Sustainable Business Magazine 03/16

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SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 03/16

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

TORONTO

HYDRO ENCANEX SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION

JAMAICA

RGM LIMITED ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE

AASHE • CEA • NEIA

S U S TA I N I N G T O M O R R O W. T O D AY


Yale Sustainability Leadership Forum Yale University – New Haven, Connecticut September 21-23, 2016 Are you and your company on top of the mega trends in sustainability? Join us to explore 21st century sustainability in an intimate setting with a diverse set of thought leaders, industry practitioners, policy experts, and scholars. Build your leadership skills and gain tools, concepts, and strategies essential to sustainability. Enrollment is limited. Apply today. Scholarships are available.

sustainability-forum.yale.edu sustainability.forum@yale.edu


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Sustainable Business Magazine is committed to promoting sustainable printing. This magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified material and manufactured using environmentally sustainable procedures. All lithographic printer inks used are vegetable-based.

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Editor: Assistant Editors: Senior Writer: Contributors: Commercial Manager: Web Administrator:

Fiona FitzGerald George Newell Marcus Bonnano Kurt Beil John A. Gorman Kristina Heinze Erica Leibner Ted Lomond Channa Perera Doug Wiggin Meghan Fay Zahniser Kaye Kalu Steve Phipps

CONTENTS ISSUE 03/16

Welcome to the latest issue of Sustainable Business Magazine Sustainable Business Magazine aims to spread awareness of the values of sustainability, as well as the brilliant ways in which organizations continue to meet challenges and champion corporate social responsibility. For the latest installment of our ‘Powering Sustainability’ series in partnership with the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), we spoke to Dino Priore, Executive Vice-President and Chief Engineering and Construction Officer at Toronto Hydro Corporation, as well as their Director of Environment, Health and Safety David Johnston, about preparing Toronto’s electrical distribution system for a rapidly changing future. We also spoke to Wendy Horan, Manager, Environment at Columbia Power Corporation, about their newly-completed Waneta Expansion Project. We are delighted to introduce the ‘Newfoundland and Labrador Green Economy’ series in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA). The series is prefaced by a foreword from NEIA Executive Director Ted Lomond, and aims to showcase some of the sustainable products and services emerging from the province. For the first installment we spoke to Owen House, President and CEO of Encanex, about modular construction, waste processing, and adapting to client’s needs. We also spoke to Brian Johnston, Strategic Business Development and Sales Manager at Rutter Inc., about how better technology can make working conditions safer even in the most challenging environments on Earth. Our ‘Sustainable Campuses’ series in partnership with AASHE celebrates how universities continue to develop and operate sustainably, as well as the role they’re taking in educating students and the wider public about sustainability. The series is prefaced by a foreword from AASHE’s Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. For the latest installment we spoke to Candace Le Roy, Director of Sustainability at Simon Fraser University. Also in this edition we speak to Vernon Barrett, Vice President of the National Water Commission of Jamaica (NWC), and Gerard D’Arcy, CEO of real estate developers RGM Limited, as we continue to highlight organizations who are contributing to sustainability throughout the Caribbean. This issue’s three guest editorials have once again been provided by a selection of industry experts and feature technology reports from Kristina Heinze, Partner at ParkerGale, and Doug Wiggin, CEO of Switch Materials Inc., as well as an environmental report from Erica Leibner, Founder and Owner of So Ripe Social, on behalf of Ungalli Clothing Co. The edition starts with an in-depth Q&A with Kurt Beil, Senior Vice President, Environment at Arcadis, and ends with our sustainability events calendar. We hope that you find this issue both interesting and inspiring. Thank you for reading. The Sustainable Business Magazine Team

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Q&A Kurt Beil, Arcadis

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Technology Report ParkerGale

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Environmental Report Ungalli Clothing Co.

08

Technology Report Switch Materials Inc.

10

Canadian Electricity Association (CEA)

12

Toronto Hydro Corporation

22

Columbia Power Corporation

28

Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA)

30

Encanex

34

Rutter Inc.

38

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)

40

Simon Fraser University

46

National Water Commission of Jamaica

54

RGM Limited

60

Global Events

62

Advertisers Index FRONT COVER IMAGE IMAGE COURTESY OF TORONTO HYDRO CORPORATION.

© SBM Media Ltd 2016. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

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Q&A KURT BEIL

Mr Kurt Beil Senior Vice President, Environment, Arcadis. Can you tell us about Arcadis’ Urban Land Restoration Index? Simply put, the Urban Land Restoration Index (ULRI) ranks the relative development potential from restoring and redeploying environmentally impaired industrial properties across 27 U.S. cities. It was birthed from our heightened awareness of the broad trend of urbanization and a migration back to city centers – an observation relevant across all four Arcadis business lines: Environment, Water, Infrastructure, and Buildings/Architecture. This finely tuned attentiveness is linked to a collective focus on delivering “developable” land and sustaining natural capital. Furthermore, we serve a wide spectrum of clients, ranging from private sector clients like Fortune 500 companies, to investors and developers, as well as public sector clients such as municipalities, city governments, and city planners – all of whom have a vested interested in maximizing the value of under-performing properties. Through the Index’s development, we focused on the alignment and convergence of these interests by key stakeholders of city leaders, land holders, and developers. We developed the concept for the ULRI in order to highlight the challenges and identify the opportunities to effectively transform urban industrial land (e.g., brownfield and greyfield properties) into sustainable places that once again deliver value and productive use for all parties. What is unique about the ULRI is the connectivity across these three key stakeholders and the consideration of the cost of cleanup as a primary factor. We also integrated economic conditions, real estate value, factors that lead to a city’s “dynamism”, as well as a unique and important perspective on the cost of cleanup tied to local factors in each individual market. How are you defining dynamism? We measure a city’s dynamism by its attractiveness, growth potential, real estate performance, resilience, and business environment. 2 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

What do these factors have to do with remediation sites? They are extremely important in driving competitive advantages for cities and shine a light on those that are most attractive to investors seeking redevelopment opportunities. When you combine dynamism with the cost of cleanup, you get a unique parameter we call the “sweet spot”. The cost of remediation in and of itself is not unique. However, when coupled with a number of factors that affect a city’s dynamism, the resulting sweet spot quickly identifies markets where divestment and development of industrial property can yield highly valuable results. Our Index finds that sweet spot cities for residential development, for example, include Denver, New York, and even fast-growing, mid-tier cities like Charlotte, with its booming financial services sector, and Nashville, with its jobs-led recovery, as well as ever-changing landscapes like Detroit where new investment into regeneration is emerging. As noted by the term, dynamism is not a static factor, but one that evolves with time. Thus, the ULRI presents a snapshot in time that we revisit as conditions across the country evolve. What hinders a city’s redevelopment of industrial sites? In a word: Time. Since we mostly work with private land owners, developers, and public development agencies, we’ve learned that surplus real estate assets are not being reintroduced to the marketplace in a timely manner. For example, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) estimates that brownfield sites in the city remain dormant for an average of 18 years. For a variety of reasons the transfer of ownership of these land parcels, which are frequently the catalyst for economic opportunity and community redevelopment, is delayed. We believe the ULRI highlights market opportunities that recognize the potential value of these sites; it can hasten the reintroduction of these assets by accelerating their productive use.


What are the major findings of the index? The overall rankings identify New York, Charlotte, Denver, Nashville, and San Francisco as locations with the greatest potential for urban land restoration. Our assessment accounts for all three asset types: Commercial, residential, and industrial. New York takes the number one spot due to its combination of innate city strength, dynamic growth, and relatively low remediation costs. It also has the potential to recycle complex sites for new development, which is obvious when observing the huge investment going into the Hudson Yards and other locations in the previously industrial Lower West Side of Manhattan. The same can be said of San Francisco, despite its higher cleanup costs and high dollar property valuations. Mature markets such as New York and San Francisco have been and will continue to be competitive and may have a high cost of entry into the market, but they represent a secure and safe investment and a high demand for “developable” real estate. As a city in transformation, Denver has major potential for continued residential and mixed-use development which is already occurring across numerous remediated sites where the integration of creative remediation, local natural capital, and reinvented transportation corridors has generated significant redevelopment. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Nashville highlight the potential among smaller dynamic cities with strong real estate markets, good business fundamentals, and lower remediation costs, making a strong case for urban transformation. An additional city to watch is Pittsburgh, which continues to evolve from its strong former industrial history to becoming an attractive emerging city offering an urban lifestyle with economical options comparable to larger, more established cities. Cities placing a bit lower on the highlighted list for urban land redevelopment are Baltimore, Phoenix, and Detroit due to the slow rebound in their economic conditions and potentially lower returns on investment. Interestingly, these cities which represent the strong industrial legacy of the U.S. are gaining momentum and beginning to emerge as focal points for investment by new business, such as the technology sector, startup firms, and companies seeking opportunities to secure highly sought-after urban positions at up to 10 times less cost than places like Silicon Valley. Although Detroit scores low in the ULRI based on the overall rate of economic recovery, housing prices continue to rise and firms such as Rock Ventures (owner of Quicken Loans) are investing heavily in the city’s inner core. Detroit is a city on the rise and may be an opportunity for those with a higher tolerance for risk or a longer-term expectation on return. Furthermore, with examples such as the Inner Harbor, the urban transformation of Baltimore also highlights a city on the rebound. The city has incorporated strategic remediation and creative redevelopment while simultaneously capitalizing on the local natural capital, generating an impressive increase in total real estate and economic value of the area, clearly making Baltimore a market to watch moving forward. What are the benefits of restoration and redevelopment for environmentally-distressed urban industrial land for key stakeholders, including businesses and the local community? The core of our approach was to align the property’s final disposition with the best possible end-use as defined by the community, the property owner, the developer/investor, and the city. One of the most critical factors for success is community engagement. It’s

crucial. Without it, you won’t be able to effectively transform urban industrial properties to meet the needs of those who live within the shadow of these properties. Transforming these properties not only supports the overall financial performance, but it allows these property owners to effectively create a future legacy which can benefit the communities surrounding the land. For city governments, transformation of these properties into vibrant and viable spaces for commercial, residential, or continued industrial use helps to strengthen the tax base, create jobs, attract and retain people, bring resiliency, and drive competitive advantage with sustainable growth of their respective city. Finally, for investors and developers, these properties represent a largely untapped resource that can effectively and profitably meet the increasing demand for urban development. What are the advantages for industrial land owners? Here’s an example. A suburb of Los Angeles called Downey was once home to the NASA Industrial Plant. When these programs ended, the federal government turned over the 160-acre property to the City of Downey to redevelop the site for community use. There were challenges of course. Decades of industrial use left the site with environmental issues. Arcadis was retained to restore and integrate the property back into the community. By collaborating on an innovative and adaptable design tailored to meet the aggressive development schedule and critical performance objectives for the cleanup, Arcadis delivered a residential community, vibrant business district, and attractive retail and leisure facilities. The Downey redevelopment and remediation project stimulated $800 million in private investment and is expected to realize an estimated $45 million in leases, sales tax, and property tax revenues by 2020. That’s a big win for industrial landowners. The community now benefits from a hospital, retail, and community resources that create a new legacy for this iconic project and property. What role would this type of redevelopment play in moving towards sustainable, environmentally-friendly cities in the U.S.? We conducted a survey among 45 global industrial firms and discovered they collectively held over 20,000 properties deemed surplus, many of which are precluded from redevelopment by environmental factors. This snapshot represents just a fraction of the inventory of “developable” properties. The immediate benefits of redevelopment include new private capital investment, new building space, new permanent jobs, construction jobs, new affordable housing units, and additional tax revenue. But long term, the cleanup of brownfields brings vitality to communities, delivers rebirth to urban centers and renewed interest in former blighted industrial sectors of land for redevelopment. Our view is that not only can we create vibrant and impactful places of distinction tied to built assets, but we can also focus heavily on integrating natural assets (i.e. natural capital), which in essence captures the inherent value of the natural environment, ecosystems, and is an increasingly important component of effective sustainable urban planning. Natural capital also provides valuable credits for land owners who are investing and creating future green space across the U.S. on residential, commercial, and industrial properties. This in turn generates sustainability and resiliency while enhancing the return on investment. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TECHNOLOGY REPORT

TECHNOLOGYREPORT

Written by Kristina Heinze, Partner at ParkerGale.

