December 2020: Concordia University, Montreal

December, 2020

Students planting trees
In November of 2019, Concordia students, staff and faculty planted 185 new trees on campus. © Concordia University.

Montreal’s Concordia University is a new NCSE Member—one that just launched a comprehensive Sustainability Action Plan. The Plan was born out of extensive consultations with students, faculty, staff, and the community. It  focuses on actions that the university can take by 2025 to improve its performance in five main areas: climate change, food, waste, research, and curriculum.

For over two decades, Concordia has ranked highest in its category for energy efficiency in Québec, according to provincial government statistics. Concordia has also worked to ensure that renovations and new constructions meet top efficiency ratings, including seeking LEED Gold certification for the newly completed Applied Science Hub

It also has established an expansive composting and recycling program, including a creative reuse initiative that has diverted over 18,000 kilograms of materials away from landfill and into the hands of artists and members of the maker community. In 2019 alone, the university planted 185 new trees and ensured that landscaping work was undertaken using indigenous plants, water-capture techniques, and a focus on pedestrian traffic over cars.

More than 200 full-time Concordia faculty members are involved in research related to sustainability. Research units include the Next Generation Cities Institute, the Institute for Water, Energy and Sustainable Systems, the Loyola Sustainability Research Centre, and the Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies, which is about to complete its new Field Research Facility for Buildings of the Future. 

Sustainability engagement is another university priority, with support for student, research, and institutional initiatives. Concordia’s Office of Sustainability seeks to bring different parties together through events, project coordination, and tools and resource sharing. The Sustainability Governance Framework brings students, faculty, and staff together to take part in shared planning and decision-making around strategic sustainability initiatives.

In fall of 2019, Concordia became a signatory of the climate emergency declaration and announced that its foundation will divest from investment in fossil fuels by 2025. In October 2020, Concordia signed on to the University Global Coalition, joining the decade of action to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Did You Know? Concordia phased out the sale of plastic water bottles at all university-controlled campus restaurants and vending machines in 2011.