Sustainable Business Magazine

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SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 01/14

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

AASHE SUSTAINABLE CAMPUSES

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MR JIM SHUBAT SanEcoTec

ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE FSC • PEFC • CRFA • CaGBC

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

SUSTAINABLE

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

SUSTAINING TOMORROW. TODAY www.sustainablebusinessmagazine.net

SUSTAINABLE

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

SBM Media Ltd Norwich Enterprise Centre, 4B Guildhall Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1JH, United Kingdom • T: +44 (0)1603 516518 Email: info@sustainablebusinessmagazine.net www.sustainablebusinessmagazine.net Editor: Assistant Editors: Profile Writers: Web Administrator:

Liam Kelleher Linda Joslin Thomas Massey Ze’ev Ben-Shmuel Kerry Brady Steve Phipps

CONTENTS ISSUE 01/14

Welcome To The Launch Issue Welcome to the premiere issue of Sustainable Business Magazine, the brand new magazine dedicated to exploring the remarkable sustainability efforts and developments occurring across Canada and the rest of the world that ensure a brighter future for all of us.

With innovation and technology moving at such a rapid rate it falls to industry leaders and pioneers within the field of sustainability to help to usher in new ways of thinking, living, and leading by example. The fresh new ideas and efforts made by the people that work within the sustainability arena will shape the path that we walk as efforts to conserve natural resources and find alternate energy sources becomes increasingly pressing. It is our proud honor to highlight these individuals and organizations within these pages and convey the exciting work and developments in this field to our readers.

In this month’s publication we are featuring a range of articles on organizations such as the GLOBE Foundation, the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA), and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC Canada).

We are also including the first installment of our ‘Greening your Campus’ series, for which we’ve interviewed a number of people in charge of sustainability efforts at universities in North America, discussing their work, engaging with organizations such as BOMA, the Green Building Council, and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), as well as the challenges and highlights of operating and maintaining a sustainable university campus.

Sustainable Business Magazine is the most comprehensive periodical on the subject of commercial sustainability that nobody with an interest in the industry can afford to miss month to month. This magazine combines seasoned industry and business expertise with a fresh journalistic voice that will provide an important and illuminating read for both industry professionals as well as casual readers who find themselves drawn to the fascinating world of sustainability and all it entails.

If you’re reading this first issue then I thank you for coming on this journey with us and hope that you find wisdom, enlightenment, and inspiration within these pages.

LIAM KELLEHER, EDITOR Sustainable Business Magazine editor@sustainablebusinessmagazine.net

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Sustainable News

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Environmental Report

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Economic Report

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Social Report

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Global Events

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Q&A Jim Shubat SanEcoTec

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Globe 2014

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Forest Stewardship Council (FSC Canada)

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The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)

28

The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA)

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Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA)

38

Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA)

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The Building Owners and Managers Association of British Columbia (BOMA BC)

48

Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC)

52

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

60

University of Guelph

68

University of Alberta

76

MacEwan University

82

University of Ottawa

88

Simon Fraser University

96

Advertisers Index

© SBM Media Ltd 2014. 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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SUSTAINABILITYNEWS DEMAND FOR LOCAL FOOD FOR PATIENTS AND STUDENTS

Is it local? Is it fresh? These are the questions being asked by students at schools, campuses and healthcare facilities across Canada.

The latest survey produced by Farm to Cafeteria shows that a significant number of public agencies in Canada are working on multiple fronts to put more local foods on patient and student plates.

“They have a much higher expectation of their dining experience. They want fresh, healthy, local, and seasonal food – food that keeps them alert, active, and focused” says Steve Golob, Chef at the University of British Columbia’s Vanier Place Dining Hall and member of Farm to Cafeteria Canada’s Advisory Committee.

This is the first pan-Canadian survey of its kind. With 239 food and nutrition specialists working within schools, campuses, and healthcare facilities taking part.

The survey reveals that there is variation in the type of activity undertaken by public agencies. The schools and campuses represented in the survey are more likely to provide local food than their healthcare counterparts (76% and 92%, respectively, versus 66% for healthcare facilities). They are also more likely to provide educational activities regarding local food (90% and 86%, respectively, versus 38% for healthcare facilities). Campuses and healthcare facilities are more likely to have local procurement policies or contracts with local providers (33% and 29%, respectively, versus 14% for schools). Visit www.mysustainablecanada.org

STAPLES CANADA DOUBLE BATTERY RECYCLING TARGET Staples Canada almost doubled its target last year after working with Call2recycle to collect and recycle batteries. The goal was to hit 60,000kg for 2013, but they achieved 93,274kg compared to the 49,528 kg in 2012.

Pete Gibel, Vice President of merchandising at Staples Canada and Chair of the Staples Canada Environmental Committee, said “I’m thrilled to see that we continue to make tremendous progress with the help of our customers and that many of our programs exceeded our expectations over the past year.”

Staples also want used ink cartridges and toners, encouraging customers to return them back to any Staples store in Canada. 5,073,392 of these have been gathered since Earth day 2012.

Schools can take part by signing up to receive an ink cartridge recycling bin, which will be collected free of charge. Pete Gibel said ”we are committed to making a positive difference on the environment, and we set collection and diversion goals.” Visit www.staples.ca

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New targets set for a sustainable future Two new targets have been set by the Government of Canada in aid of making the country more environmentally sustainable. Canadians and stakeholders got to share their views in a 120 day public consultation, shaping the 2013-2016 Strategy.

Leona Aglukkaq, Canada’s Environment Minister, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, and Minister for the Arctic Council, said “our government is taking action on environmental issues that matter most to Canadians, Canada’s second Federal Sustainable Development Strategy builds on the significant progress already achieved and continues to provide Canadians with the information they need to monitor the Government’s record and results.”

The strategy from 2013-2016 will involve the following: • Facilitate reduced vulnerability of individuals, communities, regions, and economic sectors to the impacts of climate change through the development and provision of information and tools; • Provide a stable or improved level of biodiversity and habitat capacity on agricultural working landscape by 2020.

From this, the Government Services and Public Works will be working alongside other federal departments to try to achieve more sustainable building and business. Visit ec.gc.ca

FOUR IN A ROW FOR SODEXO For the Fourth consecutive year running, Sodexo Canada was celebrated on Earth day as one Canada’s Greenest Employers. The company commits to reducing its carbon footprint, water consumption, waste diversion, and composting. They also encourage their customers and suppliers to do the same.

Dean Johnson, President of Sodexo Canada, says “through the sharing of best practices and economical solutions along with the tools to implement, our clients are seeing tangible results.”

Companies were judged on their ability to successfully foster a culture of environmental awareness. Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow Plan received the recognition from Mediacorp for their sustainability plan. Mr Johnson said, “we are proud of this recognition and continue our commitment to our sustainability strategy. This year, in addition to our prior initiatives, we have focused on reducing waste at our client sites.” Visit ca.sodexo.com

Earth Hour 2014 WWF Earth Hour 2014 celebrated its most successful year yet after eight years of running. WWF, headquartered in Singapore, had more than 162 countries and over 7000 towns and cities involved in creating the ‘lights off moment’.

Starting in New Zealand, Earth Hour travelled to every continent, plunging them into darkness. Andy Ridley, CEO and Co-

Sunnybrook Health Sciences celebrate everything green A widely recognised healthcare industry held its fifth Earth Matters Showcase to celebrate all things ‘green’ in April.

The Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre focuses on creating awareness about environmental issues, getting employees involved in greening initiatives, and encouraging sustainable behaviours at work, home, and in the community.

The company is known as an environmental leader and has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers every year since 2009. Dr. Barry McLellan, president and CEO of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre said “we are always striving to become a greener and more sustainable healthcare facility. The Showcase is an incredible opportunity to highlight the great work we are doing, while passing on invaluable information from green companies to our staff, and the community.” Visit www.sunnybrook.ca

Founder of Earth Hour, said “it’s always extraordinary to see cities and landmarks involved in the ‘lights off’ event, but the most exciting thing about Earth Hour this year is seeing the amount of projects and campaigns that are taking action beyond the hour.”

‘Fight for the Reef’, a campaign to help the Great Barrier Reef battle against climate change, is just one of the campaigns that runs alongside the Earth Hour Event. WWF are ensuring that the use of natural resources is sustainable and are reducing pollution as well as waste consumption. Visit www.earthhour.org

Hydro Ottawa awarded 40 year contract to reduce CO2 The building of facilities to help reduce greenhouse gases by almost 300,000 metric tons of CO2 per year will soon be underway after a 40 year contract was awarded to Hydro Ottawa in March of this year.

The plan to expand Chaudière Falls will provide clean electricity to Ontario for the future. Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro Ottawa, said “investing in clean, sustainable, and innovative growth opportunities with our customers top-of-mind is paramount for Hydro Ottawa.

This exciting expansion project will provide reliable, clean electricity for the province for years to come while contributing to sustainable energy production and job growth in Ottawa.”

The development will create around 150 high quality jobs in the construction industry for when the plan starts in 2015.

The Power Purchase Agreement, administered by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), will result in the construction of a new 29-megawatt (MW) facility – enough clean energy to power 20,000 homes. Visit www.hydroottawa.com

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ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT

ENVIRONMENTALREPORT

Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) The CESI program is the result of monitoring multiple national environmental indicators in Canada to help track the progress of their performance in three keys areas; water quality, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions.

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SBM takes a look at the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program, responsible for tracking the progress of the Canadian Federal Sustainability Development Strategy and reporting to Canadians on the state of the environment and key sustainability issues. By Liam Kelleher The CESI program is built on rigorous methodology and is routinely updated as newly sourced data becomes available concerning climate change, air quality, water quality, and nature protection. The indicators are prepared primarily by the governmental Environmental Canada department, supported by Health Canada, Statistics Canada, and Natural Resources Canada, in order to provide comprehensive information on environmental trends whilst maintaining complete transparency and relevancy to the Government’s policies.

WHAT, HOW AND WHY? Environmental Canada provides an annual report that provides a summary of the key findings from the CESI program. Concerning itself with the aforementioned three key areas, the report provides answers to questions such as ‘What is the issue? What is happening? What does it mean? And why is it happening?

The CESI program is the result of monitoring multiple national environmental indicators in Canada to help track the progress of their performance in three keys areas; water quality, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. The beginnings of the project can be tracked back to the commission of three 5-year environmental reports that were prepared by Environment Canada between 1985 and 1996. Alongside this the National Environmental Indicators Series was launched in 1990 and ran through until 2003 when a new proposal from the National Round Table on Environment and the Economy consolidated these efforts into the CESI initiative.

INDICATING CHANGE Modeled on the widely used framework spearheaded by the European Environment Agency known as the “drivers, pressures, state, impact, and response” or DPSIR framework, drivers and pressures are indicators of human caused pressures on the environment and resulting pollution and land use changes. State and impact indicators are measurements of the resulting conditions in the environment as well as the implications they have for ecosystems and humans.

Lastly, the response indicator measures the human and social response to the environmental issue. The criteria most widely used to

measure and assess these indicators tend to fall within one of three categories; scientific credibility, social/policy relevance, or practical monitoring/data requirements.

EASE OF ACCESS The CESI website ensures that the collated data on environmental trends are simply displayed to viewers through the use of graphics, interactive maps, explanatory copy, and downloadable data that covers local, regional, national, and even international environmental trends. Indicators are also displayed with links to their key social and economic drivers as well as information that provides context such as how the respective issues are affected by governments, businesses, and consumers. Another key feature of each indicator is an accompanying technical explanation of its calculation, this is provided in order to ensure complete transparency.

As the key instrument involved in measuring the progress of the Federal Sustainability Development Strategy, the initiative has grown to also include indicators on protecting nature as it responds to Environment Canada’s ever evolving commitment to the Canadian Environmental Act. The CESI initiative can be viewed as a natural outgrowth of the Canadian Environmental Act which came into effect in 2000 with a mandate of “respecting pollution prevention and the protection of the environmental and human health in order to contribute to sustainable development.” c More information on the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators initiative can be found at: www.ec.gc.ca/indicateurs-indicators/ SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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ECONOMIC REPORT

ECONOMICREPORT

Canada’s Agriculture Industry:

Growing more than food The most exciting aspects of the Canadian agricultural industry is its continued dedication to innovation. Some of the most recent developments within the industry continue to defy expectations and find additional sources of revenue.

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Canada’s agri-food and agriculture industry grows more than just food to feed its people, it grows a stronger, more sustainable economy. SBM takes an in depth look at how. By Liam Kelleher.

As the 5th largest agricultural exporter in the world, Canada’s agricultural and agri-food industry contributes $100 Billion a year to Canada’s gross domestic product. That’s more than the total GDP of two thirds of the world’s countries. Canada can lay claim to being the world’s largest producer of canola, pulses, durum wheat, and flax seed, as well as being the producer of 85% of the world’s maple syrup.

AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD CANADA (AAFC) The government department charged with leading and developing a competitive, innovative, and sustainable Canadian agri-food and agriculture industry is the AAFC (Agricultural and Agri-Food Canada). Their goal to create programs that can help farmers to maximize long term profitability and competitiveness in markets within

Canada and abroad helps to ensure continued high contribution to the country’s GDP. The AAFC also work with other departments and agencies, as well as provincial and territorial governments, to deliver programs, services, and policies which help both Canadian producers and processors adapt to shifts in consumer demand, global competition, and challenges that are caused by disease, severe weather, or trade actions so that the industry, and businesses within it, remain healthy and sustainable.

CANADIAN PRODUCE AND ITS MANY USES In addition to exports of flax seed, canola, pulses, and durum wheat, there are also approximately 4 million beef cows in Canada. In addition to this, 26 Million pigs are raised in Canada each year making the country the world’s third largest exporter of pork products, creating a healthy, thriving, and sustainable meat export industry.

Canadian agricultural produce also is used in many innovative ways in addition to food supply; Canola, a wildly popular oil around the world was developed by Canadian Scientists and cultivated

by Canadian farmers. Car airbags contain cornstarch produced in Canada. Medicinal and toiletry products such as Diabetic test strips and shampoo can contain enzymes found in horseradish and oats respectively. The produce of Canada has a range of uses and through the diversification and encouragement of innovation the AAFC works to find as many uses for it as possible.

In addition to cultivating the market conditions for Canada’s produce, one of the key areas of the AAFC’s focus is operational sustainability; investing in scientific research and working with farmers to help ensure that Canada’s produce is a result of sustainable farming practices. This commitment to sustainability helps to ensure that

sustainability concerns continue to provide exciting and profitable business opportunities.

