P.E.I. aims to have Atlantic Canada's first 2 net-zero schools

With the announcement Tuesday of a retrofit at Cardigan Consolidated School in eastern P.E.I., the province is on course to have the region's first two net-zero schools in 2025.

Cardigan Consolidated will be the first retrofitted net-zero school. The new Sherwood School is also planned to be net zero. Environment Minister Steven Myers said the choice of Cardigan as the first retrofitted school was important.

"This is one of the original consolidation schools from back in the 60s, so it's kind of proof positive that we can take a building built in the '60s and turn it into net zero," said Myers.

Net zero means the school will produce as much energy from renewable sources as it uses.

Retrofits at the school include a 100 kW field of solar panels to provide electricity, and a geothermal system to provide heating and cooling.

This will be the first air conditioning at school, said Myers, which will become increasingly important for the learning environment in the school as the climate warms.

Lesson for the next generation

The province plans to retrofit all of its schools to make them net zero.

"[These students] are the next generation that's going to carry the ball for us the rest of the way," Myerssaid.

"They are going to grow up in a school that doesn't emit carbon. They are going to understand what not emitting carbon means and how important it is to the Earth's future, and I think that's part of what we do when we join with an educational institute when we try to do a project like this."

The retrofit will cost $1.8 million, but will eventually pay for itself in saved energy costs, said Myers. The solar panels will be ready to go soon, and the geothermal system will be installed next year.

Islanders have much to be proud of in terms of work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, said Myers, beyond leading the region in creating net-zero schools. P.E.I.leads the country in access to rural transit, and leads the world in adoption of electric school buses, he said.