Good News 2014-2015 | UAlberta Sustainability

GOODNEWS

2014 – 2015

Good News celebrates the accomplishments of the University of Alberta’s Campus Sustainability Initiative across three focus areas: Facilities & Operations, Outreach & Engagement and Teaching & Research.

What a noteworthy year! UAlberta received a STARS® Gold rating for sustainability performance and our Waste in Residence programming was recognized with an Emerald Award. We broke records for participation at Eco Move Out, Sustainability Awareness Week, Student Sustainability Summit, Sustainability Speaker Series and Earth Hour. We received LEED® certification on new buildings, unveiled new solar projects and launched a new embedded sustainability certificate. Our institution continues to grow and lead the campus sustainability movement.

The Office of Sustainability is proud to be working at the heart of that change alongside many campus partners.

— Trina Innes Chief Sustainability Officer

sustainability.ualberta.ca

FACILITIES & OPERATIONS Green Building Certifications - Completions When building and renovating facilities, UAlberta considers how to provide academic amenities and how a building can benefit the environment. These facilities have recently been constructed or certified as green buildings.

Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre Opened: Fall 2014 The construction of this 550 seat world-class performance venue at Augustana Campus was made possible through collaboration between the City of Camrose, Camrose County, the Government of Alberta and UAlberta. With leading-edge sustainability features, it has earned a 4 Globe rating from the Green Globes Rating System for newly constructed buildings.

Its signature feature is a 122 kW building-integrated photovoltaic system —the largest in Canada. The centre is also one of the first theatres in North America to use exclusively LED stage lighting. These sustainability features are anticipated to save $50,000 each year.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Facilities & Operations 2

Building Certifications/Completions

4

Greenhouse Gas Reduction

5

Sustainable Purchasing

5

Waste Diversion Working Group

5

Envision

Outreach & Engagement 6

Week of Welcome & Orientation

6

Sustainability Awareness Week

7

Student Sustainability Summit

8

Sustainability Speaker Series

9

Earth Hour

10 Green Spaces Certification 10 Shut the Sash 11 Sustainability Leadership 11 Eco Move Out 11 Outreach & Engagement Statistics Teaching & Research 12 Certificate in Sustainability 12 Sustainability Scholars 13 Faculty Workshop 13 Teaching & Research Statistics 14 Selected Achievements 2014–15 15 Sustainability Plan 2016–2020

Partners:

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Chemical and Materials Engineering Building (CMEB) Opened: Spring 2011 The renovation of CMEB’s 4th, 5th and 6th floors has earned LEEDŽ Gold certification. The construction used 46 per cent recycled materials and diverted 65 per cent of the construction and demolition waste. The design also incorporates a permanent greenhouse gas emissions monitoring system, 104 bicycle storage stations on site to encourage clean and healthy transportation and water saving infrastructure that is 33 per cent more efficient.

Physical Activity and Wellness Centre (PAW Centre) Opened: Winter 2015 This 17,000 square-metre facility includes a social street, student lounges, a two-story climbing wall and fitness amenities. The PAW Centre is available for use by students, staff, faculty and community members, providing a well-equipped space to prioritize an active, healthy lifestyle.

Aiming for four Green Globes, the building features LED lighting, 90 kW of solar-thermal panels on the roof to help heat domestic water and the swimming pool, a 22 kW solar photovoltaic shade that generates electricity while controlling sunlight, and building finishes made from natural, recycled and low-emitting materials.

Solar photovoltaic shade faces 87 Ave and generates 22kW of electricity while controlling sunlight into the building.

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Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction

UAlberta’s Heating Plant lit up for Pride.

Essential to completing the Sustainability Plan 2012-16, Energy Management and Sustainable Operations put together UAlberta’s first GHG Emissions Inventory Report. It outlines the institution’s emissions over time and enables better management of sustainability data. In turn, this will ensure greater accuracy, transparency and accountability for reporting on the goal established in the GHG Emissions Reduction Plan.

The GHG Emissions Reduction Plan targets a 17 per cent reduction (below 2005 levels) by 2020. This sets a realistic, yet ambitious goal and represents an exciting opportunity to further advance renewable energy production at UAlberta.

