| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.08 |
| Liaison | Philip Mansfield |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2022 |
Carleton University
EN-14: Participation in Public Policy
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Philip
Mansfield Sustainability Manager Facilities Management and Planning |
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the municipal/local level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the municipal/local level:
Carleton University is engaged in local advocacy towards two key programs at a local level, with the City of Ottawa. Firstly as a member of the Stakeholder Sounding Board on the strategy on Residual Waste Management. The strategy is a key component project of the Sold Waste Master Plan in the City and Region and has impact for both residential and business users. This continued involvement is advocating for zero waste practices and improved standards for collection.
Carleton is also advocating for energy and carbon reduction at a local level, with engagement and involvement, as a member of the City of Ottawa's Energy Evolution Sounding Board and has participated in a number of technical working groups. This has focused on High Performance Development Standards with implications for Green Build Standards and energy benchmarking for buildings.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the state/provincial/regional level:
As mentioned above, Carleton University’s Institute for Advanced Research and Innovation in Smart Environments (ARISE) has also been involved with public policy advocacy for sustainability on the provicial scale. Recently, 59 energy efficiency and supporting organizations signed onto a joint letter calling for the extension of Ontario’s conservation and demand management (CDM) programs. In our joint letter we warned that any pause in energy efficiency program support would result in a loss of program delivery capacity and customer disruptions. We also emphasized the role energy efficiency could play in the COVID-19 recovery and contributions to cost reductions given anticipated grid constraints.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the national level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the national level:
Building codes can reduce energy waste and emissions over the next decade — if we play our cards right. The federal-provincial Pan Canadian Framework on Clean Growth Climate Change (PCF) calls for all new buildings to be Net-Zero Energy Ready (NZEr) by 2030. However, the current system that develops new building codes in Canada falls short in reaching that goal.
A report published by Efficiency Canada, an energy efficiency research and advocacy organization at Carleton University, outlines the disconnect between our climate commitments and new “stretch” model building codes. The report tracked the latest building code development and found that the 2020 national model codes, in some instances, reject the more energy-efficient option. A lack of mandatory airtightness testing, an ineffective approach to measuring energy code compliance, and less stringent best-practice standards for large buildings, for example, stymie progress towards NZEr buildings.
The authors have two key recommendations: clearer federal ministerial direction for building codes to reach national net-zero emissions goals, and a policy “champion” to integrate building codes into a broader climate policy mix. The tension between minimum acceptable standards and transformative building codes is not surprising. Policymakers can learn from these challenges as they turn their attention towards the provincial adoption of the 2020 codes, and the development of future national model codes.
In addition to the report Efficiency Canada have provided submissions and policy advocacy on specific elements of the report including lowering costs and enhancing equity to achieve net-zero emissions through energy efficiency.
Does the institution advocate for public policies that support campus sustainability or that otherwise advance sustainability at the international level?:
A brief description of how the institution engages in public policy advocacy for sustainability at the international level:
A brief description of other political positions the institution has taken during the previous three years (if applicable):
A brief description of political donations the institution made during the previous three years (if applicable):
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability advocacy efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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