OCSB Energy Management
OCSB Energy Management
The Ottawa Catholic School Board has followed a highly successful Energy Management Plan since 2004. Our staff, students and visitors all share the responsibility to conserve energy in our schools and facilities. Our school community has done an excellent job of adjusting their behaviour and welcoming a culture of energy conservation. Everyone involved can be proud of their help in making the OCSB a leader in energy management.
Our Energy Savings Are in the Millions
Our efforts to reduce energy use have saved $31,548,388 in avoided costs to date. We would have spent this money on energy utilities if our Energy Management Plan weren’t in place! Electricity use has gone down by 31% and natural gas use by 26%, much more than the provincial goal of 10%. These savings have taken place despite the fact that the Board’s floor space has grown by 8.1% over that time.
Ways We Manage Energy
Our Board has been investing money in having its buildings heated by natural gas. Natural gas is a very environmentally-friendly form of energy. We have also been investing in lighting retrofits, which offer a simple way to make lighting more energy-efficient. The Planning and Facilities Department has also worked with school custodial and maintenance teams to fine-tune operational practices such as establishing temperature set points and scheduling heating and cooling systems to turn on or off at specific times.
Our Energy Management Plan and Framework
Our Energy Management Plan and Framework
In accordance with Regulation 397-11, Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plans, see our five-year plan, last updated June 2024. View our OCSB Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan. You can also review our supporting documentation for our Energy Management Plan. View our 2013-18 Investment in Energy Management Strategies and our 2024-28 Calculating Energy Conservation Goals reports.
Designing Energy-Efficient Schools
The OCSB is one of only a handful of organizations in Ontario chosen to participate in Enbridge’s Savings by Design initiative. This is the third time we participated in this green building initiative which help builders design and construct buildings with a higher energy performance. Our staff are hard at work collaborating with experts at Enbridge and Sustainable Buildings Canada to plan and identify energy savings opportunities as we build our new Kanata North Catholic Elementary School.
Top-Performing School Board in Ontario
Top-Performing School Board in Ontario
The Ottawa Catholic School Board’s continuous improvement has enabled us to maximize energy conservation. As a result, we were the top-performing school board in the province of Ontario for three consecutive years based on the Ministry of Energy’s Green Energy Act report from 2012-13 to 2014-15.
The Ontario Ministry of Energy’s Green Energy Act (Regulation 397-11) sets out the mandatory reporting requirements for all public sector organizations, including school boards, to display annual energy use and greenhouse gas emissions data. View the reports since the inception of the Green Energy Act.
OCSB Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
How Our Staff and Students Contribute
How Our Staff and Students Contribute
Our success can largely be attributed to our staff and students who help manage our energy use. Each school has an Energy Management committee that meets regularly to discuss energy conservation plans and programs for its school. Special awards are given to schools that reach energy conservation goals. Some of our main environmental activities are recycling and waste management, energy management, and schoolyard greening.