GHGs are associated with a broad range of activities: from burning fuel for electricity generation and fleet vehicles, to agriculture and solid waste management. UAlberta’s strategies for lowering emissions include developing renewable and alternative energy solutions, tackling organics collection and adding a third, high-efficiency turbine generator to the District Energy System.

Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology A 250 kW pressure-reducing steam turbine was installed in this pilot project.

High-pressure steam is sent to the Li Ka Shing Institute through the District Energy System to heat the building. The steam pressure must be reduced before entering the building’s heating system. By passing through the new turbine, the excess pressure generates electricity instead of being wasted.

The system will lower maintenance costs and is expected to reduce GHG emissions by approximately 450 tonnes per year.

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Sustainable Purchasing The first Sustainable Purchasing Working Group (SPWG) meeting was held in November 2014. This group meets to optimize the procurement of products and services in line with environmental and social aims.

Under the SPWG’s guidance, shipping pallets are now being collected and recycled due to collaboration between Buildings & Grounds Services and Supply Management Services and a sustainable purchasing workshop was delivered to the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Waste Diversion Working Group (WDWG) Representatives from Grand & Toy, one of the university’s preferred suppliers.

Formed in the summer of 2013, the WDWG aims to better integrate and improve waste reduction and diversion on campus. The group is working to accomplish and surpass the goals listed in the Sustainability Plan and the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Plan: to divert 50 per cent of waste annually by 2015, and to be collecting 1,500 tonnes of organics each year by 2017.

Highlights from the WDWG include piloting new Zero Waste Stations and signage in three buildings (SUB, Lister Centre and HUB) and implementing a tracking mechanism for university construction and demolition waste.

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F

Signage for Zero Waste Stations was designed to clearly indicate bins for mixed paper, recyclables, organics and landfill waste.

Under the Green Grease program, Edmonton nonprofit Sustainival collects used kitchen grease from SUB and HUB Mall and converts it into biodiesel to power a traveling carnival.

The WDWG is also looking to establish a preferred supplier for compostable utensils and take out containers. This procurement change will make the organics collection system more user-friendly while also helping to eliminate Styrofoam—an unrecyclable product in Edmonton— from all food locations.

UAlberta is implementing new technologies such as people counters, energy analytics and Aircuity lab controls as part of the $35 million Envision energy management program. It will now be implemented over five years instead of seven, ending in 2017.

Image: Sustainability Campus Tour participants walking past UAlberta’s Cooling Plant on campus.

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OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT Week of Welcome & Orientation As campus fills with new and returning student each September, the Office of Sustainability engages them during Week of Welcome and Orientation. Students are introduced to the Green Spaces Certification Program for residences, learn how to recycle and compost and how to get involved with sustainability while attending school.

During 2014’s Week of Welcome, Orientation and Clubs Fair, 2,715 people were engaged—the largest engagement to date. 1,427 students pursued their interest in sustainability through the Sustainability Passport. Of those, 1,229 signed up for the monthly email newsletter, Sustainability eNews.

Sustainability Awareness Week

Winners of Recycle-it-Right, a game that tests a contestant’s knowledge of the university’s recycling system.

The seventh annual Sustainability Awareness Week (SAW) drew the largest turnout since its introduction in 2008. 10,542 connections made at 55 events across four UAlberta campuses—a 13 per cent increase in participation from a year earlier.

The week’s success was made possible by the interesting and exciting events organized by 37 on-campus and 15 off-campus partners. 38 events even took the extra step to become Green Spaces certified.

A special thank you to Aramark for providing a free and local BBQ, to Red Arrow Motorcoach for sponsoring the Sustainability Passport (which 64 people completed).

Bicycle-powered concert put on by Music is a Weapon.

“To incorporate sustainability into one’s daily life is not as difficult as one might think. It's just a matter of changing one’s attitude.”

—Lily L. “I realized the school is very active in promoting sustainability through all the events and advertisements around the campus. I'm very proud to be a part of this movement!”

—Nicole D. 6

Lineup for the free local BBQ provided by Aramark.

Student Sustainability Summit The fifth Student Sustainability Summit was held from January 24 to 25, 2015 with the theme Food for Thought: Exploring Pathways to Sustainable Food Systems. It was the largest summit to date with 139 participants from 13 post-secondary institutions across Alberta attending. Summit sponsor eBus provided free travel for 25 attendees from schools located in Calgary, Lethbridge, Fort McMurray and Red Deer.