Is the Internet of Things the Perfect Weapon Against Waste? The world is moving towards a waste crisis. The U.S. alone generates approximately 230 million tons of trash each year. That’s just under five pounds of waste per person each day. And while this

OnePlus is able to save companies millions of dollars each year on hauling fees, but also help hauling companies make their fleet more efficient. 4 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

number is staggering, there’s good news - innovative companies are turning to technology, specifically the Internet of Things, to develop efficient, digital methods to track and manage our waste. Here are some examples of companies that are successfully leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), the network of sensors and interrelated computing devices that transfer data between each other, to drive advancements towards sustainability that will help us to more efficiently manage our waste. DIGITAL MANAGEMENT OF COMMERCIAL WASTE Many corporations rely on regularly scheduled trash pickups to keep garbage from piling up. Yet, while it’s a common practice, it’s often inefficient. If haulers come on a regularly scheduled basis, chances are they’re picking up half-full or partially full containers. This means that they’re making unnecessary trips, which equates to


greater hauling fees and more air pollution as a result of an increase in fuel consumption. OnePlus Corp has developed a solution that helps some of the world’s largest property owners, retailers, and government agencies more effectively manage and monitor their trash compactors. OnePlus installs sensors in large, industrial trash compactors to monitor the fullness of these containers. Once the sensors recognize that a compactor is full, OnePlus’ software notifies the waste hauler and the property owner that it’s time for a pickup. By automating the process of pickup, OnePlus is able to save companies millions of dollars each year on hauling fees, but also help hauling companies make their fleet more efficient, reducing unnecessary trips and carbon emissions.

only a couple bins - making these trips greatly inefficient if the bins were only partially full. Using SmartBin’s wireless ultrasonic fill-level sensors, Corio is now able to track the level of trash in each bin and better identify which bins need to be picked up. By using this data to optimize their routes, Corio has been able to reduce fuel consumption, travel times, and maintenance costs. By leveraging the Internet of Things, SmartBin and OnePlus are bringing the power of data to waste management, creating technologies that allow businesses and communities to cut down on unnecessary collections - thereby reducing costs, improving transit routes, and most importantly, reducing the carbon footprint of companies and communities around the world. c

REDUCING COMMUNITY WASTE The benefits of leveraging the Internet of Things are not limited to commercial waste management. SmartBin, a global waste monitoring system, has developed technology that applies this same principle to waste management for local communities. For example, SmartBin partnered with Corio Waste Management to more efficiently service a region in Australia. In this region, Corio was faced with the challenge of distance, as the region’s trash bins were often spread across 10 kilometer stretches. Fleets would travel 10-15 kilometers out of their way to service

About The Author Kristina Heinze is a Partner at ParkerGale, a private equity firm that acquires profitable software and technology-enabled services companies and helps them with their product development, sales, and growth strategy. ParkerGale is an investor in OnePlus Corp.

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ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

ENVIRONMENTALREPORT

By Erica Leibner, Founder & Owner of So Ripe Social, on behalf of Ungalli Clothing Co.

From Trash to Tees & Trucker Hats:

Recycled Clothing Company

Challenges Fast Fashion Satiating society’s demand for fast fashion comes at a very high price. One which, thanks to insightful documentaries such as Andrew Morgan’s ‘The True Cost’ and educational campaigns such as Fashion Revolution’s ‘Who Made Your Clothes’, more and more people are refusing to accept. The use of massive amounts of water, pesticides and fertilizers, and toxic chemicals is required to create clothing made of cotton, the world’s most commonly used natural fiber. Often worn only a few times before being discarded, such garments generate tons of waste; waste that ends up in landfills (where it takes approximately 6 months to biodegrade) and severely pollutes our rivers, lakes, and oceans. ENTREPRENEURS SEIZE AN OPPORTUNITY Hailey and Bree Hollinsworth, sisters with experience in retail who grew up on a farm in Northern Ontario surrounded by horses and hayfields, were appalled to learn of this. So much so that it com6 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

pelled them to start Ungalli, a recycled clothing company whose goal is to change the way people think about clothes. Ever since its launch at the start of January 2014, the business has been embraced with open arms. Ungalli’s conscientious social media followers and local Thunder Bay community back the brand for what it stands for and are helping spread the message that it’s


The founders won a Top 30 Under 30 award for sustainability leadership from Corporate Knights and a $50,000 grant from Canadian Geographic and Shell Canada. time to change the way we think about our clothes. In addition, the founders won a Top 30 Under 30 award for sustainability leadership from Corporate Knights and a $50,000 grant from Canadian Geographic and Shell Canada. WHAT SETS UNGALLI APART: • Buying Ungalli means joining a movement. It allows you to help reduce the amount of plastic in landfill, support an altruistic small business, vote with your wallet, and show the world that cool, comfortable eco clothing alternatives actually exist! • Buying just 1 Ungalli t-shirt saves 712 gallons of water, half a gallon of petroleum, and reduces the output of 12 kilograms of carbon dioxide and 3 oz. of chemicals. • All Ungalli clothing is made from 100% recycled materials, including:

• Recycled plastic bottles • Recycled black food trays • Recycled plastic beer bottles/root beer bottles • Recycled x-ray film • Reused cotton

• All Ungalli clothing is ethically produced in North America within a 320km radius (to minimize environmental impacts and reduce or eliminate water, petroleum, chemical, and C02 waste). •

Ungalli designs lines for environmental and wildlife conservation charities of their choosing. For every item sold from a particular line, $1 goes towards funding the wonderful work done by the associated charity. c

To learn more about Ungalli, visit their website www.ungalli.com and connect with them on social media via the following: • Facebook: www.facebook.com/ ungalliclothingco/timeline, • Twitter: twitter.com/ungalliclothing, or • Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ ungalliclothing/.

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TECHNOLOGY REPORT

TECHNOLOGYREPORT

Written by Doug Wiggin, CEO, Switch Materials Inc.

Energy Efficiency Technologies in Automotive Glass Applications SWITCH Materials Inc. has developed an active-control smart film designed to reduce solar heat gain in today’s vehicles that feature expansive glass windows and sunroofs. SWITCH’s technology has multiple benefits for the automotive industry, an industry that is looking for every opportunity to improve energy efficiency. TRENDS IN AUTOMOBILE GLASS USE Design trends within the automotive industry are increasing the amount of glass in vehicles. Consumers have a growing preference for panoramic sunroofs, especially in the sport utility vehicle classes. Large glass surfaces increase the amount of solar energy heating within the vehicle interior, requiring more energy-intensive air-conditioning. Motorized roller-shades and larger air-conditioning units keep the passengers cool, but these solutions come at the expense of increased fuel and battery consumption. 8 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

FUEL EFFICIENCY REGULATIONS In the pursuit of greater fuel economy, stringent efficiency regulations are coming into effect for 2017. In North America, Phase 2 of the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard commits to halving average fuel consumption of cars and light trucks by 2025 and restricts automakers to a fleet-wide average fuel-consumption rate of 54.5 miles per gallon of gasoline for new 2025 vehicles. This is the largest mandatory fuel-economy increase in North American history. HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES While the shift to hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) is a positive step towards a greener auto industry, EVs come with their own challenges, mainly the battery-driving range. The current limited range on EVs’ batteries is a significant concern for owners and is limiting the rate of market adoption.


SWITCH’S VARIABLE TINT TECHNOLOGY SWITCH’s active-control smart film darkens automatically in daylight to block up to 99% of light entering the vehicle, reducing solar heat gain whether parked or in use. By applying low voltage electricity, the user can then brighten the sunroof whenever they desire to allow more light into the cabin. By incorporating SWITCH’s variable tint technology, carmakers can eliminate the need for a motorized roller-shade. Removing the roller-shade reduces the packaging space needed in the headliner, opening up more headroom in the cabin. Additionally, vehicle designers can lower the overall vehicle height to improve the vehicle’s

SWITCH Materials’ active control film is an example of how a small change in one area of a vehicle can have a cascading series of enabling benefits in other vehicle systems.

aerodynamics while maintaining a spacious interior. The sunroof shading system can weigh up to 10kg, so replacing it with variable-tint glazing reduces the mass at the top of the vehicle. A lower centre of gravity enables carmakers to safely reduce weight in other vehicle components without sacrificing the vehicle’s balance and handling. Finally, carmakers can shrink the size of the air conditioning unit, further reducing energy consumption. These improvements mean that customers will be able to use less energy to go further, whether it’s on a litre of fuel or a kilowatt of charge. SWITCH’s technology enables carmakers to make design decisions that satisfy the consumer’s desire for more glass while improving the vehicle’s overall real-world efficiency. SWITCH Materials’ active control film is an example of how a small change in one area of a vehicle can have a cascading series of enabling benefits in other vehicle systems. c

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CEA MANITOBA HYDRO’S KETTLE GENERATING STATION, BUILT ON THE LOWER NELSON RIVER, IS THE SECOND LARGEST HYDROELECTRIC GENERATING STATION IN THE PROVINCE. PHOTO CREDIT: MANITOBA HYDRO

POWERING SUSTAINABILITY

A foreword by Channa Perera, Director, Sustainable Development, at the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) On behalf of the Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), I am pleased to write this foreword to the ‘Powering Sustainability’ series for Sustainable Business Magazine. CEA and its member utilities have a long-standing history of leadership on sustainability. In 1997, the Association and its members launched the Environmental Commitment and Responsibility (ECR) Program to reduce the adverse environmental 10 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

impacts of our operations and be more efficient in the use of natural resources. This commitment was further strengthened in 2009 when the association launched a more dynamic Sustainable ElectricityTM Program covering the three pillars of sustainable development (environmental, social, and economic). Already, CEA members are improving their overall sustainability performance. Air


SASKPOWER IS LEADING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST POST-COMBUSTION CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE (CCS) PROJECT—THE FIRST IN THE WORLD TO FULLY INTEGRATE CCS TECHNOLOGY WITH COMMERCIAL SCALE COAL-FIRED GENERATION. PHOTO CREDIT: SASKPOWER

emissions are at an all-time low, engagement levels with employees, local communities, stakeholders, and Aboriginal Peoples have significantly improved, and investments to renew and modernize infrastructure are also on the rise. The utility success stories (initiatives) presented in this ‘Powering Sustainability’ series will help further illustrate how the sector is integrating sustainability into its activities. I hope you read these

stories with interest and share your thoughts with us so that we can continue to improve our performance. As a sector, we recognize that sustainability is a journey and we still have a long way to go. We want to work with you to make this journey a success. Let’s partner for a sustainable future. Read more at www.SustainableElectricity.ca and share your thoughts with me at perera@electricity.ca c

NOVA SCOTIA POWER IS MOVING AHEAD WITH A NUMBER OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS. PHOTO CREDIT: NOVA SCOTIA POWER

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TORONTO HYDRO

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THINKING DOWN

THE LINE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Toronto Hydro’s Executive Vice-President and Chief Engineering and Construction Officer, Dino Priore, and Director of the Environment, Health and Safety, David Johnston, about preparing Toronto’s electrical distribution system for a rapidly changing future.

