Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 57.70
Liaison Joséanne Bélanger-Gravel
Submission Date May 31, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Polytechnique Montréal
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Jean-François Desgroseilliers
Sustainable Development Advisor
Sustainable Development Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
Yes

A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:

Polytechnique’s strategic plan for 2012–2017 has six components, all intended to maximize the impact of its actions:
1.Training tomorrow’s leaders and high-level professionals capable of applying their knowledge to benefit society;
2. Conducting research with a significant impact on society;
3. Leveraging visionary strategic partnerships;
4. Strengthening social engagement, leadership, and internationalization;
5. Building a dynamic, efficient, and responsible community; and
6. Ensuring the financial health of the institution and the development of its infrastructure.

The document also presents the values of the Polytechnique community, which specifically includes a value of "Integrity", defined as : "acting with integrity in all our activities, according to the best practices of sustainable development, ethics and governance".

It also states Polytechnique's vision of its roles and responsibility, which specifically highlights the importance of sustainable development : "Polytechnique Montréal is an academic institution for training engineers, experts and researchers of world-class status, deemed as such internationally, well established in its community where it is recognized for the quality of its training at all levels and for its active role to technological, economic and social development in a sustainable development perspective."


A copy of the strategic plan:
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The website URL where the strategic plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published sustainability plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the sustainability plan:
The website URL where the sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published climate action plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
No

A copy of the climate action plan:
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The website URL where the climate action plan is publicly available:
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Does the institution have other published plans that address sustainability or include measurable sustainability objectives (e.g. campus master plan, physical campus plan, diversity plan, human resources plan)? :
No

A list of other published plans that address sustainability, including public website URLs (if available):
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Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Including sustainable development notions in more than 20% of all Polytechnique's courses by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 1.1)
-Considering sustainable development in 100% of integrative projects by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 1.1)
-Submitting 100% of our fist year students to a sustainability literacy test by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 1.1)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Research and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Increasing the proportion of our researchers that work on sustainability issues to more than 25% by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 2.2)
-Using our campus as living laboratory by conducting research on at least 10 different themes by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 2.2)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Giving access to a peer trainer on sustainability issues to at least 75% of employees by 2019 (ef: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.5)
-Giving training on sustainability issues to 25% of employees each year (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.5)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Increasing each year, until 2020, the number of interdisciplinary projects conducted by Polytechnique's researchers through inter-campus research centers (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 2.1)
-Increasing each year, until 2020, the number of MOOCs offered by Polytechnique (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 6.1)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Reducing by 2% the greenhouse gas emissions of our buildings (expressed by square meter/year) between 2015 and 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.4)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Obtaining a LEED Gold certification or higher for the new Polytechnique building currently being planned (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.6)
-Adopting two new policies on the sustainable maintenance of our buildings by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.5)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Reducing by 2% the energy consumption of our buildings (expressed by square meter/year) between 2015 and 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.3)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Having 33% of the food sold by our dining services that are either local or have a social or environmental certification by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 3.1)
-Having implemented at least 8 different initiatives aiming to increase the sustainability of our food services by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 3.1)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Adopting by 2017 a policy to formally ban the use of pesticides on the maintenance of our grounds (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.5)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Increasing each year the % of Polytechnique's purchases of paper, electronics and cleaning products that have en environmental or social certification (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.2)
-Increasing to more than four the number of different categories of products for which sustainability criteria are formally integrated in Polytechnique's procurement policy (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.2)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Buying hybrid and electric vehicles for 100% of Polytechnique new purchases of vehicles for which these options are available, by 2020 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.4)
-Reducing the modal share of single-user car commuting for our employees and students by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.1)
-Increasing the number of electric charging stations for electric cars (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.1)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Diverting more than 70% of our waste from landfill by 2018 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.2)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Water?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Water and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Reducing each year, until 2020, the amount of water used in our buildings, expressed by full time equivalent/year (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.3)
-Organising at least one awareness campaign per term to sensitize the users of our laboratories to water savings (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 4.3)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Adopting and implementing a diversity management plan by 2019 (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 5.4)
-Increasing each year the number of initiatives led at Polytechnique to support access to studies of underrepresented groupes (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 5.4)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Integrating responsible investment criteria in the policies and procedures of the employees' pension plan (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.3)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Implementing 100% of the actions of the action plan on psychological wellbeing that is currently being prepared (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 5.2)
-Increasing each year the self-declared level of wellbeing of employees, faculty and students, measured by a survey on wellbeing (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 5.2)
-Reducing each year, until 2020, the waiting time to access a guidance counsellor (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 5.2)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas (e.g. arts and culture or technology)?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas and the published plans in which each objective is included:

-Increasing each year the number of activities open to the whole community and timing to create a feeling of community among students, faculty and staff (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 5.5)
-Increasing each year the number of institutional events that include sustainable initiatives (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.3)
-Holding at least one public consultation event a year to take stock of the progress of the sustainability plan and improve it (ref: Sustainability Plan, objective 7.4)


Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body (e.g. a mission statement that specifically includes sustainability and is endorsed by the Board of Trustees)? :
Yes

The formal statement in support of sustainability:

The Board of Directors has adopted a Sustainable Development Policy in 2011. It is available here: http://www.polymtl.ca/rensgen/doc/CAD1024_4_2A_Politique_matiere_developpement_durable.pdf


The institution’s definition of sustainability (e.g. as included in a published statement or plan):

The Sustainable Development Policy states Polytechnique's definition of sustainability as being:

Développement durable : un « Développement qui répond aux besoins du présent sans compromettre la capacité des générations futures de répondre aux leurs » (Brundtland, 1987); et un développement supporté par trois piliers : viabilité économique, équité sociale et préservation de l’environnement (Sommet de Rio, 1992).


Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
Yes or No
The Earth Charter ---
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) ---
ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter ---
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment ---
The Talloires Declaration (TD) ---
UN Global Compact ---
Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) ---

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.