By way of 19 speakers, 14 concurrent sessions, a panel discussion and public keynotes from Edmonton city councillor Michael Walters and UAlberta professor Debra Davidson, students explored the processes, policies and impacts that our food systems have on people, the planet and profits. Students examined the structure, strengths and weaknesses of the complex food system in which we exist and learned how food relates to culture, politics, justice, health, environment and land use.

Hosted by the Office of Sustainability, Sustain SU and Student Umbrella for Social Justice.

“I understand the different aspects of sustainability a lot better now and can incorporate that into my everyday lifestyle.”

—Kathy L.

“I really, really enjoyed this session. I thought it was great to be able to talk about what we were concerned about, and share our ideas with other like-minded people.”

—Stephanie R.

Left: Students participate in a drum circle during the Student Sustainability Summit.

Below: Hani Quan, Principal Planner for the City of Edmonton, presented at the Student Sustainability Summit.

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Photographer Edward Burtynsky speaking to a packed house (pictured at top).

Forest and climate advocate Tzeporah Berman.

Sustainability Speaker Series This year’s Sustainability Speaker Series was a big success. Tzeporah Berman and Edward Burtynsky attracted 1,054 attendees to their talks at the University of Alberta and Edmonton City Hall. Edward Burtynsky’s talk broke the attendance record previously held by Raj Patel, filling 130 more seats.

Tzeporah Berman’s passionate and profound talk, This Crazy Time: Living our Environmental Challenge, motivated people to become active players in stabilizing climate change and stopping excessive resource use. During International Week 2015, Edward Burtynsky presented the crowd with his photographs exposing The Landscapes of Human Systems and providing a unique perspective on humanity’s influence on the planet.

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Earth Hour Earth Hour pledges across Alberta’s post-secondary institutions reached their highest level yet during the 2015 Earth Hour Campus Challenge. Thirteen participating institutions garnered 3,528 pledges from their campus communities—486 more than last year. UAlberta students, staff and faculty were responsible for 1,310 pledges.

From March 6 to 28, 2015, the Darkest Tower Challenge encouraged students living in Lister Hall to reduce their electricity use. The tower showing the highest improvement, per capita, won a tower-wide pizza party courtesy of Aramark. Through the combined efforts of all these residents, the average electricity use was reduced by 10 per cent, saving 25,800 kWh. DARKEST TOWER CHALLENGE RESULTS Burman University

27.78%

(Canadian University College)

The King’s University

26.79%

Keyano College

21.89%

Olds College

8.07%

Grande Prairie Regional College

3.49%

MacEwan University

2.78%

University of Alberta

2.67%

NAIT

2.42% 1.35%

NorQuest College Concordia University College

.72%

Bow Valley College

.53%

University of Calgary

.29%

Red Deer College

.01%

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Participation Rate (% of Campus Population)

Sustainability Leadership Leading Sustainability at Work (EXCPE 5441): This new Faculty of Extension course, delivered by the Office of Sustainability, was offered for the first time in April 2015. The course can help anyone become a change agent— someone who inspires peers and neighbours to make transformative change. Through structured activities and open discussions, participants are prepared to take on the projects of their dreams.

An honorarium was made available to UAlberta staff, faculty and graduate students who will go on to complete on-campus projects in 2015.

Learn how to spot a change agent: youtube.com/greenuofa

“I went in expecting tips and tricks, and came out with a whole new appreciation for sustainability and engagement.”

“This is the best campus initiative I’ve seen since arriving here.”

—EXCPE 5441 participants.

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Green Spaces Certification The Green Spaces Certification Program expanded in various ways this year. Actions related to social sustainability were added to the certification checklists. Social sustainability actions build community, encourage safe work environments and actively support inclusivity on campus.

In winter 2015, Green Spaces began offering certification to food service vendors. This program was piloted in HUB Mall and encouraged food vendors to use proper waste disposal techniques, provide biodegradable takeout containers and prioritize local food purchasing, among other actions.

Green Spaces certifications: Green Spaces decal for a food vendor.

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Offices

267

Residences

74

Events

23

Labs

16

Food Vendors

Exemplary Green Space: Lister Centre Student and Guest Services has earned Green Spaces Gold certification three years in a row.