CONTINUED INNOVATION FOR EXCELLENCE One of the most exciting aspects of the Canadian agricultural industry is its continued dedication to innovation. Some of the most recent developments within the industry continue to defy expectations and find additional sources of revenue. New varieties of value-added crops such as short season soybeans could potentially increase farm revenues by an estimated $100 million. Likewise, probiotics have a number of applications in regards to disease prevention but their high sensitivity to temperature, pH levels, and oxygen make their unique properties difficult to harness. Researchers are however currently working on a protective coating that would enable them to survive the conditions of human digestion.

Other investments in innovation include using elements of existing ecologies to create new processes. For example, the AAFC has partnered with a number of universities to develop “Vectoring”, a process which uses bumblebees to deliver a microbial agent directly to greenhouse plants during pollination to control pests. The biopesticide that has been developed is harmless to bees, plants, and people alike. Another innovation that makes use of a farming by product that has traditionally been considered waste is a new paper that has been made from wheat and flax straw, providing farmers with another income where one didn’t exist previously.

These innovations within the industries of agriculture and agrifood serve as a shining example of how investment in innovation and research pays dividends, opening up new revenue streams that operate sustainably and strengthen large industries that continue to grow more robust. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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SOCIAL REPORT

SOCIALREPORT

We’re all in it together One association that aims to inspire events, organizers, venues, and supply chains to be as sustainable as possible is the Sustainable Event Alliance (SEA).

SEA offer resources and expertise for those who aim to expand their sustainability practices

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Canada has long been one of the world leaders in sustainability. Part of the country’s success can be attributed to having widely accessible arenas in which people can discuss environmental, social, and economic issues and make a difference. By Liam Kelleher.

Matters that pertain to sustainability are involved in ongoing dialogue participated in by governments, corporations, universities, researchers, and single individuals who make the choice to live their lives in any number of ways that can be considered sustainable.

We’re all in it together. Sustainable Business Magazine looks at two of the organizations and associations that bring people together in order to promote sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY EVENTS There are a number of sustainability related events held across Canada each year, from the bi-annual Globe show to the yearly Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference and trade

show. These events provide networking opportunities, an impartial and open forum for discussion of key issues, and expert speakers who approach matters of sustainability in a range of different and interesting ways.

One association that aims to inspire events, organizers, venues, and supply chains to be as sustainable as possible is the Sustainable Event Alliance (SEA). SEA offer resources and expertise for those who aim to expand their sustainability practices, forming alliances and partnerships with their members. The association exists through the collaboration of a wide range of interested individuals who work in events and sustainability and include specialists, consultants, interns, educators, and producers.

SOCIALLY CONSCIENTIOUS CITIZENS Another organization of considerable merit is My Sustainable Canada (MSC), a national non-profit organization with a mandate to help people and organizations incorporate sustainability into their decision making process. Made up of over 425 members across Canada including academics, industry and community level sustainability practitioners, and socially conscientious citizens, the organization is funded through government grants and fee-for-service activities.

The MSC believe that the ongoing dialogue relating to operating sustainably should begin with two questions; how can we consume less, and how can we consume differently.

Through the efforts of the organization’s various members the MSC is able to engage in research and policy development that

establishes how best to equip people and other organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to deal with sustainable consumption issues facing the marketplace. The MSC’s dedicated members are committed to providing the tools needed to make purchasing decisions that will contribute to building a more sustainable world.

WORKING TOGETHER These organizations and associations provide a stirring example of what is possible when like-minded people band together under a common cause, showing that it is possible to change consumer behavior and that given enough time and pooling of resources it’s possible to create the conditions needed for a more sustainable future. MSC was awarded the 2011 Sustainable Tourism Award, the kind of recognition that is indicative of the fact that sustainability efforts are increasingly considered worth pursuing and an achievement worth applauding. It’s up to the socially conscious amongst us to be the torch bearers who lead the way to a fully sustainable world, regardless of whether some of us may plod along towards it like dinosaurs courting extinction. It is the hope of Sustainable Business Magazine that organizations and associations such as these continue to go from strength to strength and continue to receive the support of government funding. Building a more sustainable world will take more than the work of individuals, it will take large scale cooperation and a shared vision, organizations trying to make that possible are vital. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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UPCOMING GLOBAL EVENTS

JUNE

2014

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1st - 4th

CleanEnviro Summit Singapore www.cleanenvirosummit.sg

CleanEnviro Summit Singapore is the global platform for government leaders, policy makers, regulators and industry captains to connect and examine and discover practical solutions to address environmental challenges for tomorrow’s cities.

2nd - 4th

WasteMET Asia Singapore www.wastemetasia.sg

WasteMET Asia is the region’s premier exhibition to launch, showcase and introduce the latest innovative equipment and technologies in waste management recycling and resource recovery solutions.

2nd - 4th

Building Lasting Change Toronto Canada www.cagbc.org

Building Lasting Change 2014 will explore the value of green through the lens of sustainable building, real estate and neighbourhood development.

2nd - 5th

Sustainable Brands 2014 SanDeigo, USA www.sustainablebrands.com

Taking place in San Diego, Sustainable Brands 2014 will cover discussion such as Leadership & Strategy, Stakeholder Insights & Influences, Brand Positioning & Communications, Organizational Development & Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain & Procurement, Product & Service Innovation, and Chemistry & Materials.

18th - 20th

ICEEG 2014 Copenhagen, Denmark www.iceeg.org

2014 International Conference on Environmental and Engineering Geoscience is to bring together innovative academics and industrial experts in the field of Environmental and Engineering Geoscience to a common forum.

25th - 27th

Collegiate Sports Sustainability Summit 2014 Boulder, CO, United States

The Summit will feature engaging speakers with real world experience in how to achieve economic and environmental results by going green in collegiate sports.

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

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

3rd - 6th

ECSEE 2014 Brighton UK www.ecsee.iafor.org

The Second European Conference on Sustainability, Energy and the Environment.

5th - 7th

Sustainable Development Conference 2014: Bangkok, Thailand www.sdconference.org

Sustainable Development Conference 2014 will provide unlimited resources and opportunities to interact with prominent leaders in the field and greatly expand on your global network of scholars and professionals.

18th - 19th

ICEER 2014 Madrid, Spain www.iceer.net

ICEER is an event that focuses on the state of the art technologies pertaining to Energy and Environment Research. The applications of Energy and Environment Research to such domains as astronomy, biology, education, geosciences, security and health care

31st - 1st

ICCEA 2014 São Paulo, Brazil www.iccea.org

2014 3rd International Conference on Civil Engineering and Architecture

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JULY

2014

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Q&A JIM SHUBAT

Jim Shubat

Chief Technical Officer

SanEcoTec

Jim Shubat tells Sustainable Business Magazine about how SanEcoTec is trying to bring sustainable water treatment to North America and beyond.

Can you tell us a little about the history of SanEcoTec? We started with a vision of better ways to treat water. Understanding how important water was to us as individuals and society as a whole, we felt that instead of the standard notion of water that won’t make you sick in the short term, we could treat water in a way that had clear and demonstrable long term benefits, and was suitable to put back into the environment. And that’s a giant leap from the status quo.

How has SanEcoTec changed during your time as Founder and President and now as CTO? We’ve gone from a simple idea to advanced patents-pending processes. We have a better way of treating water in different applications. We’re currently in municipal drinking water treatment 12 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

plants, and in homes, farms and industry; we’re repurposing water in high-occupancy buildings and in greenhouses; and we’re in the health sector too.

For example, the work done with the University of Ottawa is breakthrough. Before: a lot of water was being wasted; a lot of money was being spent. Now: 50 million litres of water are being reused; over a hundred thousand dollars in direct and indirect savings – each year. uOttawa is pretty innovative when it comes to this stuff. It’s a blessing to be working with them.

The key is our unique know-how and the application of innovative technologies – such as hydrogen peroxide, which is naturally occurring in the everyday environment – to solve the unique challenges found in different water uses and conditions.

We’re in a business sector that historically has approached water treatment with a dump and stir method of introducing chemicals.

We offer something substantially different that is economically viable and pleasing to the environment.

How is SanEcoTec able to bring relief to water issues around the world?

We see global potential in what we do. But for now we’re concentrating on the challenges we face at home. With the way water is treated in North America, it often produces as many problems as it solves. The money that’s needed for crumbling water infrastructure or to support care for diseases that are caused by current water treatment methods is astonishing. It can’t continue. Not because I say so; but as a responsible society we can’t afford it!

SanEcoTec has a proven method to treat water that leaves water in better shape for health and environment. It’s less expensive and helps to keep our limited source supply of water more secure – not just in the “water business”, but for the whole wide world as we know it.

Look, water is more than just vital. It’s a metaphor for everything we value. It’s functional, nutritional, spiritual…think of anything you hold dear and true and it somehow comes back to water. If we can do something special with improving water – without doing harm in the process, we’ll have brought relief.

What are the benefits of SanEcoTec technologies for stakeholders and communities?

Healthy water. Cleaner pipes and tanks. Lower cost. Better source protection. Elimination of disease-causing by-products. Effective recycling, re-use and restore capabilities. Tastes great straight from the tap – so that means less bottled water. Reduced landfill. Cleaner air. Reduced energy costs. See what I mean? – there really is an extraordinary ripple effect.

How does SanEcoTec engage with customers and partners in North America and beyond?

We have a consumer-friendly brand called AVIVE™. Our slogan is Healthy Water. Better Life. And we’re very focused on building a profile among the end-users. It’s a form of attraction vs. promotion. When it comes to the business of selling AVIVE™ to business partners we rely on strategic partnerships with those who have long standing involvement and credibility in a given market segment. We convince them of the business benefits and they in turn convince others. And then the final piece is proof points. For

a small company we have a very large R&D budget. It’s important for us to be credible with regulators and legislators and that the claims we make can be supported with outstanding science. We have a half-dozen different Pilots underway right now and three different post-secondary institutions working on establishing credible efficacy claims. Of course my personal favourite is a person in a town with AVIVE™ who said, “My water tastes better, looks better, even my coffee tastes like it should.” Any time I tell someone that line I know that I’ll have their interest to listen to our story.

How are you trying to promote the role of water in good health?

I’m not a doctor. I can only go by what experts say, and from places like the World Health Organization, Health Canada, the Institute of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Centre for Disease Control – the list goes on and on – and they’re saying if you drink more water you will enjoy better health. These same organizations also report an alarming number – more than half – of North Americans are chronically dehydrated. OK…could it be people don’t want to drink enough water because it smells or tastes yucky or is too expensive coming out of a designer bottle? I don’t know. What I do know is that if it tastes great, costs less, does more good than harm, you’re likely going to drink more. And that’s a good thing.

I think it’s a pretty simple concept.

What achievements are you most proud of?

Where we are. Where we’re going. What will be. In short: “the next”.

How do you plan to grow and improve in the future?

Well, we’ve got business processes that will help us be more efficient and scale rapidly. We’ve always got our eye on the different ways we can finance growth. And we have a good team of people who are smart and driven to succeed. But our future will be defined by our passion. We’re pretty tough on ourselves. We’re constantly making small improvements to our AVIVE™ Water Treatment Solution, resulting in ongoing improved return on investment. And I don’t see that ever changing. We’ll always be following a path of tinkering with the finer points of water. We have experts who have spent 30 years in chemistry, biology and toxicology of water, and they’ll tell you they’ve only scratched the surface of what they always call “water: this beautiful product”. We owe it to ourselves and to them to always be focused on healthier water.

What does sustainability mean to SanEcoTec? In the recent past, sustainability was almost exclusively used in relation to the energy sector: wind, water, solar; our “energy footprint”. We think water treatment also has to meet the sustainability test…everyone should fully understand their “water footprint” as well. We see sustainability as integral to who we are as people and what we do as an organization. We see that commitment as one of our core values. We’re working on developing metrics that show how SanEcoTec is improving the fiscal and environmental health of the planet on a minute-to-minute basis. Years ago there was a saying “You can’t manage what you can’t measure”. We believe this for sustainability too, and hope soon our reporting on sustainability scores will be as important to evaluating our business as our Balance Sheet. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GLOBE 2014

GLOBE 2014: THE QUINTESSENTIAL

CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTAL

BUSINESS EVENT An interview with Dr. John Wiebe, President and CEO of GLOBE group.

Written by Liam Kelleher.

Images by Jon Benjamin Photography.

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(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) CHRISTIANNA WOOD, PETER BAKKER, HELLE BANK JORGENSEN, ANTHONY HODGE, GORDON LAMBERT

For over 20 years the non-profit private international business foundation known as the GLOBE Foundation has worked tirelessly to promote the business case for sustainable development. With 2014 marking GLOBE’s 13th biennial GLOBE series event, Sustainable Business Magazine spoke with Dr. John D. Wiebe, President and CEO of the GLOBE Group about 2014’s show and beyond.

A SIMPLE PHILOSOPHY, A FANTASTIC PLATFORM Dr. Wiebe established the GLOBE Foundation in 1993 in Vancouver as an impartial authority on environmental business. The

GLOBE group works to provide a platform on which to bring together government, the corporate sector, academia, global agencies, as well as environmental service and technology providers. As an internationally recognized expert on environmental business and the application of sustainability principles to business ventures, Dr. Wiebe holds true to the philosophy that environmental problems are also business opportunities. GLOBE’s goal with their biennial, Vancouver hosted GLOBE Series event, in Dr. Wiebe’s words is to “provide a platform that allows for free open dialogue.

It’s a non-threatening platform for people to

have some of the hard conversations about some of the key issues.”

Over the course of the 13 shows Dr. Wiebe has seen an exciting transition in the audience that the show attracts. “It’s changed in the sense that when the GLOBE show first started it was more government participation, I would say that today it is mainly corporate.” With larger corporations imbedding sustainability into their business models, Dr. Wiebe feels that they are seeing the upside on multiple levels. “I think that corporations are starting to see the benefits, they’re seeing it both economically, socially, and also reputation-wise. What you’re SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GLOBE 2014

THE SPEAKER PROGRAM AT GLOBE IS

BY INVITATION ONLY. ATTENDEES GET TO HEAR FROM A NUMBER OF HIGH PROFILE, EXPERIENCED SPEAKERS.

starting to see is corporations way ahead of the curve; a lot of them are doing things that aren’t government mandated because it makes good economic sense.”

2014 TARGETS The 2014 GLOBE series show had a particularly strong focus on highlighting the role of technology and the importance of investing in innovation in order to tackle issues such as climate change, sustainability, and other environmental issues. “The overarching theme this year focused on the discussion of innovation” Dr. Wiebe explains. “We talked about the economy; how it needs to operate and imbedding innovation within it. Part of the discussion revolved around the interaction between energy, the environment, and urbanity. It worked out pretty well.”

