Our HVAC, electrical, and building automation crew enjoying the day at the EMFA conference in Penticton.

A lot has happened for HVAC, building automation, and electrical recently, not just at Kimco but also beyond. Part of Kimco’s passion for what we do includes staying current on the industry at large. With that in mind, we’ve gathered recent industry news, trends, and updates to share with our readers. 

What’s new at Kimco

2024 EFMA

The Educational Facility Managers Association of BC held its annual conference and AGM in Penticton at the beginning of June. Kimco is a longtime sponsor of the event and we love to come out, see old friends, and support the local schools. 

Our team was on-site, and even 35 km-an-hour winds couldn’t stop us from having a great time—even if we sometimes had to hold the tent to prevent it from flying away!

We enjoyed swings at the Penticton Golf & Country Club, where Kimco sponsors a hole for the annual golf tournament and the evening Hospitality Suite. 

Since 1964, the EFMA has brought BC school districts together to maintain and support a high standard of knowledge, skill, and safety in our schools.

This year’s EMFA conference theme was “The Great Outdoors.” The Kimco team was excited to don some camouflage and hang out with other passionate building automation contractors, friends, and clients from the school districts.

New video: Kimco’s got talent!

The thing that has kept Kimco going for four decades is simple: the people. Kimco also stands out by offering three services—HVAC, electrical, and building automation—at a high level of excellence from one company.

We love what we do and want to work with people who feel the same: passionate about the industry but also connection and human beings.

Our company's integrity was recently distilled into a new video featuring our team, projects, and pride in our hometown of Kelowna and the Okanagan.

Have a look, and if you’re interested in working with Kimco, check out our careers page.

40th anniversary

Kimco was fortunate enough to mark 40 years in business in April. Learn more about the anniversary, festivities, and history.

News from the worlds of building automation, electrical, and HVAC

Green buildings: Greener homes for Canadians in the 2024 Federal budget
Canada’s Green Buildings Strategy is set to launch, according to the 2024 Federal budget. Seeing an initiative focusing on greener homes through energy efficiency retrofits is exciting.

The Green Buildings Strategy is designed to address energy affordability and climate change issues through energy-efficient retrofits. To help reach the country's climate goals, the budget has earmarked $903.5 million over six years to Natural Resources Canada to support:

• Low-interest loans and grants for energy-efficient retrofits of affordable housing through the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program.
• Help renew and modernize existing energy efficiency programs for building owners and spur the development of improved building codes to reduce emissions and lower energy bills further.
• The development of a national approach to home energy labelling to provide homeowners with more information about the energy efficiency of their homes.

While Kimco generally works on commercial rather than residential buildings, the principles of energy efficiency through smart home technology and up-to-date HVAC equipment apply to both realms. Learn more about meeting your energy goals through building automation on the blog.

Economic growth in B.C. and Alberta leads to higher demand for electricians
Immigration News Canada names electricians first in demand of skilled trades in Canada thanks to economic growth in B.C. and Alberta. HVAC technicians also made the list, coming in at number five.

Trends in building automation, electrical and HVAC

Heat pumps continue to make an impact in Canada
We’ve been watching heat pump technology for a while, and it’s great to see that adopting this energy-efficient technology is becoming more common in Canada thanks to advancements allowing it to operate better in our northern climate. We wrote about seeing the trend on the rise in 2022, and now, Canadian magazine Chatelaine even published an essay about loving heat pumps and high-efficiency water tanks at the beginning of the year!

Kimco recently published a case study outlining our largest heat pump project with Okanagan vertical lettuce producer Avery Family Farms. Learn more about the project.

Client and partner updates

Delta Controls showcases new technology
Delta Controls is one of Kimco’s greatest relationships. We’ve been working with Delta for years and consider their building automation technologies the gold standard for the industry.

The global leaders in building controls have been making the conference rounds recently, like at ISC West, to showcase their new VIVOTEK artificial intelligence security camera. This camera excels in challenging lighting conditions and integrates seamlessly with Delta’s BAC net controller.

Another fun note, back at the beginning of the year, Frost and Sullivan gave Delta the 2023 North American Company of the Year Award based on industry analysis. Way to go, Delta Controls!

ABB and McMaster University turn to smart buildings to adapt for the future
Kimco partner ABB announced they will use smart building technology to help McMaster University’s thermal systems adapt. The upgrades will increase energy efficiency and apply innovative technologies across multiple campuses.

The updates will do more than lower energy use; the smart systems will provide simplified control of elements such as air quality, temperature, and carbon emissions.

Learn more about smart building technology on the blog.

Check out more insights, news, and trends about the industries we love on our blog.

Work with a people-first company on the cutting edge of building automation, HVAC, and electrical technology in the Thompson-Okanagan for 40 years. See how Kimco can help.