At the start of 2015, the last time Sustainable Business Magazine spoke to Toronto Hydro, the company was facing some of the biggest challenges in its hundred-year history, from aging infrastructure, to the aftermath of December 2013’s ice storm, to the tests (and opportunities) presented by the 21st century’s sustainability demands. At the same time, Toronto Hydro had just been named a Sustainable Electricity CompanyTM by the Canadian Electricity Association, only the third company in Canada to receive this designation. Today, these challenges are still never far away, but thanks to $2 billion of recently-secured capital funding, Toronto Hydro is strengthening the grid to prepare for a rapidly growing customer base and the likelihood of further disruptive weather events down the line. What’s more, the

company continues to make sustainability a centerpiece of its operations. Then there’s also the matter of a new $195 million underground transformer station being built beside a heritage building in downtown Toronto. COPELAND TRANSFORMER STATION The John Street Roundhouse, completed in 1931 by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, was the largest combined passenger car and locomotive facility in Canada in its time. Since its closure in 1986, the building has been designated a National Historic Site of Canada, and it now hosts the Toronto Railway Museum, bringing in 60,000 visitors a year. The site now also hosts another pioneering facility. Beside (and partly beneath) the historic roundhouse, Toronto Hydro SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TORONTO HYDRO

is currently constructing Canada’s second ever underground transformer station. Copeland Transformer Station will add 144 MVA of capacity to the distribution system, to help provide a reliable supply of electricity to the nearby financial district and Toronto’s new condominium buildings. As you might imagine, constructing a 5,000 square metre transformer station in the centre of the fourth most populous city in North America brings with it one or two challenges. “For one thing, this location is

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right next to our stadium,” says Dino Priore, Executive Vice-President and Chief Construction and Engineering Officer at Toronto Hydro. Furthermore, the Roundhouse’s Machine Shop is directly above Copeland Station. “We disassembled it brick-by-brick, cataloguing each brick,” says Mr. Priore. “Then when our station is finished we’ll rebuild it using those old bricks.” The list of engineering feats only grows from there. The site is 50 metres away from the lake, so flooding was a serious con-

cern. “The concrete mix has a waterproof component, and we’re lining the inside of the station with a waterproof membrane,” explains Mr. Priore. “We also have two redundant sub-pump systems.” Then there are the transmission lines, half a kilometre away from the station. “We had to bore a 600 metre long underground tunnel,” says Mr. Priore. “We had a boring machine working away, removing dirt, and a conveyor system to take it out. This combined with the logistics of getting in and out of the site


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Engineering

EPC+

Procurement

Construction SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TORONTO HYDRO

TODAY, TORONTO HYDRO IS INVESTING IN ENSURING THAT WEATHER-RELATED OUTAGES ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM.

– it’s remarkable. It’s the biggest project this company has ever undertaken.” REPLACING AND RENEWING It’s not only new infrastructure which presents a challenge. “Almost one-third of our assets are beyond their useful life,” explains David Johnston, Director, Environment, Health and Safety. “As stuff gets old, it fails, and that can be challenging from a sustainability perspective. For example,

in many parts of the city we’re using the old 4KV distribution cables. The lower the voltage, the less efficient the cable is, so there’s more line losses and subsequently more greenhouse gases released. It’s going to take a long time to get rid of all this stuff, but it’s a win-win. We’re not only improving the efficiency of the distribution, but it also improves the occupational safety for workers – because that old system is challenging to work with.”

Then there’s underground cables. “That cable in the ground has been in there 40, 50 years,” says Mr. Priore. “When it was originally installed, it was directly buried, and now the cable is failing. So we’re replacing it, and encasing the new cable in concrete. We’re cutting up sidewalks and people’s driveways. It’s very slow and very methodical. We have to make sure we coexist with people who live, work, and play here.”

Valard, is Canada’s premier full-service EPC+ provider with capabilities for electrical transmission, distribution and telecommunications. Current high-profile projects: 1. Nalcor’s (Labrador) MFAC – 245 km of parallel 315kV lines (490km total). 2. Nalcor’s DC 1100 km - 247 km long; Largest Utility Direct Award Contract. 3. WFMAC - 500km, 500 kV transmission project, Largest EPC Contract awarded in North America; Construction Begins 2017. 4. Various substations and telecom projects throughout Canada. www.valard.com

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Collaborating and Designing

Collaborating and Designing

with Toronto Hydro for a

with Toronto Hydro for a

SustainableFuture Future Sustainable

Whitby, Ontario

Whitby, Ontario 905-666-5252 905-666-5252 bba-archeng.com

bba-archeng.com

We look forward to an exciting future with Toronto Hydro as we continue to grow our business and assist in cost-saving initiatives to reduce total overall costs. At LaPrairie we: • offer a broad range of utility related products • represent and distribute world class suppliers on the leading edge of technology with a proven track record of quality and integrity

Doing business as Guelph Utility Pole in Ontario.

Your source for preserved wood utility poles. Phone: (519)822-3901 Fax: (519)822-5411 Email: kyle@guelphpole.com

• are dedicated to customer service and after-sales assistance. LaPrairie considers our clients as partners and offer value added services to assist our customers in reducing total overall costs.

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TORONTO HYDRO

EXTREME WEATHER Overhead wires don’t have to be encased in concrete, but they come with their own set of trials, especially in light of Toronto’s recent extreme weather. The ice storm of 2013 left 300,000 Toronto Hydro customers without power, and for 50,000 of those customers it took upwards of two weeks to get them back online. Today, Toronto Hydro is investing in ensuring that weather-related outages are kept to a minimum. “In 2011, we did a Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment,” says Mr. Priore. “That resulted in a risk map, showing where our grid might be in jeopardy in the coming decades based on criteria like freezing rain and extreme heat. We now have a roadmap to guide our investment and maintenance programs, so we can harden up the system.” Which takes us back to those overhead wires. “One example is, we’re installing tree-proof wires,” explains Mr. Priore. “The ice storm resulted in so many lines down 18 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE


because the trees were snapping under the weight of the ice, and the falling branches were making contact with the lines, or breaking them. This new wire has an insulating layer around it so that if a tree has brushing contact with it, it won’t cause an outage or a temporary blip. We’re also doing trials with breakaway links. During the ice storm, when the service wire was brought down by the trees, that service wire also brought down the customer’s mast and his/her meter at the base, and only once those repairs have been done can we come in and reconnect. The breakaway link is almost like a mechanical fuse. If the weight of the tree brings down the line, it snaps this mechanical connector, which interrupts power and makes the service wire fall in a controlled way. It’s also de-energized, so we don’t have to worry about a public safety issue.”

servation and Demand Management initiatives resulted in a summer peak demand SUSTAINABLE CITY reduction of 206MW,” says Mr. Johnston. In 2015, 70% of Ontario’s energy was gener“That represents 1,583GWh of energy ated from emission-free sources (nuclear, savings. That means Toronto could build hydro, and wind), with the remaining 30% three hundred more condominium buildings generated from natural gas and biofuel. But without having to generate a watt more even clean energy needs to be managed electricity. The whole idea of a sustainable efficiently.Black “From 2011 to 2014, our Concity is that people will be able to live close + McDonald SBM ad re Toronto Hydro feature 2016.pdf 1 05/18/2016 1:11:17 PM

to their work, and they won’t have to drive: They can walk or take transit. The electrical utility is the only sector that actively markets and encourages its customers to buy less of its product!” On top of these spectacular energy savings, Toronto Hydro has pushed electronic billing and permitting (saving an estimated 124,000 pieces of paper annually),

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TORONTO HYDRO

THE PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENT TORONTO HYDRO CAN OFFER IS MAKING TORONTO A SUSTAINABLE CITY.

and increased recycling in their offices by almost 20% in the last year. They’ve reduced the floor space they occupy by 122,000 feet as of last year, reduced its vehicle fleet by 24 vehicles, integrated sustainability into employees’ performance contracts, and begun incorporating sustainability-related questions into how they evaluate vendors. EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES On top of all this, Toronto Hydro has invested in several innovative sustainable

technologies. “We’re getting involved in energy storage, solar projects, and electric vehicles,” explains Mr. Priore. “Also, alongside a bunch of other regional utilities, we fund the Centre for Urban Energy at Ryerson University. A lot of its projects have to do with energy storage and systems to monitor energy consumption. It’s our way of making sure we stay ahead of the curve.” One remarkable project Toronto Hydro is participating in involves an energy storage device called Hydrostor. “Essentially, they put these big balloons under-

water in Lake Ontario and fill them with compressed air when energy is cheap and available,” explains Mr. Johnston. “Then when there’s demand, they release the air and drive a generator.” “It’s a first in the world,” adds Mr. Priore. “We’re testing it; it’s operational right now. Hydrostor has already been approached by several countries to make similar installations abroad.” “It’s being aimed at islands in particular,” explains Mr. Johnston. “Places where they have deep water nearby.” UNIQUE COMPANY For Mr. Johnston, the proudest achievement Toronto Hydro can offer is making Toronto a sustainable city. “What’s fascinating about Toronto is there is a very high density of people living in the city, which continues to grow. It’s not evacuated at 5 p.m. when everybody goes home. That means a lot of people don’t own cars; they walk to work or take transit. It’s really neat to be part of that, and contribute towards a society and a city that can be carbon-free.” “We’re unique because of the customer base we serve,” says Mr. Priore. “It’s so large, and so diverse. There are so many different needs. It forces us to stay flexible and to adapt very, very quickly. It’s a challenge, and it’s an opportunity, and it keeps us on our toes!” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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COLUMBIA POWER CORPORATION

POSITIVE IMPACTS Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Wendy Horan, Manager, Environment at Columbia Power Corporation, about their newly-completed Waneta Expansion Project.

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COLUMBIA POWER CORPORATION

“WE’RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF BUILDING DAMS; WHAT WE DO IS MAXIMIZE ENERGY CAPACITY OFF EXISTING DAMS.”

Columbia Power Corporation has been part of the Kootenay communities in British Columbia for over 20 years. They are a commercial Crown corporation owned by the province, reporting to the Minister of Energy and Mines. Along with their sister organization, the Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power received $500 million to develop three core power projects in the Columbia River Basin. The Trust uses its

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income to support social, economic, and environmental well-being in the Basin; Columbia Power uses its income to reinvest in project development, and to pay dividends to their shareholder, the Province of B.C., as well as sponsoring community groups, offering scholarships to schools and colleges, and delivering environmental stewardship programs. The Waneta Expansion Project, which ran for approximately five years, cost just under $1 billion and came into commercial operation on April 1, 2015. Wendy Horan, Manager, Environment at Columbia Power, explains further. “The project was for a new powerhouse downstream of the Waneta Dam. We’re not in the business of building dams; what we do is maximize energy capacity off existing dams. The excess water used to just get spilled. Now, instead, the

water is being put through a generation facility with two Francis turbines with the capacity to generate 335 megawatts of power.” Not only does the expansion generate enough clean, renewable, cost-effective electricity, it also allows the river system to flow under more natural conditions without the need to develop a reservoir. BUILDING THE EXPANSION Waneta Expansion Limited Partnership (WELP) is owned by Fortis Inc. (51%), Columbia Power (32.5%), and the Columbia Basin Trust (16.5%). As one of the partners in the project, Columbia Power initiated and prepared the planning process. “We went through all the permitting, design, and preliminary consultation with local stakeholders, First Nations, and other governments,” explains Ms. Horan. “Then we took the


project into the construction phase. We assumed the title of Owners Representative, and essentially provided oversight to the main contractor, while also representing the interests of the other two partners. We were on-site all day every day, working closely with the contractor during construction.” LOCAL BENEFITS The project had major benefits for the region. “This whole area of the province has been hard-hit, historically,” says Ms. Horan. “The economy of this area was based on mining and forestry. There’s no manufacturing of any significant scale. There’s tourism, and there’s hydro.” As a result of the Waneta Expansion Project, more than $300 million was injected into the local economy through the purchase of goods and services and wages. 1,400 people were employed, and

over 70% of the workforce came from within 100km of the project. During peak employment, there were over 50 apprentices on-site, while a total of 194 apprentices from 13 different trades received skills training. Columbia Power’s portion of the revenue from the expansion project will be reinvested in the Basin and returned to the Province of B.C. and the taxpayers as a dividend. First Nations were particularly involved in the expansion. A First Nations worker liaison was employed by the contractor in order to maximize opportunities for First Nations workers, and the logging and clearing for the 10km transmission line was conducted entirely by Nupqu, a Ktunaxa Nation Council-owned contracting company. “The expansion is on territory represented by First Nations, so we integrated First Nations wherever possible,” explains Ms. Horan.

“We had steering committees with First Nations representation and information regarding the progress of the project is distributed on a regular basis. It’s about fostering long-term relationships and benefits” MINIMIZING IMPACTS “The great thing about Columbia Power is that, for us, it’s more than just compliance,” says Ms. Horan. “It’s trying to set the bar a little higher. For example, with every project like this, we are required to restore areas that have been environmentally affected. But we don’t just plant a bunch of trees and then walk away. We do surveys. We do species inventories. If there are areas that could benefit from additional planting, we go back and do that. We find out if there are species at risk found in an area, or which could use the area, and we investigate ways SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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COLUMBIA POWER CORPORATION

to augment that habitat a little more for them. I don’t know of any other company that thinks quite like that.” This approach has resulted in some remarkable programs. In the case of the Waneta Expansion, the transmission line was cleared in the way that would retain as much of the historic tree and shrub layer as possible, retaining approximately 75% of

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wildlife trees from the original inventory, and providing habitats for several rare species like yellow-breasted chats, western skinks, and rubber boas. Maintenance activities on the line are timed to minimize impacts to nesting birds and herptiles. Compensation project funds have sponsored, among many other successful projects, bat research which has discovered perhaps the largest bat

hibernaculum in B.C, and the recontouring of a large gravel bar to reduce the risk of fish and fish egg stranding, improving the overall quality of fish habitat in the system. A rare plant seed collection and propagation program led to over 1500 rare plants being grown and replanted at the site. Why is Columbia Power so prepared to go beyond mere compliance? “Let me


give you an example,” says Ms. Horan. “The Upper Columbia White Sturgeon is an endangered species, and a significant sturgeon spawning area is found only a few hundred meters downstream from the site of the expansion. As a result, we’ve installed Sturgeon Exclusion Screens on the units. If a unit trips, the screens come down, and the water can flow through but sturgeon are kept out. These screens cost $7 million, and they’re the first of their kind in North America, if not the world. It’s a lot of money to invest in reducing the level of risk to a species. What this says to us is: We can’t just wait for species to end up on the endangered list. So showing due diligence towards all affected species, not just endangered species, is both good for the species and good for business. It is far less expensive to be proactive than to have to be reactive.” PROUD LEGACIES “What we’re proud of here at Columbia Power is the legacies we leave,” says Ms. Horan. “That applies both to the natural environment and our effects on local communities. We have excellent relationships with the communities, the First Nations, and the regulatory agencies, as well as industry.

In 20 years, we’ve built three hydro facilities. We have a proven track record of building strong partnerships and delivering major power projects that are on-schedule, onbudget, and built to the highest standards. Our work demonstrates that setting the bar

higher is possible. When there’s an opportunity that does not require many additional resources and it provides benefits to the local communities and the natural environment, we take it. We’re proud to go above and beyond.” c

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NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR ENVIRONMENTAL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS WHICH ARE PROVIDING FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS GROWTH IN THE PROVINCE.

SHARING NEWFOUNDLAND

AND LABRADOR’S GREEN ECONOMY SKILLS

WITH THE WORLD TED LOMOND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NEIA.

A foreword to the “Newfoundland and Labrador Green Economy” series by Ted Lomond, Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA). In the 1990’s, following the collapse of Newfoundland and Labrador’s cod fishery, there were grave concerns about the province’s future. But since that time, the small Canadian province has in fact seen significant economic development, and

28 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

there is great confidence, opportunity, and excitement for its future. Entrepreneurs and business leaders are now looking at how to make that future sustainable, and this is leading to firm-level strategies that embrace the relationship


between business growth and environmental stewardship. A new green economy is emerging in Newfoundland and Labrador. There are a number of environmental and economic factors which are providing favourable conditions for sustainable business growth in the province. A significant driver is its strong oil and gas sector, which presents opportunities for local firms to address environmental challenges related to offshore oil production. NEIA members supply the industry with expert solutions in oil spill detection and response, effects monitoring, efficiency, and emissions reductions. Because of the harsh ocean environments in which these solutions are deployed, local businesses are able to export their niche skills and products worldwide, while firms come to the province from all over the globe to test and market their own. Geography is a primary contributor in product and service development. The

vast majority of the province’s population of just 515,000 resides on the island of Newfoundland, located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The relative isolation of Newfoundland and the rural nature of many of its communities presents challenges in transportation, food quality and security, water quality, waste management, and just about any activity which requires economies or volumes of scale. These challenges, however, have provided an excellent opportunity to deliver innovative solutions. How do we accomplish what we need to environmentally in a practical and cost-effective manner? How do we protect the ocean environment while supporting economic growth in our fisheries, aquaculture, shipping of goods, recreation, and of course oil production? While these solutions are designed to service local needs, local industries and entrepreneurs are realizing there are other

regions across the globe which face similar challenges. The sustainable products and services developed here in Newfoundland and Labrador have applications globally in other marine, island, or rural contexts. NEIA’s role is to support the expansion of these businesses. We do so by providing firm-level programs and services, training tailored to environmental sector employees, tools to encourage and foster innovation and productivity, leadership on domestic policy and advocacy issues, and the support needed to export and engage in business internationally. There are exciting things happening in Newfoundland and Labrador’s green economy. NEIA looks forward to sharing with Sustainable Business Magazine’s readers some of the sustainable products and services emerging from our province – products and services which you may very well see soon in your community or on your project. c

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ENCANEX TEMPORARY WORK COMPLEX FOR OFF SHORE RIG.

FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Owen House, President and CEO of Encanex, about modular construction, waste processing, and adapting to client’s needs. Encanex is a service company which provides customized structures, equipment, and waste solutions for use in the oil and gas sector. Encanex became a company in 2011.

Today, Encanex has fifty employees at facilities in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Alberta. The core Encanex business has three principal strands. The Moduworks division

collaborates with customers to design and manufacture customized modular structures for onshore and offshore use. Valueback Manufacturing provides custom-

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ized processing and treatment systems, while Valueback Onsite Services provides technical and operational services for the Valueback systems. Owen House, President and CEO of Encanex, explains further: “Our competitive advantage is our flexibility. Some of our competitors rent and operate on-site facilities to clients. We have the capability to do that, however we also have manufacturing capabilities, so we not only give the client an option to rent, we will actually build and sell the equipment. Some clients today, particularly in Alberta, don’t want to rent equipment for five to ten years; Encanex gives them the opportunity to own the process equipment. We will custom build to our client’s specifics, offer to sell units, and then train their staff on how to operate.” MODUWORKS Out of their facilities in Halifax and St. John’s, Encanex manufacture their Moduworks line of modular structures, producing a wide range of custom-designed units including offshore command centers, confined space entry training units, drying and storage units, communication control rooms, and laboratories. Both facilities have R&D capabilities, and the Halifax facility has an 8,000 square foot paint and blast shop. For ExxonMobil’s offshore Hebron Project, Encanex built a multi-million dollar temporary living complex, including tool cribs, medic shacks, bathroom facilities, and lockers. “We built over 200 modular containers,”

says Mr. House. That was a proud accomplishment for us because we were a relatively new company, and in many cases companies such as ExxonMobil wouldn’t give such an enormous project to an unknown. I think we impressed a lot of people there.” VALUEBACK Through their Valueback department, Encanex design, manufacture, and integrate processing systems which recover and return valuable minerals, metal, oil, and water from waste, while separating out unwanted byproducts for safe disposal. These custom-built systems include crude and slop oil process systems, drilling drains treatment systems, solids de-watering systems, drilling fluid re conditioning, diesel oil centrifuge packages, mud cooling systems, and NORM descaling and disposal. The Valueback systems are built in standard modular shipping containers to align with the Moduworks side of Encanex’s business, which has the further advantage that the equipment is easy to transport and set up, and has a small on-site footprint. Encanex also offers onsite technical services for their Valueback technologies, ranging from full-time equipment operation to training a client’s employees to safely operate the equipment themselves. “Basically, we give the industry an alternative to the liability and cost of transporting and disposing of waste,” explains Mr. House. “If we weren’t there, customers would have to transport slop oil or lime sludge offsite

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ENCANEX would leave the site is the dry solids that are recovered. We reduce our customer’s environmental footprint, and help them to save money. It is really a win-win, for both the client and the environment.” At ExxonMobil’s Hebron Project, Encanex implemented a large, complex drilling drain centrifuge treatment system – a first of its kind. “It was the first drilling drain treatment package built for an offshore facility in Canada,” says Mr. House. “We employed local people and supported the local businesses in the area, and we were able to deliver on budget and on time. This is also something we are very proud of.”

ON SITE SLOP OIL TREATMENT PLANT.

“WE KNOW WE CAN KEEP PROVIDING INNOVATION AND FLEXIBILITY TO OUR CLIENTS INTO THE FUTURE.”

in vacuum trucks to processing plants. It is costly to transport waste, and there are risks from an environmental perspective.

