Sustainability at BCIT

Greening Operations: Energy

BCIT manages its energy on the Burnaby Campus through a comprehensive program covering lighting, heating, and equipment (including auto-timers, boilers, compressed air systems, efficient lights, and "lights out" procedures). Energy conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts began in 1990.

Visit Facilities Management - Energy for more details, or download the Energy Management Plan PDFs for 2001 or 2006 from Policies & Documents.

BCIT is also engaged in renewable energy research, using the campus as a living lab of sustainability. Energy projects include our Burnaby Campus solar Power Tower, and the Intelligent Micro-Grid. As well, the BCIT "greening IT" project aims to reduce the energy used for information technology at BCIT through education and specific initiatives.

For Burnaby campus, Total Direct Energy accounts for 18% of the total ecological footprint (2,886 ha). Of this, hydro-electricity accounts for 14% (266 ha), and natural gas consumption 86% (2,620 ha).

Direct Energy
Electricity:    29.18    GWh
Natural Gas:    33.05    GWh
Direct Energy:    8,226 tCO2e

The BCIT Burnaby Campus' energy intensity is 1.31 GJ/m2, and an average British Columbia college has a University energy intensity of 1.31 GJ/m2 to 1.56 GJ/m2.

The total ecological footprint for Burnaby campus is 4,249 ha (55 times the size of the Burnaby campus – equal to one-third of Burnaby!). BCIT’s overall aspirational goal is to reduce our energy and material consumption by 75%.

What we aspire to achieve:

Energy from fossil fuels produces the greenhouse gas emissions that are changing the climate. The BC government requires all public institutions, including BCIT, to be greenhouse gas neutral by 2010.
Save energy in the office by turning off lights and computers at the end of the day. This simple step can save up to 30% of your workplace energy consumption!

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