| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 71.36 |
| Liaison | Michael Chapman |
| Submission Date | Sept. 20, 2023 |
Nova Scotia Community College
IN-47: Innovation A
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Martha
MacGowan Project Assistant- Sustainability Facilities & Engineering |
Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:
NSCC comprises 13 different campuses across the province of Nova Scotia. Previously, other vendors provided us with safety and emergency systems at different campuses. Those systems operated independently and were not integrated, so we did not have a centralized emergency communications system. Response management and decision support information was slow, inconsistent and cumbersome.
NSCC partnered with Status Solution and VistaCare Communications to develop and install an interconnected situational awareness response assistant (SARA). This system connects all the campuses through a series of wireless sensors and pull stations, each with its purpose.
The pull stations are a series of colour-coded pulls throughout each NSCC campus. There are blue, yellow and red pull stations. The blue is pulled to alert security and medical first responders. The yellow is for lockdown situations, and the red is for fire-related emergencies. Each station's location is mapped. Once pulled, key people are alerted via text and emails about which station was pulled and where.
The SARA system is not only made up of various pull stations, but it also has a series of sensors located on doors throughout the buildings, refrigerators and freezers for temperature monitoring, water mains for leak monitoring, and boiler systems.
This system not only drastically improves the safety and well-being of the building occupants but also aids in energy efficiency. The sensors can determine if doors are open for longer than 5 minutes. This is beneficial for theft prevention and areas where you need closed environments.
The SARA system provides:
- Improved student and staff safety and well-being.
- Significantly enhanced situational awareness and organizational response time to critical situations.
- Improved risk management capability (risk mitigation, containment, and avoidance).
- Improved property and asset protection.
It is unlike any other safety system. Other institutions often inquire about this system, and NSCC has presented this system at many conferences.
A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
The website URL where information about the innovation is available :
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.