School District 43's green man is moving to new digs but that doesn't mean he's giving up his environmental portfolio.
Mark Clay is leaving his post as the BC Hydro-funded manager of energy and sustainability for the district to become principal of Maillard middle school but the enthusiastic proponent of turning down the heat and the lights and getting rid of paper still plans to be involved in green initiatives.
"For me, I am an educator and a principal, and I miss the kids and the community," Clay said, adding he will do what he can to support the new energy manager, Dave Sands, and expects to continue to participate on a new school design team.
"For me, that's exciting. We'll keep that going," said Clay, who helped the district analyze its energy use and figure out ways to reduce it, saving the district approximately $300,000 in energy costs. "I don't intend for any of the initiatives to stop, that is the key. No one's going to say: 'Thank goodness Mark's gone, now we can go back to where we were.'"
He said a new print strategy to reduce paper use is going ahead and dozens of initiatives are taking place at local schools to reduce waste, cut energy use and reduce paper consumption.
The district is also looking at dozens of projects to further reduce energy consumption through lighting upgrades and heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements in the coming months.
