Reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gases: information for school plant officials BY CRAIG HARRIS - MANAGER, GREEN SCHOOLS INFRASTRUCTURE, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Many of you have heard of global warming. Some of you can look out the windows of your homes and offices and see the effect warmer winters have had on BC's pine forests. The trend is projected to continue as human activity pumps more and more carbon into the atmosphere. Scientists and politicians alike warn of severe consequences, and the first eco-refugees are appearing. Realizing this, the Premier has determined we need to respond to the impact of human-caused or anthropogenicbased climate change. Since the Throne Speech of February 2007, there have been over 175 Climate Action Plans submitted and approved by government involving all ministries, crown corporations, agencies and commissions. The Premier's Climate Action Secretariat has been struck, and Green Teams are or have been established
inside all government offices. The Ministry of Education Climate Action Plan was approved in April 2007. The Plan will be released soon on our developing Climate Action website. A great deal of work is being done behind the scenes to achieve sustainability. Like a major military operation, a lot of research, strategizing, thinking and organizing is underway. The Premier has challenged the public sector to take the lead on greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions and adapting our economy to sustainability. This degree of commitment is unprecedented in Canada, and will ultimately affect every person in the province. Most persons do not realize the public school system is the single largest repository of built space in the public sector. Boards of Education operate about 2,000 facilities, or roughly 7 mil-
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School Plant Officials Association of B.C. Spring 2008
lion square metres of space including schools, board offices, shops and garages (not including portables). Significantly, about 20% of all daily human activity in the province takes place in the context of the K-12 program (not including independent schools). Our annual operating budget is the second largest in the province after Health. Based on the scope of our operations, we have a significant role to play in reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gases while educating our children about sustainability and climate change. Government has recently implemented Bill 44 - 2007 and the separate Public Sector Energy Conservation Agreement; two means to assist in achieving the ambitious goals of carbon neutrality by 2010, 33% GHG reductions by 2020, and 80% reductions by 2050.
