York University takes significant step forward in journey to net zero

July 26, 2024

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As part of recent operational actions underway to help York University meet its aspirational target of becoming a net-zero university by 2040, York U has stopped running its fossil-fuelled co-generation units around the clock this summer.

No longer running the co-generation units 24-7 will lead to a more efficiency-based operation schedule that maintains service to the York community while minimizing strain on the provincial energy grid. The change is expected to reduce emissions by 22,000 tonnes and account for 80 per cent of the University’s 2030 emission reduction target.

Co-generation is the simultaneous production of two or more forms of energy from a single fuel source. In York’s case, natural gas has been used to produce both electricity and steam, which is then used for heating and cooling the campus. In traditional generation, excess heat generated through the process of producing electricity is expelled as waste into the atmosphere and waterways. The dual production of both electricity and recoverable heat made co-generation more efficient and cost-effective than other options previously available.

As years have passed, the measure of sustainable practices has changed. Operating the co-generation units around the clock is no longer the most sustainable means to deliver services on campus, and it accounts for a significant portion of York’s annual carbon dioxide emissions.

To reduce the continuous operation of the co-generation units, the University’s Energy Management team created a plan to deliver heating and cooling to the campus by employing strategies that use data analysis to help determine the most effective, efficient and sustainable way to do so, while maximizing comfort and minimizing carbon emissions. While the co-generation units may still be used, it is expected that they will run only when necessary and for approximately five per cent of the year – a significant shift from around-the-clock operation.

In November 2023, President and Vice-Chancellor Rhonda Lenton announced York’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions a decade earlier than originally planned. The aspiration is part of the University’s recently renewed Sustainability Policy, which includes a commitment to develop and implement a process to track, measure, evaluate and report progress toward net-zero emissions.

The adjustment to the co-generation units will get York 80 per cent of the way to its target of curbing emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 – a near-term target on the journey to net zero.

“In the 1990s, York was an early adopter in making operational improvements to reduce our emissions, including transitioning away from coal-generated electricity and using natural gas instead to help lower our emissions,” says Carol McAulay, vice-president finance and administration. “This significant step to decarbonize our central plant for heating and cooling highlights our continued leadership and innovation to support our net-zero target.”

The co-generation shift is the first of many projects the Energy Management team expects to implement as part of its action plan to decarbonize the central plant and modernize energy management at York. Additional projects that better use data to inform operations are forthcoming.

Lassonde partnership leverages 3D printing to address housing crisis

July 17, 2024

At York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, building relationships with external partners is a key objective that not only enhances Lassonde’s reach and reputation but provides students with unique learning opportunities and experiences.

Recently, Liam Butler, an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, teamed up with construction company Printerra, which offers 3D construction printing. Together, they are helping to address Canada’s growing demand for affordable and sustainable housing by manufacturing 3D-printed concrete homes. Using state-of-the-art printing technology and low-carbon concrete materials, the project’s goal is to transform the future of housing construction by reducing both labour costs and construction time.

In support of this initiative, Butler received funding through the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Alliance Advantage program. In addition to aiding research objectives, this funding will allow for the training and recruitment of graduate-level student researchers, who will have the opportunity to advance their engineering skills through lab testing and field monitoring.

“The major goals of this project are testing the feasibility of 3D-printed concrete homes and their long-term performance against different climate conditions,” says Butler.

This project will take advantage of innovative facilities at Lassonde, including the High Bay Structures Lab and the Climate-Data-Driven Design (CD3) Facility – a unique space that allows for outdoor testing and monitoring of natural and infrastructure materials to evaluate their performance under realistic climate conditions.

3D-concrete printing of structural components at the CD3 facility — 3D concrete printing of structural components at Lassonde’s Climate-Data-Driven Design Facility.

“Printerra is the first industry partner to directly undertake work at the CD3 Facility,” says Butler. “This project fulfills the entire vision of the facility, and we hope it will put us on the map and generate further interest from industry partners.”

In addition to performance testing, Butler will focus on the development of low-carbon concrete mixtures that can be used to 3D print structural components.

Similar to 3D printing with plastics and metals, using concrete involves the successive deposition of thin layers of material through an extrusion nozzle. The properties of the concrete must be closely controlled to ensure each layer hardens and holds its shape prior to adding the next layer.

Typically, these mixtures contain significant amounts of Portland cement, a conventional material used to make concrete – and a significant contributor to global carbon dioxide emissions. By developing new, low-carbon concrete materials, Butler will establish a sustainable alternative to conventional concrete, helping to offset the associated carbon footprint of 3D-printed housing.

