Langara College
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Langara's Academic Plan

First created in 2014, the Langara Academic Plan is centered around student success. The plan focuses on five priorities, with each priority having specific goals and objectives. Priority area 5 (Environmental, Financial, and Social Sustainability) includes the following objectives:

5.1 Objectives: Create opportunities that encourage cross-disciplinary dialogue and action; create programs and courses focused on sustainability.

5.2 Objectives: Transform the campus into a vibrant living laboratory for experiential education and interdisciplinary partnerships in sustainability; integrate sustainability into all aspects of college operations; promote Langara as a community leader in sustainability.

5.3 Objectives: Expand Langara’s relationship with City Studio and the City of Vancouver in becoming the Greenest City by 2020; explore the creation of a Centre for Social Entrepreneurship; engage alumni and retired faculty in extending the impact of Langara.

1) Campus Master Plan

Langara recently finalized and adopted a new campus master plan that will guide growth and change over the next 25 years. One of the key planning directions in the plan relates to sustainability, including:
- building upon Langara's previous benchmark-setting sustainable goals to address changing regulations and goals, the College will have to take into account rating systems required for local approvals and government funding (e.g., LEED, Passive House, City of Vancouver requirements, Net Zero energy).
- Charting a path to Net Zero by focusing both on significant conservation and generation efforts as well as consideration of both site and source energy.
- Strengthening the focus on stormwater management and water conservation/treatment.
- Enhancing connections to public transit, supporting safe foot and bicycle travel, preparing for additionally required electric vehicle infrastructure.
- Promoting sustainable construction and site development, minimizing resource use, maximizing passive systems and operations efficiency.
- Providing a perimeter buffer of naturalized environment and expanding/restoring the wetland.
- Ensuring requirements of sustainable rating systems are accounted for in projects.

2) Strategic Energy Management Plan (SEMP)

Langara's Strategic Energy Management Plan (SEMP) guides the institution's decision making regarding energy and carbon reduction. The SEMP has been continually updated since it's inception in 2009.

Measurable operational sustainability objectives in the SEMP include:
- Continue Monitoring, Targeting and Reporting energy savings via the use of customized reports.
- Implement additional metering and analysis for improved energy management and understanding of the energy usage breakdown and performance of campus buildings.
- Set energy intensity and consumption targets and parameters in key operational areas (by building) that include capital and operational activities. Requires additional metering – B Building Thermal Metering and Domestic Hot Water Thermal metering.
- Provide training for operators to understand the buildings “Green” technology and operational issues.
- Coordinate with maintenance contract and operators for timely updates and repairs.
- Improve building document filing system - drawings, specifications and operating manuals.
- Install additional building controls that make financial sense and/or improve operations.

The Campus Master Plan can be found here:
https://langara.ca/campus-facilities/our-facilities/master-plan.html

The Academic Plan can be found here:
https://langara.ca/about-langara/academics/pdfs/academic-plan-fall-2014-web.pdf

Internationalization Strategy

Langara College Internationalization Strategy is an intentional process to integrate an intercultural dimension in the way we teach, learn, and provide services at Langara, in order to enhance the educational environment for all students and employees while making a meaningful contribution to Langara's community as a whole.

Measurable sustainability objectives included in the Internationalization Strategy include:
- Create an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee with employee and student representatives.
- Establish Intercultural Days on campus.

More information on the Internationalization Strategy can be found here:
https://langara.ca/about-langara/intercultural-initiatives/internationalization-strategy/index.html

Sustainability is the state of achieving environmental, social and economic balance across generations.

2025 Strategic Plan: https://issuu.com/langaracollege/docs/strategic_plan_2025

Section 4.2 of the Langara College 2025 Strategic plan is called "College Sustainability", and it states a focus on contributing to climate action by increasing sustainability on campus and being an environmentally responsible organization. Strategic Priorities outlined include:
- contributing to climate action initiatives by enhancing and reporting on campus sustainability (including achieving STARS Bronze certification)
- engaging community and stakeholders in building advocacy, and
- building upon LEED certified requirement for future building replacements.