| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.20 |
| Liaison | Tori Grant |
| Submission Date | Dec. 21, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Calgary
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Anna
Nowaczyk Senior Communications Specialist, Sustainability University Relations |
Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution's sustainability efforts?:
A brief description of the central sustainability website (optional):
UCalgary’s sustainability website, ucalgary.ca/sustainability, serves as an online portal to the university’s sustainability commitments, initiatives, resources and engagement opportunities on campus. The website is maintained by the Office of Sustainability, however much of the content it links to is hosted and maintained by individual faculties, business units or groups leading the independent initiatives, ensuring sustainability related information and resources are woven throughout UCalgary’s web presence. This website reflects our institutional commitment to sustainability and to allow the seamless integration of sustainability content into other UCalgary websites. The site serves an average of 1,300 visitors per month.
The website URL for the central sustainability website:
Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter?:
A brief description of the sustainability newsletter:
UCalgary’s Sustainability Newsletter is issued monthly during the academic year and features top stories on campus or local news related to sustainability achievements in student-led activities, research, teaching, campus operations, at an institutional level or through the collaborative efforts of students, faculty and staff. Also featured are upcoming events and engagement opportunities, activities being run from UCalgary’s Sustainability Resource Centre and tips for campus members to incorporate sustainability into every day actions and activities. The newsletter has over 1,400 subscribers and is made available to the public through social media.
The website URL for the sustainability newsletter:
Does the institution have social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, interactive blogs) that focus specifically on campus sustainability?:
A brief description of the social media platforms that focus on sustainability:
UCalgary’s sustainability focused social media platforms provide news, events and updates on all things sustainability-related at the University of Calgary with highlights from the local community.
Twitter: twitter.com/UCalgarySustain
Facebook: facebook.com/ucalgarySustON
Instagram: Instagram.com/UCalgarySustain
YouTube: UCalgary Sustainability
The website URL of the primary social media platform focused on sustainability:
Does the institution have regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper, either through a regular column or a reporter assigned to the sustainability beat?:
A brief description of the regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
The Gauntlet is the largest student newspaper on campus and is issued weekly. It often covers sustainability-related stories and the editor is informed of noteworthy stories by the Office of Sustainability so a writer can be assigned at the Gauntlet’s discretion. Sustainability updates and event notices also appear about twice per month in UThisWeek, which is an online publication sent to all undergraduate students on a weekly basis.
The website URL for regular coverage of sustainability in the main student newspaper:
Does the institution produce a vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability?:
A brief description of the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
The Students’ Union hosts an annual Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), where students are given the opportunity to showcase their research alongside other undergraduate researchers from across campus. The centerpiece of URS is a research poster competition every November. Students selected to present their projects during the event are eligible to receive a number of awards ranging from $500 to $1,000. The event recognizes achievements across all faculties and in a variety of areas including sustainability. In 2015, three awards were presented for sustainability research:
Sustainable Energy Development Program (1 x $1,000): Given to a student whose research relates to sustainable energy and the environment. The topic can also consider economic and legal implications
SU Sustainability Fund (1 x $1,000, 1 x $500): Given to students who have focused their research on a sustainability related topic including energy, water, waste and economic and community development.
Winners are recognized in campus publications and at the annual Sustainability Awards celebration.
The website URL for the vehicle to publish and disseminate student research on sustainability:
Does the institution have building signage that highlights green building features?:
A brief description of building signage that highlights green building features :
Yamnuska Hall, the Energy Environment Experiential Learning building and the Taylor Family Digital Library are LEED certified buildings on campus showcase electronic dashboards and/or large physical signage placed in a prominent location that describe the building’s green features and provide tips related to similar topic areas for visitors to try out at home or in their day-to-day actions. Examples of topic areas that may be highlighted include:
- Ecology (Native Landscaping, Storm water Management)
- Energy (Cogeneration, Mitigating Heat Island Effect, Natural Lighting, Efficient Lighting, Heat Recovery, Underfloor Air Distribution)
- Health (Air Quality, Low Emitting Materials and Products)
- Transportation (Supporting Green Transportation, Cycling, Transit and Car Share)
- Waste (Waste Diversion and Recycling, Construction Waste Diversion)
- Water (Non-potable Water Irrigation, Water Efficient Fixtures,
- Land-Use (Neighborhood Densification)
- Materials (Green Building Materials)
The sustainability walking tour also speaks to green features in number of buildings. Information is available online at ucalgary.ca/sustainability/built-environment
The website URL for building signage that highlights green building features :
Does the institution have signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
As part of the signage at the main cafeteria, on-site catering and in several other areas, organic, vegan and locally sourced foods are clearly identified through signage. In addition, healthy choices such as fruit and vegetarian options have high visibility within the dining hall.