Instead, we can treat waste emulsions onsite and recover valuable components, which is obviously more efficient. The only thing that

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FLEXIBLE BUSINESS MODEL “Some of our competitors provide the process equipment and onsite services, but don’t manufacture in-house,” explains Mr. House. “We do not have manufacturing subcontractors putting additional profit margin on our projects, and in the end costing the customer more money. We design the equipment and manufacture it ourselves, and therefore we can customize and afford to be much more flexible. Our

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M.C.T.T. Oilfield Ltd. has had the privilege of working with Encanex on the Nexen project in Alberta for the past 3 years. M.C.T.T.s role was to provide tri-canter technicians on the sites. M.C.T.T. had a solid working relationship with Encanex and we look forward to assisting them in upcoming projects. - Mike Cross, M.C.T.T. Oilfield Ltd. M.C.T.T. Oilfield is an oilfield company that works and grows with strong safety and environmental measures in mind. M.C.T.T. Oilfield Ltd has been providing experienced tri-canter, centrifuge, boiler technicians and equipment operators, specializing in oilfield reclamation, waste management and clean up, solids control, dewatering, and operating related equipment and machinery for 10 plus years. Please visit our website to see more of what we offer.

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clients can rent or buy process systems; they can design or we can design it for them. Encanex doesn’t tell our customers what they need. It is always about working with them, understanding their requirements, giving options, and asking what it is they ultimately require. Because we’re a small company, we can afford to be agile. Encanex can make changes and decisions very quickly.” The company makes sure they stay ahead of the curve. “We invest a lot in R&D,” says Mr. House. “Our Vice President of Technical Development has thirty-five years of experience in centrifuges and process systems. He is continually looking at alternative and cutting-edge technologies to create innovative solutions. We can also conduct trials for our customers at their sites to find more efficient ways to treat by-products.” EMPHASIS ON SAFETY The Encanex mission statement begins: “Encanex, within a safety-focused work environment…” and for Mr. House, safety

really does come before anything else. “If it’s not safe, we don’t expect anyone in our organization to do it. Safety comes before profitability, and before deadlines. Every morning before we start work in our shops, we have toolbox meetings whereby safety is always front and center. Every time we have a management meeting or a business development meeting, the first thing we do is have a safety moment or discussion. It comes down to respecting your employees. Ultimately, our employees are what the company is all about.” One product of this comprehensive safety culture is that Encanex always seeks to avoid employees operating equipment alone, even when it adds to the costs. “It’s a second set of eyes looking out for each other, the client, the equipment, and making sure everything is working properly,” says Mr. House. “A lot of our clients have said that they appreciate and respect this approach. It might cost a little more, but we know at the end of the day safety is more important than saving a few dollars.”

MOVING FORWARD It’s a challenging time to be in the oil and gas industry, and plenty of companies are shedding their employees and subcontractors to cut costs. Encanex, however, has managed to weather the storm. “You feel good about that,” says Mr. House. “Our clients have kept us on, because ultimately we are able to save them money during these lean times. We have made sure we’re being competitive and efficient. Clients at the moment want solutions that work, and that are low-cost options. We are flexible in our strategy, and therefore we are able to provide that.” Encanex is also looking into diversifying beyond oil and gas. “One avenue we’re exploring is supporting the military by providing remote modular hospital complexes,” says Mr. House. “We are very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in such a short time. When other companies in the industry are struggling, we know we can keep providing innovation and flexibility to our clients into the future.” c

OFF SHORE CUTTINGS BOXES.

OFFSHORE LIFTING FRAME.

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RUTTER INC

BETTER KNOWLEDGE

FOR BETTER

DECISIONS Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Brian Johnston, Strategic Business Development and Sales Manager at Rutter Inc., about how better technology can make working conditions safer even in the most challenging environments on Earth.

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Rutter, Inc. is a marine technology company based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Founded in 1998, Rutter was one of the first companies to develop the voyage data recorder (VDR), distributing over 4000 systems worldwide. Today, Rutter specializes in innovative radar solutions, supplying products to the energy industry, coastguards, defense vessels, shipping companies, and even cruise ships and yachts. “We’re very much focused on the research and development component that drives the productization of our technologies,” explains Brian Johnston, Strategic Business Development and Sales Manager at Rutter. “We’re not just selling parts and services, and we’re not just an R&D house. We’re into developing and enhancing products, with a strong focus on commercialization at the end of the day.”

SIGMA S6 Rutter’s flagship product is its sigma S6 radar technology. “Radars have been around since World War Two,” says Mr. Johnston. “They’re a standard sensor for navigational safety offshore, but the underlying core technology hasn’t changed a lot. Essentially, they’re detectors for big pieces of metal, for the purposes of collision avoidance between vessels, or for vessel traffic management.”

The sigma S6 system changes that. The technology was originally developed in the late ‘90s to use X- and S-Band radars to detect icebergs and sea ice for the Hibernia Management and Development Company. As a result of Rutter’s extensive R&D process, sigma S6 products are now available for several diverse applications. The sigma S6 Ice Navigator enables ships to detect and safely navigate ice in threatening regions; the sigma S6 Oil Spill Detection and Monitoring System provides early, accurate spill detection and reporting; the sigma S6 Small Target Surveillance System detects small, low-profile targets like wooden buoys, fishing gear, and floating debris, and can also be used for anti-piracy applications; and the WaMoS II Wave and Current Monitoring System tracks wave height and energy and surface currents. SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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RUTTER INC

“We’ve taken the radar’s sensor, and we’ve been able to drive our processing capability into extracting the targets that hide in sea clutter and in the signal that standard radars throw away as noise, or

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cannot detect,” says Mr. Johnston. “Essentially we tease these targets out of the signal with our different filters and processing algorithms. That allows companies to operate more safely and more sustaina-

bly by giving them better knowledge for better decisions when operating at sea. And it’s all using a sensor that they’re already using – we can just get more out of it.” RENEWABLE ENERGY PARTNERSHIPS Rutter’s systems are used globally in the renewable energy industry. “One application for the WaMoS® II is to monitor wave energy as a feed into wave energy system design,” says Mr. Johnston. “For example, there’s a couple of projects in Australia where the system is being used in areas being considered for wave energy generation systems. They’re using WaMoS to measure the wave energy in that area as part of their planning process.” Another key use for WaMoS is for ensuring the safety of service personnel at offshore wind farms. “An issue they have with wind farms, is the service personnel have to go out in small boats and wait for a good opportunity to safely make the leap from the boat to the base of the installation,” says Mr. Johnston. “So they use the system to see where the sea state is at its lowest over a period of time, so they can safely make the move back and forth between the boats and the bases. Or as the


sea state changes, sometimes the change is gradual enough that if you’re working, you may not notice the wave height and wave energy gradually increasing over time. Our system can be used as an alarm to make sure people who are working there are safe.” Renewable energy sites also use the sigma S6 Small Target Surveillance System as an early warning system to track small targets like fishing boats or trespassers who may wander into areas of critical infrastructure; the system can remotely monitor the site 24 hours a day regardless of the weather conditions and visibility. HARSH ENVIRONMENTS Newfoundland sees an impressive cross-section of difficult weather conditions. Snow, ice, high winds, and violent seas are common hazards for industries operating around St. John’s. For Mr. Johnston, these conditions provide the ideal testing ground for Rutter’s products. “There’s no doubt we’re in a leading place for a harsh weather environment. We work with the local energy industry and the local coastguard, and so first and foremost, we have to ensure our products work in our own backyard. This translates very well for taking that technology out into the worldwide market. If it works here, it can work anywhere!” In fact, Newfoundland is a recognized center of excellence for Arctic and harsh weather technologies. “Most of the technology companies here are small- to medium-sized, and our focus tends to be

on supporting those local industries that operate around here,” says Mr. Johnston. “We also have Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), which has a very strong science and engineering faculty, and we’re able to hire some of the talent that comes out of there. It’s a great developing ground for us. MUN is also home to the Center for Cold Ocean Resources Engineering (C-CORE), and we’ve done a number of projects with them on sea-ice imagery and management.” REPUTATION FOR QUALITY “Over the past 20 years, Rutter has developed a brand in the market,” says Mr. Johnston. “We’re known to develop

quality products, and we’re proud of the clientele we have, ranging from very big energy companies to much smaller companies who use our products to make sure that their people can do their work in harsh environments more safely. We’re also very proud of our work with coastguards; they use our products for icebreaking and search and rescue. We’re looking forward to continuing to invest heavily in our R&D in the near-term future. And as the renewables market grows here in North America, we’re looking forward to working more with new wind farms and wave energy facilities, focusing on bringing our safety and environmental monitoring capabilities to those new markets.” c

RUTTER’S SYSTEMS ARE USED GLOBALLY IN THE RENEWABLE ENERGY INDUSTRY.

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AASHE

SUSTAINABLE EMORY UNIVERSITY.

CAMPUSES A foreword by Meghan Fay Zahniser, AASHE Executive Director

MEGHAN FAY ZAHNISER, AASHE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

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The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is proud to support the “Sustainable Campuses” series that recognizes achievements of the higher education community and their efforts towards developing a thriving, equitable, and ecologically healthy world. AASHE empowers higher education faculty, administrators, staff, and students to be effective change agents and drivers of sustainability innovation. We enable members to translate information into action by offering essential resources and professional development to a diverse, engaged community of sustainability leaders. Additionally, we work with and for higher education to ensure that our world’s future leaders are motivated and equipped to solve sustainability challenges.

We support the higher education community through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), the AASHE Conference & Expo, Campus Sustainability Month, and the Green Gigawatt Partnership, as well as other professional development opportunities. STARS STARS was launched in 2010 as a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS was designed to provide a structure for understanding sustainability in all sectors of higher education, enable campus sustainability comparisons over time, incentivize institutions to boost future sustainability efforts and initiatives, as well


as provide an open platform for information sharing both nationally and internationally. With more than 550 ratings since the program’s inception, the importance of the rating system as a valuable tool for both seasoned campus sustainability leaders and institutions just beginning their sustainability endeavors is clear. AASHE 2016 CONFERENCE & EXPO Expected to draw over 2,300 participants, AASHE’s annual conference is the largest stage in North America for sharing effective models, policies, research, collaborations, and transformative actions which advance sustainability in higher education and beyond. Higher education institutions have been modeling sustainability solutions on their campuses for many years. With a theme of “Beyond the Campus,” the AASHE 2016 Conference & Expo will focus on a crucial next step: The dissemination and implementation of these solutions in communities throughout the world. Meeting the sustainability challenge will require collaboration across sectors and with stakeholders outside of academia. This year’s conference takes place Oct. 9-12 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Attendees can expect thought-provoking keynote speakers, hundreds of sessions to engage all higher education sustainability interests, and an Expo Hall with innovative products and services sure to inspire. CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY MONTH Held each October, Campus Sustainability Month is an international celebration of sustainability in higher education. During this month, colleges and universities have STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT CORTLAND.

organized events on campus and elsewhere to engage and inspire incoming students and other campus stakeholders to become sustainability change agents. These events include teach-ins, sustainability pledgedrives, zero energy concerts, waste audits, green sporting events, letter writing campaigns, service projects, and more. Campus Sustainability Month raises the visibility of sustainability and provides advocates with a platform to deepen campus engagement and address pressing environmental and social challenges. GREEN GIGAWATT PARTNERSHIP The Green Gigawatt Partnership (GGP), launched by AASHE last October, works to catalyze at least one gigawatt of new green power in higher education by 2020 by recognizing colleges and universities sourcing large-scale renewable energy and by helping more campuses do the same by using long-term, large-scale, power purchase agreements. The GGP supports green

power in higher education by providing in-person training workshops, instructional webinars, educational materials, recognition in written, electronic, and in-person forums, networking opportunities with peers, project tracking, and no-cost assistance to assess large-scale renewables opportunities. These are only a few ways we inspire and catalyze higher education to lead the global sustainability transformation. We are proud of our nearly 1,000 members and look forward to welcoming all institutions and businesses who are motivated to make meaningful and lasting change towards campus sustainability. Visit AASHE.org to learn more about how you can help advance sustainability in higher education. c

Meghan Fay Zahniser AASHE Executive Director THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA.

