Initiatives

Campus Sustainability Action Plan
Surge Protectors - Smart Bar Use
Paperless Office Initiative
Guerin Creek
Buildings
Water bottles
Orientation
Green Teams

TRU Campus Sustainability Action Plan

In 2009, a group of representatives from all six of TRU's campus unions and associations collectively created the campus action plan on sustainability based upon the objectives of the university's strategic plan. The Campus Sustainability Action Planning Committee (CSAP) established a Campus Ecosystem framework focusing on the natural environment, built environment, and the social/cultural environment.

The action plan includes 25-30 components such as: encourage more localized food consumption and production, better use of the natural features of the campus, encourage environmental awareness of TRU community members, and develop measures to divert compostables and recyclables currently being sent to the landfill.

CSAP committee members

Barbara Bearman, Williams Lake TRU Faculty Association Representative
Bernadette Harris, British Columbia Open Learning Union Representative
Dennis Keusch, TRU Faculty Association Representative
Marlies McArthur, Administrative Association Representative
Rachel Champagne, CUPE Representative
Natalie Reisle, TRU Student Union Representative
Mary Ellen Grant, Alumni Association Representative

View the Completed Action Plan

Smart Bar - Surge Protector

Your new 'Smart' power bar detects when your computer is off or asleep, then turns off power to peripherals (monitors, chargers,desk lamps, scanners etc.) to save energy. A smart bar in use with power save software can reduce energy use at your work station by as much as 5 times.

How it works:

The "master" outlet is able to detect when your computer has gone to sleep or is turned off. Once this happens the "controlled" outlets will automatically turn off, thereby eliminating unnecessary power draw from unused peripherals. When the computer wakes up or is turned on again, power will be automatically be restored to the "controlled" outlets. For proper use:
Plug your PC into the "Master" outlet and all peripherals into the "controlled" outlets. There are "constant hot" outlets for peripherals that require constant power (digital clocks etc.). Do not plug
space heaters into your Smart bar as the load may exceed recommended load of device and be unsafe. For more information, please contact
TRU's Energy Manager James Gudjonson at 250-852-7253

Paperless Office

Initiative - TRU's Institutional Planning and Analysis Department recently underwent a Paper Audit Pilot Project. From June 1st to August 31st, IPA had a goal to reduce paper use by 20%. Staff were more than successful with meeting and exceeding this goal!
Results of the Audit

Guerin Creek

Last fall, as part of World Rivers Day, TRU Environment and Sustainability and Adventure Tourism, in co-operation with Rotary West and a local environmentalist organized a cleanup of Guerin Creek. Guerin Creek flows through the eastern edge of the campus before going under the Summit Connector, continuing past the Chinese cemetery and draining into the Thompson River. The trails along the Guerin Creek ravine provide walking opportunities for TRU students and others who live in the area. The plan is to create an urban park with the cooperation of the City of Kamloops with the cleanup being the first step in this process.

Buildings

There are many buildings that have been built or designed with environmental sustainability in mind on campus and within the city of Kamloops. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system that indicates the level of standards for environmnentally responsible construction. With ratings starting at Certified, Silver, Gold, and ending with Platinum, Kamloops already has several buildings with LEED certification.

Here are significant sustainable buildings found in and around Kamloops:

TRU

House of Learning - LEED Gold
- The new HOL will include a green roof, a living wall, water efficient landscaping, showers for bikers, and 75% of its lightning will be provided by natural light.
Independent Centre - up to LEED Gold standards but not certified
2010 Dream Home
- TRU student Jody Martens won the Equilibrium House Design Competition, designing a net zero home where passive and active solar systems will generate as much energy as it consumes in normal home living
Kamloops Centre for Water Quality (Water treatment plant)- LEED Gold
- This building was co-financed by TRU and TRU has labs and training programs within the building

Kamloops

Hillside Centre (Psychiatric Centre at Royal Inland Hospital) - LEED Gold
BC Wildlife Park Discovery Centre - LEED Gold
Kamloops Transportation Building - LEED Gold
Stantec Kamloops Office - LEED Gold
Tournament Capital Centre - LEED Silver

Water bottles

Disposable water bottles are not sustainable! Reusable bottles greatly reduce the space used by plastic bottles in the city's landfills. As well, in Kamloops, we have a state of the art Center for Water Quality which produces water that is much cleaner than any bottled water you can buy. For more facts about plastic bottle use, click here.

To help reduce waste and pollution associated with disposable water bottles, TRU has established water bottle refill stations on campus at the following locations:

OM 1st level--Corridor space near Campus Clinic

OM, 2nd level--Corridor space near Café

IB 1st level--Near Starbucks

Trades and Technology Centre--2nd level, near Cafeteria

Science--2nd level

A&E--2nd level, near Faculty of Arts Administration Office

During the summer of 2009, TRU Environment and Sustainability organized a bulk order of stainless steel water bottles throughout campus, with a total of 3000 water bottles being ordered.

We would like to send out a big thanks to TRU Continuing Education, Early Childhood Education, International Education, Open Learning, IT Services, Student Recruitment, Web Communications, TRU Wellness, the Faculty of Science, the Department of Geography, the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, the School of Business and Economics, the School of Trades and Technology, TRU Geography Society, and the TRU Residence and Conference Centre for their participation in the order.

Orientation

This September 2010, TRU Environment and Sustainability was involved in the Fall Orientation activities. Having presented at the International Orientation and set up a booth at both the First Year Orientation and the Orientation BBQ, we were successful in gathering up more interest in environmental sustainability at TRU as well as to give an oportunity for students to make their ideas known.

To have a look at information about sustainability at TRU and some tips for school and home, click here.

Green Teams

This year will is the second year of the Green Team program at TRU.

The purpose of the TRU Green Team program is to offer opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to take steps toward preserving or protecting the environment in their respective buildings as well as on the campus as a whole. The Green Teams will accomplish this by developing strategies for greater overall awareness about environmental issues on campus and providing suggestion to staff and students about what they can do on a personal basis in a friendly, welcoming manner.

To sign up for your buildings' Green Team, e-mail Tom Owen at towen@tru.ca with Green Teams as the subject heading.