| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 85.74 |
| Liaison | Mike Wilson |
| Submission Date | Dec. 13, 2023 |
University of Victoria
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Camille
Lauridsen-Hoegh Sustainability Intern Campus Planning and Sustainability |
Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:
The purpose of the Sustainability Advisory Committee is to assist the Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability by advising on policies, projects, engagement processes, and strategy brought forward by the Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability. These tasks include, but also go beyond:
• Communicating with the University Community on campus sustainability issues, programs, information, and opportunities
• Conducting research and assisting with the development of sustainability indicators for sustainability reporting
• Assessing evolving conditions and opportunities related to campus sustainability.
• Gathering information and research on sustainability best practices and innovations from other post secondary institutions and organizations
• Reviewing existing operational programs and practices and making suggestions for new approaches that are aligned with the action plan goals and the various decisions making, planning and budgetary parameters set out by the university
In addition to the Sustainability Advisory Committee, UVic in the Anthropocene is a working group on campus that aims to engage the university and wider community in addressing the challenges of the Anthropocene in new, creative, and effective ways. The group is supported by the Centre of Global Studies and the School of Public Administration. Their events, opportunities, and calls for action include:
• A series of monthly Conversations for a One Planet Region to explore how to move to a “One Planet Way of Life”
• Organizing community forums and events that engage faculty, students, and staff from across campus
• Develop new ways of creating the means for healthy living that mitigates our impact on the globe and helps populations adapt to the changes that are inevitable.
Members of each committee, including affiliations and role:
The basis of the membership committee membership is multi-stakeholder and interdisciplinary. Membership is comprised of:
•Director, Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability (OCPS) – Chair
•5 Faculty representatives, selected by the OCPS from a list of interested faculty requested from the Deans’ Council
•6 Staff representatives, selected by the OCPS in consultation with the departments:
-Facilities Management (2)
-Purchasing Services (1)
-Housing, Food and Conference Services (1)
-Campus Security Services (1)
-Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (1)
•5 student representatives selected by the UVSS and GSS Board of Directors (with a minimum of 2 representatives from each group).
•The OCPS is the Secretariat for the Committee and the Sustainability Coordinator is the resource person to the committee
As for the Anthropocene, there are no formal committee members, as they are non-formal and loose grassroots working group made up of the Campus Community.
Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent employee?:
A brief description of each sustainability office:
The Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability (OCPS) acts as a coordinator and resource for students, staff, faculty and administration working towards shared goals of environmental sustainability at the University of Victoria. The OCPS works with departments like Food Services, Purchasing, Facilities Management, Parking and Transportation and more to meet the goals and actions set out in the UVic Sustainability Action Plan. They strive to achieve sustainability in all areas of campus operations, from grounds and buildings to waste disposal. In addition, physical changes at UVic are guided by the long-term vision and framework for development set out in the Campus Plan. Plan goals provide for a land use and building pattern that respects the unique physical environment and encourages social interaction, allows for safe pedestrian-friendly links throughout the campus, promotes compact sustainable development and operations, and the use of public transit, cycling and walking. The university is committed in its planning processes to developing and maintaining active communication and collaboration with all those affected by its physical changes.
Full-time equivalent of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution?:
A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:
Within the last three years, the Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability has collaborated with various departments across campus and has reached several significant milestones in the ongoing process of helping the university become a global leader in environmental, social, and institutional sustainability. Some substantive accomplishments include, but are not limited to:
• Adopting new strategies to respond to innovative technology and transportation options, including infrastructure investments:
o Completed installation of 10 new EV charging station
o Approval of $2.4 M in funding support from the Federal Government’s Active Transportation Fund, supporting active transportation pathway improvements on campus in alignment with the 2019 Campus Cycling Plan
o Ongoing promotional events such as Don’t Smash Your Pumpkin and corporate sponsorship of Go By Bike Weeks (Spring and Fall)
o Relaunch of UVic’s bicycle loan program, Bike Hub, with program improvements, bike loans commenced Fall 2022
o Successful launch of an Employee E Bike Loan Pilot Program, incentivizing the purchase of electric bokes as sustainable alternatives to commute to campus
• Implementing strategies and actions to manage climate risks:
o Electrified HVAC equipment in new buildings to mitigate carbon emissions and provide increased comfort levels
o Incorporating stormwater management features in new buildings that mitigate and manage periods of intense rainfall
o Installing low flow plumbing equipment and water conservation infrastructure in new buildings
o Designing new buildings to achieve thermal comfort for occupant in future climate scenarios. The new Student Housing and Dining project was designed to consider thermal comfort of the student population in a 2050 climate.
• Launch of the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan: In October 2022, UVic release its first campus wide Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (CSAP 2030). It is a plan that moves beyond established sustainability to involve students, staff, and faculty across campus, including research, operations and the wider UVIC and Vancouver Island Communities.
• In Fall 2022, the University Food Services launched the ECO Boc program – and opt-in reusable container program aimed at reducing landfill waste. Approximately 1960 memberships were given out to residence students during move-in week. The pilot launched at The Cove dining facility and was later introduced to Mystic Market at the beginning of the Winter Term
• UVic Purchasing Services and the OCPS collaborated on a pilot project using EcoVadis to carry out the evaluation of corporate social responsibility for UVic’s suppliers. The one-year pilot, which was also supported by the Campus Sustainability Fund, was successful and EcoVadis was approved for the 2022/2023 fiscal year.
• All nine new academic and administrative buildings constructed since 2007 have been designed to the LEED Gold building standard. The District Energy Plant was officially certified in summer 2020.
• Between May 2020 and February 2021, the construction of the student housing and dining building project achieved a total waste diversion rate of 94.66%. More broadly, construction waste continues to be tracked for all LEED-certified building projects, which typically achieve a waste diversion rate greater than 90%.
• UVic achieved a total institutional greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 30% by Dec. 31, 2021, relative to a 2010 baseline year
• UVic reduced campus electrical intensity by 18% by Dec 31, 2021, relative to 2010 as a baseline year
• UVic Reduced campus natural gas consumption by 40% by Dec 31, 2021, relative to 2010 as a baseline year.
• UVic implemented a minimum ration (or greater) for tree planting for all new projects on campus – Phase 1 of the Ring Road South Pathway Project (Campus Cycling Plan)
• In May 2023, Uvic launched Bachelor of Science in Climate Science that is unique to North America and has a mission to prepare students to face the future with influence and skills that turn climate science into real action. It is first degree in North America’s West Coast to receive accreditation for delivering on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Job title of the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job description for the sustainability officer position:
Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability coordination 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.