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY THE MORRIS J. WOSK CENTRE FOR DIALOGUE WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2000 BY LT. GOVERNOR GARDE GARDOM. SINCE OPENING, THE WOSK CENTRE HAS HOSTED THOUSANDS OF LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GATHERINGS.

DESIGNING THE MODERN UNIVERSITY Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Candace Le Roy, Director of Sustainability at Simon Fraser University, about creating a university with sustainability at its very core. When Sustainable Business Magazine last caught up with Simon Fraser University (SFU) in 2014, they were trying to develop a culture of sustainability on campus through initiatives coordinated by the Sustainability Office. Since then, their ambitions have only gotten bigger. “We’re still very focused on developing and coordinating university-wide initiatives that embed sustainability into the 40 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

university’s core business and culture,” says Candace Le Roy, Director of Sustainability at Simon Fraser University. “Now we’re beginning to move towards transforming the whole system so it reflects the answer to the question ‘what is the role of the modern university?’” SFU takes seriously the task of being on the cutting edge of this type of thinking and one of the ways they are doing

this is by looking at what communities and their students want from a higher-education institution of the future. “What we are hearing is that universities can be anchor institutions in the transition to the new low carbon circular economy,” says Ms. Le Roy. “So we are looking at ways of conducting research, offering curriculum, and designing facilities that contribute to this transition.”


BORN OUT OF THE SFU UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES CLUB, PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP @ SFU PROGRAM, AND SUPPORTED BY SFU VENTURE CONNECTION®, THE UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TEAM BEHIND ARTEMIS TECHNOLOGIES HAVE CREATED A DRONE FOR THE AERIAL SURVEILLANCE OF CROPS, ENABLING MORE EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE FARMING.

SUSTAINABILITY IS INNOVATION So does this mean SFU has been successful in developing that on-campus culture of sustainability? “In the past, we were encouraging our colleagues and peers to engage in more sustainable behavior and this was seen mostly as an add-on to the work they were already doing,” says Ms. Le Roy. “A big change is we’re now seeing initiatives emerging from lots of different places. University staff are seeing the integration of sustainability principles as a way to introduce innovation into their work.” Sustainability initiatives at SFU now start from all angles. Procurement Services

approached the Sustainability Office to develop a lifecycle assessment tool for major purchases. They worked with an academic partner to develop the tool, and they will soon be offering it as a checklist for university community members making large purchases. Safety and Risk Services were faced with a significant move and renovation project, and sought out the Sustainability Office to make the project a model of sustainability principles. Everything in the new building, from the linoleum to the paint choices to the passive air return HVAC system, is designed with sustainability in mind. “They even brought in bottle refilling stations, to reflect

SFU VANCOUVER.

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

SFU’S VISION IS TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE COMMUNITIES AND WORK WITH THEM TO DEVELOP THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO MAKE CHANGE.

AERIAL VIEW OF SFU BURNABY.

the university commitment to reducing unnecessary disposables like bottled water,” says Ms. Le Roy. “The result is that whole teams of people are getting creative about new ways of doing business.” MAKING PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT MEANINGFUL Recently, SFU achieved a Gold 2.0 rating in the AASHE Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS). “That

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was a huge achievement for us, because it reflected not only how much we had achieved but also that our ability to collect and report out on achievements was improving,” says Ms. Le Roy. AASHE highlighted SFU in its Campus Sustainability Index for SFU’s research achievements in particular, with 70% of academic departments at SFU having researchers engaged in sustainability-related research. One such researcher who is contributing to this in the particular

area of measurement is Dr. Stephanie Bertels in the Beedie School of Business, who has developed the Embedding Project. This applied research project provides an assessment tool that analyzes the maturity level of an organization in terms of sustainability governance, and which can be used by companies to better embed sustainability into their core business. On top of this, SFU is pioneering transparency with their new Sustainability Reporting Initiative, an online portal which showcases the university’s fifty-year history of sustainability and makes up-to-date information accessible for everyone. “The idea is really to draw attention to all this data we are collecting and to make it useful so that our community members can use it to better understand where we are today and where we can direct our energy in the future,” says Ms. Le Roy. “It translates information and jargon presented in our Gold STARS rating, our Carbon Neutral Action Report, Annual Reports, and any other reports or baseline studies that we’re doing. We’re using it as a key resource tool in our engagement activities. When we set goals around, say, social sustainability, we can now click on a link and clearly visualize for people where we


are today. We’re not just showcasing data though, we are also showcasing the people and teams at SFU who are contributing significantly to our success. A big part of this is creating a shared understanding of what we have achieved, where we can improve, and the diversity of people working on this shared university-wide initiative.” ADVANCING THE REGIONAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY In 2014, SFU talked to Sustainable Business Magazine about their Zero Waste Initiative target of 70% of waste diverted from landfill by 2015. Did they hit this ambitious target? “The short answer is yes,” says Ms. Le Roy. “The longer answer is yes but. This year, we did achieve 70% diversion from landfill. It’s a huge achievement, and it’s been a massive project.” However, SFU isn’t content to rest on this impressive statistic. “Transparency in reporting is a key value for us,” says Ms. Le Roy. “This year we achieved 50% diversion from operational activities, doubling from 25% at the start of the project, but we also did a very large road renewal project for which all of the materials were reused. So

our construction waste diversion number tipped us over to 70% total diversion. We may not be able to achieve that number again next year, because the make-up of the waste may be different. It’s important that we clearly say: ‘We’re probably going to go up and down slightly over the years in terms of diversion, but that the real prize is the goal

of reducing overall waste – before it needs to be diverted’. SFU’s Zero Waste Initiative will continue to strive towards improvements in diversion rates, but the focus is shifting now to reducing waste at its source and contributing through our research, teaching, and operational practices to the regional efforts to build a circular economy.”

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WWW.GIDEONTAYLOR.COM SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ards, creating zero-waste events guidelines, and participating in the development of the lifecycle assessment tool. “It’s amazing the creative energy that’s coming out of that group,” says Ms. Le Roy. “That’s been a big success on our end. The Zero Waste Initiative has been a model for interdisciplinary and cross-department collaboration.”

The Zero Waste Initiative has won numerous awards and has also been a model for cross-departmental team development. “We’re proud of the incredible team which includes members from Facilities Services, Dining Services, Meeting and Events Services,

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Residence, Procurement, and student organizations,” says Ms. Le Roy. “And they’re not only achieving their initial goal, they are effectively working together to keep raising the bar each year.” The team are helping implement new vendor stand-

INNOVATING IN COMPUTING EFFICIENCY SFU will be the home of the new Compute Canada facility, a research center for IT computing services focusing particularly on efficiency. “At the moment, for every 100 kilowatts of power we use in a computer, we’re burning an additional 80 kilowatts of electricity to support that computer,” explains Ms. Le Roy. “The waste is huge. So we’re going to move all the administrative computing systems into the Compute Canada facility in our Water Tower Building, and it’s going to draw that down to using 20 kilowatts to power 100 kilowatts.” Furthermore, the facility will connect with researchers across Canada to develop systems for reducing and monitoring energy usage. “It’s a big potential impact


ing that we have so many amazing people here already. It’s all about asking: What can we offer that no-one else can, where should we direct our efforts for greatest impact and how can we use our shared goals to connect our research, academic, and operations units in a collaborative cross-university project?”

because what we’re trying to do is not just be sustainable on our own campus, but create initiatives and projects that transform whole industries and fields,” says Ms. Le Roy. “SFU’s vision is to directly engage communities and work with them to develop the tools they need to make change. This is a perfect example of that.” IMAGINING SFU IN 20 YEARS SFU’s first Sustainability Strategic Plan is wrapping up this year, and the university will renew it with a new plan. The plan will contain twenty-year goals, but it will also contain a shorter-term five-year plan which will be designed to be the first installment of contributions toward those longer term goals. “We found with our last plan that the bigger aspirations weren’t broken down enough into short and medium

term targets and people were getting burnt out trying to achieve too much all at once,” explains Ms. Le Roy. “We’re still going to have the bigger ideas, but we’re going to be more intentional about how we get there using laser-focused five-year targets. We’re also going to design efficient implementation processes which will include processes for accountability and resourcing, so we know that what we’re committing to will actually get done and is realistic.” The plan is being built on an extensive community consultation process. “We want to meaningfully and inclusively engage our community members in setting the direction,” says Ms. Le Roy. “It’s so they’re engaged in developing those goals and understanding what they can do to help us reach them. A big part of the process is recogniz-

LEADERS IN DEVELOPING SOLUTIONS SFU has plenty to be proud of. From achieving their 70% waste diversion goal, to exceeding their provincial greenhouse gas reduction goals ahead of schedule while increasing in space and people, to the development of a University Energy Utilization Policy to switch to 100% renewable energy, to responsible investments, to the recognition they received from AASHE for having the highest marks in Canada for sustainability research, to the new sustainability-oriented Bachelor’s and Master’s courses – the list goes on. For Ms. Le Roy, however, it all comes back to the students. “We’ve successfully fostered a culture that encourages and supports our students so they feel empowered to be leaders,” she says. “It’s not just about teaching them about sustainability and giving them opportunities to teach their peers, but about supporting them so they can be genuine architects of the future of SFU and external communities. It’s about really understanding that students are not just the future leaders – they’re the current leaders.” “In the end we can build a lot of green buildings and green infrastructure but where we can make the greatest impact is in our people,” says Ms. Le Roy. “Supporting students, faculty, and staff so they can drive local and global change is the core of the work we do in the Sustainability Office.” c

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NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION OF JAMAICA

JAMAICAN

WATER Vernon Barrett, Vice President of the National Water Commission of Jamaica, speaks to Sustainable Business Magazine about their battle with water losses and how they plan to improve efficiency over the coming years. The National Water Commission (NWC) is Jamaica’s primary authority for the country’s water and sewerage infrastructure. Established in 1980 under the National Water Commission Act, it is a government agency responsible today for the supply of potable water to 73% of the population. Daily that

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means 190 million gallons of water used by approximately two million people. Half a million of these persons also receive centralized sewerage services from the NWC. As a government agency, the body plays an integral part in the Vision 2030 development plan that the country has laid out for itself.


THE MARTHA BRAE TREATMENT PLANT IN TRELAWNY, JAMAICA – RECENTLY REFURBISHED AND EXPANDED, THE PLANT NOW PRODUCES 11 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY TO SOME 200,000 PEOPLE IN TRELAWNY, ST. JAMES AND ST. ANN.

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NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION OF JAMAICA HARBOUR VIEW SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT – ONE OF 67 SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANTS OWNED BY NWC, WAS REHABILITATED TOWARDS THE END OF 2015. THIS PLANT TREATS 0.8 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY AND SERVES APPROXIMATELY 16,000 CUSTOMERS IN THE LOCALE.

THE PLAN Vision 2030 is a multifaceted plan that aims to create development across a broad spectrum of areas throughout Jamaican society from security to education to land use to support for entrepreneurs. One of the key policies is to ‘create prosperity through the sustainable use and management of our natural resources’; an area in which potable and waste water management plays a very important role. In order to act on this mission statement, the NWC is working towards two core aims, the first of which is to improve the level of service that existing customers receive. “At present NWC supplies just over 70% of the population with piped potable water,” explains Vernon Barrett, Vice President of NWC. “However, within that, persons have varying levels of service some people are able to access water 24 hours, seven days a week, throughout the year; while others, have less than 24 hours a day access; there are others still that have their supply rotated during the week, and so may receive water a few days a week, as water is shunted from one area to another in order to share the supply.

“Even within major urban areas there are periods of the year, like the wet season, where we are able to meet water availability requirements, but during the dry periods we have to introduce water restrictions that reduce the level of service. The NWC wants to be able to have a robust water supply system that is able to meet the needs of the population the whole year round.” There is a drive to increase the number of people that receive piped water supply from NWC. Between now and 2030, the goal is to increase the water supply coverage from 73% of the population with piped water to 85%,. This will be achieved through increasing, and making more efficient, centralized water supply infrastructure. The remaining 15% is made up of isolated households and closed communities that the government plans to reach through different supply modalities that may include localised supply systems such as water catchment tanks. It is also critical for NWC to establish municipal sewerage systems throughout all urban areas of the island.

GREAT RIVER TREATMENT PLANT TREATS 15 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY AND SERVES THE COASTAL AREAS OF HANOVER AND ST JAMES, INCLUDING THE TOURIST CITY OF MONTEGO BAY.

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AERIAL VIEW OF THE NWC’S MONA RESERVOIR. THE RESERVOIR HAS A CAPACITY OF 809 MILLION GALLONS AND IS THE PRIMARY RAW WATER STORAGE FACILITY FOR THE KINGSTON AND ST. ANDREW AREA (KSA).

A variety of approaches are being taken to meet the expectations of Vision 2030. New infrastructure is being laid, while old infrastructure is undergoing rehabilitation to bring it up to current standards. There is also a large initiative to remedy the problem of non-revenue water. PLUGGING THE LEAK Non-revenue water is exactly what its name suggests: Water which does not generate revenue for the NWC. The issue can be the result of many different causes. “If at my treatment plant I produce 100 gallons of water and put it into the supply system, then from that 100 gallons I am billing my customers for only 30 gallons, then the 70 gallons that I do not get revenue for is called non-revenue water,” explains Mr. Barrett. “That is due to a combination of factors such as leakage in the supply system, theft, or even situations where customers are not properly metered and are being charged a flat rate instead. To resolve this, in Kingston and St. Andrew, a major urban area of the country where about 25% of the population resides, NWC has a major


THE GOAL IS INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION FROM 73% TO 85%, EFFECTIVELY REACHING EVERY COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTRY.

project to reduce the level of non-revenue water.” It is now being implemented and will last for another 5 years; it is expected that on completion, systems and practices will be in place to sustain NRW at an acceptable level. At present approximately 75% of the NWC’s customers have water meters installed on their supplies, which enable more accurate data management and billing. The aim is to increase that number to at least 85%.

Flats in St. Andrew and Boscobelin St. Mary at a cost of US$4.2 million. The funding comes from a collaborative fund called the Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management (CReW) which includes multinational NGOs such as the Global Environmental Facility, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the United Nations Environment Programme. For Elletson Flats

and Boscobel, CReW will provide funding and VINCI Construction Grands Projects is the main contractor carrying out the works. The idea of the CReW is to examine financing mechanisms for funding wastewater projects. In Jamaica’s case, seed funds were provided to allow NWC to go to the commercial finance markets and get financing to do rehab work for some of its wastewater

REBUILDING OLD STRUCTURES NWC is rehabilitating a number of its wastewater treatment facilities to improve the quality of the effluent that they discharge into the environment. An example of the rehabilitation approach taken by NWC can be seen in the Elletson Flats and Boscobel wastewater treatment facilities, where old infrastructure had led to slipping environmental standards. Here the decision was taken to demolish the old facilities and replace them with entirely new waste treatment plants that would be fit for purpose. This project was announced in October 2015 and will build two new facilities at Elletson SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Deryck A. Gibson Ltd Sources Smart Innovative Technology;​Introduces Diehl Metering’s smart HYDRUS Meters to Jamaica.

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Further, faster, more accurate: HYDRUS for smarter metering

HYDRUS – the smart ultrasonic water meter. Diehl Metering’s HYDRUS ultrasonic meter provides accurate measurement of water consumption – and fully automatic meter reading. Its integrated radio module and simple plug & play installation make HYDRUS the perfect choice for metering systems in the Caribbean. Thanks to ultrasonic technology, it measures accurately over a long period of time – even with climate fluctuations or sand and air in the pipes. For efficient use of water and long-term economic operation.

More information at: www.diehl.com/metering

Distribution Partner in Jamaica Deryck A. Gibson Ltd. 6 Belmont Road, Kingston 5 Tel. +1-876-926-2250 www.deryckgibson.com SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION OF JAMAICA NWC PRESIDENT MARK BARNETT EXCHANGING VIEWS WITH MR. MICHAEL DUNN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR CUSTOMER DELIVERY AT THE LAUNCH OF THE COMMISSION’S SUITE OF REVENUE ENHANCEMENT INITIATIVES IN 2015.

treatment facilities. Along with a special fund called the “K-Factor”, a financing arrangement was established. The idea then is that if the financing mechanism works, the model could be used not only in Jamaica but on other Caribbean islands as well, to address some of their sanitation issues.” Elsewhere in the country, the NWC will be looking to work with private sector part-

ners to improve the delivery of sewerage services through private-public partnership (PPP) arrangements. “Financing and how you finance projects is in fact a major factor,” says Mr. Barrett. “NWC is contemplating using private-public partnership for the improvement and expansion of its water supply infrastructure.

Over 30 years of professional services in Environment, Buildings, Transportation and Land Development. Excellence in Engineering... Our Passion

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LOCAL DEVELOPMENT, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Strong water infrastructure plays an important role in any type of development, which is why it is such a key part of the Jamaican Government’s Vision 2030. Yet even before this plan, the NWC had been looking at ways of better serving their customers and the community. One

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NWC WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST HEAVILY IN THE HEALTH OF THE NATION. KINGSTON’S CONSTANT SPRING WATER TREATMENT PLANT, THE LARGEST WATER TREATMENT PLANT IN JAMAICA, WAS REFURBISHED IN 2011 AND CAN TREAT IN EXCESS OF 20 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY.

of their proudest achievements from the past few years has been their success in bridging the distance between themselves and their customers. “One thing that one of our former presidents had said is that NWC as a water utility must make it convenient for its customers,” says Mr. Barrett. “What they want is to have water in their homes consistently and at reasonable pressures. When they have issues they want to be able to link with NWC from their own homes and get responses from us immediately. They do not want to walk or drive to our offices – they want to access NWC from the comfort of their homes. We have set up systems to allow them to do this - whether it is through a telephone call to our call centre

to make enquiries or lodge complaints, or to make payment via the internet; we have gone a long way to bring our customers closer to us.” “Running in parallel with improving the service to our customers is the focus on serving Jamaica’s thriving tourism industry. Hotels and resorts depend on being able to offer their guests high quality amenities, and in turn those guests bring significant income to the national economy. NWC has installed substantial water infrastructure on the northern section of the island in order to facilitate the expansion of tourism in that section of the country and, in this way, has played and will continue to play a significant role in improving national development.”

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS Continuing down the road laid out by Vision 2030 means the NWC will continue to invest heavily in the health of the nation through the development and expansion of robust, efficient, state-of-the-art water and wastewater systems. “What we want to build towards is an increase in the level of service that we provide our customers and at the same time to help them save money and waste less water,” explains Mr. Barrett. “The NWC will therefore be very active in building partnerships with critical stakeholders – including potential financiers and private sector partners - to enable us to achieve our objectives in the shortest time possible and in the most efficient way possible.” c

N.O. Whyte and Associates Ltd (NOWAL) N.O. Whyte & Associates Limited (NOWAL), is an independent Consulting Engineering Company founded in 1982 with expertise in the fields of Environment, Buildings, Transportation and Land Development. NOWAL’s team members share the company’s vision to find effective and efficient solutions for clients. We offer engineering services under the conventional and alternate procurement methods to include Design-Build and PPP. NOWAL was the engineer on the NWC’s Port Antonio Water Sewage & Drainage Project that received the Jamaica Institution of Engineers Project of the Year Award 2015.

NWC PRESIDENT MR. MARK BARNETT (CENTRE) ALONG WITH BRIAN BOOTHE (LEFT) OF THE NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANK (NCB) AND HAROLD ARZU OF THE INTERAMERICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (IDB) SIGNS US$12 MILLION CONTRACT TO FACILITATE THE REHABILITATION OF SEVERAL SEWERAGE PROJECTS ACROSS THE ISLAND.

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RGM LIMITED

TODAY, RGM IS LANDLORD TO A HALF A MILLION SQUARE FOOT PORTFOLIO OF A-CLASS OFFICE SPACE.

CLEAN LIVING Gerard D’Arcy, CEO of real estate developers RGM Limited (RGM), speaks to Sustainable Business Magazine about the company’s pioneering new office space. For 20 years RGM has pioneered the development of world class office space in Trinidad and Tobago. During the mid1990s, RGM’s shareholders saw a growing necessity for real estate that could meet 54 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

the demands and expectations of multinational corporations which were moving into the country. Together the company’s three shareholders, RBC Merchant Bank (Caribbean) Limited, Guardian Holdings Limited,

and Sagicor Life Inc., began acquiring land for development. Today, RGM is landlord to a half a million square foot portfolio of A-Class office space with their sights set on more development in the near future.


SAVANNAH EAST A seventh development is close to being finished. The Savannah East project contains office spaces inside of a green and environmentally sustainable building, representing a new era not only for RGM, but for Trinidad and Tobago as well. The property contains a host of green technologies such as solar panels, variable refrigerant flow (VRF) air conditioning systems, LED lighting, occu-

pancy sensors, rainwater collection, green walls, and a green rooftop deck. Gerard D’Arcy, CEO of RGM, speaks about how this exciting concept came to fruition: “Over the years Trinidad has had the blessing of cheap energy for consumers due to government subsidization. That has led to one of the least green economies in the Caribbean, not because we don’t care, but because in countries where electricity

GERARD D’ARCY, CEO, RGM LIMITED.

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RGM LIMITED

can cost eight times as much, conservation is a matter of survival. Despite some government incentives to encourage energy conservation, efforts in Trinidad have fallen short. We, with the proper government support, could be doing so much more.”

