The design for the Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School (NPSS), supports the Simcoe District School Board’s vision for a dynamic, inclusive and sustainable environment that attracts student and community life.

A light-filled, Atrium with large curtain walls of glass, is located at the entrance of the school in order to establish a visual connection to the community. From the Atrium you can access the school’s Cafetorium – the heart of the building – from which all programs radiate including hands-on teaching labs and project-based classrooms. Extending from the Cafetorium is the rear courtyard which is flanked by the Arts and Athletics programming on one side and the tech shops on the other.

Forming the fabric of a strong Community Hub, NPSS includes the Essa Public Library, a robust community library built in partnership with the Township and fully accessible to both the school and the community. The shared Library allows for a larger space, catalogue of books and programming, compared to a typical secondary school library. Additional community-use spaces include the Cafetorium and the Athletic Field, which was also built in partnership with the Township.

Winner of the 2012 CEO Award for Environmental Stewardship, the building features geothermal energy, xeriscaping, high-performance glass, CO2 and ventilation systems control, and photovoltaic solar electricity generation. More than just a building, NPSS is about learning. Using energy monitoring systems, students use ‘real time’ data to learn how their decisions have positive effects on energy consumption.