A delegation encouraged the Upper Grand District School Board (UGDSB) to consider an electric heat pump for the new high school on Victoria Road and Arkell Road.
“Climate change is destroying families and communities,” said delegate Sam Stevenson.
His two children will attend the new high school in the next six years.
“I was however quite disappointed to see that it was planned at the time to get a fossil fuel heating system,” said Stevenson.
The heat pumps can also be used to cool the school in the summertime, he said.
Stevenson started a Facebook page called Electrify Arkell High to advocate that no fossil fuel infrastructure will be implemented at the high school.
To clarify the new school does not have a name yet, this is just what Stevenson is calling it for the purposes of the page.
He asked the board to financially analyze the up-front and long-term cost of an electric heat pump versus gas heating for the high school.
A recommendation to be presented at an upcoming meeting for the high school to be built with no fossil fuel infrastructure was also suggested by Stevenson.
“My second ask is that the board temporarily pauses issuing their quest for tender for the school until the recommendation above is presented and decided on,” said Stevenson.
The construction of the school is not up for tender yet.
Stevenson said he understands a new high school is needed and UGDSB can’t raise taxes.
“It would certainly be much more convenient to just go forward with a gas system,” he said.
A fossil fuel heating system at the school would add to the climate crisis, Stevenson said.
Stevenson practices what he preaches by replacing the gas furnace and water heater in his home with heat pumps.
It will make it more difficult for the community and families to reach climate goals if a fossil fuel heating system is implemented into the high school, said Stevenson.
Roughly $715,000 is what the school board would spend on federal carbon pollution pricing this year, said Stevenson.
“I recognize the board is implementing air source heat pumps at a few schools this year to bring down emissions,” he said.
The new Co-operators headquarters in Guelph, the West End Community Centre, Victoria Road Recreation Centre, and the new recreation centre in the south end of Guelph, have or will have heat pump systems, listed Stevenson.
“Electrifying the school will be a major tangible achievement towards the board’s strategic pillar of lead through sustainability. It will be an inspiration to our youth by showing public institutions can construct low carbon buildings given planful spending,” he said.
Trustee Katherine Hauser had a clarifying question about the planning and construction processes needing to be approved by the provincial ministry of education.
“There are several steps and that does include as far as approval by the ministry for the cost of the overall project as well. Which includes all the components of the construction of it,” said Glen Regier, executive superintendent of business operations and support services at UGDSB.