This project also gives student researchers the chance to collaborate with industry professionals and achieve research outcomes that directly relate to industrial applications. Such opportunities are crucial for career preparation, offering learners hands-on experiences and connections that are invaluable as they transition from academia to their professional careers.

“This project is going to demonstrate the strong potential of 3D-printed concrete homes while building trust in new, low-carbon concrete materials and construction technologies – it is a very exciting time for our research group,” says Butler.

York University staff member elected to Fairtrade Canada board

June 25, 2024

Tom Watt, director of Food Services at York University, will join the Board of Governors for Fairtrade Canada, the Canadian arm of Fairtrade International, which is responsible for supporting, promoting and advocating for fair terms of trade for farmers and workers disadvantaged by global trade structures.

York’s representation on the Fairtrade Canada board marks the latest achievement in the University’s progress to advance fair trade practices across its campuses. In May, the University announced its silver fair trade campus designation – a commemoration of years of dedicated collaboration between students, faculty and staff to provide more sustainable options across York’s campuses. A year prior, York U hosted Congress 2023, which was recognized as the biggest fair trade event in Canadian history.

Considering recent successes, York is well poised to have a voice on the Fairtrade Canada board, to share insights and lessons learned from advancing fair trade initiatives at the third largest university in Canada.

“I believe a major reason for the confidence in my experience was the many successful fair trade initiatives we’ve had here at York over the past few years,” says Watt. “I’m excited to see how my experience at York will enhance Fairtrade Canada’s activities and how my experience on the board will benefit what we do at York.”

Representation on the Fairtrade Canada board is expected to generate benefits for both parties. The board is responsible for governance and oversight of fair trade activities in Canada, including establishing the organization’s mission, vision and strategy, ensuring legal compliance and monitoring performance. The board also develops policies that align with fair trade principles, engages in advocacy through relationship building, identifies and mitigates risks, upholds ethical standards, and promotes sustainability and social justice.

York University’s history of advocacy and adherence to principles of sustainability and social justice will now be added to the organization’s board, which includes leaders from fair-trade certified food and textile companies. The collaboration is expected to also support York in advancing its own fair trade practices.

In addition to this new role on Fairtrade Canada’s board, Watt also serves as co-chair of York’s Fairtrade Steering Committee and on the Sustainability Taskforce.

“This is an excellent example of York staff championing our values with community partners to maximize the benefit for all,” says Kim McLean, assistant vice-president of Ancillary Services at York U. “We are proud to offer so many fair-trade certified products through Food Services and the YU Bookstore, and look forward to continuing to contribute to the advancement of Fairtrade Canada’s mission.”

York University’s energy management program helps navigate hot weather sustainably

June 18, 2024

In circumstances of extreme weather – such as heat warnings in summer due to soaring temperatures – Facilities Services works hard to ensure the York University community can continue to comfortably learn, teach and work on our campuses, while balancing the University’s commitment to sustainability in its operations.

Unseasonably high temperatures generate unprecedented demand on the provincial energy grid, leading to more energy use, higher emissions, inflated costs and strain on the grid. As a result, York U implemented a peak demand management program in the summer of 2023 – an effort to uphold its commitment to support a sustainable energy system in Ontario. This program, which has been implemented at universities across the province, requires York U to reduce its energy use in alignment with peak demand days to eliminate emissions, save costs and reduce strain on the grid.

Through participation in this program last summer, it is estimated that the University avoided 22,000 tonnes of carbon emissions and saved $3.8 million in energy costs by reducing its energy use by eight megawatts on peak days over the summer months. That is equivalent to taking 24,713 cars off the road or eliminating the consumption of over 34-million litres of gasoline.

“Global warming has forced us to think differently about how we heat and cool our buildings,” says Brad Parkes, assistant vice-president of Facilities Services. “In Facilities Services, we’re constantly looking at the data to see how we can optimize our systems, work with the provincial grid instead of against it and contribute to sustainability and cost savings goals through our operations. The concept of the peak demand management program is simple, but it has real impact that will continue to grow.”

To ensure comfort on York U’s campuses during the program, Facilities Services cools buildings to a lower temperature overnight, with the goal of retaining the cooler air throughout the day when the temperatures are elevated. Those efforts can be extended if community members keep exterior doors, windows and blinds closed to keep the cold air in. For those with workspaces adjacent to a space that has air conditioning, such as a hallway, keeping doors ajar to promote circulation might be helpful. Turning off lights not in use, or using natural light, is another way to help with unnecessary heat generation.

Facilities Services also references the classroom booking information from the Office of the University Registrar to strategically match air conditioning to buildings with occupancy and reduce air conditioning in buildings without occupancy. Special attention has also been given to buildings that require consistent cooling due to equipment, technology and ongoing research.

