Thank you!
Your message has been sent.
We will be in touch with you shortly.
Current Sustainable Schools Applied Research Projects
GEOTHERMAL APPLICATION GUIDE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS
Project timeline: May 2025 – August 2027
Project funding: IESO
Electrification and decarbonization pressures are reshaping how school boards approach heating and cooling. Geothermal has the potential of meeting heating and cooling needs at significantly lower peak heating, cooling and electrical demand than other options, with direct economic benefits to school boards.
Working with the IESO, leading school boards and industry professionals, the Sustainable Schools team aims to accelerate adoption of cost-effective geothermal applications in schools by documenting successful geothermal design, installation, operations and economics. The project team will conduct board surveys and meetings with industry to collect valuable insights into today’s real‑world system performance—what’s working, what isn’t, and why.
The culmination of the work will be an application guide for use by school boards and their design teams. The application guide will address technical, performance and life cycle cost decision-making factors. A public webinar will be held near the end of the project to launch the guide and present key findings from the research work.
AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP BOILERS APPLICATION GUIDE FOR K-12 SCHOOLS
Project timeline: May 2025 – August 2026
Project Funding: IESO, Enbridge
In February 2025, the Sustainable Schools team issued the Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) Rooftop Unit Application Guide for K-12 Schools. Building off the findings from that research, the Sustainable Schools’ team aims to address the decisions school boards face when it comes to upgrading boiler plants while considering electrification and sustainable alternatives. A lack of information can result in like-for-like replacement instead of exploration on feasibility of low-carbon solutions.
The project team seeks to develop an application guide to help boards address economic and operational considerations associated with ASHP boiler strategies. With support from IESO and Enbridge, school boards and industry leaders will be engaged to provide their feedback and input on the findings and development of the guidance documents.
The research-based guide will cover key decision-making factors for hybrid gas and ASHP boiler systems, including economic and operational considerations. The intent is to support informed integration of ASHPs with fuel boilers and to accelerate the adoption of ASHP boiler solutions in schools. To conclude the project a public webinar will be conducted to launch the guide and discuss the outcomes of the research.
High-Efficiency Rooftop HVAC Unit Replacements Project – Phase 2
Project timeline: March – November 2024
Working with 5 Ontario school boards throughout Phase 1 in 2022, the Sustainable Schools team evaluated the design, operational performance, and energy efficiency of several recently retrofitted schools. We reviewed energy and operating data from the selected schools before and after the recent HVAC project installation. System design, equipment selection, commissioning practices, and controls were documented for each school and correlated with performance outcomes to help identify best practices. A strategic workshop with the participating boards and project partners/funders was conducted at the end of the project. The research produced an evidence-based guidance document for use by school boards and their design consultants to help improve the design, equipment selection, BAS programming, and commissioning of future RTU replacement projects.
In 2024, the second phase of the project will reengage the 5 Ontario school boards, bring their utility analysis up to date and identify savings or increases and trends since phase 1. With input from the school boards, we will update the guidance report and produce case studies. The updated document, along with lessons learned, will be presented via webinar at the conclusion of the project.
Technical and financial support provided by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator, Enbridge, Carmichael Engineering and Kilmer Environmental.
Strategic Energy Management For School Board Portfolios Project – Phase 2
Project timeline: February – November 2024
In 2022, during Phase 1 of the project, the Sustainable Schools team worked with 4 Ontario school boards to investigate the causes of material energy use increases and savings for several schools from each board. We analyzed monthly billing data, building automation systems, sub-metering and management practices that participating boards use to identify energy use variances in a timely manner and to initiate and verify appropriate action. We conducted a strategic energy management workshop with all four school boards and project partners/funders, and developed a best practices guidance report.
In 2024, as part of Phase 2 of the project, we will monitor savings and support results from implementation of the identified improvements. We will reengage the 4 Ontario school boards, update the analysis for their participating schools, and meet to discuss what has been implemented, what worked best and what challenges may have impacted implementation. We will release an updated guidance report and case studies to provide practical examples of implementation in schools. The project will conclude with a webinar to present the updated guidance report, project results and lessons learned.
Technical and financial support provided by Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator, Setpoint Building Automation and QMC Metering Solutions.
High performing air-source heat pumps application guide for K-12 schools
Project timeline: Completed – November 2023 – September 2024
Project funding: IESO, Enbridge
As school boards work towards low-carbon and net-zero emissions, they require practical tools to support the achievement of their goals. Air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are an important contributor to the decarbonization of schools. Through this completed project, the Sustainable Schools team evaluated the uptake of ASHPs in the K-12 schools sector and identified the information and resources boards need to effectively assess their options and successfully adopt alternatives to conventional HVAC designs.
Throughout the project, the Sustainable Schools team engaged industry members, including project sponsors Trane and Carrier, and surveyed school boards to gather insights on the economics, operating considerations, and decision-making criteria associated with selecting ASHPs over conventional HVAC systems.
The research culminated in the delivery of a practical application guide designed to accelerate ASHP implementation and optimization in K-12 schools. The guide addresses procurement strategies, integration with existing HVAC systems, controls, and ongoing monitoring approaches to document actual energy and emissions reductions. A webinar was held to introduce the application guide and present key findings, featuring a panel of participating schools, ASHP providers, and contractors.
