Climate action perspectives on risk management

Left: As climate change events, such as flooding, increase in frequency and duration, students’ safety and quality learning environments are threathened. Centre: The challenges associated with climate change must be interweaved into operational and long-term planning. Right: Given the long lifecycle of most facilities, conducting site and building resilience assessments will identify climate change adaptation requirements that should be incorporated into facility development plans.

One of EFMA’s purposes is advising educational companies will identify synergies, including those related to organizations on the provision of safe, well- educational programs. Given the long life cycle of most facilimaintained, quality learning environments ties, conducting site and building resilience assessments will for all students. As such, we share a collective identify climate change adaptation requirements that should responsibility to envision the future while ad- be incorporated into facility development plans. dressing emerging enterprise risk-management issues. A holistic approach is essential to ensure optimal emergency plan- Budget considerations, of course, underpin planning activities. ning and sustainable, effective capital planning. Capital project proposals should include energy consumption Climate change is transitioning from a policy discussion to proefits, as well as quantify estimated cost and cost-avoidance tect future generations, to a risk-management issue impacting outcomes. Emergency preparedness can have significant oneorganizations at the operational level. Wind storms, flooding, time and ongoing operational costs. Documented risk assesstemperature extremes, loss of habitat, or droughts are often ments typically address the probability and impacts of potenseen as climate change trends with little impact on school optial emergencies. In the context of climate change, additional erations. As these events increase in frequency and duration, however, student safety and quality learning environments are consideration of local weather trends will assist decision-makthreatened. ers with resource allocations.

Local emergency response plans must be increasingly robust to address scenarios that would have seemed unlikely a few years ago, but also flexible and tailored to individual school sites and capacities. Other challenges include evolving policies and practices (including school curriculum), changing safety and environmental legislation, accelerated infrastructure deterioration caused by weather extremes, and evolving societal expectations.

The challenges associated with climate change must be interweaved into operational and long-term planning. Operational procedures should be reviewed to mitigate the impacts of an extreme weather event that could trigger an emergency response. Collaboration with local governments and utility impacts, maintenance implications and environmental benFortunately, many resources are available to assist with the climate change aspects of enterprise risk management. Guidelines published by WorkSafeBC and School Protection Program often have environmental implications, while other published guides have a specific environmental focus (e.g. LEED, ISO 14001, etc). Emerging centres of excellence include the Climate Action Secretariat, local governments, NGOs, commercial companies, and various school districts throughout British Columbia.

Given the complexity of climate change impacts on school districts, the hierarchy of environmental risk management is a useful guide to ensure continuing safe, well-maintained learning spaces:

1. Learning – raising awareness of climate change impacts that will affect future generations, while providing emergency preparedness training and resources to protect existing staff and students. 2. Adaption – offset the effects of long-term change. 3. Mitigation – minimize the amount of change that occurs. 4. Resilience – absorb changes while maintaining functionality. 5. Emergency Preparedness – ability to respond to unforeseen events. 6. Emergency Response and Recovery – returning to normal operations as quickly as possible. According to the provincial government, “British Columbia is already experiencing the impacts of climate change: average temperatures are increasing, sea levels are rising, and variable and extreme weather is becoming more frequent”. Whether engaged in long-term planning or preparing for an emergency, we are reminded of the importance of considering our changing environment when developing options for a well-maintained, quality learning space.

Guided by risk management principles, a holistic perspective when leveraging existing expertise will help ensure we meet our collective responsibility to both the current and future generations. n

Mitigation adaption resilienCe

eMergenCy preparedness response & reCovery

Upgrades and BaCkUp CritiCal systeMs

eMergenCy response plans

eMergenCy response kits

seisMiC Upgrades

Clearing danger trees

energy eFFiCienCy proJeCts

CarBon oFFset pUrCHases

Flood proteCtion

green rooFs

illUstrative eXaMples oF evalUating proJeCts against tHe HierarCHy oF risk ManageMent

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AV Source Inputs

PlenumVault Digital Systems AV Systems That Complement Any Classroom Environment

Extron PlenumVault® Digital Systems are easy-to-use AV switching and control systems designed for classrooms with a suspended ceiling. These systems use twisted pair signal transmission to seamlessly integrate the most common digital and analog video formats found in modern classrooms, and include network connectivity for Web-based AV resource management.

High Resolution Digital Switching

Local HDMI and Decora®-style AV input wallplates provide connections for common classroom sources at resolutions up to 4K.

Twisted Pair Transmission Extron twisted pair technology sends high resolution digital AV signals over a single CATx shielded twisted pair cable providing high reliability and maximum performance on an economical and easily concealed cable infrastructure.

Easy-to-use Room Control The included MediaLink Controller is designed to simplify operation of the AV system. Backlit buttons provide intuitive control of power, input switching, and volume. PlenumVault Mounting Each system includes our PlenumVault Mounting Kit that securely mounts and conceals system components in the plenum area above a suspended ceiling.

Ethernet Connectivity An integrated switch allows systems to be configured, managed, and controlled over the network as well as provides data access for three additional Extron devices over a single network drop.

Energy Efficiency

As an ENERGY STAR® qualified AV product, the switcher includes Extron exclusive power saving modes designed to reduce energy usage and operating costs.

StudioStation Simplified Recording for Lessons and Presentations

Extron’s StudioStation™ is a quick, simple, and convenient solution for one-touch recording of high quality video and audio presentations. StudioStation is ideal for flipped classroom recordings, lecture capture, student assessments, rehearsal spaces, moot courts, or any other application where making a recording by pressing only one button is desired.

Key Features • Recording Studio Kit – Preconfigured system for studio recordings, eliminating the need and expense of designing and programming a studio recording system.

One touch recording – Automates all functions for a simplified recording studio where single button press starts recording. Operation is simple and intuitive, with no support staff required.

Works with any HDMI camera or video source – Supports any camera, laptop, or mobile device up to 1080p. The input signal is scaled to match the recording resolution.

Power Control for lighting or other devices – Automatically turns on lights and other devices when a USB storage device is connected. Easy-to-use When the user inserts a USB storage device into the remote control panel, the system automatically powers up and is ready for use. Simply press the record button to begin recording. Once the recording is complete, removing the USB storage device places the system into standby. The system records MP4 media files that are compatible with virtually any media player or can be loaded into your learning management system.

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