The Delta School District is helping lead a charge of B.C. school districts implementing renewable energy technologies to save money and reduce emissions.
The district is tapping into B.C.’s Public Sector Energy Conservation Agreement Fund, financially supported by Terasen Gas and the B.C. Government, which is providing $6.9 million in funding for 35 energy projects in 10 school districts.
The projects range from infrastructure upgrades, to solar wall installations and geoexchange systems buried beneath playing fields . The combined annual savings from the 35 projects are estimated at nearly $720,000 and a 2,800-tonne reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Delta School District is using the funds to replace eight conventional boilers with high-efficiency condensing boilers and install 11 geoexchange systems. Terasen Gas estimates that the total environmental benefit of the Delta School District project would be an approximately 55% reduction in energy consumption and a 69% reduction in greenhouse gases.
“We are extremely pleased to see our project come to life,” Delta School District board chair Dale Saip said in a press release. “The teamwork and shared vision of our organizations has resulted in an incredible learning opportunity for our kids and our community.”
To date, the fund has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than18,700 tonnes and achieved an annual cost savings of more than $7.4 million.