Energy & Environmental Management
Welcome
Kwantlen has significantly reduced its electricity and natural gas consumption through proactive energy management and has committed to a Program of Continuous Improvement, dedication and effort.
Please read the Energy Management Action Plan
We have committed to management of our resources through development and updating of our Energy Management Action Plan. This provides a framework for us to determine and evaluate our progress.
Please read the Energy Consumption Records
In order to measure our progress in achieving energy conservation goals we perform detailed tracking and analysis of our energy consumption data which we have compiled from 1994 to current. We also share this data to raise awareness on our energy use profile.
"Through its long-standing commitment and leadership in energy conservation and environmental sustainability, Kwantlen Polytechnic University is setting an example for other educational institutions to follow." — Bev Van Ruyven, BC Hydro Senior VP of Customer Care & Conservation
Kwantlen's Carbon Neutral Actions Report
Kwantlen has taken many steps to reduce energy consumption which also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help achieve carbon neutrality. In 1995 we were one of the first post-secondary institutions to join the federal government's Energy Innovators Initiative and Canada's Climate Change Voluntary Challenge and Registry (VCR).
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- 2010 Carbon Neutral Actions Report
- 2009 Carbon Neutral Actions Report and Overview links
- 2008 Carbon Neutral Actions Report
Previous reports for work to reduce GHG emissions:
- October 2002 Gold Report (PDF)
- August 2005 Silver Report (PDF)
Achieving Our Vision
Kwantlen's Executive and Energy Management Team have always had a strong commitment to improve energy efficiency and together have gradually evolved a set of guidelines:
- New building projects are designed to a minimum LEED Gold Standard.
- Upgrades to existing buildings have Life Cycle Cost principles applied for energy & resource efficiency.
- We annually review our written resource management program to improve and solidify it.
- In addition to saving energy, a portion of our electrical energy is purchased from 'Green' renewable resources.
Energy Efficiency Measures — Past Projects
Our energy efficiency project started (installation) in 2001 and completed by late 2002. This was a pilot project for the province of BC under the "Green Building Initiative". The contracted cost of the project was $1.4 million dollars and is paid for entirely from energy savings. The project included upgraded lighting, heating and ventilation systems.
Key Project Elements:
- Lower energy consumption reduces our impact on the environment.
- Less susceptibility to future energy price increases (risk management).
- Created significant employment in $1.4 Million project, mostly local economy.
- Sought and obtained over $300,000 in Provincial/Federal funding.
- First pilot for Provincial Green Building Initiative and helped develop guidelines.
- Repaired a chronic heating problem on one campus.
- Improved parking lot safety with better/brighter lighting.
- New mechanical controls give improved occupant comfort.
- New lighting improves user comfort.
- New heating systems (Horticultural) increased student learning opportunities.
Over a million dollars in energy cost savings every three years – unadjusted for inflation. There are also many 'hidden' savings. As an example, more efficient lighting systems save energy but also reduced the number of lamps on campus. These lamps are forever out of the system, and don’t have to be purchased and reinstalled every 5 to 6 years. Stacked end-to-end the (over 7,000) lamps we permanently removed would be as high as Mount Everest.
the 2003 Energy Efficiency Project Case Study
Current Initiatives
LEED Staff training
Four Facilities personnel have their LEED AP Certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
LEED Buildings (New)
New buildings are Leadership in Energy & Environmental Designed to meet a LEED Gold Certification or better level.
Renovations
‘Life Cycle Costing’ principles are used for renovations, balancing the total (lifetime) expense instead of just comparing the lowest up-front cost options.
Success Stories
Since completing our first major retrofit in 2002, Kwantlen has been continuing to find, review and implement resource conservation projects.
Select the links below to read about our energy efficiency success stories.
- Replacing atrium lighting cuts electrical and maintenance costs $4,000 a year
- New hot water tank cuts summer natural gas use 37% at Richmond campus
- Exterior lighting change cuts electrical and maintenance costs $4,400 a year
- Adding reflectors in Cafeteria reduces costs by $2,100 per year
- Controlling video machine operation reduces electric cost by $800 a year
- Relamp and Reballast Reduces Resource Requirements
- Low-Wattage T8’s Find Their Place
- Exterior Photocells Control Interior Lights
- Open the Door, Turn Off the Heat
- Heating Conversion for Horticulture Workshed Saves Natural Gas
- Kwantlen Purchases Clean and Green Energy
- Ventilating Large Spaces When No One Is Home
- Finding the Solution to Mercury Pollution
- Count the Incandescent Program Yields Surprise
- Piping Insulation Gives Control and Savings Reports — Resource Management Plan
- Saving Water, Saving Energy in Washroom Sinks
Ecological Footprint Study (Geog. Dept)
A study initiated through the Geography Department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, with assistance from many other departments (eg. Facilities, Purchasing, etc.). Click here to view or download the Ecological Footprint Study
Continuous Improvement Matrix
Continuous Improvement (or Continuous Management) is the ongoing commitment to continuously improve. This matrix is a good way to track your current status and set new goals. Click here to view or download the Continuous Improvement Model: Outline Matrix .
Frost and Sullivan profiles the Kwantlen Cloverdale campus in this report:
Bright Green Buildings: Convergence of Green and Intelligent Buildings
The Continental Automated Buildings Association has released a comprehensive report on "bright" green buildings. "Bright" green buildings leverage intelligent technologies to support environmental sustainability while providing a significant return on invest (ROI).
The report features several real-world examples that show how property companies around the world have employed advances in green building and networking technologies to increase profits, lower costs, and help the environment.
For more information and to download copies of the final report go to http://www.caba.org/brightgreen
Energy Saving Tips
Energy conservation succeeds with everyone's participation. Please join the effort with these energy saving tips. Choose a sector to learn about some no-cost and low-cost energy conservation and efficiency actions to reduce energy consumption, electricity bills, and natural gas bills along with some suggested long-term energy efficiency investments you can make in your home or workplace. Most of the suggestions noted here can be used at home and help save money. Take an active part in conservation.
- Remember to turn the lights off when you leave the room
- Turn off your computer, monitor & printer when you leave for the day
- Turn off your monitor if you plan to be away from your desk for more than one hour
- Unplug equipment that uses standby energy such as computers, coffee makers, alarm clocks, and stereos if you plan to be away for a long time
- Open the blinds in the daytime to minimize artificial lighting and let in the sun's warmth; close them at the end of the day to trap the heat at night
- Take the stairs instead of using elevators
- Choose to purchase ENERGY STAR rated lamps and other fixtures; replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
BC Hydro's Power Smart Tips for Work
View further energy saving tips at http://www.bchydro.com/
Recycling on Campus
Kwantlen has a campus wide recycling program for the following materials:
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Recycle and Re-use
- Minimize use of copies - send email attachments
- Double side print all documents
- Recycle all recyclable materials including paper, post-it notes, envelopes, junk mail, newspapers, plastics, aluminum cans, electronic equipment and computers
- Bring your own cutlery and dishware to the office instead of using plastic utensils or disposable plates
- Use re-useable bags whenever you shop
- Carry a re-useable coffee mug or water bottle instead of using disposable cups or buying bottled water
- Remove yourself from junk mail and catalog lists
Contact Us
For further information on Kwantlen's energy, environmental or sustainability programs:
| Dan Brown Manager, Physical Plant Phone: 604.599.2446 Email:dan.brown@kwantlen.ca |
or | Karen Hearn Executive Director, Facilities Phone: 604.599.2442 Email:karen.hearn@kwantlen.ca |
