From Green to Net-Zero Energy: A Study of School Buildings in Canada

Abstract

Changes in the patterns of life in the late 20th and early 21st century have created new challenges for educational systems. Greening the physical environment of school buildings has emerged as a response to these challenges and has led to the design and creation of energy-efficient K–12 school buildings. In the last few decades, the advancement of knowledge and technology has resulted in the successful construction of Net-Zero Energy school buildings. These buildings present state-of-the-art of energy efficiency and, at the same time, incorporate renewable energy strategies to offset the building energy consumption from non-renewable resources. The recent data on US net-zero energy schools shows that the number of these schools is growing exponentially; however, it is very challenging to build such schools in severely cold climates similar to cities in Canada. Significant energy-efficiency strategies are needed to achieve the net-zero energy status in cold climates. This study aims to describe and analyze the current status of energy-efficient and net-zero energy schools in Canada. The goal is to identify the best practices for the construction of net-zero energy schools in Canada by studying the existing energy self-sufficient schools in the coldest parts of the US. The study summarizes the lessons learned from the successful cases and presents useful information for school designers and builders in Canada.