North Saanich Middle School is a significantly upgraded replacement facility of the existing middle school located next door. The two-storey serves as an environmental showcase of the practices it teaches.
The mechanical heating/cooling plant includes heat pumps connected to a ground exchange loop beneath the play field with high-efficiency condensing boiler back-up. Ventilation air heat recovery, demand control ventilation and displacement ventilation are other strategies used to reduce energy consumption. Rain water is reclaimed for flushing of toilets and low-flow plumbing fixtures are installed throughout. Thermal and Energy modelling were conducted by AME Group to analyze the design of the thermal chimneys and determine annual energy use. Energy and water meters are installed to support energy management and continuous optimization.