| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 62.69 |
| Liaison | Christina Olsen |
| Submission Date | Aug. 20, 2024 |
British Columbia Institute of Technology
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.25 / 3.00 |
Part 1. Institution-wide sustainable procurement policies
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
The policies, guidelines or directives:
As a public sector organization, BCIT adheres to policies and guidelines of the BC Government. This includes following BC's guidelines for sustainable procurement that stipulate the purchase of environmentally responsible products and services whenever feasible: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/bc-procurement-resources/policy-and-strategies/government-policy-and-guidelines-do-not-alter-content/guidelines-for-environmentally-responsible-procurement
BCIT also has its own procurement policies, including:
BCIT Purchasing Policy (#2003): https://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/policies/2003.pdf and Protocol 16: Supplier Code of Conduct
This policy and protocol stipulate that BCIT require its suppliers to act with integrity and conduct business in an ethical manner. BCIT may refuse to do business with any supplier that has engaged in illegal or unethical bidding practices, has an actual or potential conflict of interest or unfair advantage, or fails to adhere to ethical business practices. Definitions and expectations within each of these areas are outlined in Protocol 16 on Supplier Code of Conduct within BCIT’s Purchasing Policy.
BCIT Economic, Social, and Environmental Sustainability Policy (#1010): https://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/policies/1010.pdf
Policy 1010 asserts BCIT’s commitment to sustainability encompasses advancing the state of practice through education and research, improving campus operations and planning, and strengthening employee and student stewardship and wellness programs. This policy helps BCIT to encourage all members of the community to carry out their duties in a manner that supports economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
The purposes of this policy are to:
- Serve as an umbrella policy to guide the development and implementation of new policies and programs that will advance sustainability at BCIT
- Establish the principles and goals that will inform development of such policies and programs
- Define the roles of BCIT employees responsible for implementing this policy
- Communicate the need for practices that support sustainability
- Initiate change in behaviours and management towards sustainable practices
- Foster economic, social, and environmental sustainability on BCIT campuses
Through the application of this policy, BCIT aims to improve, monitor, and report on its performance in sustainability including in the areas of:
- Curriculum development and education delivery
- Applied research
- Food services
- Building design, construction, and renovation
- Facilities management and custodial services
- Procurement of goods and services
- Land use planning
- Landscaping and ecological restoration
- Transportation
- Enhancement of human well‐being, equity, health, safety, and productivity
One of the strategies to advancing sustainability at BCIT is "Sustainable Procurement". Most of the impact of consumption is in the supply-side of manufactured goods, so a focus on sustainable procurement can yield significant benefit. We will deepen and augment our commitment to social and environmental responsibility in our purchasing, working closely with our suppliers and partners to ensure a systemic approach. Where relevant, we will advocate for regulatory shifts to lift constraints on our capacity to promote sustainability in our buying decisions. And we will communicate and support the adoption of best practices across the Institute. Different units have different needs and parameters; we will collaborate with each to ensure that we move the needle in procurement while respecting the local academic or business context.
Part 2. Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
Part 3. Product-specific sustainability criteria
To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products and/or services in each category, e.g. by requiring or giving preference to multi-criteria sustainability standards, certifications and labels appropriate to the category. Broader, institution-wide policies should be reported in Part 1, above.
Chemically intensive products and services
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
BCIT’s in-house green cleaning (BEST Service Pros) provides a Green Cleaning Program that has been third-party certified through CIMS, the Cleaning Industry Management Standard. This program is LEED compliant and focuses on training, cleaning processes, assessment, indoor air quality, and chemicals and equipment (all products listed on the Safety Data Sheets are green certified). It meets all the requirements of the LEED Version 4.1 Operations and Maintenance in-house green cleaning policy.
Janitorial Paper Products include: ECOLOGO certified, Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SF) Fibre Sourcing Standard, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, U.S. EPA Safer Choice labeled, Green Seal certified.
https://best.ca/corporate-social-responsibility/environment
https://best.ca/blog/best-service-pros-achieves-cims-certification-with-near-perfect-score
Consumable office products
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
Furniture and furnishings
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
BCIT's new Campus Design Guidelines stipulate that all future capital projects and major building renewals are to undertake a whole-building life cycle assessment (wbLCA) to estimate embodied carbon emissions and to understand and benchmark the embodied emissions of future projects. All building projects are to target a minimum 25% LCA embodied carbon reduction compared to a baseline building or a maximum 325 kgCO2/m2 target for life cycle carbon. Campus buildings core and shell are to be designed for a 75-year service life before a major building renewal.
Integrated Design Standards (IDS) are applied to Campus Planning and Facilities maintenance projects and major equipment upgrading and replacement initiatives. IDS ensures that energy performance characteristics, life cycle impacts, cost effectiveness, serviceability and reliability are all key considerations when selecting replacement systems and equipment. Lowest initial cost is not always the appropriate solution. https://www.bcit.ca/facilities/sustainability-practices/
Information Technology (IT) and equipment
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
Food service providers
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
Garments and linens
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
Professional service providers
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
Transportation and fuels
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
In FY22-23, BCIT undertook a campus level decarbonization study project where a detailed implementation plan has been created for BCIT to meet its near-term and long-term GHG reduction targets. Sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels can be found in the Climate Change Accountability Report 2023 which covers:
Capital projects:
- Whole-Building Life Cycle Assessment: All future capital projects and major building renewals are to undertake a whole-building life cycle assessment to estimate embodied carbon emissions and to understand and benchmark the embodied emissions of future projects.
- New Construction Standards: New construction projects consider low carbon energy sources first and will aim to meet the Passive House standard to minimize future energy inputs.
Mobile Sources (e.g. fleet vehicles, off-road/portable equipment)
- 50% of BCIT’s fleet is already made up of zero emission vehicles. As older vehicles reach the end of their service life, they will be replaced with electric vehicles where available.
- New campus service center designs include adequate charging infrastructure to support the growing EV fleet.
- BCIT has committed to 100% Electric Vehicle (EV) charging ready for all new residential developments on campus including student housing. In addition, BCIT has further committed to provide 50% EV charging ready parking stalls for all visitor and underground parking.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
BCIT Purchasing Policy (#2003): https://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/policies/2003.pdf and Protocol 16: Supplier Code of Conduct
BCIT Economic, Social, and Environmental Sustainability Policy (#1010): https://www.bcit.ca/files/pdf/policies/1010.pdf
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.