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The ‘ York Catholic District School [loan] has eight schools and the York Regan D'mn'n School Ward. four. in Sustainable Schools' recently released list of the top 20 energy performing schools in North America. ' York Region schools don't mind being in the dark -â€" literally â€"â€" when it comes to energy conserva- lion. Taking second place this year is Késwick's Prince of Peace Catho- lk‘ Helmmary School. whiLh was 027 Watts of tom] energy intensity behind the top school. Principal Janis Scufly attrib- uted the «access to he! students and staff who are emimnmcntally minded. 11w M‘lltlll fulltrws the bricks and mortar policies set out by thr- school board. including tempera- tum limits for classrooms. mainte- nance and installing feattm's sm‘h as its geothermal ground sourre unit. which sends liquid through em underground pipe tn he heat «1. then run thmugh coils in lhl‘ school to preheat the air. meaning loss cncrgy from an electrical or gas hvating mun? is n'quimd. «he «aid. York schools among continent’s greenest IY WW LATCHPORD Nauh/ordfiynng com The student-led and staff- supervised eco dub is active in spreading word about any initia- tives anhe school. livery classroom has student om monitor who turns of! lights and computer monitors and records any initiativrs completed that day. However. the big difl'erence is the human factpr. having sad? and students work together to reduce the school's enexgy consumption. Ms said. “The key is m haw students and stafl inmlvcd or it just wouldn't work." Ms said. Having so many schools in the (up 20 validates the mnwrvat'um efiorts of the school board and individual schools, York Catholic environmental and office 59mm manager Norm ijna said. “were an! thn‘e branches In energy management; design and construction. oporalion and main- tenance and occupant behaviour. It installed automated systvms such as timers that shut nfi lights and heat vmcn the building IS not occupied. conducts prvvv-nta- tiw mainlvnzmcv and vnsun‘x tht‘ \(‘hnnls an- (loan “)9 school board uws Hi”) silwr standards in new schools. "w biggest (‘hallvnw Is altering behaviour. The entire school has to buy into the-plan to make a differ- ence. not just one staff membct or student. Mr. Vezina to raise awamnes-z abom energy mnservation. It implemented real-time tricin data system that ShOVVS‘ schools how much energy they are using at any given time and built the data into lessons. ‘lhe first monitor was instafled in Richmond Hill‘s Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic l-‘Jcmcntary School. whom us use resulted In a lO-per~cent energy use reduction in one year. 'lhe initiatives. haven't snipped since energy consumption became an nfl‘icial priority in 2000, Next. xho school board plans to [misfit older schools and cnsun‘ system components am: working properly and etfwiomly and their are plans to launch a lunchtime energy mduuiun challengr “W0 wum to pmmmv turning the lights off in (he (‘lassnxnn if they am' not m‘odud and they wally an'n't muted a! lunch time." Mr. Velma ’ The real-time monitnring 5'“ u-m will vxamim' vnvrgy mn- sumptkm Imm 9 m I 1:30.11“. and FD! mom unmatm‘ wsK trumcavsus Public School ranked fourth on the (up 20 list but received special mention Eur beingthe most energy- officiem school with conventional heating. high efficiency natural gas boilers and energy recovery venti- laliOn system. the West rechacuon to create a 'Woodbridge‘s Immaculate (lunception Catholic Elementary School received a shout out for being the most improved school and Emily Catholic Hementaâ€" ry School in Woodbridge coming thud offiw on the same list. Aumra‘s Cardinal ( ‘anor ()3th Hr High School made the top five energy-consen’mg secondary schools. Sumainahlv Schools offers benchmarking. performance monitoring and training in best practices m help school boards so! and admin? energy conservation gnalx 11130 am. to 1 pm. compare the two periods and calculate the dif- All elementary schoois will be informed of the 10 schools with Markham‘s Sir Wilfrid lamier STAB W mama: unmamm WWW ume kmmm D {immiscmm D 9.Skmdwdw.5cm(amok v 10.5LMMMEMM b 12.nogerwewmartet D I4.St.(lm(uhoitflememary v 20. SLCIemntCatholkElemen‘ tary School, Woodbridqe p Immmemgtamx Emmwm v 17,King(ityMdeooLKBng » 13.n«munegiemk > mama-5mm. YDRK’S BEST