As 2025 comes to a close, we want to take a moment to look back on a few Centre for Ecocities highlights of the past year.
Tools
- The BCIT Centre for Ecocities launched two online tools that help BC communities take climate action. The Consumption-based Solutions for Climate Action Guide and the CBEI and EF Archetype Tool for BC Communities are designed to help local governments, businesses, and communities adopt practical strategies to shrink their ecological footprints, share resources to promote equity and community wellbeing, and regenerate nature. Through a BCIT Industry Sponsored Student Project, five students from the Computer Systems Technology Diploma program created the web interface for the archetype tool. A launch webinar for the tools was held in June for BC local government leaders and climate practitioners. This project was supported by the Real Estate Foundation of BC (REFBC).
Curriculum
- The Climate Changemakers Leadership Training, first launched by the Centre for Ecocities, continues to be offered as a micocredential through BCIT’s School of Construction and Environment. This training comprises four badged courses that enable people with a passion and interest in sustainability and climate action to prepare themselves for careers that positively impact people and the planet.
- A new course in consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventorying and ecological footprint analysis will focus on quantifying energy and material flows through an integrated life cycle analysis and urban metabolism approach. This course provides sustainability metrics training to graduate students and others looking to understand and apply ecological footprint analysis at an urban scale, following an ecocity approach.
Events
- In April, Jennie Moore presented on “The Hidden Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Lifestyles” at the Chilliwack Rotary Climate Fair. She also hosted a booth at the Trade Show for the duration of the day. The Climate Fair was a free, family-friendly event focused on sustainability and climate action.
- Jennie Moore was invited by the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul to participate at their annual conference from October 17-19, 2025. While at the Forum, she led a consultation with the UN Habitat Youth Advisory Board on skills and training young people need to be effective sustainability leaders. The output of the consultation has been shared with the Associate VP Academic and emphasizes use of social media for learning, skills to navigate disinformation, effectively working with AI, building leadership and communication skills, and obtaining credit for practical application of skills through improved self-assessment reported online combined with third-party verification mechanisms.
IEFLL
- The Centre for Ecocities continues its collaboration with York University and the University of Iceland on the International Ecological Footprint Learning Lab (IEFLL). This project, led by York University, is supported by the Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Partnership Grant Award. This seven-year project is aimed at improving methodologies, knowledge, and student training in ecological footprint and biocapacity analysis. The Centre for Ecocities is contributing its expertise in ecological footprinting at the urban scale and is represented on the IEFLL Project steering committee, research committee, and communication committee.
- In April, Jennie Moore presented her approach for developing an integrated life cycle assessment and materials flows analysis for cities at a free International Ecological Footprint Learning Lab workshop on Geographic Scaling for ecological footprint analysis. The methodology produces a Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions inventory and ecological footprint estimate and is used by over 30 municipalities across British Columbia, accounting for 80% of the BC population.
- A graduate student in BCIT’s Masters of Building Science program participated in the International Ecological Footprint Learning Lab through the BCIT Centre for Ecocities partnership to learn about the urban ecological footprint approach developed by Jennie Moore. He successfully defended his research prospectus in the fall term and is now applying an ecological footprint analysis to blue-green roof systems. A blue-green roof system can be designed to detain and divert excess winter precipitation to tank storage for future use to help reduce the impact of localized drought conditions over summer months. The research will assess whether blue-green roofs constitute a net ecological benefit by comparing improved biocapacity productivity against the additional energy and materials required to build and operate the systems in Vancouver.
In 2026, we look forward to more learning and sharing our ecocities knowledge with students, colleagues, and partners, both here at BCIT and around the world.