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WLSS solar wall to cut costs

A new solar wall on the east side of Williams Lake Secondary School will cut energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Wes Wiebe of WK Construction stands in front of a solar wall he and his crew have installed on the south wall of Williams Lake Secondary School. The wall will heat intake air for the school’s gym

A new solar wall on the east side of Williams Lake Secondary School will cut energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The wall was installed over the last few weeks by WK Construction, and all that’s left to complete the project is to connect duct work from the wall to the boiler system.

The siding is perforated and dark brown so it will preheat the intake air needed to ensure the school’s gym is provided with constant fresh air, says Alex Telford, manager of facilities and transportation for School District 27.

“Even if we gain one degree it’s quite a significant energy savings. We’re quite interested to see how much it’s going to save us,” Telford says, adding the $40,000 cost of the project was fully funded through grants from Natural Resources Canada, Solar B.C. and the Public Safety Energy Conservation Agreement.

The school already has solar water heaters, installed last year, that help preheat the domestic water used for showers, taps, and cooking, and the school district has realized some energy savings on those.

Conserval Engineering of Ontario supplied the solar panelling based on information provided by the school district and has projected a savings for the district of 118 gigajoules a year in natural gas, which will translate into saving $1,200 a year.

Additionally, a reduction of 5.8 tonnes of CO2 a year will mean the school district will also pay less for its emissions.

“We realize a savings on the energy costs and on our greenhouse gas emissions. As a school district every little bit helps,” Telford says.

Wes Wiebe of WK Construction says it is the first solar wall he has installed in the city. His crew began work in the third week of December and was finishing up Jan. 5.



Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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