Community members with concerns or questions about the temperature in their space should get in touch with the Work Control Centre by emailing facilities@yorku.ca or calling 416-736-2100 ext. 22401. Managers should also refer to the Hybrid Work Policy and Hybrid Work Procedure regarding discretion and flexibility to adjust hybrid work agreements as necessary.

Living wall at Student Counselling, Health & Well-being office promotes tranquility

June 18, 2024

A new automated biofilter living wall – comprised of 260 plants of varying species – has been installed in the Student Counselling, Health & Well-being (SCHW) office to promote tranquility, wellness and better air for visiting students and office staff.

As part of SCHW’s pivotal role in offering essential mental health and wellness resources to students, it has been undertaking projects that reflect its commitment to well-being in its physical environment.

“Pursuing projects that reflect the commitment to well-being in the physical environment has been an important effort for SCHW because we believe that a positive and welcoming atmosphere enhances the overall experience for both students and staff,” says Lori Walls, executive director of student counselling, health and well-being. “Investing in these initiatives reaffirms our commitment to creating spaces that promote well-being.”

Living wall at the Student Counselling, Health & Well-being office.

The nearly seven- by 10-foot living wall – made up of a range of species, including dracaena and ficus – is the latest example. Supported by a hydroponic system, a technique for growing plants using water-based nutrient solutions rather than soil, the installation features a 67-gallon irrigation setup that eliminates the need for soil, conserves water and maximizes growth.

While the wall has aesthetic benefits – notably, creating a tranquil environment for students and staff – it has other notable perks, too. Hydroponic systems facilitate microclimates by maintaining optimal humidity levels, fostering the growth of beneficial microbes that play a crucial role in breaking down pollutants and purifying the air indoors. In the process, it helps increase the overall air quality, which is known to improve cognitive function and health.

At the same time, SCHW hopes the new wall will realize its incorporation of biophilic design principles, a building concept that looks to increase the connection between people and the natural environment – in this case, by bringing the natural into SCHW. It aims to create spaces that are not only physically healthier but more emotionally supportive and invigorating.

In many ways, those hopes are already being fulfilled. “The living wall has made immediate impacts for the students visiting our centre. Both students and staff have shared positive feedback, noting that the plants create a welcoming atmosphere,” says Walls. “We recently conducted a survey to gather feedback on our space and I’m pleased to say the overall response was that our space is calming and tranquil.”

The living wall serves as a visible sign of Student Counselling, Health & Well-being’s commitment to the well-being of York University’s students, underlining the importance of a holistic approach to health that encompasses academic, emotional and environmental factors.

Lassonde researchers elevate critical mineral research and reusability

June 14, 2024

Canada is home to some of the world’s most sought-after critical minerals, like copper, nickel and lithium. These minerals are essential for building a green and sustainable economy in Canada, with direct applications ranging from electric vehicles to solar panels. This is why Pouya Rezai, an associate professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, is leading a project to optimize the rapid detection and extraction of these critical minerals – particularly lithium.

Lithium is a versatile mineral that is widely used to develop and improve innovative technologies like energy storage solutions, as well as metallurgic and automotive applications. Currently, the industrial processes used to detect and isolate lithium are challenging, time-consuming and often expensive. To improve the efficiency of lithium retention, the Lassonde researchers are exploring methods to reuse and recycle the critical mineral from various sources like electronic waste and electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

This $1.5-million project, funded by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Alliance Mission Grant, addresses a nationwide call for critical minerals research, stemming from Canada’s Critical Mineral Strategy.

“Our project aims to enhance the entire supply chain of lithium production – from detection to mining and recycling to reuse,” says Rezai. “We are starting with developing technologies that can detect, quantify and isolate lithium from electronic waste materials like EV batteries.”

Other Lassonde researchers co-leading the project include Department of Mechanical Engineering professors Thomas Cooper, Cuiying Jian, Roger Kempers, Siu Ning (Sunny) Leung and Nima Tabatabaei, and Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science Professor Razieh (Neda) Salahandish.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Lassonde researchers and six industry partners, this project intends to uplift Canada’s green and digital economy by helping to increase the country’s supply of responsibly sourced lithium. Specifically, the researchers are engineering and testing lithium-imprinted polymers that are specially designed to isolate lithium from complex sources like electronic waste.

The team is also exploring and developing optical and electrochemical-integrated devices that can detect and quantify lithium amidst other materials, which would allow miners to detect the presence of lithium within hard rock ore. To ensure optimal performance and portability of the devices, the team is investigating the use of aerogels – an ultralight material with favourable properties and immense potential.

