Progress
The University has been making progress on reducing its energy intensity and is working to reduce total consumption in the face of growth.
2014 | 2105 | 2016 | 2019 | 2021 |
717,789 GJ | 746,160 GJ | 682,596 GJ | 831,671 GJ |
704,717 GJ |
Remember that the smallest actions contribute to the greatest change.
Power down your computer
Activate your energy saving settings and turn off your computer and monitor at the end of the day.
Take the stairs
Whenever possible, use the stairs instead of the elevator.
Flick off
Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Dress for the weather
Check the weather before you leave and make sure to dress in layers.
The University has been making progress on reducing its energy intensity and is working to reduce total consumption in the face of growth.
2014 | 2105 | 2016 | 2019 | 2021 |
717,789 GJ | 746,160 GJ | 682,596 GJ | 831,671 GJ |
704,717 GJ |
The EcoProsperity program is a series of energy retrofits on campus designed to reduce energy consumption, lower costs, and help the planet. All of the campus’ infrastructure systems (heating, cooling, electrical, air and water flow, etc.) are routinely monitored and evaluated, allowing us to identify areas where consumption could be reduced by modifying or replacing the existing systems. Projects that reduce a building’s energy consumption by 25% or more are known as “Deep Energy Retrofits” and play a pivotal role in uOttawa’s journey to reducing its GHG emissions.
Some of the units used to measure the University’s consumption can seem a little abstract if you’re not already familiar with them. Before looking over the different retrofits, here’s a quick introduction to what we measure and what that could represent in everyday life.
The University of Ottawa's campus utilizes a district heating and cooling loop. This means all the buildings are connected by tunnels under ground that allows energy to be shared between the power plant and buildings.
During the hottest days of the year, the University is called upon by the Province to reduce its energy consumption to preserve the electrical grid. On these days we implement energy reduction measures which include turning off non-essential lighting and rotating ventilation.