying art, etc.
• reduce the use of escalators
• schedule vehicle refueling between 6 a.m. and noon
• restrict use of gasoline-powered equipment
• refrain from idling vehicles

For more information on smog, air quality and health, please visit the Public Health website.