Date Revised: Aug. 24, 2017
The website URL for food service area signage and/or brochures that include information about sustainable food systems:
Does the institution have signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed?:
A brief description of the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
The institution uses digital signage and physical signs in nearby buildings to convey sustainable grounds and landscaping features. This signage communicates information about the stormwater management pond on campus and certain areas using native landscaping principles.
The website URL for the signage on the grounds about sustainable groundskeeping and/or landscaping strategies employed:
Does the institution produce a sustainability walking map or tour?:
A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
The Office of Sustainability and its student volunteers run hour-long walking tours from the centrally located Sustainability Resource Centre on campus. The tour features an introduction to sustainability and the four directions on the Sustainability Compass (AtKisson, Inc.); Nature, Economy, Society and Wellbeing, all of which are revisited throughout the tour. Tour stop examples include:
- A visit to the Energy Environment Experiential Learning (EEEL) building which is LEED Platinum certified and one of North America’s most energy efficient laboratory buildings
- Crossing a woonerf
- Learning about how the rain gardens and storm water management pond in the Taylor Family Digital Library Quad are naturally managing and filtering storm water
Tours can be booked in advance but are also available on a drop-in basis during Sustainability Resource Centre operating hours. A cluster of the sustainability tours are offered during orientation week for new students and sustainability content is built into campus tours for prospective students.
The website URL of the sustainability walking map or tour:
Does the institution produce a guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation?:
A brief description of the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Information regarding alternate modes of transportation is offered online at ucalgary.ca/sustainability/transportation. This information is also covered is provided through student and staff volunteer sustainability programs which serve the campus community through a variety of awareness and engagement campaigns. UCalgary Parking and Transportation services distributes a pocket map which includes detailed information on transportation demand management initiatives including carpooling, car share and UPass (transit pass). The Campus Green Tips Pocket Guide to Making Big Impact though Small Actions covers transportation topics as well as videoconferencing and cycling related resources and services. This information and additional supporting materials are made available through the Sustainability Resource Centre located in the heart of campus. A commuting-focused sustainability tour and presentation were developed for the 2015/2016 Commuter Challenge which explores all the programs offered on the UCalgary campus. This tour is now offered as part of the ongoing tour program.
The website URL for the guide for commuters about how to use more sustainable methods of transportation:
Does the institution produce navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians (e.g. covering routes, inter-modal connections, policies, services, and safety)? :
A brief description of the navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
A suite of cycling resources are posted online at ucalgary.ca/sustainability/transportation/cycling with more resources available through the Sustainability Resource Centre. The University of Calgary also has a community bicycle shop called “Bike Root” which is an incorporated not-for-profit society and student club that is 100 per cent volunteer run. The Bike Root runs a Bicycle Repair and Education Centre which provides workspace, tools and literature to support cyclists with knowledgeable volunteers on hand to guide members through bicycle maintenance and repairs. The university is one of the few Canadian institutions to offer a student-run Bike Share program which provides rental bike access to students, staff, faculty and the greater community. The Sustainability Resource Centre offers bike route maps and other cycling safety materials.
The website URL for navigation and educational tools for bicyclists and pedestrians:
Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
A brief description of the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
The website URL for the guide for green living and incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Does the institution produce other sustainability outreach materials or publications not covered above?:
A brief description of these materials or publications:
On February 24, 2016 the University of Calgary launched an Institutional Sustainability Strategy (ISS) that joins three frameworks for sustainability – in teaching and research, engagement, and administration and operations – to integrate our sustainability initiatives and strengthen our connection to industry and the community. Together the frameworks lay out the path toward our vision of leadership. The ISS launch was covered in several pieces of promotional material and publications.
Several articles reference the launch of the ISS and helped promote sustainability on our campus:
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2016-02-25/elizabeth-cannon-launches-university-calgary-sustainability-strategy
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2016-02-25/pledge-your-commitment-sustainability
http://www.ucalgary.ca/utoday/issue/2016-02-25/strategy-sees-campus-learning-lab-and-community-our-partner
The website URL for these materials or publications:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.