[ensu] Sustainability Office
- From: ENSU <utorensu@xxxxxxxx>
- To: ENSU Listserv <ensu@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2005 17:41:26 -0500 (EST)
For Immediate Release
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LAUNCHES SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE
Plans to dramatically curtail energy use and
greenhouse gas emissions
Sustainability Office Open House
Thursday, February 10, 2005
10am to 4pm
Earth Sciences Centre
5 Bancroft (just south of Willcocks St)
(TORONTO, January, 2005) - The University of Toronto
is taking an historic step towards ecological
improvement by launching a Sustainability Office with
a mandate to dramatically decrease the University?s
use of energy and, ultimately, its greenhouse gas
emissions.
Global climate change - resulting from the growing
combustion of fossil fuels - is increasingly
recognized as one of the greatest threats facing
humanity in the 21st century. Canada, along with many
other nations around the globe, has risen to this
challenge by ratifying the Kyoto Protocol, and
committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to six
percent below 1990 levels. If we are to meet this
target, all sectors of Canadian society, from industry
and institutions to individuals and households, must
do their part. It is in this spirit that the
University of Toronto is launching the new
Sustainability Office.
The Sustainability Office will be responsible for the
creation and implementation of a comprehensive
Greenhouse Gas and Energy reduction strategy for the
University of Toronto. The goal is to exceed the
University of Toronto?s proportion of Canada?s Kyoto
commitments, and propel the University to the leading
edge of sustainable practices among Canadian
institutions. The Sustainability Office hopes to:
1 Establish energy efficiency as a key criterion for
all decisions relating to facilities, renovations and
purchasing;
2 Develop state of the art demonstration projects on
campus;
3 Foster research and development in the area of
energy efficiency and create a forum to prove and
demonstrate these new developments in a living lab;
and
4 Establish a sustainable funding mechanism for the
ongoing implementation of energy and emissions
reduction projects.
The direction and implementation of the Sustainability
Office and Strategy is under the guidance of Beth
Savan, the inaugural Sustainability Director, and
Bruce Dodds, the Director of Utilities and Building
Operations. The University has established an advisory
panel, representing students, faculty and
administrators, to provide high-level support and
strategic advice for the development of the Greenhouse
Gas and Energy Reduction strategy. Students are also
important members of the Sustainability Office,
filling a variety of roles including work-study
positions, volunteer positions, and undertaking
research through related course projects.
The first major project will be a retrofit of Robarts
Library, replacing over 60 000 lighting units with
state of the art, energy efficient lamps and fixtures.
The project will also install motion sensors in the
library stacks, so that full lighting comes on only
when it is needed. The project is expected to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by over a million kilograms
per year!
?The Sustainability Office is an historic step towards
environmental improvement at the University of
Toronto,? says Beth Savan, Sustainability Director, ?I
look forward to working with staff, students, and
faculty to build a cleaner, greener U of T.?
On Thursday, February 10th, the Sustainability Office
will be holding an Open House at the Earth Sciences
building lobby/Room 1047A, from 10am to 4pm. Drop by
to learn more about this exciting new initiative, and
find out how you can get involved! Refreshments will
be provided.
-30-
For further information, contact Gaby at 416-978-6792,
or email sustainability.office@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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