2025 Michael Mulcahy Award for Excellence and Innovation in Customer Care and Service
The Mulcahy Award was created in memory of Michael Mulcahy, former President and CEO of FortisBC and former Chair of the Canadian Gas Association. It recognizes significant achievement (over and above everyday activities) by members of the natural gas delivery industry in the area of innovation and service to natural gas users/customers. The award also serves to help guide other CGA member utilities on their journey to excellent and innovative customer service. Through participation in the Mulcahy Award process, all will benefit from exposure to the efforts of others in the industry, thereby raising its overall standard of customer care – a huge priority for Mike Mulcahy in his many years of service to customers in the industry.
Recipients:
Ariana Arguello, Mila Barbour and Jim Kobialko, FortisBC
FortisBC Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot
From 2021 to 2026, FortisBC’s Deep Energy Retrofit (DERet) Pilot demonstrated how deep energy retrofits can be successfully delivered in occupied homes through a customer-focused approach. Supporting both FortisBC’s energy efficiency objectives and British Columbia’s emissions reduction goals, the pilot is among the first utility-led initiatives in North America to complete deep retrofits in occupied single-family homes and multi-unit residential buildings while maintaining natural gas as part of an integrated low-carbon energy solution.
The pilot completed retrofits in 20 occupied single-family homes and four apartment buildings across British Columbia, incorporating building envelope upgrades, advanced controls, renewable energy technologies, and high-efficiency gas equipment. Results included more than 7,700 GJ of annual natural gas savings and approximately $54,000 in annual operating cost savings for apartment buildings, while single-family homes achieved average energy savings of 42%, with some reducing natural gas use by up to 81%.
Beyond the energy savings, the pilot generated valuable insights into customer engagement, technology adoption, commissioning, and retrofit delivery in occupied buildings. By balancing innovation, customer experience, and environmental performance, the project established a framework for future residential retrofit programs and highlighted the significant opportunity to improve the performance of existing building stock without displacing occupants.
Notable nominees:
- Customer Solutions Team, SaskEnergy
- Apex Utilities Inc.