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Managing campus expansion in an era of climate change

Through ten years of comprehensive climate action, the University of Winnipeg has made quantitative reductions in its greenhouse gas emissions while showing strong leadership and innovation in GHG emission tracking, policy development, management, and reporting.  Between 1990 and 2015, absolute campus wide emissions decreased by approximately 32% despite the fact that 38% of currently owned … Continue reading "Managing campus expansion in an era of climate change"

January 25, 2017


Transforming operations through better communications

UBC’s Building Operations department integrated a new focus on communications to drive operational change and the results were exciting. We know that reliable indicators of engagement and morale are demonstrated in the following: Days Absence per FTE are down from 12 days in 2016 to 11.2 days. This represents $125K of salary per year that … Continue reading "Transforming operations through better communications"

January 20, 2017


Utility Reduction Revolving Fund (URRF) – U of T’s Unique Approach to Implementing a Green Revolving Fund

The Utility Reduction Revolving Fund (URRF) is a unique approach to implementing a green revolving fund. It provides comprehensive funding to facilitate projects that result in reducing the University’s environmental footprint and utilities consumption. The URRF, established in 2012, has been very effective in reducing utilities usage and expenditures. The fund provides comprehensive funding for … Continue reading "Utility Reduction Revolving Fund (URRF) – U of T’s Unique Approach to Implementing a Green Revolving Fund"

January 12, 2017


The Macdonald Campus Energy Project: Building Infrastructure for the Future

This project is about the holistic rethinking of energy production, distribution, and consumption on the Macdonald Campus of McGill University. Macdonald Campus is home to McGill’s Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Science.  The campus was built in the early 1900s.  The steam production and distribution system was as old as the campus and had become … Continue reading "The Macdonald Campus Energy Project: Building Infrastructure for the Future"

January 9, 2017


Vision 2020: A Collaborative and Innovative Sustainability Strategy for McGill University

McGill University’s Sustainability Strategy, Vision 2020, was the product of a deeply collaborative community engagement process initiated by McGill’s Office of Sustainability in February 2012. Between 2012 and 2014, over 1,500 people, representing a broad, diverse cross-section of the McGill community, were engaged in the creation of the Strategy at over 35 events, including world-café … Continue reading "Vision 2020: A Collaborative and Innovative Sustainability Strategy for McGill University"

January 9, 2017


Asbestos Tracker

Most of the buildings constructed on the St. George Campus prior to the 1980s contain asbestos in products such as fireproofing, pipe insulation and reinforcement in floor tiles and drywall compound. Government regulations require buildings to be inspected, asbestos-containing materials identified and reports to be provided to building occupants and operators which can be kept … Continue reading "Asbestos Tracker"

June 14, 2016


Facilities & Services (F&S) Invoice Workflow Project

he Facilities and Services Invoice Workflow initiative is transformative in many respects. The workflow software automates the department’s invoice payment process (25,000 invoices per year) and significantly increases productivity for over one hundred staff members located across the university. The system actively manages the invoice approval and processing cycle and reduces risk to the department … Continue reading "Facilities & Services (F&S) Invoice Workflow Project"

June 14, 2016


Catalyzing a culture of sustainability at McGill with the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF)

The Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) is a crown jewel of McGill’s sustainability efforts and a best-practice model for universities. The SPF’s main goal is to build a culture of sustainability on McGill’s campuses through the development and seed-funding of interdisciplinary projects. The SPF is one of the largest dedicated campus sustainability funds of its kind … Continue reading "Catalyzing a culture of sustainability at McGill with the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF)"

June 13, 2016


McGill’s Sustainable Procurement Planning – A Holistic and Strategic Approach

McGill University's Procurement Services launched a unique planning initiative, engaging a wide variety of University stakeholders to develop its first 5-Year Sustainable Procurement Strategic Plan (the "Plan"). Aligned with the University's Sustainability Strategy (Vision 2020) and the Procurement Policy, the Plan aims at embedding sustainability into the University's supply chain. Prior to 2012 only a … Continue reading "McGill’s Sustainable Procurement Planning – A Holistic and Strategic Approach"

June 13, 2016


Envision – Funding Sustainability: How energy management savings fund sustainable initiatives

In 1975 fuelled by rising energy prices and oil shortages the University of Alberta developed a highly successful energy management program. Building on its success, in 2009 the university recognized the potential to reimagine and broaden the impact this program and in 2011 the university launched the expanded next generation – Envision: Intelligent Energy Reduction. … Continue reading "Envision – Funding Sustainability: How energy management savings fund sustainable initiatives"

June 13, 2016


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