A small rural Cape Breton school has won an award in an international competition for their innovation and leadership in renewable energy and sustainability.

Students and staff at Munroe Academy, in Balls Creek, N.S. recently moved into a new building and wanted to consider possible initiatives that might improve energy efficiency in their new school.

“We had a group of grade seven math students who finished up their curriculum early. We turned them loose and said research this project and see what you can come up with for creative solutions for our new school building and this was the result,” says Principal Doug Beane.

The students ended up creating a solar air heater using recycled-materials, collecting empty pop cans, drilling holes in the ends and used aluminum tape to secure them together.

“I really liked how it worked,” says grade eight student Alex Whyte. “How the cold air comes in from the bottom and it rises and goes into a fan and into the building.”

The air is heated by the sun shining down onto the glass and then directed where needed.

The solar air heater was a winning idea at the Zayed Future Energy Contest, an international competition on how to better the environment, and Munroe Academy was awarded $70,000.

“The project is going to provide $63,000 for PV solar panels to go on top of the school, which will provide the school with a grid tied electric generation system based on solar power,” says Beane.

An additional $7,000 will be used to promote education.

“It feels really good that I can achieve these kinds of things, even though we’re younger. We went up against all these international schools and won,” says grade eight student Christie Davis.

“If we can keep the earth more healthy and sustainable for future generations I think it's great and I want to be part of more projects like this,” says grade 12 student Gemma Whyte.

The long-term vision is to have the students establish a green business spinoff where students would build and sell the product locally.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore