Since the 1980s Solera has been providing Ontarians with clean electricity options, and educating communties about the benefits of solar power. The goal of the Solera Sustainable Classroom goes well beyond merely installing a bank of solar panels on a school roof. The Solera Sustainable Classroom provides a hands-on, real world, green education to the youth of Ontario, and reduces our overall impact on the environment.

The Solera Sustainable Classroom is a learning space within your school that is powered and supported entirely by sustainable and renewable technologies. Depending on your individual classroom needs it would contain a combination of the following:

• Solar PV Panels
• Solar Hot Water Panels
• Green Roof
• Rain Barrel and Solar Water Pump
• Wind Power
• White Roof
• Education Package
• In-classroom Monitoring System
• Web-based Monitoring System

The interactive nature of the concept is what makes it a unique and valuable experience for students, who can monitor the electricity output and various other aspects of the systems. In addition to this, the education package provided by Solera on your classroom’s unique features and benefits allows for an exceptional educational experience.

When you have a Solera Sustainable Classroom, students are given the opportunity to interact with the technology of the future and learn in simple terms:

• the environmental importance of the technology and it’s impact on ecological systems
• the physics behind solar or wind power and access to detailed monitoring equipment
• the ecological benefits of green roofs or white roofs

In addition to the ongoing classroom activities, Solera can also provide an expert speaker to come to your school for a tailored presentation on green energy. This education day can be organized by the students in the school and can include the community and parents.

Your school is helping us take a big step forward by reducing its impact on the climate system. Green Roofs provide several unique benefits including storm water management, heating and cooling benefits, energy savings, air quality improvements, and beautification of our city.

Any school in Ontario can afford a Solera Sustainable Classroom. The Ontario government has made it possible for systems to be installed at a total cost of only a few hundred dollars per year. The energy generated by your solar PV panels will be sent directly to the Ontario electricity grid. Under the Ontario Standard Offer Program you will receive $0.42 per kWh generated, almost 4x times the cost of $0.11 that you are now paying to buy that energy back from the grid! This ultimately generates thousands of dollars for you and greatly offsets the cost of the system. Additional costs can be met by fundraising activities and through grants. We can show you all the ways.

While the concept of the single classroom is to raise awareness for students, you are not limited to generating electricity only to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of this particular classroom. There are significant cost savings as a solar PV system increases in size.

The first step is to arrange for one of Solera’s Sustainable Energy Consultants to visit your school. During this visit, Solera will discuss your particular needs and identify the opportunities at your school for sustainable technologies. Access to the roof of the school and to several classrooms directly beneath the roof will be necessary. Once a budget has been identified, Solera will provide you with a package of options within your budget for green technologies that suit your needs.