“We want this interdisciplinary project to demonstrate the Mechanical Engineering Department’s ability to work together and achieve a single goal,” says Rezai. “This is the first initiative that has brought together such a large group within our department. We are also hiring 28 student researchers across a spectrum of expertise to support the project and provide valuable learning opportunities. Our idea is to eventually expand the team and build more industry partnerships to achieve greater research and funding.”

According to the research team, this collaborative initiative is only the beginning of a much larger project. Through continued efforts, they hope to innovate the future of critical mineral supply chains and generate licensed, commercialized and patented technologies.

“If we can successfully detect lithium with our technology, we can do so much more,” says Leung. “We are working on a platform technology – the idea is to optimize the detection of one mineral and then work toward other applications. One day, we plan to expand our work to detect other materials, like biological contaminants or disease biomarkers.”

EUC provides opportunities to high-school students

June 7, 2024

A recent initiative highlights how York University’s Faculty of Environmental & Urban Change (EUC) is helping high-school students reach their potential as the next generation of sustainable changemakers.

With the ongoing climate challenges the world faces, the need for active citizenship and environmental stewardship has never been greater. It’s why EUC has made an ongoing effort to provide climate, sustainability and social justice education for the leaders of tomorrow.

The Faculty fulfills that goal with the students currently enrolled in its post-secondary programs, but it doesn’t want to stop there. Among its key objectives, EUC commits to frequently offering high-school outreach activities that provide resources, hands-on skill building opportunities and support to young people who want to make a difference in the world.

Big events, like February’s annual iteration of the Change Your Work conference – which welcomed 500 Ontario high-school students and their teachers to York U’s Keele Campus for a day of environmental education and inspiration – are part of those efforts. Smaller initiatives are part of them, too – like the recent Design Thinking Challenge event in May, attended by 60 students and teachers from several York Region schools.

The event offered local students two programming tracks. The first was a Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) ICE Challenge Case Competition, which tasked participating students to come up with a sustainable architectural solution for redesigning the front entrance and foyer of the Health, Nursing & Environmental Studies Building on York University’s Keele Campus.

The second track was a new extracurricular Urban Solutions program, where students presented their solutions to global challenges, ranging from language accessibility in the Toronto Transit Commission system to disaster relief in Haiti.

Once students worked through their projects, they had a chance to present their design proposals and get feedback from Abidin Kusno, EUC professor and undergraduate program co-ordinator; Teresa Abbruzzesse, EUC professor and Cities, Regions, Planning program co-ordinator; and Laura Taylor, co-author of the SHSM challenge, professor and master of environmental studies Planning program co-ordinator.

“The students came up with some ingenious solutions for the challenge that was presented to them,” said Philip Kelly, professor and interim dean of EUC.

One example was a student who presented a proposal to solve period poverty – the inability to afford feminine hygiene products – in Uganda, building upon her existing interest in gender equality. Her solution was a more sustainable, accessible, disposable pad that would be produced using locally sourced materials.

For students, EUC initiatives like this can provide experiential learning opportunities that are rewarding in more ways than one. In this case, the event featured several prizes: the Feasibility Laureate award for the most practical and easy-to-implement solution; the Empathy Emblem award for the solution that shows the deepest understanding of the users; and the Impact Pioneer Plaque award for the solution with the greatest potential for positive impact.

EUC hopes experiences like these – representative of the Faculty’s broader efforts with high-school students – are rewarding in other ways, too.

“The event offers students early exposure to higher educational environments, which can motivate students to pursue further education and set higher academic and career goals,” said Brittany Giglio, EUC recruitment and liaison officer. “These partnerships contribute significantly to the development of well-prepared, motivated and successful individuals.”

Bike Month kicks off with Transportation Services

May 29, 2024

Join York University’s Transportation Services Department to kick off Bike Month – a month-long celebration of cycling across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area – on June 5 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of Vari Hall (VH Plaza) on the Keele Campus.

During the month of June, Transportation Services is partnering with Bike Share Toronto, Cycle York and Smart Commute to celebrate Bike Month by offering York University community members a range of bike-friendly resources, including Toronto cycling maps, quick bike repairs and safety handbooks. At the June 5 event, attendees can ask questions to event partners, compete for prizes, and learn about local cycling infrastructure, related services and the benefits of bikes as a form of sustainable travel.

The annual celebration of Bike Month at York University highlights the institution’s commitment to ensuring sustainable travel options are available across its multi-campus network.

York University was the first institution in the Greater Toronto Area to partner with Bike Share Toronto in 2021, eventually leading to three Bike Share stations being established on the Keele and Glendon campuses. This strategic partnership helped strengthen the cycling culture across university campuses and helped promote sustainable transportation.