Shut the Sash A new program was piloted in spring 2014 called Shut the Sash, encouraging laboratory staff to keep their fume hoods closed. This simple action protects lab workers and saves significant energy.

Shut the Sash decal on a fume hood.

Below: Staff from the Core Biology teaching labs.

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Labs on the fourth floor of Katz Group Centre and in the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science participated. Katz labs improved their closure rate by 54 per cent while CCIS labs did not experience notable changes. Users of both pilots provided feedback on ways the program could become more effective. Their feedback will be incorporated into the expanded program planned for 2015–16.

Eco Move Out As students move out of residence to do great things, the university ensures their belongings can do the same.

For 2014’s Eco Move Out, a record-breaking 9,586 kg of waste was diverted from the landfill and donated or recycled. This year also saw the first version of the program called Spring Clean Up, designed for students staying in residence over the summer.

Donated items were separated into categories: clothing and household items, non-perishable food & toiletries, furniture and appliances, usable electronic waste and empty personal care containers. After collection they were donated to the Campus Food Bank, Goodwill Industries of Alberta, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, TerraCycle and Shanked Computer Recycling (SCRI). Residence Services co-hosted the program and PODS Edmonton was a sponsor.

10000

2013 2014

8000

6000

KG 4000

2000

0 E-waste for Recycling

Furniture and Electronics for Reuse

Food Bank

Clothing and Household Items

Empty Personal Care Containers

TOTAL

NEW CATEGORY

Outreach & Engagement Statistics

2,528 Facebook followers

43,873 visits to sustainability.ualberta.ca

3,396 Twitter followers

5 Faces of Sustainability articles

2,813 YouTube video views

12 eNews issues and 13 eNews flashes sent to 8,140 subscribers

7 blog posts and 7,023 blog views 273 engagement opportunities, reaching 40,598 contacts 10 Green Grants awarded

109 on-campus and off-campus partners and sponsors 11

TEACHING & RESEARCH Certificate in Sustainability UAlberta undergraduates incorporating sustainability into their studies can now receive credit for their commitment. The Certificate in Sustainability is available to students in nine faculties and allows students to gain basic literacy in sustainability, engage with current issues and take their education outside of the classroom.

Five certificate students presented their integrative projects at the Campus Sustainability Leadership Awards in April 2015. The first cohort of ten students will receive the certificate during Spring 2015 Convocation.

The program involves:

6 credits in core courses 6 credits in elective courses 3 credits in an integrative project that engages directly with the core features of sustainability.

Five Sustainability Certificate recipients presented at the Campus Sustainability Leadership Awards. Left to right: Melanie Lichak, Joshua Stewart, Nikki Way, Behn Jang and Alyssa Bohart.

Sustainability Scholars The Sustainability Scholars program provides graduate students the opportunity to develop an applied-research project alongside a mentor from the City of Edmonton. Six students have been selected to complete the first 250 hour projects in summer 2015.

This program enables students to research complex issues underpinning Alberta’s socioeconomic and ecological future. As a collaboration with the City of Edmonton, the program is also designed to help achieve long-term goals in the The Way We Green environmental strategic plan.

Partners: Office of Sustainability, City of Edmonton and CAPS: Your U of A Career Centre.

Four 2015 Sustainability Scholars. Left to right: Marni Devlin Moses, Hosen Alam, Kurt Borth and Jeff Seaman.

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Apryl Bergstrom (left) and Naomi Krogman organized the faculty workshops.

Faculty Workshops

Teaching & Research Statistics

In October 2014, the Office of Sustainability and Kule Institute for Advanced Study hosted a workshop on “Sustainability, Environment and Social Justice in the Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Alberta.” Participants identified strengths and gaps in the university’s scholarship on sustainability, environment and social justice and discussed strategies for curriculum and research in the university’s new Sustainability Plan.

Strategic Leadership

In December 2014, the Office of Sustainability, Community Service-Learning and Undergraduate Research Initiative conducted a workshop for professors and graduate students on “Teaching Sustainability through Community Service Learning and Undergraduate Research.” In a follow up luncheon in April 2015, participants shared additional reflections on integrating sustainability content into their courses.

