As Ontario’s five-year Climate Change Action Plan comes into effect, the London District Catholic School Board has a plan to go green.
Partnering with energy solutions company Ameresco Canada Inc., the LDCSB’s $9.9 million program is designed to meet the CCAP requirements while saving $500,000 in annual utility costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 220 metric tonnes, which is equal to taking 1,320 cars off the road.
“We have a very large utility bill each year, so we are always looking for ways to reduce our energy consumption,” Jacquie Davison, Superintendent of Business said. “When we started hearing the plan for a carbon tax, we were more concerned about reducing our carbon footprint.”
The program came into effect last spring and is expected to be completed in 2018.
The LDCSB is not currently required to participate in cap-and-trade at current emission levels but are mandated to reduce emissions by 15 per cent by 2020.
The program will replace all fluorescent lighting with LED lamps.
The LDCSB says some schools are receiving heating, cooling and ventilation upgrades, building controls as well as electrical and mechanical retrofits such as boilers and water heaters.
“We are extending the lifespan of our buildings and infrastructure and adopting environmentally sustainable measures that will save us money,” Davison said. “The Board looks forward to working with staff to find innovative ways to meet climate change targets and care for creation and our planet for future generations.”
According to the LDCSB, the renewal and energy-performance program’s goals are also in line with the Conservation and Demand Management target set by the Ontario Energy Board.
The board hopes students will benefit from seeing their schools take a leadership role in environmental stewardship.
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