These efforts, among others, led York University to be named a Best University for Commuters – the first institution in Canada to receive this designation. Among many reasons for the recognition, the University’s cycling infrastructure and resources – including secured bike enclosures and four do-it-yourself repair stations – were an important factor, providing cyclists with peace of mind and flexibility while navigating York’s campuses on two wheels. The designation reflects York’s commitment to providing a variety of sustainable commuting options aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of students, faculty, instructors and staff.

Over the years, the expansion of York University’s cycling infrastructure has been equally matched by community adoption, contributing to the University’s mission to reach its new accelerated target of net-zero emissions by 2040.

For more information, visit the official Bike Month website or the Transportation Services website throughout the month of June.

Innovative feature highlights pollinator garden, York U’s sustainability efforts

May 15, 2024

By Alexander Huls, deputy editor, YFile

A new augmented reality (AR) experience offered at the pollinator garden at York University looks to engage the community in the greening of campuses and serves as the latest example of York’s broader sustainability efforts and leadership.

York community members who decide to travel to visit the pollinator garden – designated as a haven for birds, bees and butterflies – on Chimneystack Road at the University’s Keele Campus will find an innovative surprise among the native plant and wildflower species.

Posted on new signs are QR codes that – when captured with smart phone or tablet – invite a special visitor to their screens: an augmented reality butterfly, eager to land on the user’s palm. The AR experience is meant to reward and delight those who visit the gardens, while fostering an awareness of the vital role pollinators – like butterflies, along with birds and bees – play in the world’s ecosystems.

“Through these gardens, we not only provide essential foraging and nesting sites for pollinators but also create green corridors that promote biodiversity and ecological connectivity,” says Stewart Dankner, director of property management, facilities services at York.

The garden is one of several naturalized spots strategically dispersed across University campuses – ranging from rooftop gardens to designated wildflower patches – that are designed to “green” the landscape and support diverse pollinator species. The pollinator garden has been recently seeded and is expected to grow and thrive over the coming years – in good part because of the creatures that will visit it.

In that way, the AR experience is designed to encourage community members to think about the importance of pollinators. In addition to butterflies, bees are a particular target of these gardens, as they are among nature’s most specialized and efficient insect pollinators – collecting pollen and nectar from flowers to feed themselves and their larvae – that contribute to one in every three bites of food we eat.

Bees are also an area of York leadership and study through experts in the field like Distinguished Research Professor Laurence Packer and the Centre for Bee Ecology, Evolution & Conservation (BEEc), which strives to advance research in the fields of bee ecology, evolution and conservation to increase the long-term sustainability of bees and the vital ecosystem services they provide.

The gardens then are reflective of not just BEEc efforts but tied to broader ones around York looking to advance United Nations Sustainable Development Goals centred on contributing to protection, restoration and sustainable use of ecosystems to halt biodiversity loss.

“The collective effort to establish and maintain pollinator habitats aligns with broader sustainability goals, underscoring dedication to environmental stewardship and conservation,” says Dankner.

Those goals and efforts have led to the University being recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers and the recent announcement that it would be aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 – a decade sooner than its previous commitment.

The seeds for reaching that goal are being nurtured by initiatives like the new AR experience and the pollinator gardens, which students, faculty, staff and others are encouraged to enjoy – whether during a walk, a living lab supporting teaching and research, or more. Further information about the pollinator habitats can be found through the Office of Sustainability website.

York community at Keele and Glendon create greener campuses

May 15, 2024

York University community members gathered at both the Glendon and Keele campuses in April for the annual tradition of planting trees in celebration of Earth Month.

Each year the event is organized to help drive positive change by creating a greener campus with restored ecosystems to help mitigate climate change.

Past events have seen hundreds of trees, of a variety of native species, planted. This year, over 100 participants planted a mini orchard with 18 larger fruit trees – including apple, pear, pawpaw and more – and over 100 shrubs to enhance and grow an edible opportunity for an edible campus.

Some of the plantings were targeted to particular locations as well, with the fruit-bearing trees finding their way into the Keele Campus Arboretum, and greenery being placed along the Glendon Campus ravine to help restore erosion around the riverbank.

The event was held in partnership with Regenesis and York’s Property Management Grounds, Facilities Services, with grant funding provided by the City of Toronto.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to come together to take action on our campus and in our everyday lives, as we continue to work on system-level change,” Mike Layton, York’s chief sustainability officer, has said of the occasion.

View a photo gallery of the tree planting events below.

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Tag: Sustainability