Canada's greenest school too pricey to copy

While the David Suzuki Public School in Windsor, Ont., received honours Friday for being the greenest school in Canada, the public school board says it won't be building another one like it any time soon.

The elementary school was recognized Friday as the first school in Canada to achieve Platinum statusthe highest achievement in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation given out by the Canada Green Building Council.

Giuliana Hinchliffe, the co-ordinator of engineering for the Greater Essex County District School Board, told CBC Windsor's Tony Doucette that the school was a monumental undertaking and one not likely to be repeated.

Hinchliffe said the school, which opened to students in September 2010, cost $2 to $3 million more than a regular school to build because of the additional green technology used in the construction. And despite being a green engineering feat, she said it's not a model other boards should copy.

"It's not a sustainable system ...for school boards in Ontario to be able to afford that kind of commitment in terms of construction," said Hinchliffe.

As an example, Hinchliffe pointed out that some technology will be out of date within20 years. The wind turbine has already been replaced, for example, thanks to a donation from an Alberta man, and the solar panels were only affordable because of Ontario Feed-in-Tariff rebates, she said.

Hinchliffe said everyone involved in the school's construction was ecstatic about the honour of being an exceptionally green school, but admits the board isn't likely to build more of them.

What's more likely, she said, is that select elements will be repeated in newly-built schools of the future.

Hinchliffe said the "premium" cost to build the LEED Platinum Suzuki school will pay for itself in 20 years through energy cost savings.

The building has also been toured by numerous technical associations and school boards looking to learnabout the green technology enhancements, she said.

Most importantly, Hinchliffe pointed out, the school stands as an educational tool for Windsor students to learn from every day.