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.<\/p>\n
The system includes five areas for institutions to report on: academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation and leadership.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Brock\u2019s overall score increased by six per cent over its last submission in 2021.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Clean-up-event-788x1050.jpg\")
<\/a>Clean-up events held in 2021 and 2023 are among the initiatives encouraging environmental stewardship at Brock University.<\/p><\/div>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Other areas of improvement and notable success include:<\/p>\n
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- A decrease in waste produced compared to Brock\u2019s 2013 baseline year, despite an increase in staff and students.<\/li>\n
- 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.<\/li>\n
- An increase in the percentage of departments conducting sustainability research.<\/li>\n
- Introduction of new waste diversion streams for clothing, printer toners and laboratory equipment.<\/li>\n
- Food waste awareness events aimed to educate students and promote reduction efforts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cOur submission to STARS highlights Brock\u2019s commitment to sustainability,\u201d said Jennifer Guarasci, Interim Vice-President, Administration. \u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth reporting to STARS and maintaining a sustainable campus involves considerable time and dedication, but motivates us to continually strive for improvement,\u201d said Scott Johnstone, Brock\u2019s Senior Associate Vice-President, Infrastructure and Operations.<\/p>\n
Mary Quintana, Director of Asset Management and Utilities, added that the \u201ccollective support and contributions from staff and students alike make this possible, yielding substantial benefits over time.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s sustainability planning and development. It serves as a reflection on the University\u2019s practices, complemented by annual submissions to other sustainability ranking systems, such as Times Higher Education Impact Rankings<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cParticipating 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,\u201d Quintana said.<\/p>\n
Brock\u2019s full report is available on the STARS website<\/a>.<\/p>\n
New information related to sustainability at the University \u2014 whether regarding a course, report or program \u2014 is always welcome and can be sent to sustainability@brocku.ca<\/a><\/p>\n