Office of Campus Sustainability

Change the story: help us make a better world.

Campus view over the Rideau Canal
For us, at the University of Ottawa, sustainability isn’t just a job; it’s a lens through which we see the world.

Help us change the story

The Office of Campus Sustainability (part of Facilities Services) strives to have sustainability integrated into daily life on campus in as many ways as possible, big and small — from taking notes on scrap paper to designing more energy-efficient campus facilities. It all matters, and often results in significant cost savings to the University and its students in addition to reducing our impact on the environment. 

4

LEED certified buildings on campus

1st

Campus in Ontario to become bottled water free

7th

Fair trade certified campus in Canada

uOttawa Sustainability News

Living Wall

Climate action at uOttawa

In 2017, the University of Ottawa published its first climate report to address growing concerns about climate change amongst calls for divestment. Half a decade later, uOttawa has developed a robust response to the climate crisis for its community.
There is still work to be done! Our goal is to create a complete greenhouse gas inventory for all climate related activity for future reports. We invite you to explore the report and do your part by exploring the many programs that exist to help reduce your emissions.
Explore the report

Model of sustainability

students planting a potted garden on campus

The University of Ottawa’s Sustainable Development Committee (SUSCOM) has adopted the 4C model of campus sustainability developed by Plymouth University to address different aspects of sustainability specific to a campus context.

The 4 Cs are:

  • Campus — Everything involving procurement for and the physical aspects of the campus, from buying to building, repairing, and everything in-between.
  • Community — The social relationships between community members on and off campus.
  • Culture — The values and policies forming the cultural foundation and influencing the governance of the campus.
  • Curriculum — The academic pursuits, courses, and research activities that constitute the body of knowledge on campus.
A student spreads her arms out in front of a bird themed window mural
Volunteering

“Small actions can make a big difference. Helping achieve sustainability goals that are not only meaningful and important to me, but to my community as well, is highly rewarding.”

Mariana Carrillo Miranda

— 4th year student, Faculty of Arts

Tabaret building in the fall

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