Building improvements promote energy savings and improved environments for students
April 28, 2005, Belleville, Ontario—Two recent events demonstrate how the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB) leads in energy conservation and environmental stewardship:

1. New funding through a partnership with Ameresco supports the values of HPEDSB being A Great Place to Learn and A Great Place to Work!
2. The Board has received a plaque in recognition of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Ameresco funding for building renewal projects
At its April pubic Board meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a proposal to enter into a contract with Ameresco Energy Services Company to complete a five-year building renewal program valued to $42.7 million. The agreement will be amortized over 25 years and subject to the availability of funding provided by “Good Places to Learn” grants from the Ministry of Education.

“Through this partnership with Ameresco, the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board is better positioned to upgrade building systems within schools. Our students will be the primary benefactors of the work as their schools will be improved and the learning environments enhanced,” remarks Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board. “School communities and the local neighbourhood will also benefit from the improvements because schools are often the centres of community activities,” she adds.

Refer to the attached Backgrounder for more information.

HPEDSB receives a plaque in recognition of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Special recognition of the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board was received through a plaque from The Honourable R. John Efford, Minister of Natural Resources. The award is to recognize
the Board’s participation in the Office of Energy Efficiency’s Energy Innovator’s Initiative, and the Board’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

A letter from Minister Efford states Natural Resources Canada appreciates the voluntary commitment your organization has made in support of Canada’s goal to reduce harmful emissions through greater energy efficiency.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, it is truly an honour to receive the plaque recognizing our contributions to reduce greenhouse gases,” comments Ms. Edgar. “This recognition, combined with our partnership with Ameresco to improve building systems, is a reflection of our employees’ commitment to making a difference on climate change,” she adds.

Natural Resources Canada will provide funding towards the Ameresco project relating to the planning and design of energy conservation initiatives.

For information, contact:
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer (613) 966-1170, or 1 800 267-4350 ext. 2354

Backgrounder on Ameresco funding for building renewal projects
In recognition of the need to address deferred maintenance issues at most schools in the province, the Ministry of Education embarked upon a major study and report to determine the extent and cost of individual board needs. The Ministry purchased a software database known as Real Estate Capital Asset Planning Program (RECAPP) to assist in data collection and reporting. The province hired architects and engineers to visit each school to evaluate its condition and expected future life. A cost estimate was prepared to replace each building component.

The Ministry recently announced new funding under the “Good Places to Learn” initiative that will provide HPEDSB with confirmed Phase 1 funding in 2005/06 of $17,758,146 financed over a 25-year period. It is anticipated that an equal amount will be provided in Phase II funding, to be announced next year. This funding must be used for “high and urgent” needs projects identified by the RECAPP database.

Ameresco has reviewed the RECAPP data collected by the Ministry to verify building condition assessments and cost assessments. Ameresco also visited a sample group of schools and reviewed building systems. Many of the projects suggested by Ameresco will provide some utility savings that may be used to enhance available capital funding.

Proposed projects to be completed include:

Project completion will occur over a four to five year period as there is a limit to local resources available to construct projects of this size.