Following a year of important conversations with students, staff, faculty and community partners, the University of Lethbridge is proud to share its inaugural Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan.
As a research-intensive university, our capacity for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship is grounded in the strengths and courage to confront the greatest challenges of our time.
The Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan builds upon a strong tradition of constructing and operating with sustainability as a core principle. We’ve set a requirement for all new buildings to be, at minimum, LEED Gold certified and by upgrading our central heating and cooling plant, we realized a reduction of 1000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. We already use non-potable water for all groundskeeping activities and are implementing water conservation strategies in respect of ongoing drought conditions in our region. In addition, we consistently use our natural landscapes as an extension of our classrooms and to enhance research experiences.
Collectively, we have created a vision for campus sustainability and action under three themes: Empower Action, Leverage Efficiency and Innovation, and Sustain Biodiversity.
Through these themes, the University of Lethbridge is committed to the principles of the Buffalo Treaty and the Iniskim Governance Process. We will work together with community partners to create, model and share ideas and innovations that benefit our environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability.
I am grateful to both the ESAC members and the working group who had many conversations, hosted events and gathered information that forms the basis for our Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan. They’re leadership and vision shines brightly throughout this document.
You can read the full Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan here.
Dr. Dena McMartin, Vice-President (Research)
Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC)