There are more electric vehicle charging stations available in Okotoks since Meadow Ridge School was opened.

Foothills School Division is participating in a world wide program designed to utilize greener energy to facilitate a smaller carbon footprint for future building.

FSD is following the "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" standard set out by the Alberta chapter of Canada Green Building Council (CaBC}.

Monica Kohlhammer, Director of Planning at FSD says the plan going forward is to adopt the the LEED standards program for all new schools.

"The plan would be as we build new schools going forward we would be considering LEED designation and in turn be looking at these charging stations which would be one of the criteria in the LEED standards."

There are four levels of LEED designation - Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum with each having specific criteria to be met, all geared toward saving energy and reducing a buildings carbon footprint.

Kohlhammer says, Meadow Ridge School is in line for a LEED designation of Silver with one criteria being five percent of the parking stalls must be for green vehicles only.

"There are 94 stalls at Meadow Ridge School and the LEED Silver designation provides for three charging stations and five percent of the stalls are for green vehicles." explained Kohlhammer.

Kohlhammer says currently the charging stations are tied in directly to the utility's of the school and are free for anyone to use, with the school gaining a credit in the LEED designation for providing the stations.

"The charger does not have a separate meter separate to the school utility so the person to pay for the electricity for the charging station is the school division."

Kohlhammer says the goal is to increase the availability and opportunities for individuals to live a greener life in day to day activities such as vehicle movement, when in the town of Okotoks.

FSD also has a charging station at Westmount School put in place when the school was built with a LEED designation.

 

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