According to Dr. Wiebe the discussion was generated by a number of speakers, 16 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

ranging from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Peter Bakker (President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development), who opened up a number of avenues of

dialogue over the course of the show. “The speaker program at GLOBE is by invitation only. Attendees get to hear from a number of high profile, experienced speakers

JIM BALSILLIE

whether they are academic, governmental, corporate, or civil society. These thought leaders open up the discussion about how we get from where we are today to a cleaner economy of the future.” Dr. Wiebe strongly believes that ushering in a greener future is a matter of if not when. “I come at this from the perspective that nobody is out to kill the planet; that is nobody’s intent. Given that we agree on where we’re going, the discussion becomes how we can actually get there in a faster way without either killing the economy or the world.”

While the discussion hasn’t led to any ultimate conclusions, Dr. Wiebe feels that the fact that corporations are open to these discussions and working in the same direction can only lead to good things. “This kind of dialogue between these corporations is very exciting, particularly the notion that we need to move faster.”

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GLOBE 2014

THE SHOW IS ALSO ATTENDED BY GROUPS THAT MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SUSTAINABILITY BUT WISH TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES IN AN INTERESTING AND USEFUL AREA OF BUSINESS.

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ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR. AND WAL VAN LIEROP

NETWORKING AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES The other key aspect of the show, that is a large part of its appeal, is the networking and educational opportunities that it presents to its attendees. “We are often told by attendees that they come to GLOBE but don’t attend the sessions because they meet everyone that they need to on the

floor. That may be an exaggeration but it does emphasize the fact that the show is a tremendous networking opportunity for the individuals and companies that occupy this space.” Dr. Wiebe explains that the show is also attended by groups that may not necessarily be directly involved in sustainability but wish to educate themselves in an interesting and useful area of business. “A good

example would be some of the labor leaders that were here this year; they indicated that this was a very important subject for them to comprehend in order to understand where corporations are coming from and how they can better interact with them.”

Dr. Wiebe says that while planning for the next GLOBE series event is still a few months off, he does feel quite certain about the positive impact that the event is having: “What large corporations are doing, to a degree maybe more so than some governments, is saying, we do believe that we can do better by taking care of the environment, by reducing our carbon footprint, by adopting new technologies, and by being innovative.” Dr. Wiebe feels that future governments are going to have to close the gap between themselves and corporations that are ahead of the curve. “I think that many corporations are committed to that future no matter what, I think that bodes well for where we’re going. I think that governments are going to have to come up behind them.

It’s up to society to push them.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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FSC

RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT

OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS Francois Dufresne, President of FSC Canada, talks to Sustainable Business Magazine about how the Forest Stewardship Council is trying to help build an environmentally sustainable economy.

Written by Thomas Massey.

The concept of the Forest Stewardship Council was devised in 1990, as a group of timber users, traders, representatives of environmental and human rights groups came together. Concerned by the rapid increase in deforestation, and abuses of the world’s environment, they met with the same agenda: the need for a system that could reliably distinguish well managed forests and responsibly produced wood products.

In 1993, following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – or the Earth Summit - held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the founding assembly of the FSC was held in Toronto, Canada.

Since its inception, the FSC has worked tirelessly to promote environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s 20 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

forests and ultimately enabling businesses and consumers to make informed choices about the forest products they buy and create positive change to keep our forests healthy for future generations.

The Non-governmental organization obtains funding primarily through membership fees, annual accreditation fees (paid by

certification holders) and non-government funding, and yet has still managed to make extraordinary progress in achieving its goals.

Over the last 5 years, the number of hectares certified to FSC’s Forest Management Standards has increased by 20 million hectares (2009-2014) to a staggering 62 million hectares (December 2013) in Canada alone. Mr. Dufresne believes the recent success of the FSC is due to a number of reasons, including two key factors. “The first is market demand, not only in North America but also in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of their decision on the environment and communities.

Progressive companies are addressing this concern by verifying that the forest products they purchase come from FSC-certified

THERE ARE OVER 180 MILLION HECTARES CERTIFIED TO FSC’S STANDARDS GLOBALLY OF WHICH 30% (62 MILLION HA) IS LOCATED IN CANADA. (DECEMBER 2013).

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FSC

sources. The second reason is the natural forest approach in terms of forest management. The laws of most Canadian provinces are based on forest practices which are the opposite to intensive practices such as plantations and genetically modified trees.

They are mainly based on natural re-generation and strict laws to ensure that the restoration will come back to at least

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80 -90% with the rest being filled by plantation. This ensures that the biodiversity and structure of the forest has more chance to remain natural.”

FSC CERTIFICATION The appeal of using FSC-certified products is only increasing in the modern marketplace as shifts in the world’s daily and

economic culture are placing a higher demand on environmentally friendly products.

“The market place is now more focused on creating a green economy, not just in the forest products sector but also in the other sectors that are purchasing forest products” remarked Mr. Dufresne.

As a result of increased demand from customers, more forest management companies have been looking to become FSC certified. The application to attain a FSC Forest Management certificate, is one that can take up to a year to complete and a company or person applying has to be prepared to meet and agree to FSC’s 10 Principles & Criteria which describe the essential elements or rules of environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable forest management including: Compliance with laws and FSC Principles, tenure and use rights and responsibilities, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, community relations and worker’s rights, to maintain or enhance long term benefits from the forest, to maintain or restore the ecosystem, its biodiversity, resources and landscapes, to have a management plan, monitoring and assessment, maintenance of high conservation value forests and to plan and manage plantations. The FSC-certified forest management company is then required to undergo an annual audit to ensure that these high standards are being met until the expiration of the certificate five years later. These stringent Principles, required for certification, have helped the FSC become the only forest certification system supported by major international, national and local Aboriginal, Environmental and Social

MR FRANCOIS DUFRESNE, PRESIDENT OF FSC CANADA

“WE ARE THE ONLY FOREST CERTIFICATION SYSTEM SUPPORTED BY CREDIBLE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS.”

groups, something in which Mr. Dufresne takes great pride. “We are the only forest certification system supported by credible environmental and social organization including Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the National Aboriginal Forestry Association. All of these organizations and many more recognize FSC certification as the only legitimate and the most rigorous forest certification system in the world.

MOVING FORWARD What about the environmental impact the organization has? The amount of land being certified to FSC’s standards is only increasing, recently passing 180 million hectares, a third of that land being located in Canada itself.

With that milestone passed there is another yet to come. “In February 2012,

almost 15 years since its adoption, the FSC membership approved a revised set of Principles and Criteria marking the beginning of an important phase in FSC Canada’s work which includes engaging stakeholders in revising and aligning our Forest Management Standards with the new Principles and Criteria. As part of our Forest Management Standard revision process, FSC Canada will

focus on a number of elements including Aboriginal Peoples rights, by rigorously applying ‘Free, Prior and Informed Consent’ (FPIC), and addressing species at risk (Woodland Caribou) in FSC’s Forest Management Standards”, says Mr. Dufresne.

This year also marks FSC’s 20th anniversary and the organization is aiming for bigger and better things going forward as it aims to increase and expand the incredible work it does on a global scale, Mr. Dufresne explains. “In the face of new challenges for forest management – such as those associated with climate change and the increasing use of biofuels – FSC is striving to engage an array of regions, forest types (e.g. Boreal, Tropical) and forest managers in the responsible management of forest resources and advance globally responsible forest management.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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PEFC

SETTING THE

STANDARD REFORESTATION WITH NATIVE SPECIES IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF MAINTAINING ECOSYSTEM PRODUCTIVITY IN THE CSA STANDARD.

CONSERVING HABITAT FOR NATIVE SPECIES SUCH AS GRIZZLY BEARS ENSURES THE MAINTENANCE OF SPECIES DIVERSITY.

A FELLER-BUNCHER HARVESTING IN A CERTIFIED FOREST IN NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

24 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

PEFC Canada continues to keep authorities, companies, and communities, committed, involved, and benefiting from sustainable forest management. Photos: www.naturallywood.com “Of Canada’s nearly 400 million hectares of forest and other wooded lands, representing 10% of the world’s forest cover, just under 148 million hectares are certified as being sustainably managed by one or more globally recognized certification systems” according to the 2013 Natural Resources Canada annual report.

PEFC CANADA The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC International) is an International non-profit, non-governmental organisation which promotes Sustainable Forest Management through independent third-party certification. By assessing and endorsing national forest certification systems, and requiring independent third-party certification, PEFC provides an assurance that wood and paper products are sourced from sustainably managed forests. Canada has been a member of PEFC International since 2001 and Director of PEFC Canada Paul Wooding is proud to say that “Canada is the largest contributor to globally certified forests”. In their 2013 annual report Natural Resources Canada, a department of the Canadian Government, proclaimed that “third-party certification provides assurance that a forest company is operating legally, sustainably, and in compliance with world-recognized standards for sustainable forest management.”

STANDARDS PEFC International is the world’s largest forest certification organisation and has endorsed the three globally recognised sustainable forest certification standards used in Canada. Director Paul Wooding explains that “PEFC Canada represents organisations that have certified their forestry operations to the PEFC-endorsed Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Sustainable Forest Management standards, as well as organisations further down the supply chain using the PEFC International Chain of Custody Standard looking to prove that they’re sourcing materials from sustainably managed forest. CSA has been around since 1919 and has developed and maintains about 3,000 standards, including two forestry standards; one for large forest areas first published in 1996 and second more recent standard for woodlots and other small forest areas. The PEFC International Chain of Custody Standard was developed as a system for tracking wood from sustainably managed forests all the way to customers.”

The PEFC International Chain of Custody Standard assures consumers that wood from certified locations comes from sustainably managed forests. For wood originating from uncertified forests, the PEFC standards due diligence system can assure consumers that wood from unknown, illegal and controversial sources is excluded from the supply.

“PEFC CANADA REPRESENTS ORGANISATIONS THAT HAVE CERTIFIED THEIR FORESTRY OPERATIONS TO THE PEFC-ENDORSED CSA SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT STANDARDS”

CULTURALLY MODIFIED TREES, SUCH AS THIS LARGE CEDAR USED BY ABORIGINAL PEOPLES TO MAKE PLANKS, ARE IDENTIFIED AND PROTECTED AS PART OF THE CSA CERTIFICATION PLANNING PROCESS.

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PEFC the plan is developed and implemented it is audited and certified by an accredited third-party certification body.”

CONSERVATION In implementing the PEFC-endorsed CSA sustainable forest management standards a set of forest values specifically identified for the forest management unit is created.

A public participation process ensures that interested parties have the opportunity to identify and quantify forest values for consideration. “CSA certification has really meant true public participation in forest planning” says Paul Wooding, “interested parties are involved in developing sustainable forest management plans from the beginning. This is an important feature of the CSA standard because 93% of Canadian forests are publicly owned. ” In the

CSA Standard, conservation of biodiversity includes four elements: ecosystem diversity, species diversity, genetic diversity, and protected areas and sites of special biological and cultural significance. For each forest management unit, specific values are assigned to each element (e.g. a forest area-specific value for woodland caribou).

This system ensures that “habitats are conserved within defined forest areas, especially for known endangered species. Managers of public forest land are expected to cooperate with government processes that have identified protected areas and other land use categories and then implement appropriate management strategies. Once

“THE PEFC INTERNATIONAL CHAIN OF CUSTODY STANDARD WAS DEVELOPED AS A SYSTEM FOR TRACKING WOOD FROM SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS ALL THE WAY TO CUSTOMERS”

PEFC CERTIFIED WOOD WAS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SPEED SKATING OVAL FOR THE 2010 WINTER OLYMPICS.

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CLIMATE CHANGE PEFC Canada director Paul Wooding says “climate change impacts and adaptation related to forest management are discussed in the current version of the CSA standard, and that discussion will continue as CSA begins the next revision of the standard.”

Management strategies are designed to ensure that the forest continues to function within the range of natural variation, including variation in climate. Mitigation of climate change entails managing forests so they can sequester and store more carbon.

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES Aboriginal rights and treaty rights were recognized and affirmed in the Constitution of Canada as part of the Constitution Act of 1982. Mr Wooding feels that these issues are very well addressed in the CSA standards.“ The CSA standards address the need to recognise and protect Aboriginal cultural sites, the need to respect traditional Aborig-

DETAILED PLANNING WHICH INCORPORATES PUBLIC VALUES IS ESSENTIAL IN CERTIFYING TO THE CSA STANDARD.

inal uses and values of forests, and the need to get meaningful Aboriginal participation in the planning and management process.

Aboriginal peoples are able to participate in development of the plans to be certified to the CSA Standard without prejudicing any rights claims or outstanding or future land claims.”

UPCOMING REVIEW OF THE CSA STANDARDS CSA standards are maintained with the objective of keeping them up to date and technically valid. Paul Wooding explains

that “PEFC Canada will be participating as part of the CSA Technical Committee as it begins the next revision process.

There is a balance of stakeholder interests and four voting categories in the CSA technical committee: Aboriginal peoples, governments and regulatory authorities interests, academic and professional practitioners interests, environmental and general interests, and producer interests. The plan is to have the first Technical Committee meeting in May of this year and CSA expects the revision process to be completed by May 2016.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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NEIA

NEIA REPRESENTS A HUGELY DIVERSE SPECTRUM OF BUSINESSES AND FIRMS, WITH DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND OBJECTIVES.

NEIA’S MEMBER ABYDOZ ENGINEERS SUB-SURFACE FLOW WETLANDS CAPABLE OF PURIFYING A WIDE VARIETY OF DOMESTIC, MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER.

THE NEIA MISSION

Sustainable Business Magazine sits down with Executive Director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association Ted Lomond to talk about how they’re helping environmentally friendly businesses maximize their potential. Written by Thomas Massey.

The first official meeting of the founding executives of NEIA took place in 1992, however in the years preceding that meeting, a number of sub-sectors had formed an unofficial group concerned with representing the voice of the environmental industry.

Since that first meeting NEIA has evolved into a hugely successful not-for28 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

profit organization. NEIA is an association of Canadian businesses in the province of Newfoundland & Labrador with the primary concern of promoting a green economy. It deals directly with environmentally friendly businesses and firms, solving environmental problems and protecting the environment while at the same time encouraging eco-

nomic growth. NEIA has tasked itself with concentrating on five key areas to support its members: Firm level supports to drive business growth, training tailored to environmental sector employees, tools to encourage and foster productivity and innovation, export and international trade guidance and leadership on policy and advocacy issues.

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR IS KNOWN FOR ITS SCENIC AND RUGGED COASTLINES.