68 teaching related events 151 contacts with faculty, graduate students

524 contacts made at 63 leadership and strategic planning events/meetings

258 contacts made at 11 presentations, talks & introductions

Curriculum Integration

and undergraduate students

48 contacts made at 3 presentations, talks or introductions Research

25 research-related meetings 73 contacts with faculty, sustainability officers,

community members and graduate students related to sustainability content/approaches to teaching Communications

9 meetings related to communications 61 contacts regarding interviews, reports, articles, proposals and blogs Mark Karstad and Crystal Snyder participated in a Sustainability Plan’s Teaching & Research workshop.

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SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS 2014–15

Left to right: Trina Innes, Lisa Dockman and Shannon Leblanc with an Emerald Award for the Waste in Residence program.

2014 Emerald Award The Office of Sustainability was thrilled to be awarded an Emerald Award for its Waste in Residence programming in June 2014. Incorporating Eco Move Out, social marketing in East Campus Village and competitions throughout the year, this programming supports the university’s goal to divert 50 per cent of its waste from the landfill by the end of 2015.

The new rating reflects several initiatives, including: introducing the new Certificate in Sustainability; launching Envision, the next generation Energy Management Program; constructing Canada’s largest building-integrated solar photovoltaic system on the Jeanne and Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre; and establishing a full spectrum of mental health supports and services.

In fall 2014, this campaign continutes with residents receiving educational material listing commonly recyclable and compostable items and proper disposal techniques.

Additional achievements:

STARS® Gold In October 2015, UAlberta was recognized with a STARS® Gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education for its sustainability performance. This rating recognizes the strides that UAlberta has made since it received STARS® Silver in 2012. At the time of submission, UAlberta was the second highest rated campus in Canada.

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• Canada’s Greenest Employer • Mayor’s Award for Universal Design in Architecture - Saville Community Sport Centre • The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) and Certification of Building Excellence (both from BOMA) - Edmonton Health Clinic Academy (ECHA) • UAlberta’s sustainability initiative featured in Sustainable Business Magazine

SUSTAINABILITY PLAN 2016–2020 As the Sustainability Plan 2012–2016 comes to an end, the process of drafting a new plan has already begun.

The Sustainability Plan sets specific goals and timelines to prepare and implement strategies that make UAlberta more environmentally, socially and economically sustainable.

UAlberta is equivalent to a small municipality hosting up to 55,000 people each day. To establish a realistic and ambitious five-year plan encompassing all aspects of the institution, broad input is required. The Office of Sustainability undertook a consultation process in winter 2015, soliciting feedback from students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members.

Workshops 395 students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members came together in 33 workshops covering many topics that will be addressed in the new Sustainability Plan: • Augustana Campus • Campus Saint-Jean • Campus Spaces • Coordination, Planning & Governance • Diversity & Affordability • Engagement • Energy & Climate Change • Food Systems • Residences • Staff and Faculty Health & Wellness • Student Health & Wellness • Sustainable Investments • Sustainable Purchasing • Teaching & Research • Waste Management Systems In each workshop, participants engaged in individual and group discussion. They brainstormed aspirations, roadblocks and possible strategies for implementation.

These ideas were then sorted, synthesized and refined.

This process ensures the draft plan (forthcoming in fall 2015) will be well-informed and representative of the university’s stakeholders.

Workshop participant, Justis Allard, providing input into the Sustainability Plan 2016–2020

Engagement Highlights To ensure participant’s ideas were well informed and realistic, 16 backgrounder documents were prepared, highlighting UAlberta’s sustainability performance and accomplishments over past years.

A online Community Conversation Kit was developed to enable anyone to participate as an individual or to organize their own discussion workshops. This helped an additional 90 people provide crucial input.

Roger Epp, Don Hickey and Trina Innes starred in a video presented at the opening of each workshop, welcoming participants and encouraging new ideas.

Watch the video: youtube.com/greenuofa

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Want to get involved in campus sustainability?

Visit sustainability.ualberta.ca to learn more about UAlberta initiatives, the Office of Sustainability’s projects and to subscribe to the monthly newsletter Sustainability eNews.

Stay in touch: 2-06 North Power Plant University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2N2

Join us online: Telephone: 780-492-9289 Email: sustainability@ualberta.ca