Is Hamber Prepared for a Heatwave?

Photo Credit: Stephen Kosar

Vancouver, along with much of BC, has already been hit with warm temperatures that typically occur near the end of June. Schools like Eric Hamber often do not have the proper utilities to combat the warm temperatures, leaving many members of the Hamber community concerned that the excessive heat is depriving students of suitable learning conditions and increasing the chance of heat related illnesses. However, district officials say that the new school will have air conditioning systems.

Heat waves are becoming more common in Canada, with a prominent case in Vancouver being recorded in 2021. During this time, schools across Vancouver were closed due to a lack of proper ventilation and air conditioning.

Air conditioning at Hamber is different throughout the building. The Vancouver School District’s Director of Facilities, Ron Macdonald, told The Nest that “only selected areas in the new wing [of Hamber] have air conditioning. The older areas of the school do not have air conditioning.”

Parts of Hamber without air conditioning may not be suitable learning environments for some students. Myka Clement (9) finds that temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius are “way too hot and it's impossible to focus on anything.” However, Kelly Lau (11) doesn’t feel there is much impact on her classes on warmer days. 

“I am able to concentrate on days when it is really hot. I don't feel that it has that much of an impact when everyone opens windows, has fans, dresses in lighter clothing, etc.”

Hamber parents have also voiced concerns over the lack of sufficient cooling measures in schools. Maegan Giltrow, a Hamber parent, told The Nest that “Insufficient protection against the heat could certainly impact students’ abilities to concentrate, do their work and take in the lessons. That could have a real, and preventable, impact on their education.”

Hamber is expected to move to its new school in the middle of the 2023/24 year, which will have air conditioning infrastructure.

“The new Hamber school uses heat pump technologies to provide a low carbon heating system. These also serve to provide cooling in the warmer periods.  The designers of the system designed the system to provide cooling to all spaces”, said Macdonald. Unlike Hamber’s old building, every space of the new school will receive these heating and cooling utilities. 

Students could get heatstroke and other heat related illnesses if schools without proper utilities in Vancouver and other parts of BC remain open during heatwaves. “Hot days seem to be increasing in frequency and temperature, and we need to plan for that,” Giltrow also commented. 

As government officials began to see the trend in prolonged warmer periods, they have started taking action to provide safer conditions for BC students. In response to the 2021 heatwave, the BC Ministry of Education funded $48.4 million in 2022 to upgrade Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, but that only included 90 schools across the province, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Education. 

The ministry has stated that school districts could address HVAC priorities through the ministry’s Annual Facility Grant. Through this grant, the provincial government provides $261.1 million for school maintenance projects. 

One downside to adding more air conditioning systems to schools in Vancouver is its carbon emissions. Canada is set to meet its net-zero emission goals by 2050, and adding more carbon-emitting utilities may obstruct the plans of the federal government. As an alternative to carbon-emitting resources, the city can use green-powered measures from companies such as BC Hydro. However, the price of these green-powered systems could skyrocket over the coming years due to demand, according to a report from BC Hydro.

For Hamberites, it may be a while before the school sees adequate ventilation systems during heat waves. In the meantime, students can take necessary measures to deal with the heat. Wearing light-coloured clothing will reflect light in place of absorbing it, the way most dark-coloured clothing does. Students should drink plenty of water, as a lack of liquids may leave people more susceptible to heat strokes, and avoiding heavy foods will prevent people from feeling sick. Instead, people should eat more vegetables, fruits, and other lighter foods.