GROS MORNE NATIONAL PARK: SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IS A GROWING SEGMENT OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR’S ENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR.

Sustainable Business Magazine was given the chance to speak with Ted Lomond, the executive director of NEIA, a position he has held since 2012. Mr. Lomond believes that the focus and support offered, for the key areas of business NEIA provides, is what makes them so appealing to the environmentally friendly businesses of Canada. “We provide staff training for members and we have a fairly robust program in the area of innovation, for example in terms of protection of intellectual property and patents. We also provide things such as research matching, where we bring in researchers from academic institutions to present to the companies and vice versa. In this way we can facilitate matches between them and they can link with the

researchers they need. We’re pretty open to doing whatever it takes to make a firm successful.”

NEIA: LEADING CANADA FORWARD NEIA represents a hugely diverse spectrum of businesses and firms, with different interests and objectives. During his tenure Mr. Lomond has seen an impressive rise in the number of businesses that are becoming members of NEIA, going from 110 members to 160 members in the year and a half he has held the post. He puts this down to the interactions and support NEIA provides being tailored specifically to that individual business and its needs.

“We represent a broad group of businesses, so we provide a basket of services,

because not all firms will benefit from the same types of service. The interests of an engineering consultation firm are going to be different from that of an exporter of water systems.”

The work that NEIA has done with so many diverse companies in the Canadian environmental sector has led to a major milestone: They have been selected to lead the “Atlantic Canadian Mission” to Globe 2014, the most influential and prestigious international environment industry event. Ted Lomond states the importance of this conference and why it is vital for NEIA to attend: “We are attending Globe 2014 not just for the value of the conference itself, but also for the value of developing expertise.”

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NEIA

“YOU CAN WRITE REPORTS AND YOU CAN HAVE MEETINGS BUT IF BUSINESSES ARE NOT MORE PROFITABLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT BETTER OFF AS A RESULT OF THOSE THINGS, THEN NOBODY REALLY CARES”

NEIA IS WORKING TO GROW NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR’S OIL SPILL RESPONSE CAPABILITIES AND TECHNOLOGIES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

The significance of this mission is increased by the fact that while NEIA represents the Newfoundland and Labrador area of Canada specifically, it will be leading a group of business delegates from across the country.

“We’re leading that mission on behalf of Atlantic Canada. We will have businesses and students from the universities in Newfoundland coming with us but we will also have the Nova Scotia Department

30 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

of Business, and the LED Roadway Lighting Company from Halifax, and they’re from a different province. We’ll be leading that mission and they’ll be coming with us.”

NEIA has a lot of upcoming meetings with various important business sectors, not just environmental but others as well.

The NEIA has multiple upcoming meetings with important environmental and non-environmental business sectors. The

international work being conducted by some of their members means they’re now reaching further afield in the global market. Mr. Lomond provides an insight into some of the more global upcoming missions they’ll be leading. “We have an incoming mission in April with delegates from the International Development Banks and from Caribbean nations coming here to meet with some of our firms, that is something we are organizing. Also we will be participating in a mission to the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington in May.” It is the attendance of significant events such as Globe 2014 and the networking opportunities and publicity they provide that has seen the company grow significantly, but Mr. Lomond also credits the rise in membership and popularity of NEIA to a “more industry development focus.” This has been implemented by the organization and its staff and the focus has impacted

THE PROVINCE’S CAPITAL CITY, ST. JOHN’S, IS KNOWN WORLDWIDE FOR ITS PICTURESQUE VIEWS AND COLOURFUL ROWHOUSES.

upon their membership: “Our membership has grown significantly, we have been able to form an international business network and we have firms who have completed firm level diagnostics and are now developing action plans to move forward on those diagnostics in order to mitigate challenges and seize opportunities.”

NEIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY NEIA is moving Canadian businesses toward a greener economy. As it does this it adopts and reflects the cultural trends of the modern day to appeal to a new generation of businesses. NEIA has recently expanded its training initiatives meaning that firms can receive training on business aspects ranging all the way from a forty-hour course in HAZWOPER (Contaminated Site Health and Safety Training) to Social Networking training.

Newfoundland and Labrador has its geographical challenges, with the province’s population and major projects scattered across the province. To address this and ensure the environmental sector has access to the supports it needs to grow, NEIA is developing a series of online training modules accessible to any professional with a computer.

NEIA is planning to invest in the future to become more involved in international business, more innovation projects and to actively recruit members for the first time in the organizations history. The aim is to produce, in the words of executive director Ted Lomond, “Tangible results. Results you can point to. You can write reports and you can have meetings but if businesses are not more profitable and the environment is not better off as a result of those things, then nobody really cares.” c

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN 824 MEGAWATT HYDROELECTRIC FACILITY AT MUSKRAT FALLS, NOW IN CONSTRUCTION, WILL PROVIDE CLEAN ENERGY AND SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYMENT AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TO NEWFOUNDLANDERS AND LABRADORIANS.

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CRFA

BY INVESTING IN CANADIAN INNOVATION AND THE BIO-ECONOMY, CANADA CAN BECOME A CLEAN ENERGY SUPERPOWER

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INNOVATING FOR

THE FUTURE OF CANADA’S RENEWABLE

FUELS MARKET Scott Thurlow, president of the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association, talks to Sustainable Business Magazine about their action plan for the future of renewable content and saving the world.

Written by Liam Kelleher.

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CRFA ENERKEM, INC. ETHANOL FACILITY CREDIT TO ENERKEM, INC.

W. SCOTT THURLOW, PRESIDENT

IMAGE BY VANESSA DEWSON PHOTOGRAPHY + DESIGN

Founded in 1984, the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote the use of value added products made from renewable resources through consumer awareness and government liaison activities. CRFA members and supporting organizations provide Canadians with renewable, clean burning ethanol and biodiesel – fuels that help to fight climate change, smog, and pollution. Simultaneously they are working hard to develop the next generation of innovative biofuels in order to provide even greater economic and environmental benefits.

ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION “It started as an offshoot of the Ontario Corn-growers association” Scott Thurlow explains. “At the time they were very much focused on ethanol, through their partnership and coalition with commercial alcohol 34 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

producers it morphed into a larger ethanol producing industry. The real up tick of our association happened in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s with a program called the ethanol expansion program that our association lobbied for and then the establishment of the renewable content regulation for gasoline and diesel. “ For Mr. Thurlow, who joined the CRFA in April 2012 as its president, a deep understanding of the legislative and regulatory processes has been critical to the associations continued efforts. A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Mr. Thurlow’s expertise in the laws governing legislative processes, lobbying, and elections in Canada make him an effective president for the association as it prepares to expand the uses for renewable fuels and biodiesel, products he states, that have bountiful resources; “There are several feed stocks for both ethanol and biodiesel, on the ethanol

CANADIAN RESEARCHERS ARE RECOGNIZED AROUND THE WORLD FOR THEIR ADVANCES IN BIOFUELS TECHNOLOGY

EXPANDING BIOFUELS USE TO NEW MARKETS WOULD REDUCE GHGS FROM OTHERWISE EXTREMELY CARBON INTENSIVE INDUSTRIES

GREENFIELD SPECIALTY ALCOHOLS ETHANOL FACILITY, CHATHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA CRFA MEMBER

side you have corn, wheat, municipal solid waste, forestry residue, basically anything that has fiber in it can be converted into a sugar and into ethanol. On the biodiesel side you have rendered animal products, you have waste cooking oils from deep fryers, used cooking oils rather, nothing in our industry is a waste.”

What began as a small, core group representing an emerging business that few Canadians recognized or understood has grown into an established industry of biofuel producers, petroleum distributors, and true innovators from across the country.

CRFA members have built a capable platform for biofuels production and technology. Across the country, 26 renewable fuels plants are now generating gross economic benefits in excess of $3.5 billion to the Canadian economy every year. Since 2007, Canada’s renewable fuels industry

has delivered more than 14,000 direct and indirect jobs and $5 billion+ in economic activity. All told, the federal government will realize a net return on investment of more than $3.7 billion.

THE PATH FORWARD The CRFA is building on the success of Canada’s renewable fuels industry by developing and promoting a more innovative, sustainable and competitive business environment for Canada’s emerging bio-economy.

In April, the CRFA will launch its new vision and action plan entitled, ‘Evolution and Growth’ which puts forward recommendations to create a virtual cycle of investment for Canadian innovation in biofuels and the bio-economy.

This action plan has three key priorities. The first is becoming a clean energy superpower by investing in Canadian innovation and the bio-economy “Canada has

a reputation as being one of the producers of petroleum based products, we want that reputation to resonate that we are also a producer of renewable products. We have more available biomass than any other country on the planet and that is incredibly important to understand based on our arable land and based on massive forest reserves that we have.”

The second is growing the market access and expanding the use of biofuels, which Mr. Thurlow is positive about, “instead of a 5% ethanol blend, we’d like to see product available into the E20 to E30 range. There are a lot of reasons for that but the most important is that this high ethanol blend will have a very high octane number.” This would enable the automotive sector to produce smaller engines that would serve as the future of biofuel driven transport. “It will allow them to have a higher powered fuel that will be able to SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CRFA

“I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THE PRODUCTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUT INTO THE MARKET FOR CONSUMERS ARE REALLY HELPING TO SAVE THE PLANET.”

RENEWABLE FUELS INNOVATION IS AT THE HEART OF THE BIOECONOMY

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BIOFUELS IN CANADA ARE AN AGRICULTURAL SUCCESS STORY – INCREASING MARKETS AND PRICES FOR FARMERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

drive these smaller engines more effectively. On the diesel side of the equation, we just want to see more renewable content used period.”

And third, Canada needs to find a way to effectively monetize the environmental benefits that come from using their sustainable biofuels and effectively establishing a fair market value for renewable content and the GHG emissions that they displace, “In Europe this is something that you are very familiar with, there are several different models that are being advanced both on the carbon market side of the equation as well as incenting what would be described as a low carbon fuel standard across Europe, these are ideas that we are very much interested in pursuing over here in Canada.”

SAVING THE WORLD The efforts of the CRFA have had an unexpected response from Oil and Gasoline companies across Canada, with many seeing the advantage of using a higher ethanol blend in their products, as Mr. Thurlow remarked “the legal requirement is 5% ethanol to be blended with gasoline pool in Canada, interestingly, oil and gas companies are voluntarily electing to blend upward of 8, 9 and 10 percent depending on where they are geographically. There are several reasons for this; the most important one is that ethanol is cheaper than gasoline, so if you have fuel that you can blend in the gasoline with something that costs less than gasoline and still charge the price of

gasoline. Blending ethanol in gasoline helps lower fuel prices at the pump while improving octane performance.”

Indeed, one of the exciting potentials of high blend biofuels is the potential benefits to consumer’s pockets as well as reducing their environmental impact. “ethanol is cheaper than gasoline. We think that having pump turnover will provide greater familiarity to consumers and also give them a break at the pumps, as I said before ethanol is significantly cheaper than gasoline. If the technology that consumers have is able to take a higher content blend then they should be able to take advantage of it.”

The future of sustainable fuels in Canada looks bright thanks to the efforts of Mr. Thurlow and the CRFA, for his part Mr. Thurlow takes a certain glee from his work, “I tell my friends that I wake up every day and go and save the world, I’m only partly kidding. I really do believe that the products that we are putting out into the market for consumers are really helping to save the planet.” c BIOFUELS HELP CREATE THE GOOD, GREEN JOBS OF THE FUTURE

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CanSIA

THE GROWTH OF THE INDUSTRY HAS BEEN EXPONENTIAL, RESULTING IN A HEALTHY BASE OF DEVELOPERS, MANUFACTURERS, FINANCERS, LAWYERS, ENGINEERS, AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS.

THE FUTURE’S BRIGHT,

THE FUTURE’S SOLAR

Sustainable Business Magazine talks to John Gorman, president and CEO of the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), about the national trade association that represents over 500 solar energy companies across Canada. Written by Liam Kelleher.

The Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), a non-profit trade association, has been working to create a dynamic, ethical, and robust solar energy industry for its many members across Canada since 1992.

A strong mission statement outlines their aim to play a crucial role in steering Canada and the rest of the world towards a future of sustainable and clean energy. CanSIA works to facilitate the growth of the solar 38 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

industry across Canada through education, creating networking opportunities, and the development of renewable energy policy.

GROWING TOWARDS THE SUN John Gorman describes how even before taking over as president of CanSIA in 2012 he was witness to the explosive growth of the solar industry. “A trade association was set up focusing on the solar thermal indus-

try. It was relatively small at the time and membership based. Technology was the focus until about five years ago when Ontario introduced a feed – in – tariff program to encourage and promote greater use of renewable energy sources . From then, it went from being something of a science experiment to being serious business.” The program resulted in rapid growth within Ontario of both CanSIA and the solar energy

SNIDERCROFT

industry as a whole, with Ontario becoming the leader within Canada in terms of both Industry base as well as installed capacity (an estimated two gigawatts of Solar Panels will be installed by the end of 2014).

The growth of the industry has been exponential, resulting in a healthy base of developers, manufacturers, financers, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals that are needed in the process of building quality solar products. Mr. Gorman notes that many of these have become mem-

bers of his association. “We’ve developed some strong players in the market who are very capable of competing effectively in markets outside of Canada. The Ontario developers are succeeding in the American and Caribbean markets, and some of the European countries as well, especially the United Kingdom.”

To achieve their goals, CanSIA has three main areas of focus. The first is the development of governmental policy relating to renewable energy. “In Canada, as with most

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CanSIA sector and creates a series of communication, educational, and networking channels between universities and professionals who work in the solar industry.”

parts of the world, solar energy is a government created market, so the policy work that we do at the federal and provincial levels is geared towards creating a healthy and competitive market for solar.” The second area of focus is the trade shows and conference events that CanSIA organizes.

These include regional shows such as Solar Ontario and Solar West, as well as Solar Canada, a national event that Mr. Gorman describes as a “great opportunity for companies within our industry to get together with their customers, network, and find out about the industrial uses of solar.” The final area of focus for the association is public engagement and communications around the solar industry. This involves educating people about the strengths of solar, declining costs, and everything else that comes with it. “We have a number of initiatives; one of them is an information portal that’s geared more towards the public called standupforsolar.ca. Another is an initiative called ELSE (Emerging Leaders for Solar Energy), this pertains to university students and recent entrants into the workforce in the solar

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TRADE ASSOCIATIONS UNITE Mr. Gorman sees the job of the Canadian Solar Industries Association as essentially being “the creation of the right market conditions for very cost effective and high quality solar projects, as well as to create the right conditions for the highest penetration of solar possible in order to see the individual members of the association flourish.” For both CanSIA and its members to succeed, a measure of cooperation is required with other trade associations. Renewable energy associations, including hydro, solar, wind, collaborate are known to collaborate from time to time for a common cause. “We often address national policy issues together so it’s quite a collaborative group of national renewable energy associations here in Canada that is trying to foster national and federal type support for renewables in this country.

There are a lot of areas where it makes sense to promote all renewable energies, so we’re doing that both formally and informally.”

LEADING THE WAY CanSIA’s plans for the future include opening up the Alberta market. Mr. Gorman describes Alberta as “a province that understands the value of an energy resource.

It’s what their economy is based on as the gas and oil center of Canada.” Mr. Gorman

FOR BOTH CANSIA AND ITS MEMBERS TO SUCCEED, A MEASURE OF COOPERATION IS REQUIRED WITH OTHER TRADE ASSOCIATIONS.

anticipates a strong reception to CanSIA’s plans to introduce a program that would allow the province to harness solar energy as a resource. Alberta is responsible for a high percentage of Canada’s CO2 emissions related to electricity generation, with about 70% of Alberta’s electricity coming from coal. “The Alberta market recognizes that

and wants to address it, they recognize that solar can empower people to create green electricity and it looks like they’re going to take steps to transition from coal to solar, wind, and natural gas.”

One of the reasons that CanSIA plans to expand the Alberta market is to diversify their own markets, something which would

further their agenda. “We’ve got so much of our activity and leadership coming from solar in Ontario right now that it’s almost putting all of our eggs in one basket. We’re working very hard to open up other markets in Canada and we’re having some good success. What we need to do next is get costs down as quickly as possible while maintaining the integrity of the sector. As a country, what we need to do is establish how we’re going to integrate solar electricity and solar thermal into our electricity mix.”

Mr. Gorman’s leadership and commitment to seeing a greater solar energy mix across the board, as well as his excitement for what the future will bring, is evident.

“I passionately believe that solar electricity and solar thermal are going to be an integral part of our energy systems going forward. It’s a very dynamic and exciting field and I feel that it’s important that we adopt solar energy because it has such special qualities.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BOMA DOUGLAS JUNG BUILDING – VANCOUVER, BC MANAGED BY SNC LAVALIN O&M

“BOMA BEST IS A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS AND WAS CREATED BY THE INDUSTRY FOR THE INDUSTRY”

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BOMA BESt THE VOICE OF SUSTAINABLE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Sustainable Business Magazine talks to Daniel Klemky of BOMA BC about their BESt certification, collaborative green initiatives, achievements, and future projects.

The Building Owners and Managers Association of British Columbia (BOMA BC) was founded in 1911 and in its 103rd year is now widely considered to be the voice of the commercial real estate industry. A notfor-profit association for building owners and managers, their membership extends to include supplier and professional service companies which support the building industry. BOMAs main objectives are; advocating on behalf of members, education and awareness, networking events, and environmental programs.

BOMA BEST These are changing times and forward thinking practices are needed to encourage and develop sustainability. In 2008, BOMA BC, in collaboration with BOMA Toronto and BOMA Canada, developed BOMA BESt. In 2012 a second version was implemented which increased the benchmarking and created higher thresholds for energy and water consumption.

“BOMA BESt is a certification program for existing buildings that have been occupied for more than a year. It was created by the industry for the industry” explains Daniel Klemky, the Energy & Environmental Manager of BOMA BC. He further explains that a group of industry experts in energy, water, waste, indoor air environment, emissions and effluents, and environmental management came together to develop the certification program that would transform buildings into environmentally responsible assets. Other certification programs of this kind require a level of performance before a building can be considered to certify.

BOMA BESt however has no minimum performance requirements. The benefit of the program is that its inclusive nature means that any type of building regardless of location, use, age, and performance level could take the initial steps involved in becoming certified. Mr. Klemky continues that “buildings that need the most attention are generally the lowest performers. A number

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BOMA

BOMA BEST CURRENTLY CERTIFY BUILDINGS IN SIX MAIN CATEGORIES: OFFICES, MULTI-UNIT RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, ENCLOSED SHOPPING CENTERS, OPEN AIR RETAIL, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES.

of certifiers only look to certify the highest performing buildings whereas if you are targeting the lower performing buildings you are going to see higher results.” He also adds that reaching level 4 certification (the highest level) is no easy task, and buildings that achieve this have proven that they manage and operate their buildings a peak performance.

DOUGLAS JUNG BUILDING – VANCOUVER, BC - MANAGED BY SNC LAVALIN O&M

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BECOMING BOMA BEST CERTIFIED Certification is open to anyone and is not just for members. Mr. Klemky acknowledges that three main issues for any business are time, money, and resources. A number of certification programmes can take years to complete and require consultants for the entire process which adds additional costs, particularly depending on the size of a facility. BOMA BESt was created with some of these issues in mind and they try to find the best solutions for each business. BOMA BESt certification is done via an online

LOUGHEED TOWN CENTRE – BURNABY, BC - MANAGED BY SHAPE PROPERTIES

application, which is generally completed within a six month period from the time of application, through verification to the point of certification being awarded. This is a much smaller time frame than many other certification programs. Internal staff is encouraged to complete the assessment and online application which identifies all the aspects of a building. This is made possible by working with the internal building team including owners, operators, cleaning staff, and occupants. Reducing the need for external resources keeps costs to a minimum.

Mr. Klemky adds that “there may be areas where applicants don’t have the knowledge or available resources and may therefore need to use external resources. However it is very common for the entire certification process to be done in-house and there is huge value in this.” All the information is collated to produce a key document containing everything you need to know about a building. This assists in understanding

and explaining how a facility is performing and how improvements should be implemented. Daniel Klemky acknowledges that the benefit of this is that the information and knowledge gained through the process remains with the building team and not an external consultant.

BOMA BESt currently certify buildings in six main categories: Offices, multi-unit residential buildings, enclosed shopping centers, open air retail, light industrial, and health care facilities. For mixed use buildings however there is flexibility. The Certification process comprises of two parts: The first contains 14 best practices and are meant to establish the industry standard for good building management practices.

These include such things as energy and water assessments and policies, purchasing policies, , preventative maintenance programs, and hazardous material management plans. The second part contains 175 questions about the buildings them-

selves which are all based on performance measurements such as what percentage of lighting is LED, and whether the boilers are condensing boilers. Questions fall into 6 main categories: energy, water, waste, emissions and effluence, indoor environment, and environmental management.

Once the best practices and questionnaire are completed, an independent third party verification process takes place.

The actual certification itself is currently set at 4 levels; 1 being the lowest and 4 being the highest. To achieve Level 1 you must have incorporated all the best practices to the satisfaction of the 3rd party verifier. For higher levels buildings must maintain the best practices as a minimum, the level of certification is then determined by the 175 questions. There over 1800 buildings currently certified. Moving forward Mr. Klemky states that “we are really trying to market the program more effectively.” He explains that improvements are needed as at present SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BOMA “only people in the commercial real-estate industry really know about BOMA BESt certification and its benefits including; lower operating costs and environmental impact, improved occupant comfort and productivity. We want the occupants of these buildings to also understand these benefits and hopefully come to expect certification no matter what building they are tenants in.”

There are many advantages for tenants in BOMA BESt certified buildings.

Firstly, it enables staff to understand how their facility is performing and how they can make improvements. This is a key factor in maintaining a clear vision as the pressures and priorities of a building are constantly changing.

In a recent study by Light House which compared BOMA BESt certified buildings and non-certified buildings there was a marked difference. Operating costs were lower, energy and water efficiency was increased, equipment was better maintained, and improved indoor environments translated into increased occupant productivity. BOMA BESt buildings also attracted tenants and differentiated from others by making a clear commitment to sustainability.

VICTORIA CONFERENCE CENTRE – VICTORIA, BC

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One of the key findings was that buildings that re-certified reduced energy, water and waste by 25-30% within 3 years.

BOMA E-ENERGY TRAINING COURSE Developed in 2009 through a partnership between BOMA BC, Prism Engineering and Circle Learning, e-Energy Training was created to be a comprehensive introduction to building energy management. It is an interactive online energy management training program for building operators, engineers and managers. Mr. Klemky adds that he’s taken the program himself and so have a number of people from various supplier and professional service organizations.

“It really explores how to manage and operate buildings efficiently.” The course covers all facets of energy management from high-level background, to detailed technical calculations, tactics to identify energy savings opportunities and how to get them approved and implement. “If you have an idea about energy efficient space in your building then how do you go about selling that to managers and decisions makers?” Building operators are key, he says; “they have a lot of great ideas. They know

SHANGRI-LA – VANCOUVER, BC MANAGED BY PETERSON COMMERCIAL & WESTBANK PROPERTIES

THE BOMA CLEAN CONNECT PROJECT FOCUSED ON FUNDING THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF 125 ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS.

BRENTWOOD TOWN CENTRE – BURNABY, BC - MANAGED BY SHAPE PROPERTIES

the building better than just about anyone else. So when they identify a project that will save energy as well as money how can they convey effectively to management that funding the project is a good investment. The language both groups use is not necessarily the same, so learning how to bridge that gap is key, which is why it is 1 of the 11 modules.

THE GREEN FUTURE OF BOMA BC BOMA BC works with a number of member organizations on a regular basis, whether it’s for BOMA BESt, e-Energy Training, or the other environmental programs offered; utility tracking and analysis software, total waste management, education series, newsletters, and direct assistance. The direct assistance program has two funding partners, BC Hydro and the LiveSmart BC, with the primary objective being to assist member organizations with energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. Daniel Klemky himself is funded by the BC Hydro, a Crown Corporation. BOMA also partners with the Province of BC on specialized projects.

One recent initiative called, BOMA Clean Connect provided incentive funding to participants for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) to increase infrastructure in mixed-use commercial/residential buildings. With a target of 125 and the program closing on March 31st, Mr. Klemky is confident it will be a successful program with many people and organizations benefiting from it.

BOMA BESt certified buildings will soon be recognized under the Vancouver Building By-Law (VBBL) as an exception from sustainability upgrades that would be mandatory otherwise. The VBBL mandates that for certain types of building renovations you must implement sustainability measures; this may include adding efficient lighting or upgrading windows. If your building is a BOMA BESt certified building you may be exempt from this by-law which will save time and money.

Going forward BOMA BC is excited about a few new initiatives. Working with a committee made up of industry experts, the group will focus on demonstrating to

the Federal government that providing incentives, in the form of tax breaks, for energy efficiency retrofits makes good business.

Another initiative in coming soon is small business/tenant engagement and certification. “Many large organizations have made environmental responsibility a key mandate in their operations. They commit funding and resources to these initiatives. Small businesses unfortunately are not usually able to do this. So we feel businesses that do should be recognized for it through a certification.” BOMA hopes to roll out the program in the next year.

In closing Mr. Klemky states, ”We are starting to see a major shift in corporate culture towards energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. It is no longer a task sitting on the side of someone’s already full desk, it is front and centre in many organizations and a top priority with full support of upper management. The proven benefits of saving operating costs, lowering environmental impact and improving the overall quality of the building are finally getting the attention they deserve.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CaGBC THE CENTRE FOR INTERACTIVE RESEARCH (CIRS) ON SUSTAINABILITY BECAME UNIVERSITY OF COLUMBIA’S FIRST LEED PLATINUM BUILDING. CIRS 423 SEAT LECTURE HALL. PHOTO CREDIT: DON ERHARDT

BUILDING AN

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY INDUSTRY Sustainable Business Magazine gets the opportunity to sit down and discuss the green building construction and rating system industry with the President and CEO of the Canada Green Building Council, Thomas Mueller. Written by Thomas Massey.

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The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is a not-for-profit organization, started officially in 2002, which works with both the government and private sectors to increase the mainstream adoption of environmentally friendly building principles and practices in Canada. To date, the CaGBC has over 1600 industry professionals as corporate members and hopes that through collaboration between these members, as well as improvements through innovation and education, they can work hard to achieve their mission: “To lead and accelerate the transformation to high performing, healthy green buildings, homes and communities throughout Canada.”

THE START OF THE CAGBC AND LEED CERTIFICATION President and CEO of CaGBC since 2005, Thomas Mueller has been heavily involved in its workings since the organization’s creation, while in the years preceding his work with the CaGBC he spent his time promoting the establishment of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ( LEED) certification.

The CaGBC is sole license holder for the LEED rating system in Canada.

LEED certification provides building owners and operators with information as well as a framework for implementing measurable and realistic green building design and construction for their building portfolios, as well as added attention to green operations and maintenance.

Mr. Mueller has become something of an authority in the green building industry,

having participated in many government and industry consultations to promote green development and sustainability. In the twelve years since the CaGBC was established, it has seen growth on a large scale, as more and more building owners seek to be endorsed by the CaGBC and earn LEED certification. Mr. Mueller explains: “There is a strong environmental ethic here. In the twelve years since we started the council, green building has grown a great deal. In some sectors of the building industry, green building has become almost mainstream and so has LEED certification.”

COLLABORATION AND EDUCATION The CaGBC is working on all fronts to help achieve their goal of greening the building stock in Canada, and help industry professionals maintain sustainability in their building maintenance and operation. The green building industry in Canada particularly, but worldwide as well, is expanding quickly. Mr. Mueller however believes that due to the expansion of the market, there is a potentially worrying prospect.

“There are many skilled professionals in the green building industry with ten to fifteen years of experience but I believe that the current demand for expertise will soon outstrip what is available.” However, Mr. Mueller assures us that what the CaGBC provides for the marketplace and the services it offers in the building sector will soon alleviate these worries. “The owners who invest in these buildings need good, professional advice as well as good products

THE HEALTH SCIENCES COMPLEX IS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE A NORTH AMERICAN LEED GOLD SUSTAINABILITY DESIGNATION. PHOTO CREDITED TO UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO.

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CaGBC THE HAZEL MCCALLION ACADEMIC LEARNING CENTRE WAS THE FIRST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO TO RECEIVE A SILVER LEEDS RATING. PHOTO CREDITED TO UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO.

“LEED PROVIDED US WITH A COMMON STANDARD WITH WHICH WE COULD TRULY DEFINE WHAT A GREEN BUILDING IS.”

and technologies so that they can produce buildings that are a return on their investment. So training, education, and knowledge are still required and we provide those things for the marketplace.” Mr. Mueller explains that it is the collaboration between

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the Council and its members that has led to massive progress.

The work that the CaGBC has done with the LEED certification rating system has helped to really determine what classes as a green building, and how these buildings

can be accurately assessed. “LEED provided us with a common standard with which we could truly define what a green building is. It helped us to look at the buildings in a more organized, holistic, and integrated way.”

