The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and the Canada Coalition for Green Schools has named Trinity College School in Port Hope as the greenest school in Canada.
Trinity College School shares the title with Lacombe Composite High School in Lacombe, Alberta.
Launched in 2014, the Greenest School in Canada competition seeks to showcase kindergarten to Grade 12 schools across the country that exemplify how sustainability can be woven into the infrastructure, culture and curriculum of a school.
The competition’s jury, comprised of green building industry experts from across the country, were so impressed with the submissions that they were unable to choose just one winner. They determined that both Lacombe and Trinity College stood out from other submissions for their exemplary commitment to sustainability and impressive environmental awareness programs for students and staff.
“On behalf of the students and staff of Trinity College School, I must say that we are thrilled to be recognized by the CaGBC with the awarding of the Greenest School in Canada 2018 award,” says Stuart Grainger, Headmaster of Trinity College School.
“We truly believe our success is due to our collective commitment to weaving sustainability initiatives into virtually every aspect of our learning community, including our curriculum, our campus and our school culture.”
Trinity College School was selected as a winner because of its efforts at sustainability, including physical building changes and upgrades and a comprehensive curriculum. Highlights include:
- A five-year sustainability plan focused on reducing environmental footprint and the creation of a healthy, sustainable community, which provides opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills that foster sustainability literacy as part of academic and co-curricular activities.
- A decrease in natural gas consumption by 23 per cent over five years, an achievement it attributes to window replacements and upgrades to its building automation systems and boilers.
- Significant efforts to manage its annual energy consumption through: regular electricity audits, a major lighting retrofit, and a 220kW solar PV installation with another 180kW planned.
- A “Farm Field Forest” initiative that runs three days a week, enabling students to build a greenhouse and shed and work on a half-acre farm that harvests vegetables for the school’s dining room and the local community health centre.
VIDEO: Trinity College School’s submission for Greenest School in Canada 2018
The school’s Trinity Environmental Action Club student leaders spearheaded the contest application by producing a short video of Trinity College School’s overall sustainability programs, with particular highlights of many student-led eco-actions and infrastructure improvements.
This video was submitted along with a lengthy written application detailing the specifics of the school’s various footprint reduction projects.
“I would like to congratulate Lacombe and Trinity College for being named the 2018 Greenest Schools in Canada,” says Thomas Mueller, President and CEO of the CaGBC.
“Both schools had impressive submissions that set them apart this year, incorporating both physical green building and curriculum changes. These schools set a great example for their peers and surrounding communities, and will positively impact the current cohort of students, as well as nurturing the next generation of green building leaders for years to come.”
