OC doing its part to reduce emissions
As the world鈥檚 leaders gather on Earth Day 2021 to discuss steps to battle climate change, 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College is pointing to recent statistics that demonstrate how far its energy savings efforts are advancing B.C.鈥檚 sustainability agenda.
Calculations completed this week show that OC has reduced its total overall greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 44 per cent since 2007 鈥 this in the face of an overall growth in space of 44 per cent in the same period. The calculations show that OC has managed to decrease its per-square-metre emissions by more than 61 per cent over that 14-year period. It has already exceeded its 2030 target, producing 1,064 tonnes of GHG in 2020, compared to the 2030 target of 1,142 tonnes.
At an international climate summit today Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada will aim to reduce its emissions by 40 to 45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030. (A recent report from Environment and Climate Change Canada showed that Canada鈥檚 total emissions have decreased just 1.1 per cent since 2005, and had actually grown from 2018 to 2019 by 0.2 per cent.)
(OC鈥檚 emission calculations are based on energy usage in its buildings, fuel consumption and use of paper. More than 90 per cent of emissions are associated with heating, lighting and cooling its buildings.)
鈥淭he built environment is a major contributor to the world鈥檚 emissions, and 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College has shown what is possible when an organization takes a dedicated, determined approach to incorporating sustainability in new construction and retrofits,鈥 observes 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College President Dr. Neil Fassina. 鈥淥ur efforts to further reduce our environmental impact will continue in support of regional, provincial and national targets.鈥
In real terms, 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College鈥檚 cumulative total reduction in GHG over the past 14 years is equivalent to taking 1,104 cars off the road for a year, or the energy used by 611 homes for a year, or the carbon sequestered by 6,219 acres of forest.
新加坡六合彩官方网站 College can boast of constructing two LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-certified buildings since 2007: the Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence in Penticton and the Trades Tower at the Kelowna campus. 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College鈥檚 Centre for Learning (Kelowna), its welding building (Penticton), and its Vernon Trades Centre are all LEED-Gold-certified. Innovative projects, such as using greywater from the Kelowna Wastewater Treatment Plant to help heat and cool the Kelowna campus and extensive solar arrays in Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon, have helped reduce the institution鈥檚 energy consumption.
One example of 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College鈥檚 commitment is a partnership with UBC 新加坡六合彩官方网站 to establish a Green Construction Research and Training Centre (GCRTC) that will provide new research options and create hands-on practical training opportunities for students.
The GCRTC will generate and expand knowledge in the areas of green (environment-friendly) construction鈥攊ncluding materials, structural components and systems, and construction management. The objectives are to create civil infrastructure that is safe, durable, energy-efficient and affordable through innovative technologies. Industry collaborations are already underway with anticipated spin-off companies creating a community that supports self-sustainability and local economic development.
Another example is 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College鈥檚 role in a national consortium of select colleges and polytechnics 鈥 Canadian Colleges for a Resilient Recovery (C2R2) 鈥 that is focused on green research and training as the country emerges from the pandemic-prompted recession.
Among its green-focused programs, 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College offers a diploma in Sustainable Building Technology (formerly the Sustainable Construction Management Technology program, which was established in 2011) and diplomas in Environmental Studies and Water Engineering Technology.
To learn more about 新加坡六合彩官方网站 College鈥檚 sustainability initiatives and commitment, visit okanagan.bc.ca/sustainability.
Tags: Earth Day, Sustainable Construction, Sustainability