With the marked success of green building projects throughout the government and private sectors, landlords as well as regional and provincial governments seem to have seen the light regarding an environmentally friendly building sector, and this success seems to be spreading into different areas of Canadian society. Universities in Canada have been thinking green. The CaGBC has been working with many universities to adapt and renovate their current buildings into more sustainable and efficient ones. Mr. Thomas Mueller makes particular mention of some of the universities who are carrying the environmental torch for Canada.

“I think most Canadian universities subscribe to the green building movement to some degree but particularly The University of British Colombia, University of Calgary, Dalhousie University, University of Toronto, The University of Montreal, The University

of Alberta and the Simon Fraser University.

They have all built buildings to the LEED standard and could be called leaders in this area. In fact, The University of Calgary was recently named the number one school in North-America for its sustainability efforts.”

THE FUTURE With universities taking up the mantle for sustainable buildings, and over 1600 member companies involved with CaGBC, the future is looking bright. The Council will be looking to evolve with the industry as it progresses into the 21st century. How they will proceed will be dependent on the results of the first market research survey that has been conducted in Canada by the CaGBC. This survey looks to assess the impact that green building is having as well as assessing the expansion and potential future of the green building industry.

Mr. Mueller explains that the CaGBC will be striving to not only maintain but also improve its standards going forward. “In June we are introducing the latest LEED version, LEED version 4 , which has higher standards than we have right now. This is exciting as it will set more benchmarks for the industry to follow.”

The CaGBC continues to blaze a trail in its efforts to promote and encourage green building practices in Canada, and Thomas Mueller tells us the Council is continuing

to expand its networking prospects in the lead up to its annual conference. “We have our annual conference which is having an increasing international component to it.

This year we’re expecting delegates from Asia, China in particular, but also from Europe.” The increased global exposure of the CaGBC can only be beneficial to the current environment as they hope to get more and more buildings and industry professionals involved with their aim of achieving a more sustainable built environment throughout the country. Mr. Mueller explains how the impact the building industry has is something that everyday society often overlooks. “It’s human nature. When we are happy with a situation and it doesn’t seem to really affect us, we will not look at it until we have to.” c UNBC PRESIDENT GEORGE IWAMA, KAREN MARLER OF HUGHES CONDON MARLER ARCHITECTS, AND SHELDON BOYES OF IDL PROJECTS OF PRINCE GEORGE. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA.

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AASHE

THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE

ADVANCEMENT OF

SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION Sustainable Business Magazine talks to AASHE’s Monika Urbanski, and also hears from AASHE’s new Executive Director, Stephanie A. Herrera, about how the organization will provide new leadership and vision in promoting sustainability among higher education institutions across North America and beyond.

Written by Thomas Massey.

BABSON UNIVERSITY

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SFSU-CHANT LEADER MICHAEL ZAMBRANO GETS READY TO KICK THINGS OFF

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY TO END COAL INVESTMENTS: THE SFSU FOUNDATION HAS AGREED TO NOT INVEST IN COMPANIES “WITH SIGNIFICANT PRODUCTION OR USE OF COAL AND TAR SANDS.” THE FOUNDATION WILL ALSO SEEK TO LIMIT INVESTMENTS IN FOSSIL FUEL COMPANIES.

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) was founded to coordinate and strengthen campus sustainability and social justice efforts. AASHE Programs Analyst Monika Urbanski explains that the main mission of AASHE is to catalyze and inspire higher education to lead the sustainability transformation. “We provide resources, professional development, and support networks to enable institutions of higher education to model and advance sustainability in everything they do.”

WHAT IS AASHE? AASHE continues efforts to expand its already diverse network in order to share ideas and practices to aid campus sustainability. The organization aims to make sustainability considerations a standard part of the operations, curriculum, and planning of academic institutions in North America.

Over 800 universities and colleges, and more than 100 businesses and nonprofits, are now members of AASHE. LATEST TRENDS Recent analysis conducted for an AASHE publication suggests positive sustainability trends emerging in the worldwide campus sustainability movement. The recently released 2013 Higher Education Sustainability Review provides analysis of campus sustainability news stories in the AASHE Bulletin (a free weekly e-newsletter delivering the latest campus sustainability news, events, and job listings worldwide to over 10,000 weekly subscribers). Ms. Urbanski hopes that these trends indicate that real progress is being made in a number of areas. “We learned through analysis of the Bulletin stories that 2013 saw growth in sustainable investment, funding, student engagement, and purchasing, as SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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AASHE

PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY GRANT SUPPORTS CLIMATE MODELING COMPUTER: A RECENT GRANT SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPUTER THAT WILL TAKE ON THE COMPUTATIONALLY DIFFICULT RESEARCH QUESTIONS RELATED TO CLIMATE, AIR POLLUTION AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS.

BABSON UNIVERSITY CHARGING STATION

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE STUDENTS FUND APIARY: ON-CAMPUS BEEKEEPING WILL BE THE COLLEGE’S FIRST LIVING, LEARNING LABORATORY

well as health and wellness.” The review also highlights high-impact sustainability best practices and stories at campuses across the world. Over 60 institutions from 12 countries were highlighted in this year’s review (images throughout this article are provided courtesy of these institutions).

SPREADING THE AASHE MESSAGE At the start of 2014, Stephanie A. Herrera was chosen by the AASHE board as the new Executive Director. Ms. Herrera was selected from over 300 applicants to the position. She brings 20 years of leadership and management experience in nonprofit

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RAIN GARDENS AROUND THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON CAMPUS ARE DESIGNED TO COLLECT, RETAIN AND SLOWER ABSORB WATER RUNOFF FROM SURROUNDING SURFACES OR ACT AS A NATURAL FILTER SO WATER IS CLEAN BY THE TIME IT ENTERS A STORM SEWER.

organizations and has hired a new Director of Membership & Marketing, J.M. de Jesus.

Mr. de Jesus is the first person to occupy what is a new position at AASHE. Ms. Herrera feels that embracing an integrated array of modern marketing tools available can only strengthen the position of AASHE going forward as it attempts to address the needs of its members and the sustainability community as a whole. Ms. Herrera explains that, “in creating this new position, we aim to improve our marketing communications through diversification of revenue streams, cutting edge internet media technology, streamlining the use of the AASHE

DELTA COLLEGE LIVING WALL

DELTA COLLEGE RECEIVES $40,000 AWARD FOR RAINWATER HARVEST SYSTEM: FUNDED BY SAGINAW BAY WATERSHED INITIATIVE NETWORK, THE RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO SAVE 169,000 GALLONS OF WATER EACH YEAR.

brand, and other strategies and methods to share information with our community,”. Given that AASHE work reaches all stakeholders in higher education: faculty, staff, students, affiliated businesses, and nonprofit partners, a key priority for the organization is to ensure that its messag-

ing is tailored in a way that is relevant to all constituents.

One of the key facets to the continued success of the AASHE mission is communication. AASHE continually acts as a catalyst, spurring conversation and information sharing amongst its members. Aside from

the Bulletin, another vehicle for discussion is AASHE’s Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. The self-assessments performed by colleges and

CORNELL U WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM WINS KATERVA AWARD: DESIGNED BY UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS WITH OPEN-SOURCE TECHNOLOGY, THE AGUACLARA WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM USES GRAVITY TO PURIFY WATER WITHOUT THE USE OF ELECTRICITY, AND IS CURRENTLY PROVIDING CLEAN DRINKING WATER TO OVER 30,000 PEOPLE IN HONDURAS.

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AASHE UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES

PARTICIPATION IN STARS ENABLES INSTITUTIONS TO COMPARE THEIR OWN SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES AGAINST OTHER STARS PARTICIPANTS.

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BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY PROJECT CLEAN PLATE

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY ROLLS OUT CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE: A NEW PROGRAM CALLED PROJECT CLEAN PLATE EDUCATES STUDENTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT WASTING FOOD AT ITS ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT DINING FACILITIES.

universities enable them to earn a STARS rating based on the effectiveness of their sustainability practices. The information is recorded and collated by AASHE and is accessible to its members on the AASHE website. Participation in STARS enables institutions to compare their own sustainability efforts and initiatives against other STARS participants. The aim is to showcase sustainability achievement as institutions

strive to improve their STARS ratings by introducing new or improved initiatives and practices. AASHE staff members are particularly proud of the forum for discussion and engagement provided by STARS. “Institutions participating in STARS can see where they currently stand and what the opportunities for improvement are. STARS participation is a great way to start conversations about advancing sustainability on

campus at the operational, academic, and executive levels,” Ms. Urbanski explains.

AASHE is hoping to expand the success of STARS in the international arena as well.

“Since the launch of STARS 2.0 last fall,” Ms. Urbanski explains, “institutions beyond the United States and Canada can now fully participate in STARS and earn a rating. We are excited to make this platform available to any higher education institution in the world.”

THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON REMOVED HALF THE LIGHTS IN ROESCH LIBRARY AND UPGRADED THE OTHERS TO HIGH-EFFICIENT DOUBLE-LIFE LAMPS AND ELECTRONIC BALLASTS. THE RESULT WAS A REDUCTION IN ENERGY USAGE OF MORE THAN 50 PERCENT FOR THE LIBRARY, WITH A BARELY NOTICEABLE REDUCTION IN LIGHT OUTPUT.

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AASHE GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY CREATES CLIMATE CHANGE APP (AUSTRALIA): THE NEWLY RELEASED COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE SYNTHESIS REPORT APP PROVIDES CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR ANTICIPATING HOW CLIMATE CHANGE MAY IMPACT COASTAL AUSTRALIA.

AASHE IS LOOKING TO BRING ITS SUSTAINABILITY MISSION INTO SHARPER FOCUS THIS YEAR WITH ITS ANNUAL CONFERENCE.

THE FUTURE AASHE is looking to bring its sustainability mission into sharper focus this year with its annual conference. The 2014 AASHE Conference & Expo will be held in Portland, Oregon between the 26th and 29th of October. The event will provide yet another opportunity for AASHE members to share information and promote initiatives, as well as engage in discussions about the hot topics in the world of campus sustainability.

Over 2,000 campus sustainability representatives from nineteen countries were represented at last year’s conference. With over 750 abstract submissions received for this year’s event, the organization is preparing to host its most dynamic and diverse conference yet. AASHE will be announcing the final line-up of high profile keynote speakers, 58 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

as well as the final conference schedule, in May of this year.

In her new role, Ms. Herrera is looking forward to connecting with the campus sustainability community at the upcoming AASHE conference & expo, and is pleased with its site selection and the huge influence that the City of Portland has had in the leadup to the event. “We are incredibly excited about the 2014 conference. Portland is an amazing city that is one of the sustainability world leaders, and engagement from colleges and universities in Portland has been inspiring! We’re also excited about our conference theme, ‘Innovation for Sustainable Economies & Communities,’ as it touches on so many critical issues relevant to the sustainability movement within higher education and beyond.”

VIRGINIA TECH

YORK UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE HIGHER EDUCATION TO REFUGEES (CANADA): THE UNIVERSITY HAS RECEIVED FUNDING TO PROVIDE HIGHER EDUCATION IN REFUGEE CAMPS ON THE KENYA-SOMALIA BORDER.

WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY CLIMATE ACTION

WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO STUDENTS TEACH DIVERSITY WITH GARDENS

AASHE continues to expand networking opportunities and its global position in the sustainability movement. A key focus has been maintaining the excellent progress it has made with North American institutions regarding sustainability practices and interaction with members, staff, and the public.

Members of the AASHE staff are passionate about the organization’s mission to inspire and catalyze the improvement of

campus sustainability. “AASHE is a dynamic and mission driven membership association,” Ms. Herrera explains, “and I am thrilled with the opportunity to be a part of such an exciting and diverse organization.”

Ms. Urbanski adds, “I feel lucky to have worked on a number of great projects at AASHE that form part of a mission I strongly believe in; helping higher education to lead the sustainability transformation”. c

VIRGINIA TECH

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UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE Director of Sustainability Maurice Nelischer discusses plans to expand sustainability initiatives at the University of Guelph.

Written by Thomas Massey.

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UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH The University of Guelph is celebrating its 50th year as a registered university. A former agricultural college, the university has long shown a particular interest in green initiatives and sustainability. Sustainable Business Magazine had the chance to talk to Director of Sustainability Maurice Nelischer about the planned expansion of sustainability initiatives and how he hopes this will lead to the university being more environmentally friendly than ever before. Maurice Nelischer, a long standing faculty member at the University of Guelph, became Director of Sustainability after a sustainability analysis of the university campus revealed the necessity for an official position. “After a sustainability analysis three years ago, it was decided that we need a Director of Sustainability. It’s my job to facilitate sustainability and sustainable thinking throughout the university, from physical resources to academic programs. The position allows me to bridge gaps between the different offices at the university to aid the cause of sustainability.“ ENGAGING WITH SUSTAINABILITY As Director of Sustainability, Mr. Nelischer has helped Physical Resources personnel

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recognize that actions they’ve been taking are not only cost savers but sustainable initiatives in their own right and something they deserve credit for. “It’s unbelievable what they did! They were always finding ways to save money, and as it turns out, pretty much everything they were doing to save money was sustainable and that’s a nice combination.”

From 2009-13 the University of Guelph increased its floor space by 10% (500,000 sq. ft.) and still managed a 1% reduction in electricity usage and an incredible 48% reduction in water usage over the same period. These impressive figures have made sustainability efforts a more attractive proposition for the university’s leadership, as reductions like these come with significant associated reductions in cost. Mr Nelischer explains that sustainability initiatives are now readily accepted and even enthusiastically received. “We grew a huge amount, while at the same time reducing energy and water usage. These reductions had been motivated by financial gain, while at the same time being wonderfully sustainable. Now I don’t have many issues convincing people on sustainable initiatives, in fact

I don’t use sustainability as the clincher, I use the money.”

The University of Guelph is fortunate enough to be in a city where sustainability is high on the agenda. The city of Guelph is involved in its own Community Energy Initiative – or CEI (formerly Community Energy plan or CEP). Through the CEI the city of Guelph has committed itself to use and manage energy in different and more

FROM 2009-13 THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INCREASED ITS FLOOR SPACE BY 10% (500,000 SQ. FT.) AND STILL MANAGED A 1% REDUCTION IN ELECTRICITY USAGE AND AN INCREDIBLE 48% REDUCTION IN WATER USAGE OVER THE SAME PERIOD.

