Sharing expertise

University of VictoriaPushing the envelope on sustainability comes naturally at the University of Victoria, Sarah Webb explains to Gary Toushek. "When you see how beautiful our campus here is, beside the ocean, with gardens and open spaces and aesthetically pleasing green buildings, any student interested in sustainability issues instinctively wants to apply those aspects to life at home and in the community at large, and it can be a rewarding experience.ÔÇØ Sarah WebbÔÇÖs energy and enthusiasm reverberates through the phone line as she describes the wide range of sustainability activities taking place at the University of Victoria (UVic) on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. As the campus sustainability coordinator for the past five years, the UVic grad (who has also been a staff representative on the universityÔÇÖs board of governors for three years) bicycles to work with her toddler behind her in a carrier and drops him off at the campus daycare center. ÔÇ£ThatÔÇÖs all part of sustainability too,ÔÇØ she says.The office of campus planning and sustainability that she shares with a director and a program assistant began in 2006, although the position of campus sustainability coordinator was established in 1998, the same year that the LEED green building rating system was developed by the US Green Building Council, which was followed by CanadaÔÇÖs adaptation of LEED standards. Two of the universityÔÇÖs three newly constructed buildings have been certified LEED Gold, the third is in the application stage for Gold status, and there are two buildings under construction that will be considered for LEED credentials.In addition to LEED, UVic has developed its own sustainable development guidelines, some of which reflect LEED concerns, but with a number of specifics appropriate for UVicÔÇÖs criteriaÔÇösort of a customization of LEED aspects for local applications. TheyÔÇÖre used for retrofits, renovations and other building projects. ÔÇ£Our own guidelines,ÔÇØ Webb says, ÔÇ£which reflect the sustainability objectives of our campus plan, provide a framework for looking at building-specific strategies and campus-wide strategies, to ensure that the spaces weÔÇÖre constructing reduce energy and water consumption, that they are healthy spaces for people to work in and study, and that they have a reduced environmental footprint overall. ItÔÇÖs useful to have an externally judged, third-party certification program like LEED, but we think our campus is unique. When you look at the level of renovations and retrofits that occur each year, itÔÇÖs important to be pointed in the right direction on an ongoing basis. So we find that the combination of following our own sustainable development guidelines in addition to LEED considerations works really well.ÔÇØPart of her job is to look at sustainability institutionally and help various departments, researchers and groups on campus to advance sustainability where applicable, not only to achieve goals but to encourage people to think about how their personal life can be brought into the equation. ÔÇ£We hire work-study and co-op students throughout the year for certain tasks, activities and projects,ÔÇØ she says. ÔÇ£I work with janitors, students, faculty, architects and neighbors. I donÔÇÖt always have the answers people are looking for, but I can connect them with someone who does know or help them navigate their way. Sometimes I deliver presentations to community organizations when they want to find out whatÔÇÖs happening sustainably on campus, or do a green building tour for a group of visiting engineers in town for a conference. ItÔÇÖs a fantastic position to be inÔÇönicely versatile.ÔÇØ In 2008ÔÇô09 WebbÔÇÖs office is focused on developing a new comprehensive, strategic sustainability policy and action plan for UVic. ÔÇ£What are our priorities for sustainability, and what indicators will we use to measure our progress? We need to develop a campus/community vision for what sustainability will look like for UVic.ÔÇØ TheyÔÇÖre also engaged in a number of different activities, such as public lectures and seminars with guest speakers. Currently theyÔÇÖre working with a neighboring municipality as part of its carbon-neutral community climate action gathering. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre partnering with them to host on campus a three-month series of workshops coming up shortly, for homeowners and business owners, to discuss sustainability. ÔÇ£Another area where we shine is our commitment to the First Nations,ÔÇØ Webb continues. ÔÇ£Not only do we have a number of indigenous staff, faculty and students; weÔÇÖre also constructing, in the middle of the campus, a Coast Salish longhouse, the First Peoples House, a gorgeous physical manifestation of our commitment. We hold many international conferences here, so visitors will be able to share in that atmosphere, demonstrating the social and cultural side of sustainability.ÔÇØHer office is constantly looking for new ways to partner with the community at large, to blend the campus population with the outer neighborhoods. The point is that the practices that UVic employs operationally can be transferred into the community, from the outdoor compost stations on campus, to its treated wastewater recycling program, or its ethical purchasing program, including local foods. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre sharing that know-how and expertise so that anyone can learn how to do it, and if it doesnÔÇÖt work perfectly the first time on campus, thatÔÇÖs okay. WeÔÇÖre a living laboratory, so if we can help advance sustainability in the outer community, all the better.ÔÇØ UVic hosts and leads the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (created by the province), in collaboration with UBC, SFU and UNBC, which is a big honor. The university also has a community-help promotion research group for integrated energy systems, looking at large-scale renewable energy applications, ÔÇ£so when you look at our research and the opportunity for knowledge and technology transfer in sustainability, campuses like ours are poised to be leaders in this field,ÔÇØ Webb says. Sustainability is an attitude, she says; itÔÇÖs a way of thinking, planning, and making strategic choices and decisions. ÔÇ£I think UVic recognizes that we have not only a role but a responsibility to educate and graduate knowledgeable students who will take their learned behavior and ideas into the workforce and their community, to make a difference.ÔÇØ┬á