Schools Program – Pilot
On average, Canadian children spend six hours a day in school. Beyond the health of the school, its environment affects student behaviour and considers the physical, psychological and social surroundings—important considerations for the overall health of the child.
At the request of industry, the Schools’ Program has been in development for two years. Consistent with Built Green’s other third-party certified programs, the framework takes a holistic approach, focusing on the optimization of health, resiliency, lifecycle sustainability, greenhouse and carbon emissions, green spaces, resource consumption and organizational practices.
Built Green Canada is encouraging government and industry to participate in the program during this pilot phase. The organization is looking for input from those on the ground. Across all 10 of the country’s provinces and its three territories, climate change is integrated into the curriculum from elementary to high school. The path forward has extended beyond the curriculum to the bricks and mortar of the schools’ being built with key sustainability concepts in mind. This provides the opportunity to move the curriculum to active learning and experiential education onsite.
The BUILT GREEN® Schools’ program may especially appeal to schools that are smaller and / or rural and / or special needs.
Participation is affordable, and in select markets, incentives and rebates are available.
Schools' Building Certification
We certify projects that have met the compliance requirements for energy performance as well as the other seven key areas of sustainability outlined in Built Green's holistic programs. We provide a checklist that guides the builder through the program, offering options on green features to integrate into their projects.
Through the Schools’ program, building performance is modelled and verified by a professional engineer using NECB or ASHRAE; meanwhile, all projects have a BUILT GREEN® Schools’ Verifier who works alongside the builder to collect documentation required for auditing purposes. Once the project has passed the audit, a BUILT GREEN® Schools’ plaque is awarded for display.
Certification recognizes the authenticity of a project, offering third-party verification to the build's energy efficiency and green features. There are levels of achievement—Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum—each requiring incremental increases in both energy performance scores and overall checklist points from the other seven sections of the program.
Training
We provide online training courses, which are affordable, on-demand, self-guided options for all industry, with a discount for BUILT GREEN® members.
Program Tools
Built Green Canada offers program-specific tools, including a checklist and process flow, available to members for the purposes of BUILT GREEN® certification. To learn more, please email us. Developers are required to work with a BUILT GREEN® Schools’ Verifier; view a list of verifiers.
Product Sourcing
Builder Support
We are committed to supporting our builders and ensuring the successful certification of their projects. Built Green provides affordable, online training—and we can provide builders with further assistance, including technical advice and on-the-ground support from other experience builders and industry professionals.
The Schools’ program was informed by Entuitive, Enerspec Energy Consulting, Introba, Kasian Architecture Interior Design and Planning, Remedy Energy Services, SMP Engineering, and Built Green’s Technical Standards Committee.