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UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

THROUGH THE CEI THE CITY OF GUELPH HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO USE AND MANAGE ENERGY IN DIFFERENT AND MORE EFFICIENT WAYS THAN IT HAS IN THE PAST.

efficient ways than it has in the past. The hope is that this will attract investment and also contribute to the long term success and prosperity of the city through a reliable and sustainable energy supply. Though the University of Guelph is not currently

involved with the city and its commitment to the CEI, Maurice Nelischer will not rule it out as both continue their drive towards sustainability. “We will probably be joining together with the city in terms of power generation. Right now we have our own

energy process thanks to our power plants, however the city is currently producing nine of these and pooling energy, so we might be able to tap into that in certain areas of the campus.”

It’s not just the city and university staff who are getting involved in sustainability. Mr. Nelischer explains how actively engaged the new generation of students have been since he took over his current role at the university. The proactive approach of students is particularly apparent in the incredible work of the university’s Energy Conservation Working Group. “That’s such a cool thing! Six years ago the students voted to tax themselves $20 a year. Cumulatively, that amounts to about $460,000 a year which the university matches, and that money is used for energy retrofits: everything from lighting to daylighting and window fitting to make

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UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

“SIX YEARS AGO THE STUDENTS VOTED TO TAX THEMSELVES $20 A YEAR. CUMULATIVELY, THAT AMOUNTS TO ABOUT $460,000 A YEAR WHICH THE UNIVERSITY MATCHES”

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sure that everything is up to code in terms

saving sustainability initiatives, means that

to educate and inform students through-

of energy saving.”

the University of Guelph now finds itself in

out their time at the institution. “We’re

an undeniably exciting position.

extremely proud of the way that we change

The active involvement of students has no doubt played a role in helping to

the value set of our graduates. We graduate

secure money for sustainability projects. A

SUSTAINABLE VALUES

5,000 students a year and what we really

$26,000,000 fund has recently been made

The people of Guelph have demonstrated

want is to ensure that those 5,000 students

available for investment in University of

an awareness of sustainability that the uni-

leave here with a set of values that includes

Guelph sustainability programs. The active

versity hopes is also present amongst their

sustainability. I’d say that is our biggest

involvement of students, combined with

students. Mr. Nelischer is especially pleased

achievement and where we will make the

a demonstrated ability to implement cost

about the way the University of Guelph tries

biggest impact.”

c

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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

TRINA INNES, THE UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER AND DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA.

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A (SUSTAINABLE)

MODEL CAMPUS Sustainable Business Magazine talks to Trina Innes and Michael Versteege about how the University of Alberta is trying to lead by example. Written by Liam Kelleher.

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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

AS A RESULT OF THESE ENERGY PROGRAMS THE UNIVERSITY IS AVOIDING UP TO FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR ON UTILITIES.

AERIAL VIEW OF NORTH CAMPUS

The University Of Alberta has always been ahead of its time in terms relative to sustainability, going back to the 1970s when the institution made a concerted effort to implement energy reduction procedures. Today the university’s continued and sustained efforts towards sustainability and energy management have resulted in a campus that exists as an example of how a large sustainable environment can operate. Spearheading the efforts of the university are Trina Innes, 70 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

the University Sustainability Officer and Director of the Office of Sustainability, as well as Michael Versteege, the university’s Energy Management Program Manager.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE The University of Alberta has a long history of reducing energy usage going back to the 1970s when they began making dedicated efforts towards making their buildings more efficient. Since 2009

efforts towards campus sustainability have been brought under a singular umbrella that encompasses multiple campus wide initiatives that Innes tells us covers “teaching, research, outreach, engagement, facilities, and operations.” Thanks to the efforts towards installation of alternative and renewable energy projects, greening existing buildings, and engagement with the faculty and student body, the university has, according to Versteege, “avoided at

TORY ATRIUM IN THE ALBERTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS CONTAINS A LIVING WALL

MIRRORS REDIRECT LIGHT INTO THE CENTENNIAL CENTRE FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE

least 270 million dollars in utility costs, just over 2 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions to the atmosphere, and as a result of these energy programs the university is avoiding up to fifteen million dollars a year on utilities.�

Energy management, carbon reduction, planning and implementation of renewable and alternative energy projects as well as bringing campus buildings up to a more energy efficient standard are a key part of SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA

2013 TOTAL RECYCLING AND ORGANICS = 3.6 MILLION LBS (1,640 METRIC TONNES) = 40% DIVERSION RATE

TRIFFO HALL RECEIVED LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION IN 2009

the duo’s efforts, efforts that are not without challenges. Versteege explains, “when we’re weighing budget constraints, on the staffing side, when a budget does not allow for some of the things we want to do, it can be a struggle trying to sell the long term benefits.” However Innes and Versteege have found resourceful ways to work around budgetary concerns to continue to operate in a sustainable manner. According to Versteege,“we borrow money from outside of the university, it’s through energy savings and cost avoidance that we’re able to pay back the loans. If our projects are higher performing than anticipated we will take the excess saving dollars and feed them into a special initiatives fund and use that to fund some of the renewable projects on campus because some of them do not financially pay themselves off.”

THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY WAS LAUNCHED IN 2009; SUSTAINABILITY.UALBERTA.CA

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GOLD STARS When Innes joined the university in 2009 she came across AASHE (the Association for

the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education). She attended their conference and was very impressed by their network of opportunities, information, and resources.

She advocated for the adoption of their STARSTM system (the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System enables universities to assess and measure their sustainability performance) within the university. “We’re going for gold in our 2014 STARS submission, that’s our goal” Innes remarks with confidence. Her involvement with AASHE has evolved beyond admiration and implementation, as she explains “I applied to join their board of directors, I’m pleased to say that in January 2014 I was elected to the board, the first Canadian to do so.”

Efforts to increase awareness and engagement in sustainability have been embraced across the campus, with over thirty clubs covering environment, sustainability, social justice, and engineering. An annual student sustainability summit is also held on the campus where students from across

EAST CAMPUS VILLAGE GRADUATE RESIDENCE RECEIVED LEED SILVER RECOGNITION IN 2013.

Alberta are invited to meet and network with their peers and sustainability-orientated organizations.

Eco Move Out, a program launched in 2012, partners the university with organizations such as Goodwill Industries of Alberta to collect clothing and household goods that would usually be left behind. These

are then resold or recycled by Goodwill and other partners; “We collect empty beauty products containers and send them to TerraCycle for recycling, we collect electronics and pass them on to certified electronics recyclers in Alberta. We want to increase our diversion rate of recyclables and re-usables. Last year we collected over

8,500kg worth of recyclables and diverted over 58% of our materials from the landfill.”

The campus-wide efforts towards recycling have proved so successful that they help fund other campus initiatives.

Innes elaborates, “in Alberta the beverage containers sold here, have a refundable deposit. On our North Campus the containers

EDMONTON CLINIC HEALTH ACADEMY FEATURES NATURAL LIGHT, A FULL-BUILDING ORGANICS COLLECTION PROGRAM AND A GREEN ROOF

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UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA UALBERTA’S ECO MOVE OUT PROGRAM DIVERTED OVER 18,927 LBS OF DONATED / RECYCLED GOODS FROM THE LANDFILL IN 2013 PLUS 26,255 LBS OF TRADITIONAL RECYCLABLES. OVER 45,000 LBS IN TOTAL GIVING A 58% DIVERSION RATE

are collected, the refunds are set aside to be available to students, faculty, and staff to fund [sustainable] project ideas valuing up to $2000.”

Students have varying but prevalent degrees of awareness and engagement, something the pair spend a great deal of time considering. Innes states that “there are a portion [of the student body] that are extraordinarily keen, they are so keen that within the Students’ Union they have their own sustainability service, they run their own sustainability programs; they have 74 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

a bike library, they have a reusable dish program, it’s highly valued. A portion of the Students’ Union’s budget is dedicated to sustainability.”

A MODEL FOR THE FUTURE From eco-friendly cleaning products, the use of battery powered vacuums in campus cleaning, to working with dining services company ARAMARK (who introduced reusable bamboo plates and composting of organic waste in the cafeteria), the efforts towards sustainability are evident across

ON MAY 25, 2010, AUGUSTANA UNVEILED 10 SOLAR-THERMAL PANELS ON THE ROOF OF OUR CONVOCATION CENTRE. THE PANELS WILL END UP RELIEVING 20 TO 30 PER CENT OF THE CAFETERIA AND GYM’S WATER-HEATING REQUIREMENTS THAT FORMERLY RELIED EXCLUSIVELY ON NON-RENEWABLE SOURCES.

the University of Alberta, a point of pride for Innes. “One of the things we’re most proud of about our campuses is that we reach out and touch sustainability in all of its dimensions.”

Plans for the future include the implementation of projects geared towards water conservation, as well as working in partnership with the City of Edmonton to combine 1,500 tonnes of organics from the university with collections from the city to be processed into heat, power, and

eventually compost at the city’s future anaerobic digestion facility. Aside from the environmental and financial benefits of these initiatives, Innes and Versteege are excited by the social implications of the university’s efforts towards sustainability; “We have an opportunity as an institution to help neighbourhoods and small towns across Alberta understand what they can put in place to be sustainable in their own areas. We can be a model for what is possible.” c

STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THE FLY TOWER OF THE CAMROSE PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE HAS THE LARGEST BUILDING INTEGRATED SOLAR PV INSTALLATION IN CANADA TO DATE

LEN SEREDA (LEFT) AND MICHAEL VERSTEEGE STANDING IN FRONT OF THE MEDICAL ISOTOPE AND CYCLOTRON FACILITY’S BUILDING-INTEGRATED SOLAR PHOTO VOLTAIC PANELS

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MACEWAN UNIVERSITY

AS PART OF THIS COMMITMENT, THE UNIVERSITY IS SEEKING TO EMBED SUSTAINABILITY INTO THE CURRICULUM, WITH PLANS UNDERWAY TO CATALOGUE THE UNIVERSITY’S COURSE OFFERINGS.

PHOTO CREDIT: DIANA DUZBAYEVA

EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE CULTURE, CURRICULUM, AND OPERATIONS

The head of Sustainability at MacEwan University talks to Sustainable Business Magazine about the university’s Sustainability 101 class, piloting the first international Green Impact program, and sustainability as one of MacEwan University’s brand pillars. By Liam Kelleher 76 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

out where we were at in terms of waste management, energy, air quality, transport, purchasing, water consumption, and other key indicators.”

The university developed its first Campus Sustainability Plan (CSP) in 2011 based on AASHE’s STARS program and declared its overarching goals, targets and strategic actions for each area. They pursued the implementation of the CSP to create changes across the board that included a major lighting retrofit, implementing a program which provides a 24% discount on the monthly transit pass to staff and faculty, and setting LEED silver as the standard for all new builds. Ms. Beaudoin used the CSP and the STARS program as frameworks for establishing priorities and setting up baselines. “STARS is a comprehensive tool, the network and resources that are offered by AASHE are incredible. In many instances it’s not worth reinventing the wheel.”

SUSTAINABILITY BRANDING The university’s commitment to sustainability was further cemented in 2013 when MacEwan University rebranded itself, explains Ms. Beaudoin. “Sustainability is now one of the eight university brand pillars.” As part of this commitment, the university is seeking to embed sustainability into the curriculum. Plans are underway to catalogue the university’s course offerings to allow students to choose their courses on a sustainability basis, as well as introducing an interdisciplinary Sustainability 101 course. “The course will be available to any MacEwan University student as an elective in the fall 2015. The intention is for this course to be a stepping stone towards developing a minor in sustainability and, in the long run, creating a proposal for a BA in sustainability.”

Ms. Beaudoin is also finding other ways to get students engaged with the sustaina-

Chantal Beaudoin’s role as head of Sustainability at MacEwan University encompasses many areas; sustainability within the university’s curriculum and research activities, sustainable operations, planning for sustainability, and engaging students, faculty, staff and the community to enhance sustainability across campus. With such a diverse workload, one could imagine it being difficult to find a natural starting point. Ms. Beaudoin explains why this was not the case for her. “The first thing we had to do was create our baselines and figure SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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MACEWAN UNIVERSITY

bility transformation across campus by using the campus itself as a living lab. Initiatives allow the student body to create tangible change within their community and gain sustainability knowledge while developing their communication, leadership, persuasion, and project and time management skills. Ms. Beaudoin cites the Business 201 course’s efforts as a good example of practical implementation. “The students from that class were put in teams. Each team was given a $5 investment to see how far they could go to create funding for charities and social organizations in Edmonton.

This year the students raised over $50,000

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over the course of two semesters.” Likewise, Engineering 101 final project was related to the Sustainable Campus International Competition (SCIC), which Ms. Beaudoin feels is beneficial to the student experience. “Students appreciate the opportunity to do something different that’s not just another report. It really translates into potential change for the campus and the community.”

SUSTAINABILITY GAMIFICATION The SCIC is chaired by MacEwan University along with partners in Montreal and London, UK. The competition asks stu-

dents to put together business cases for sustainability projects on their respective campuses. Last year’s inaugural competition saw seven universities from five countries represented. So far in 2014, 30 universities from 14 countries have signed up. Ms. Beaudoin sees this international participation as advancing sustainability transformation across the world. “Sometimes students might have an idea for sustainability but not the tools or the thought process to bring that idea to life. The SCIC is there to support students in bringing their ideas to life but also to quantify the environmental, social, and economic ben-

“STUDENTS APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAT’S NOT JUST ANOTHER REPORT. IT REALLY TRANSLATES INTO POTENTIAL CHANGE FOR THE CAMPUS AND THE COMMUNITY.”

PHOTO CREDIT: DIANA DUZBAYEVA

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MACEWAN UNIVERSITY

efits, creating real indicators to track their sustainability progress.” One finalist team to last year’s competition, who actually didn’t win, was recently granted $15,000 for an aquaponics display to be installed in the university’s childcare center. “What’s great is the students putting together a business case and though they may not be the winner they can go off and apply for different sources of funding and see their ideas become reality.”

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It’s not just the students that are finding sustainability embedded in their day to day lives. MacEwan University became the first international institution outside of the United Kingdom to pilot the Green Impact initiative, a staff and faculty engagement program that requires them to form teams and sees the gamification of various greening actions for which they receive points.

Ms. Beaudoin says that she has seen a fantastic response to the program. “Teams

will receive points for different actions like establishing a bin for collecting dead batteries, organizing a food bank drive, or sending out a green tip of the week to staff. With 14 teams made up of 85 people the pilot reached a scope of over 300 employees and tracked close to 700 actions. The potential for impact of the initiative is massive and Ms. Beaudoin anticipates that the program’s reach will only grow. “We’re anticipating that, of those 14 teams, seven will be

MACEWAN UNIVERSITY BECAME THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTION OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM TO PILOT THE GREEN IMPACT INITIATIVE.

certified bronze, five will be silver, and two will be gold. There is potential to grow and have all of the departments in the university enlisted as a Green Impact team.” The university is also encouraging students to assist in the initiative and is training them to conduct environmental audits for the various teams, help the teams in their actions, and to complete certification audits of opposing teams in order to further embed the sustainability transformation effort.

Ms. Beaudoin explains that most of her excitement comes from seeing staff, faculty and students taking ownership of sustainability on campus, piloting ideas, sharing best practices, and enacting real and lasting change. “This ownership will be the success of real sustainability transformation on campus. Now sustainability is everyone’s responsibility and is embedded in the university’s wireframe, culture and values.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA

BIO-WALLS, ICE BANKS,

AND ONE GIGANTIC

CISTERN An interview with Jonathan Rausseo, Sustainability Development Manager at the University of Ottawa. By Liam Kelleher.

INSTALLING THE LIVING WALL

TREES ON CAMPUS

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MAIN BUILDING (TABARET)

As the University of Ottawa’s Sustainability Development Manager, Jonathan Rausseo faces not just the challenge of expanding the university’s sustainability programs, but also doing so on a built up campus located centrally in the residential area of Sandy Hill.

Mr. Rausseo remains undaunted by the challenges that this presents and along with the University’s sustainability committee continues to think outside the box and find green solutions to the challenges that the campus presents. “My role at the university as Campus Sustainability Manager covers physical resources, so physical space as it relates to sustainability which includes Buildings, transport, energy, and green space” Mr. Rausseo explains. “The sustainability committee is made up of students and faculty stuff, as

well as external committee members. We’ve found that this allows us to look at sustainability on a much more holistic level.”

Mr. Rausseo’s unorthodox approach to sustainability even factored in to how he landed the role at the university. “I was a student at the university and I was protesting the way the university dealt with certain issues relating to sustainability, they realized they needed someone on board who understood the issues that we were protesting against and so they offered me a job.”

Once he had taken on the role he found himself faced with the challenge of defining exactly what his role would cover. “When I’d get together with my sustainability fellows for a conference, which back then would usually be in somebody’s back yard, we SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA could never come to a consensus on what sustainability was.” Mr. Rausseo found that the definition varied from institution to institute, some placed a greater emphasis on transport whereas others placed their focus on recycling. Luckily he soon found aid in defining the parameters of his mission statement in the form of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) and their stars system.

Mr. Rausseo states that the AASHE system was of immense help to him; “AASHE’s star system created an umbrella that covered all of the various and sometimes disparate elements to create guidelines for a more balanced approach to sustainability.”

Another rating system that Mr. Rausseo has incorporated into sustainability efforts is the Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification. Mr. Rausseo takes great pride in having implemented a policy that requires that all new buildings and retrofits meet a minimum of LEED silver

certification. “There is certainly a ‘badge of honor’ aspect involved when it comes to working with LEED.” AQUARIUM ASSISTED HEATING AND LIVING WALLS Mr. Rausseo has a number of long term initiatives and goals to improve sustainability on campus. His approach requires careful planning and a great deal of flexibility as the needs of the university shift. “We try to complete projects within a five year window but also allow for flexibility should something arise. For example, water conservation wasn’t a high priority for the University initially due to costs, then water costs soared and it quickly became a priority to find ways to conserve and reuse water.”

One of the ways that Mr. Rausseo has been able to achieve this has been to make use of the assets that the university already has, whether this means making use of the condensation from the University’s air conditioning units or larger scale projects. “We CAMPUS BIKE SHARE PROGRAM

CAMPUS BIKE TO WORK DAY

UOTTAWA PRESIDENT HANDING OUT REUSABLE BOTTLES OF WATER

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GREEN HOUSE

“WE TRY TO COMPLETE PROJECTS WITHIN A FIVE YEAR WINDOW BUT ALSO ALLOW FOR FLEXIBILITY SHOULD SOMETHING ARISE.”

have an aquarium on campus that took an awful lot of water to fill for all of two minutes before it was then drained over and over, we looked at that and asked ourselves: ‘That water isn’t that unclean, how can we re-purpose that water’? Now we have a filter on the aquarium that diverts that water to use to flush toilets and aid in

the heating and cooling of the buildings on campus. We’ve reduced wasted water by 50 million litres a month.” In addition to this, Mr. Rausseo also has another grand idea to reduce water consumption levels; a gigantic cistern that would collect rainwater to be used in aiding with heating and cooling the campus buildings.

Other inventive concepts that have found their way into campus life include the university’s ‘living wall’, Canada’s largest bio-filter, that is made up of over two thousand plants. It has become something of an attraction and unique selling point for the university and as Mr. Rausseo remarks, “it helps to clean the air and costs the same

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UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM

amount as a purification system would have. The nice thing is that the living wall really has become a unique feature of the university. Study space around the wall is consistently booked out.” The University of Ottawa is also finding unique ways to create green spaces on the dense campus through the creation of rooftop gardens. Mr Rausseo claims that the benefits of these are two-fold: “During the summer the trees cover the buildings and help to naturally cool the buildings, while during the winter the leaves fall away and allow sunlight through to naturally warm the buildings.”

Other creative schemes that can help the university be more sustainable appear to be in the pipeline. “We’ve secured funding for an ice bank that will allow us to create ice during off peak hours that we can then use the next day, thereby saving us thousands of dollars in electricity costs.”

TIPPING POINT The University has been recognized for its efforts, being crowned Recyclemania champion for the fifth consecutive year. Mr. Rausseo believes that the secret to their success is not due to any complex strategy but simply accessibility. “We’ve placed

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THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA IS ALSO FINDING UNIQUE WAYS TO CREATE GREEN SPACES ON THE DENSE CAMPUS THROUGH THE CREATION OF ROOFTOP GARDENS.

POWER PLANT

MECHANICAL COMPOSTER

our recycling bins so that there is no way to leave any building on campus without passing one.” The creation of the counter flow bike lane that spans the campus along with the creation of outdoor bike repair stations, in partnership with Bike Co-op, have helped to ease the burden of limited parking on campus while helping to create awareness of student involvement with sustainability. Mr. Rausseo feels this is key.

“We have passive programs like the recycling that help to get students into good habits that hopefully they will continue, but also more aggressive programs that increase student interactivity and help

OUTDOOR BIKE REPAIR STATION

turn our students into green concierges.

Education is important, its good to have informed people discussing these issues with their peer groups instead of them feeling that they’re being droned at.”

For Mr. Rausseo these efforts are already paying dividends, “We’re seeing a tipping point on campus, people are coming to us now with ideas of their own for sustainability, we have an artificial football pitch on campus that was made entirely out of ground up recycled sports footwear that university sports teams collected. This was their own idea independent of us. It’s great to see.” c

RECYCLING COUNTER

COMMUNITY GARDEN

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

SUSTAINABLE

SIMON FRASER Director of Sustainability KC Bell highlights the key initiatives and programs being undertaken to improve campus sustainability at Simon Fraser University.

Written by Thomas Massey.

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Director of SFU’s Sustainability Office, KC Bell, speaks to Sustainable Business Magazine about how SFU is developing an institutional culture that recognizes the fundamental interrelationships among economic, environmental and social sustainability and demonstrate how these can be implemented in the day-to-day life of students, staff and faculty. Mr. Bell believes that the initiatives now underway at SFU, and the practices and values they promote, will incrementally change SFU’s culture: “We’re very focused on student and community engagement. As an educational institution, the influence we have on future leaders and decision-makers is primarily through our research and teaching. If we intend to create a sustainable culture, that is where we can be most effective.”

LASTING CHANGE SFU’s sustainability initiatives are designed to achieve new ways of seeing institutional activity, whether learning, working or just “living,” through a “sustainability lens,” says Bell. “It’s not about more or different

work—but about finding ways to encourage faculty, staff and, especially, students, to be mindful of how what we’re doing can impact our environment. Students are our future leaders and their youthful energy, passion and potential for commitment in developing a sustainable society offers the most promise of change both inside SFU and in the many communities we touch,” explains Bell. “ We can do lots of things to mechanically encourage people to change their behaviors, but if they don’t understand why we are asking or don’t appreciate the values in forming our request, those changes won’t last!”

Sustainability’s profile at SFU has grown significantly in recent years as interest grew in moving beyond the strictly operational practices like energy or water conservation into the development of sustainable research practices and the expansion of curriculum to address sustainability issues.

A new Sustainability Advisory Committee was created in 2006, whose first success was to draft a comprehensive Sustainability Policy in 2008 covering the broad sweep

SFU RESEARCHERS ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING SOLUTIONS TO MANY SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES

Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a public research university located in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

It has a long history of sustainability practices and initiatives, with energy management being a high priority on the original Burnaby Campus for over 40 years. Since then energy management has slowly become standard practice at the university and Simon Fraser is now a leading institution in North America when it comes to being sustainable and environmentally friendly. But sustainability is about much more than energy management or water conservation.

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

THE FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT IS A CERTIFIED GREEN OFFICE FOR MAKING THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES MORE SUSTAINABLE

of institutional activity. Policy commitments made there led in 2012 to the creation of both a new Sustainability Office and the Senior Sustainability Council, whose task has been, Bell says, to develop and lead the implementation of a Sustainability Strategic Plan. Meanwhile, the Office has provided an administrative home capable of facilitating culture change, increasing awareness of institutional sustainability and helping to coordinate SFU’s rapidly expanding responses to the Plan.

One of SFU’s current projects began this January with the launch of a new Zero Waste Initiative. “Because everybody produces 90 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

waste,” says Bell, this is an ideal way to introduce sustainable behaviors and values to the broadest possible constituency. SFU’s goal to divert 70% of waste from landfill by 2015 aligns with Metro Vancouver’s goals, meaning there is some systems support in the local infrastructure that makes an ambitious change like this possible.”

The Zero Waste Initiative has two major elements: providing the opportunity through multi-station waste bins to distinguish more categories of “waste”; and educating the community to understand what belongs in each stream, what and how things get recycled, and why reducing waste is the ultimate

goal. In a university, education is always the primary mandate, so informing people about how to use the bins and why they should are essential to successful change.

“Vancouver has a well-developed recycling culture and members of the SFU community are very experienced in separating paper, plastics and various metals at home and work,” says Bell. What is new at SFU is the wide-scale introduction of a new stream for composting and the expansion of new items into the recyclables stream. “It’s very early in the process yet, so there is still confusion about what belongs in compost and what elsewhere. It has been an excellent educa-

THE UNIVERCITY CHILDCARE CENTRE STRIVES TO MEET CANADA’S LIVING BUILDING CHALLENGE BY PROVIDING A SUSTAINABILITY-DRIVEN EARLY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN

tional opportunity, though, for our community as we learn which materials cause the greatest confusion at the bins for people, which materials cause problems for our recycling companies (e.g., K-cups), and which problem materials need to be eliminated entirely such as polystyrene (commonly known

as ‘Styrofoam’). A big part of the program is engaging students through course work and volunteering. Students have certainly played an important role in launching this initiative and in helping to shape a University-wide dialogue and education program on waste reduction and diversion at SFU.”

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

WHAT IS NEW AT SFU IS THE WIDE-SCALE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW STREAM FOR COMPOSTING AND THE EXPANSION OF NEW ITEMS INTO THE RECYCLABLES STREAM.

BLUSSON HALL

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CONTAINER PROGRAM INSTEAD OF DISPOSING OF NON-RECYCLABLE CONTAINERS AFTER EVERY MEAL, STUDENTS AND STAFF CAN REDUCE THEIR WASTE BY USING GO GREEN REUSABLE TAKEOUT CONTAINERS

A NEW STUDY SPACE ADDED TO THE SHRUM SCIENCE BUILDING TAKES ADVANTAGE OF HIGH CEILINGS TO BRING IN AMPLE NATURAL LIGHT

Simon Fraser University is not just addressing the issue of physical waste at the university campus. Several years ago the university introduced a Green Labs Program in an effort to drastically reduce their energy footprint and integrate sustainability practices as the new norm in research practice at SFU. “The Green Labs Program was originally seen as a pilot, developed in partnership with BC Hydro, SFU’s facility managers, sustainability staff and, most

importantly, with researchers - with lab users - to reduce the energy intensity in labs.

In research universities, research activity (such as constantly running fume hoods) and IT infrastructure are among the fastest growing consumers of energy. The Green Labs program was so well received it has been made available to all campus labs and, with the support of SFU’s Safety and Risk Services, now incorporates training on the management of hazardous waste.

A GREEN FUTURE The University has been reducing its energy consumption since 1978 and has saved millions of dollars in the process.

Bell leaves the most impressive figure until last: “Through the constant efforts of many people at SFU, we have reduced our energy consumption by 12% over the last five years despite a 7% increase in building footprint and 11% growth in full time equivalent students.” SFU has been

WINNING MANY DESIGN AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS, THE UNIVERCITY CHILDCARE CENTRE IS UNDERGOING CERTIFICATION TO BECOME CANADA’S FIRST LIVING BUILDING

SFU’S FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT IS COMMITTED TO EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS BY CREATING IMMERSIVE, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

“WE HAVE REDUCED OUR ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY 12% OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS DESPITE A 7% INCREASE IN BUILDING FOOTPRINT AND 11% GROWTH IN FULL TIME EQUIVALENT STUDENTS.”

SFU’S GREEN LABS PROGRAM SAVED 47 METRIC TONNES OF CO2 EMISSIONS FROM ENTERING THE ATMOSPHERE IN 2012

carbon neutral since 2010 and recently renewed its commitment to reduce its total energy consumption by 2% annually.

Simon Fraser University continues to introduce new initiatives and programs to build a sustainable community informed by values that recognize and respect the

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profound relationships among social, economic and environmental sustainability. Through the Sustainability Office, SFU is actively engaging students, staff and faculty in building a new sustainable culture across the institution and its many activities. As Bell says, “we’re always look-

ing to the future, seeking ways to build sustainability, not just into our operational and administrative work, but also into SFU’s curriculum, research and community outreach. That’s the commitment set in our Policy and it’s the work we have set for ourselves.” c

LOCAL MUSICIAN DAN MOXON LENT HIS TALENTS TO SFU’S ZERO WASTE INITIATIVE BY PERFORMING IN SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE’S OUTREACH CAMPAIGN VIDEO

SFU LAUNCHED A NEW FOUR-STREAM ZERO WASTE INITIATIVE ACROSS ALL THREE CAMPUSES IN JANUARY 2014

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ADVERTISERS INDEX A Air Audit Inc

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