Prince Edward Island's 1st net-zero school opens its doors to students

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 12:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

The hold was yet implicit for students astatine Sherwood Elementary successful Charlottetown arsenic they stepped into their brand-new schoolhouse connected Wednesday greeting — the archetypal afloat electric, net-zero-ready schoolhouse successful Prince Edward Island.

Construction connected the installation began successful the summertime of 2022 connected the aforesaid tract arsenic the erstwhile aging building, pursuing years of discussions astir the request for a replacement.

"This is going to beryllium 1 of our top days. We've been precise patiently waiting for this 2 and a fractional years and earlier that, truthful we're each excited to spell successful and spot what our caller learning abstraction looks like," said main Parker Grimmer.

The caller Sherwood Elementary tin accommodate up to 650 students and features modern upgrades, including star panels, divers learning spaces and caller technology.

"The nett zero is evident everyplace successful the architecture, successful each the windows, with tons of airy coming in, triple-pane glass," Grimmer said.

"We adjacent person geothermal pumping done the building, and our vigor pumps, of course."

There are galore different improvements arsenic well, similar dedicated locker spaces for antithetic property groups and footwear racks for students, the main noted.

Not an casual journey

Speaking Wednesday morning, Grimmer said it would beryllium important to instrumentality things dilatory connected the archetypal time to guarantee a creaseless transition.

Staff were going to introduce students to their caller learning situation and speech astir information procedures.

The travel to this infinitesimal hasn't been easy, the main said. During the operation period, students had to header with staggered luncheon breaks, constricted playground abstraction and impermanent classrooms.

"So, tons of sacrifices," helium said.

Looking ahead, Grimmer said the schoolhouse plans to invitation members of the nationalist to circuit the caller installation successful the coming weeks.

The aged schoolhouse gathering volition beryllium gradually unopen down and yet demolished, with plans to alteration the tract into a playground for students.