Going solar

Throughout his life, nature has been the setting for most of Peter L’Esperance’s leisure activities.

“I feel more balanced when I’m outdoors,” says the recent Schulich School of Law graduate, who grew up in rural Prospect Bay, N.S. It’s no surprise, then, that during his first year Peter joined the Environmental Law Students’ Society (ELSS).

It was with the society that Peter conceived of a community-based Carbon Consultancy renewable-energy pilot project to encourage people, businesses and organizations to measure, reduce, offset or mitigate their carbon emissions. The collective initiative is proposing that a five-kilowatt solar panel be installed on the Dalhousie Legal Aid Service (DLAS) office in Halifax’s north end.


The total cost of the panel and installation is $32,500. By the end of June 2016, L’Esperance, along with the Environmental Law Students’ Society, had raised more than $18,500 through successful pitches to interested sponsors ranging from McInnes Cooper ($10,000) to Saint Lou’s Gentlemen’s Barbershop at Historic Properties. (Patrons have the option to pay a 10-cent carbon-offset fee as part of the haircut price). Dalhousie University — through its Office of Sustainability and Facilities Management departments — will contribute a further $9,800 to the project bringing the total fundraising to $28,300.

McInnes Cooper’s involvement is unique. The firm calculated how much it would cost to offset annual work-related employee air travel through contributing to standard carbon-offset projects, such as those provided by airlines when you buy a flight ticket. It has decided to direct those funds — two annual $5,000 payments — to the DLAS solar-panel installation.

“The goal is to open up channels for individuals, businesses, and organizations to bring more renewable-energy installations into the community,” says L’Esperance, who is the project’s lead. The panels will produce net emission reductions of roughly 71,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide during its 30-year lifecycle and will lower the DLAS’s energy costs by more than $24,000 over that time period.

Other Dalhousie partners include the Marine Environmental Law Program, the Advancement Office, Facilities Management, and Financial Services.

“This project is giving faculty and staff, students and community members an opportunity to shape the place where they work, study and live,” says L’Esperance.

For more about the Carbon Consultancy, visit its Facebook page.