October is Campus Sustainability Month!
Held every October, Campus Sustainability Month is an international celebration of sustainability in higher education. Throughout the month, colleges and universities organize events on campus and elsewhere to engage and inspire incoming students and other campus stakeholders to become sustainability change agents. These events include teach-ins, sustainability pledge drives, zero-energy concerts, waste audits, green sporting events, letter-writing campaigns, service projects and much more!
The goal of CSM is to raise the visibility of campus sustainability and provide campus sustainability advocates with a platform through which to deepen campus engagement around sustainability. It provides an excellent opportunity to recruit new leaders and set goals for the rest of the year. It serves as a complement to Earth Day, which is held each year in April, and is often a time for celebration and recognition of the good work that took place over the course of the academic year.
Keep reading to find out what special activities are happening around campus this month!
Planning for a Net-Zero Energy Future Seminar
October 17, 2023
1:15 - 2:30 p.m. ED 438
Hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Presenters: Doug Opseth and Cory Gelowitz
Description: The power system is undergoing major changes as many of the generation facilities we have relied on for decades are replaced. Join this informative session with SaskPower's supply planning director to learn about future power supply options and the realities of power generation in Saskatchewan.
Forum on Energy and Environmental Research
October 19, 2023
ED 438
1:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Hosted by the Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Communities and Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Open to U of R faculty members and graduate students
Description: This forum will bring together U of R researchers in energy, environment and sustainable communities with fund providers from industry and government to promote U of R research among researchers and stakeholders. The purpose of this forum is to share ideas and promote collaborations. The goal is to identify new partnerships and expertise that will bring value to potential and ongoing research projects and find common ground, and to proceed toward new collaborative activities. All related U of R researchers and graduate students are welcome.
Our Cities Will Define Our Future
2023 Robertson Lecture by Jennifer Keesmaat
October 19, 2023
12:00 - 1:30 pm
Delivered via Zoom link (provided).
Campus Dialogue for Local Climate Action Opportunities
October 24, 2023
12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Research & Innovation Centre
Join us to learn about municipal and campus opportunities for climate action, and to discover your role in climate action and justice! We welcome all campus member to join us!
Hosted by the UR Regina Energy Transition student club. Refreshments will be provided.
Speakers:
Dr. Emily Eaton, Department of Geolopgy and Environmental Studies
Dr. Simon Enoch, Department of Politics and International Studies
Katie Wilson, Indigenous Climate Action
Jocelyn Crivea, Director at U of R Sustainability Office
Follow on Instagram: @ReginaEnergyTransition
Decarbonization Conference for the Built Environment
October 25-27, 2023
October is Sustainability month and we're excited to announce that a U of R delegation has been invited to present at a conference in Washington D.C. The presentation, Investing in Decarbonization! Getting in on the 'Radiant Floor', spotlights our very own Kīšik Towers project which demonstrates how greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through infrastructure and collaboration.
The Decarbonization Conference for the Built Environment will be held October 25–27 and is hosted by ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers, a volunteer-run international organization that promotes standards and best practices for the engineering profession. According to the World Green Building Council around 28 per cent of global CO2 emissions come from building operations, due to the energy used for heating, cooling and power.
Chris Sawicki, Manager of Mechanical Services for the U of R, will be presenting with partners from the AME Group (Calgary) and from MacPherson Engineering (Regina). The student housing project, which was completed in 2015, uses in-floor radiant heating and cooling and requires 30 percent less energy than other buildings using today’s building standards. Students living in Kīšik Towers not only have an amazing view of the Regina skyline, but benefit from the high standards achieved in thermal comfort and air quality. The delegation hopes to inspire engaging discussion on how radiant floor heating and cooling systems can play a critical role in the effort to decarbonize construction, while ensuring comfortable and healthy indoor environments.
We are proud of what we have accomplished with this project and with this opportunity to share the success at an international gathering of engineers focused on reducing carbon emissions from buildings. Collaboration with partners to pilot new technologies at the University is one way we are working towards reducing our ecological footprint by 25 percent as outlined in the Environment and Climate Action focus area in our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. We are committed to climate action, sustainability, and making decisions that prioritize future generations. The Kīšik project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including; #7 Clean Energy, #9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and #13 Climate Action.
Today is Energy Efficiency Day, which is held on the first Wednesday of October and over a thousand local governments, universities, organizations, corporations, and utilities will be participating. So the timing is right to join us in celebrating our project team for working together to implement sustainability solutions that have a positive impact on campus.
Yours sincerely,
Jocelyn Crivea
Director, Sustainability Office
Neil Paskewitz
Associate Vice-President, Facilities Management
Enabling Solar and Micro-storage in Saskatchewan
October 26, 2023
1:15 - 5:30 p.m.
ED 106
Registration is required.
Symposium is hosted by the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.
Find More Events
To see all upcoming sustainability events around campus, check out our Events Calendar!