School District No. 46 (SD46) has received great news from the carbon neutral capital program of the Ministry of Education.
SD46 presented a high priority request for boilers at Elphinstone Secondary School to be upgraded and has been granted $200,000 for the project. In addition to this grant, SD46 will also receive a further $10,000 to be applied to future energy studies.
The total projected cost for the boiler upgrade is $340,000. The school district's contribution is anticipated to be $140,000, which will be funded through its annual facilities grant.
BC Hydro has also contributed $40,000 towards retrofitting exiting interior lighting systems at Cedar Grove, and Davis Bay elementary schools and the Sechelt Learning Centre, with more efficient lighting and occupancy sensors.
"One of our goals is to reduce energy by replacing boilers and heating systems with high efficiency systems," said secretary-treasurer Nicholas Weswick in a news release. "I am pleased we are able to upgrade the boiler at Elphinstone Secondary School at this time. With continued energy cost savings, SD46 is able maintain a high level of service in the classroom."
The school district anticipates savings of $22,000 per year and a reduction of 81 tons of carbon dioxide per year from this boiler upgrade. Based on these expectations, the simple payback period for the district's contribution will be less than six years.
"In keeping with our strategic plan for healthy learning environments, this grant is more than a facility upgrade; it is a message about investing in sound economic and environmental planning to protect our air quality and natural resources, as well as focusing limited funds to the classroom level," added school board chair Betty Baxter.
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