Royal Roads University announces details of Sustainability Plan
For immediate release – December 17, 2008
Victoria, B.C. – Associate vice-president and chief information officer Dr. Steve Grundy today announced details of the Royal Roads University Sustainability Plan and named Nancy Wilkin as executive-in-residence responsible for assisting him in his role to implement its five overarching initiatives.
“Nancy will lead our new Office of Sustainability on campus, staffed with two sustainability facilitators, Keri Laughlin and Vageli Dadiotis, from the Youth Climate Leadership Alliance,” said Grundy. “The primary role of this office – among other things – will be to guide the university’s momentum toward becoming one of Canada’s first truly sustainable campuses.”
The five overarching initiatives of the Royal Roads University Sustainability Plan, developed against the backdrop of B.C.’s Climate Action plans, are tied to:
Greenhouse gas management which will result in a 50-per-cent net reduction of emissions from 2007 levels over the next 12 years.
Going grid-positive which will see Royal Roads adopt alternate energy sources not only sustainable but also able to provide surplus electricity and heat that will be made available to local purchasers. Approaches under consideration are a small-scale facility to gasify wood waste; a small-scale facility to convert methane emissions from compostable waste; and a small wastewater treatment facility that could also serve the needs of communities on the West Shore.
Campus transportation options which include reducing the number of commuters driving alone to the university; re-routing traffic circulation; consolidating parking lots; and making the campus pedestrian friendly.
Building and heritage conservation projects which include re-development of existing buildings and construction of new facilities while maintaining the unique attributes of the campus.
University stewardship plans which include the creation of a Green Purchasing and Product Stewardship Policy and the setting up of Campus Green, a university-wide stewardship team of employee and student advocates who will encourage manageable grassroots projects that minimize waste streams and conserve natural resources.
“This campus presents both a responsibility and a privilege,” said Wilkin who recently retired from a 25-year career with the Province of B.C., most recently as an assistant deputy minister in the Ministry of Environment. “Charged with its stewardship and safekeeping by the Department of National Defence and presented with the opportunity to develop a living-learning laboratory for sustainability, RRU has a singular chance among post-secondary institutions to link education to practice to policy on behalf of British Columbians.”
Grundy said the issue of environmental leadership is more acute at RRU because of the outstanding natural beauty, historical heritage and ecological sensitivity of its campus and also that the university’s size allows it to be more flexible than most other educational institutions.
“We also have excellent relationships with our community partners who are willing to participate in our ‘experiment” and enough interdisciplinary expertise residing in our faculty, staff and graduates to become one of Canada’s first truly sustainable campuses,” he said.
RRU’s Sustainability Plan draws on key elements of its campus plan, its environmental programs, its research into sustainable communities and societies; and its business practices.
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For media queries, contact:
Communications Officer, Phil Saunders
phil.saunders@royalroads.ca 250-391-2526, cel 250-812-5065 or,
Community Relations Director, Stephanie Slater
stephanie.slater@royalroads.ca 250-391-2712, cel 250-361-5020
