Provincial funding sparks green upgrades in school districts

School districts throughout BC are getting a boost from the BC government to help reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
A total of $5 million is being provided through the Carbon Neutral Capital Program (CNCP) so 25 districts can undertake electrical and mechanical improvements to their schools.
For example, air source heat pumps will be installed at Palmer Secondary school in Richmond and a sewage heat exchange system will be set up at Hammond Bay Elementary in Nanaimo-Ladysmith. The Cowichan Valley school district is also replacing the boilers at Lake Cowichan Secondary with a new, more efficient biomass boiler.
In total, districts will reduce their emissions by approximately 1,500 tonnes and save $36,000 in carbon offsets as well as $416,000 in operating costs every year. Districts will embark on their projects this year with completion by March 2014.
Not only will these projects provide cleaner air to local communities, they will also help districts lower their energy consumption. As well, as part of the $5 million provincial funding, 43 districts will receive about $10,000 each to identify possible carbon neutral projects in the future.
The Ministry of Education launched the Carbon Neutral Capital Program in 2012 to compensate school districts for the amount they pay to purchase carbon offsets from Pacific Carbon Trust each year. The program was developed in consultations with education stakeholders including the British Columbia School Trustees Association.
Last year, the ministry provided $5 million in CNCP funding to 41 eligible districts. This funding has sparked projects such as a ground source heat pump system at Princess Margaret Secondary in the Okanagan-Skaha school district and an electric car in Nanaimo-Ladysmith, in collaboration with the City of Nanaimo.