Sustainability Annual Comparison
How Targets Were Established
The Sustainability Committee identified the products, services and activities that as well as the impacts and level of significance which identified five aspects with the largest environmental concerns. This process led to the identification of Niagara College’s five sustainability priorities for the coming years: electricity, water, paper consumption, waste and carbon emissions.
After the significant aspects were identified a baseline process was developed to determine the objectives and targets for each.
The chart below outlines the targets and methodology for each of the five key areas that Niagara College has set.
Waste Comparison
Year | Diversion Rate | How much further to the target? | How did we get there? |
---|---|---|---|
09/10 | 35.66% | 29.34% | Increased recycling receptacles and organics collection in kitchen areas; New four compartment waste receptacles; Extraneous data that has not been included in previous years. |
10/11 | 36.55% | 28.45% | |
11/12 | 66.43% | -1.43% (achieved target) | |
12/13 | 58.63% | 6.37% | |
13/14 | 52.22% | 12.78% | |
14/15 | 68% | -3% | |
15/16 | 57% | 8% |
Paper Consumption
Year | Total Paper (8.5″ x 11″) |
How much further to the target? | How did we get there? |
---|---|---|---|
09/10 | 42,273,831 | 24,136,915 | Elimination of paper course evaluations; Reduce the number of pages in major publications; Printers defaulted to double sided printing. |
10/11 | 46,800,849 | 22,663,934 | |
11/12 | 34,126,690 | 9,989,775 | |
12/13 | 34,277,768 | 10,140,853 | |
13/14 | 33,334,719 | 9,197,804 | |
14/15 | 25,406,279 | 1,269,364 |
Electricity Goal
Year | Total Electricity Consumption (kWh) |
How much further to the target? | How did we get there? |
---|---|---|---|
09/10 | 15,786,595 | 1,578,660 | Increased Number of Cooling Degree Days; Increase in building square footage; Decrease in per square footage electricity consumption. |
10/11 | 17,606,555 | 3,398,619 | |
11/12 | 18,856,016 | 4,644,080 | |
12/13 | 19,544,644 | 5,346,708 | |
13/14 | 18,500,589 | 4,292,653 | |
14/15 | 17,563,446 | 3,355,510 |
Water Comparison
Year | Total Water Consumption (m3) |
How much further to the target? | How did we get there? |
---|---|---|---|
09/10 | 94,009 | 4,700 | Annual fluctuations in rainfall impacting irrigation needs; Increase in building square footage; Decrease in per square footage consumption; All washrooms have been renovated to have water efficient taps and toilets. |
10/11 | 95,859 | 6,551 | |
11/12 | 92,029 | 2,721 | |
12/13 | 104,355 | 15,046 | |
13/14 | 91,718 | 2,409 | |
14/15 | 86,564 | -2,744 |
Carbon Emissions
Year | Total Carbon Emissions (CO2e) |
How much further to the target? | How did we get there? |
---|---|---|---|
09/10 | 4,797.84 | 479.78 | Increased Number of Heating Degree Days4 (natural gas consumption); Direct correlation with electricity, water and waste metrics; Extraneous data that has not been included in previous years |
10/11 | 5,782.68 | 1,464.62 | |
11/12 | 5,155.05 | 836.99 | |
12/13 | 6,150.84 | 1,832.78 | |
13/14 | 6,443.60 | 2,125.54 | |
14/15 | 5,549.38 | 1,231.32 |