University of Victoria
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According to the BC Ministry of Advanced Education [1],The University of Victoria (UVic) is "one of Canada's leading universities, [and] is widely recognized for its innovative and responsive programs, interdisciplinary and international initiatives and work-integrated learning. Located in British Columbia's capital city, UVic offers undergraduate and graduate students outstanding educational, social, cultural and artistic opportunities. Faculties of study include business, education, engineering, fine arts, graduate studies, human and social development, humanities, law, science and social sciences, as well as medicine in conjunction with UBC."
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Contents |
External Climate Change Commitments
- UVic is a signatory to the University and College Presidents' Climate Change Statement of Action for Canada.
- Talloires Declaration
Beyond Carbon Neutral Planning Contacts
Student and Community Contacts
1) Climate Change and Environmental Groups
Common Energy commonenergy.org
University of Victoria Sustainability Project http://uvsp.uvic.ca/index.htm
University Of Victoria Student Society http://www.uvss.uvic.ca/
Vancouver Island Public Interest Research Group http://www.vipirg.ca/
University Of Victoria Sustainability Club http://groups.google.com/group/uvicsustainability?hl=en
Western Canada Wilderness Committee Victoria http://www.wildernesscommitteevictoria.org
2) Research/Academic Contacts:
Canadian Institute for Climate Studies http://www.cics.uvic.ca/
Environmental Law Center http://www.elc.uvic.ca/
Polis Project on Ecological Governance http://www.polisproject.org/about
Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions http://www.pics.uvic.ca/
3) Project-Focused Contacts: Campus Community Garden http://web.uvic.ca/~ccgarden/
Victoria Car Share Co-op www.victoriacarshare.ca
SPOKES spokesbikes@wildmail.com
Administration Contacts
Sustainability Office at UVic http://web.uvic.ca/sustainability/
UVic Bicycle Users Committee http://web.uvic.ca/uvbikes
Facilities Management
Carbon Neutral and Beyond-Carbon Neutral Planning Initiatives
Policy
The University of Victoria is a signatory to the University and College President's Climate Change Statement of Action for Canada [2]. It is also developing a Sustainability Policy and Action Plan [3] to be completed by January 2009 for incorporation into the wider university planning process. Other key policy documents are listed at http://web.uvic.ca/sustainability/Contacts.htm
Governance
Carbon neutral planning occurs through the Office of Campus Planning and Sustainability. The current Sustainability Policy and Action Plan is being developed in a collaborative manner involving the university and wider community through focus groups, public workshops, open houses, surveys and online forums and to be approved by the board of governors.
Buildings
UVic recently opened its third LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rated building, and construction has begun on the 4th and 5th buildings to aim for LEED gold status on campus. For more details on sustainability in building design, see http://web.uvic.ca/sustainability/buildings.php. Copies of UVic Sustainable Development and Design Guildelines are available through Sarah Webb, UVic Sustainability Coordinator, at 712-6678.
Energy
UVic invests in green power certificates through BC Hydro, supporting the development of alternative energy sources including solar, wind, biomass, wave, small-scale hydro developments and landfill gas operations. Solar panels are used for heating the indoor swimming pool, as well as powering parking ticket dispensers and lights mounted on campus transit stops. UVic will also invest in offsetting more than 100 per cent of the energy consumption from each of the three new building projects on campus.
Transportation
The university has implemented an effective transportation demand management program through which 65 per cent of people now travel to and from campus each day using sustainable transportation, including public transit, cycling, carpooling and walking. For descriptions of UVic's transportation initiatives, including the U-Pass, carpooling and car share programs, cycling infrastructure, parking permits, safewalk program, and video-conferencing tools, visit http://web.uvic.ca/sustainability/TransportationTravelChoices.htm.
Food
At least one local food menu item is available every day at restaurants in the Student Union Building. Students, faculty, and staff also have access to local produce through weekly pocket markets [4], and can also grow their own food in the campus community garden.[5]
Waste
UVic has an extensive recycling program, and also composts garden, restaurant, and secondary consumer materials. [6]
Purchasing
UVic's 2007 Strategic Plan states that the university will "further develop our ethical and sustainable purchasing practices." As one example, UVic recently became the first university in BC to switch to 100% recycled content in paper. More
Investments
Budgeting
Offsets
Education and Research
Although there is no data on how many classes offered at UVic address climate change, over 200 classes in different disciplines cover triple bottom line sustainability [7], and many classes incorporate climate change projects into their coursework (see UVic-ES480S01-2008 page for examples of student writing on climate change solutions). Since 2004, UVic's School of Business has been integrating sustainability into core curriculum, making it the first business school in North America to do so.
UVic is a leader in climate change research in Canada, and among the top universities around the world. As stated in Meeting the Challenge: Climate Change Research at the University of Victoria [8] document, "UVic’s internationally respected research expertise in the scientific, social and economic impacts of climate change can play a key role in providing the fact- based foundation for sound public policy and informed, effective solutions. At the same time, it is developing and marketing next-generation technologies that will yield environmental and economic benefits. Very few institutions in the world can bring a full spectrum of such talent to bear on a single issue—climate change mitigation and adaptation—in areas as diverse as climate modelling, energy systems engineering and development, environmental law, energy and environmental economics, watershed ecology, oceanography, public policy and international relations. Our research expertise spans a broad range of disciplines, only some of which are captured in the following pages. Our researchers stand ready to make major contributions in the effort to clearly understand and effectively meet the challenges confronting Canada and the world, and to identify and take full advantage of the economic opportunities that will emerge."
