Goal 7 - Institutional Stewardship Initiatives

Institutional Stewardship Initiatives

Ask An Energy Expert

Anyone can submit a question to Future Energy Systems, and an energy expert will respond in this YouTube video series. Answered questions include: How do hybrid cars work? How is wind turned into energy? Can we create new sources of energy? What happens when an oil well runs out of oil?

District Energy System

A district energy system centrally generates and distributes heating, cooling, electricity and chilled water to the University of Alberta and associated hospitals. Operating a central thermal energy plant brings efficiencies and avoids 60,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year. 

Energy Reduction Master Plan

The University of Alberta’s energy management program dates back to the 1970s. $80 million invested over the last four decades has avoided $380 million in utility costs and mitigated 2.3 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Responding to significant growth in the use and scale of the university’s facilities, the Energy Reduction Master Plan is the current strategy to keep energy bills low and minimize environmental impacts. Tactics include retrofitting buildings, encouraging behaviour changes and increasing the supply of renewable energy generated on campus.

University Funds Investment Policy

The purpose of the University Funds Investment Policy is to set risk tolerances and asset allocation for each of the university funds according to the individual fund’s spending obligations, objectives and liquidity requirements. The policy outlines how the university will collaborate with its investment managers on environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities.