Detailed analysis of electricity, water, and gas consumption quantities and costs in Torontos public schools

This study analyzes the consumption quantities and costs of energy, water, and gas for a sample of 10 conventional and 20 energy-retrofitted public schools in Toronto over a 5 year study period to establish a benchmark for the consumption of energy in traditional versus more sustainable buildings. Through extensive statistical analysis of the data collected, the study demonstrates that electricity and gas consumption quantities and costs decrease more significantly in energy-retrofitted schools than in conventional schools. Whereas energy-retrofitted schools consume and spend on average as much money on energy as conventional schools, energy-retrofitted schools consume and spend more money on electricity and less money on gas than conventional schools. Energy-retrofitted schools also exhibit stronger and more significant positive relationships between the quantities of electricity, water, and gas consumed per user in those schools and the schools’ total number of users than conventional schools.