North Vancouver School District
Energy conservation initiative yields big savings
How does a school district with a declining enrolment overcome the impact of reduced funding while facing increased costs for municipal and energy expenses?
That was the question North Vancouver School District’s maintenance manager, Jeff Jackson, considered as he searched for ways to make the 41 schools and related sites under this authority more energy efficient.
“We were driven by economics and shrinking budgets,” Jeff said. “For us, doing this work was a survival mechanism.”
In its energy-use analysis, the district learned it was using more than 46 million kWh per year in gas and electric energy, the equivalent of running almost 10 million, 200-watt personal computers for a full day. Space heating accounted for 60 per cent of that use.
The district set ambitious, but attainable targets, including reducing electrical consumption by 19 per cent, natural gas use by 28 per cent and water consumption by 70 per cent. The district also aimed to lessen its greenhouse gas emissions by 1,100 tonnes.
Actions
A sophisticated, central direct electronic control system was installed in each school. This system is able to monitor and control conditions in each room within the school. Occupancy sensors were also installed and can tell when rooms are in use. If they’re not, the sensors reduce the amount of outdoor air vented into each room, registering a savings on the district’s heating bill.
Results
The North Vancouver School District’s water consumption has been cut by a remarkable 70 per cent. Electricity and gas consumption are well on their way to meeting the targets set at the beginning of the process. Overall, the district has realized energy savings of $300,000 per year.
Conclusion
Many of the efficiency upgrades have also incorporated seismic and safety upgrades, so the schools are safer, use less energy and are more environmentally friendly. By anyone’s measure, this is a winning situation for all involved.You, too, could replicate the North Vancouver School District’s energy-saving success. Let Terasen Gas show you how.
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