Brock’s sustainability efforts net second Silver STARS rating

From events promoting environmental stewardship to conservation initiatives reducing water usage, Brock continues to make sustainability a priority on campus.

The University has been recognized for these efforts, receiving its second consecutive Silver rating in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Ranking System (STARS), which is valid for three years. The internationally recognized self-reporting tool serves to engage, recognize and measure long-term sustainability goals of higher education institutions.

STARS is a highly collaborative program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education that partners with a variety organizations and stakeholders.

The system includes five areas for institutions to report on: academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation and leadership.

Over the past three years, Brock made engagement a primary focus of its sustainability efforts, fostering engagement with both the campus community and the general public. As a result, the University increased its number of points in the engagement category by 32 per cent.

Brock's overall score increased by six per cent over its last submission in 2021.

To share insight into its efforts, the University introduced its Energy Management System, which includes public-facing dashboards displayed at the Rankin Family Pavilion, utilities dashboards and an app enabling sustainability competitions. This system has become the benchmark for Ontario universities.

Brock has also organized multiple sustainability initiatives on campus to engage the community, including clean-up events in 2021 and 2023 that promoted environmental stewardship amongst students.

Other areas of improvement and notable success include:

• A decrease in waste produced compared to Brock's 2013 baseline year, despite an increase in staff and students.
• Reduction in potable water use from baseline levels achieved through the installation of water bottle filling stations, low-flow fixtures, utilization of grey water for toilets and irrigation, and replacement of ice machines with units featuring open-air cooling systems that require less water.
• An increase in the percentage of departments conducting sustainability research.
• Introduction of new waste diversion streams for clothing, printer toners and laboratory equipment.
• Food waste awareness events aimed to educate students and promote reduction efforts.

"Our submission to STARS highlights Brock's commitment to sustainability," said Jennifer Guarasci, Interim Vice-President, Administration. "It serves as a powerful tool showcasing our priorities and efforts towards a greener future. The Silver rating is a rewarding achievement, and we are optimistic about raising our future ranks."

As the most widely recognized framework globally for publicly reporting comprehensive sustainability performance information at colleges and universities, STARS boasts registration from more than 1,200 institutions worldwide.

"Both reporting to STARS and maintaining a sustainable campus involves considerable time and dedication, but motivates us to continually strive for improvement," said Scott Johnstone, Brock's Senior Associate Vice-President, Infrastructure and Operations.

Mary Quintana, Director of Asset Management and Utilities, added that the "collective support and contributions from staff and students alike make this possible, yielding substantial benefits over time."

Brock University continues to strive towards greater sustainability across departments, facilities, student engagement, leadership and innovation. This second STARS rating builds upon a strong foundation, shaping Brock's sustainability planning and development. It serves as a reflection on the University's practices, complemented by annual submissions to another sustainability ranking systems such as THE Impact Rankings.

"Participating in these rankings allows us to track our performance and to identify areas we need to put more work in when advancing sustainability at Brock," Quintana said.

Brock's full report is available on the STARS website.

New information related to sustainability at the University - whether regarding a course, report or program - is always welcome and can be sent to [email protected]

To learn more about Brock's sustainability efforts, visit the Sustainability at Brock web page.

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