University of Alberta

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

The Environmental Coordination Office of Students facilitates projects aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the university. Facilities and operations is currently completing a sustainability review with proposals to address the issue from a campus-wide perspective. Within facilities and operations, a director and senior engineer dedicate a substantial percentage of their time to sustainability. A sustainability policy is expected to be approved and implemented in 2008.

The north campus operates a cogeneration plant and a chilled water thermal energy storage system, resulting in 20 to 30 percent energy savings. The university is in the fifth year of a seven-year, $25 million energy management program, with estimated annual savings of $3.3 million upon completion. The university has not made public any commitment to emissions reduction or investment in renewable energy.

The university purchases meat locally, and all campus vendors offer fair-trade coffee. Dining services uses biodegradable containers and napkins for takeout. In some locations the university offers a discount on hot beverages with a reusable cup. Dining services is currently in the process of adding a compost program in the kitchens, and plans to eventually add postconsumer waste. The compost will be brought back to campus and used in flower beds and agriculture fields. Yard waste is composted.

The university employs four LEED-accredited professionals and is in the process of modifying design standards to ensure green building principles are incorporated into all new projects. Numerous projects in the design stages are intended to be built to LEED Silver standards. A project due to be completed in December 2007 will seek LEED certification.

All students receive a transit pass for the city transit system. During the warmer half of the year, the Bike Library rents bikes to campus community members. Parking rates will be increased over the next three years to develop and fund the Travel Demand Management initiative. Fleet services are investigating the potential for adding hybrid vehicles and the university is at the initial stages of implementing an anti-idling campaign, which is expected to reduce campus vehicle emissions by up to 30 percent.

The university makes a list of endowment holdings available to the public. This information is available via the web. Its proxy voting record is only available to trustees and senior administrators.

The university aims to optimize investment return and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting.