Cool Shops

The Cool Shops program is a market transformation program that targets street-facing, small-business retailers. The program promotes energy efficiency and conservation measures to small businesses. The Cool Shops program identifies appropriate energy saving measures for each retailer by conducting an energy audit. By implementing the recommendations, retailers then become "Cool Shops." The program involves a three-step process. The first step includes an energy audit and free instant energy saving installs. The second step involves making changes in order to reduce energy use and costs, such as upgrading the lighting in order to decrease energy use. The third step of the program involves a marketing program in order to raise the profile of participating businesses. The "Cool Shop" branding, as well as being featured on the website, are some of the marketing perks that offered to participating retailers. Cool Shops received an Energy Efficiency Advocate Aware form Natural Resource Canada in 2005.

The goal of the Cool Shops program is to identify and implement in-store energy management measures that reduce energy consumption and utility costs.

Cool Shops has conducted over 7,700 energy audits and has installed over 12,700 compact fluorescent light bulbs. Changes in energy use have resulted in a reduction of 1,530 tons of GHG emissions, a decrease of over 5,000 MWh, and a savings of over $600,000 to small businesses per year.