“We convinced our shareholders that RGM should build Savannah East, Trinidad’s first truly green building, for a couple of reasons. First, it is the right thing to do and it is the way of the future. That is cliché, but it’s also correct. Second, if our target

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RGM IS ONE OF THE LARGEST PRIVATELY HELD DEVELOPERS IN THE REGION AND HAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ITS STRENGTHS AND A VISION OF WHERE IT WISHES TO GO IN THE FUTURE.

tenants are responsible, corporate, global operators, those companies want to be in responsible addresses – even if they have to pay a little extra. Sustainable construction should become the new norm. It was on those two columns that Savannah East was conceived and developed. It will be doing a lot of things for the first time in Trinidad, either at all or on the scale that we are doing it.” LUXURY IN GREEN With Savannah East, RGM has developed the property according to LEED Silver guidelines – the first to do so in the country.

The certification puts high standards on the construction and operation of a building, standards that RGM recognize as being some of the best and most highly recognized in the world. A huge range of systems and technologies are being used to meet these standards. Kashka Andrews, Manager of Project Development at RGM , goes into much greater depth about what Savannah East will offer its occupiers: “We have a building management system (BMS) that controls lights throughout the property. At any time of day, we can adjust lighting levels or switch them off completely, helping conserve energy. The

low power usage LED lights also mean that our solar array alone collects enough energy to power every single light.” “We try to limit potable water usage by using the condensate from our AC units: All the VRF systems are installed on the roof while the condensate is collected in the basement. All of the building’s plants are irrigated by condensate water. Also, in the basement is a rainwater collector used to assist in the flushing of toilets and urinals throughout Savannah East. A couple of other things include raised flooring, to create air pockets between floors to help improve insulation, and the air conditioning (AC) SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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RGM LIMITED

which is a fully addressable localized system. Our cooling requirements will chase the sun. We can cool one half of a floor when the sun is coming up on that side, for example, or warm one quarter of a floor when the sun is going down on that side. Just in terms of water usage, our installed systems will save us just under a quarter million gallons of water a year that we don’t have to take from the national supply.” BEING WELL In addition to this impressive host of green and sustainable technologies, RGM makes it clear that Savannah East intends to not only be a feat of engineering, but a center

of holistic well-being - a healthy workplace with clean, clear environments. Nowhere is this better represented than in Savannah East’s two living walls. The first of these is inside the building and helps maintain air quality by acting as a bio-filter for the building’s AC system; purifying air and exchanging CO2 for oxygen. The second living wall, which is found on the outside of the building at its northwest corner, has less practical application, but can be seen as a beacon of Savannah East’s environmental ethos. Like many other elements of the building, the living walls will be the first of their kind in Trinidad and Tobago.

Local art will decorate the entire interior and some of the exterior of the building. Dedicated to supporting local culture and arts, RGM has sought out artwork from both established and emerging artists to decorate the building in a way which celebrates local communities. In the main lobby, there is a two-storey high mural done by one of the country’s most revered artists, Carlisie Harris. FOREVER CUTTING EDGE When asked about RGM’s proudest achievements, Mr. D’Arcy highlights the boldness of the company and its shareholders. From the move into world class

Monteco Creations Ltd is committed to keeping up to date with new and innovative developments in the industry to ensure that we do our part in creating and maintaining beautiful and sustainable sporting and recreational spaces for all to enjoy.

Our corporate vision is to focus on the development of our company as a strong and reliable force in the industry with the capacity to provide a wide range of integrated, professional and environmentally friendly services in our area of expertise. Our team is capable of undertaking both small and large projects in a professional and timely manner for a wide range of clients, both in the private and public sector.

Monteco Creations is fully committed to the concept of maximization of national resources and local expertise in all areas of project development and execution. In the furtherance of this commitment, we encourage the formation of alliances and interactive networking with local companies. In cases where we employ the use of new technology, we then form alliances with the relevant companies, local or otherwise to ensure that there is requisite understanding and training in the use of new methods and new technology.

Monteco Creations Ltd. #17 Hadaway Lands, Churchill Roosevelt Highway Arima, Trinidad, W.I. • Tel/Fax 868-643-0541 • E-mail: email@montecoltd.com

www.montecoltd.com

58 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE


office spaces which started RGM in the first place, to the investment required to build LEED certified Eco-friendly office space, the decision to remain at the cutting edge of development in Trinidad and Tobago has always paid off for the company. Looking forward, the company is already excited about their next few projects. “We have plans for three new projects in the Port of Spain area, on land we already own with one exception,” says Mr. D’Arcy. “One of those is actually a parking lot. Multi-storey parking lots have traditionally not been developed by the

private sector, but we think there is an opportunity here. All three smaller projects are going to be green and will be submitted for LEED certification. After that, in the medium to long term, our ambition is to do a truly modern, amenity-laden, holistic 21st century office campus outside Port of Spain that would be modelled after facilities in Silicon Valley or North Carolina’s Research Triangle. We are now looking for the right piece of land in the right spot to do that.” RGM is one of the largest privately held developers in the region and has a clear

understanding of its strengths and a vision of where it wishes to go in the future. Already, a decision has been made that there is no returning to the old ways of building - green buildings are the only focus for the future, and LEED will become a regular part of RGM’s portfolio. “We are hoping that ten or twenty years from now, we are going to talk about this project,” concludes Mr. D’Arcy. “This was the moment that RGM did its small part to help create momentum for Trinidad and Tobago to develop as a country in a more sustainable direction.” c

Monteco Creations Ltd. Monteco Creations Ltd was formed in 2008 to meet the demands of today’s market for a comprehensive, multi- disciplined, indigenous company with a philosophy that is driven by passion and sustainability. Our core business includes design and construction of landscapes, sport fields and recreational facilities. With the experience gained overtime, Monteco Creations Ltd has evolved into one of the preferred service providers in the industry in Trinidad and Tobago. Our vision is to take our services beyond our shores regionally, to our Caribbean neighbours and even further afield, into North America where through the new 20/20 format of the game, interest in cricket and cricket pitches is increasing.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GLOBAL EVENTS

JUNE

2016 SUSTAINABLE

B U S I N E S S

SUSTAINICA 2016 Düsseldorf, Germany

Sustainica 2016 envisions the future we all dream of. Breakthrough innovations and future trends in mobility, fashion, food, technology, art, and much more – brought to you by artists, designers, innovators, and high-quality brands.

6th - 9th

WASTE EXPO 2016 Las Vegas, NV, USA http://www.wasteexpo.com

Learn from the resident experts in waste, recycling, and organics. Make connections that will last a lifetime. Network like crazy. Do business. Increase department efficiencies.

21st - 23rd

Environmental Leader Conference Denver, CO, USA

http://www.environmentalleader. com/events/conference2016/

The Environmental Leader Conference is all about current and emerging real-world challenges and the practical tools and solutions to help you meet them. What you’ll take away are ready-to-­go solutions that are tangible, replicable, measurable, and transferable across multiple industry sectors.

22nd - 24th

Central Europe towards Sustainable Building 2016, Prague (CESB16) Prague, Czech Republic http://www.cesb.cz

CESB16 will be the fourth conference in a row held in Prague on the topic of sustainable building. Local organizers are Czech Sustainable Building Society (iiSBE Czech) and three institutes of the Czech Technical University in Prague.

24th - 26th

Bioneers: European Conference San Sebastian, Spain http://www.bioneers.org

Bioneers is returning to Europe in 2016 for an exciting international conference co-produced and hosted by the Basque Government.

2nd - 5th

http://www.sustainica.org/en/

M A G A Z I N E

PROMOTE YOUR EVENT HERE If your organization has a trade show or event, please let us know and we will promote your event on our global events pages.

For more information please contact us at: info@sustainablebusinessmagazine.net

7th - 10th

The European Conference on Sustainability, Energy & the Environment 2016 Brighton, UK http://iafor.org/conferences/ecsee2016/

12th - 14th

EES NORTH AMERICA San Francisco, CA, USA

Covering the entire value chain of innovative battery and energy storage technologies, EES North America is the ideal platform for all stakeholders in the rapidly growing energy storage market.

Power-Gen Africa 2016 Johannesburg, South Africa

Bringing together world leading brands, specifiers, and key decision makers from Sub-Saharan Africa and around the globe for world class conference sessions, informative technical tours, targeted B2B matchmaking, and a comprehensive exhibition floor showcasing the latest technological developments.

http://www.ees-northamerica.com

19th - 21st

http://www.powergenafrica.com/index.html

24th - 27th

CARILEC: Engineering Conference West Indies

http://www.carilec.org/events/

60 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

This international and interdisciplinary conference will again bring together a range of academics and practitioners to discuss new directions of research and discovery in sustainability, energy & the environment. ECSEE2016 will afford the opportunity for renewing old acquaintances, making new contacts, and networking across higher education.

Exhibiting at the 2016 CARILEC Engineering Conference will expand your market reach, keeping you ahead of the competition. Make the right connections for your business success. Showcase your products and get the most out of your marketing dollar.

JULY

2016


TORONTO, ON (SEPT 19-20)

CERTIFIED SUSTAINABILITY PRACTITIONER PROGRAM, ADVANCED EDITION 2016 Don’t miss out on the opportunity to become the next certified CSR Practitioner!

This challenging 2-day training offered by Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) aims to give you all the latest tools and resources required to implement or upscale existing sustainability initiatives taking place in your organization. Training will provide explanations of: • Sustainability Reporting: Key concepts used in the GRI G4 guidelines • Ways to benefit from all the new trends and legislation on sustainability • Tips for creating beneficial stakeholder and community engagement • Several misconceptions and risks about Corporate Social Responsibility • Ways to use the CDP system to mitigate environmental risk in supply chains For more information visit http://www.cse-net.org/article/127/upcoming-trainings or contact us at sustainability@cse-net.org SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ADVERTISERS INDEX A Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education Inside Back B Barry Bryan Associates Black & McDonald Limited

P17 P19

C Centre for Sustainability and Excellence P61 Chartwells P44 D Deryck A. Gibson Ltd. G Gideon Taylor Consulting

62 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

J Jubb Utility Supply Limited

P20

L LaPrairie Inc.

P17

M M.C.T.T. Oilfield Ltd. METSCO Energy Solutions Inc. Monteco Creations Ltd.

P32 P20 P58

N N.O. Whyte & Associates Ltd.

P52

P50

O Omni Provincial Electronics (Ont) Inc. P20

P43

P Powerline Plus Ltd.

P17

S Servus Limited Sour & Odour Services Ltd. Southwire Company, LLC Stella-Jones Inc. Superior Crane Inc.

P56 P32 P20 P17 P20

V Valard P15 W The Water Expo 2016 Back Cover Westlund P32 Y Yale Sustainability Leadership Forum

Inside Front


3. Connect. Meet and mingle with the people who “speak your language” and face the same challenges day-to-day that you do. You will come away with the experiences of real lessons learned, dozens of ideas and innovative solutions that you can use immediately.

2016 AASHE 2016 AASHE 2016 AASHE 2016 AASHE Conference Expo Conference &&Expo

Conference & Expo 4. Discover. AASHE’s Exhibit Hall 90+ Conference &houses Expo Beyond theCampus Campus Beyond the Beyond the Campus Beyond Campus October9the 9––12, 12, 2016 October 2016

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October 9 – 12, 2016 October 9 –inReasons 12, 2016institutions Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore, Maryland 5. Celebrate us recognizing that are Top. Join Five to Attend: Baltimore, Maryland

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addressing major challenges to advance sustainability on Baltimore, Maryland 1. Learn. Top rated educational sessions at the AASHE their campuses and surrounding communities. Conference & Expo are the foremost professional

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