• The university provides a number of courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels that address environmental, social and economic issues related to sustainability.
  • Examples of sustainability related programs include: B.Eng. in Sustainable & Renewable Energy, B.Eng. in Architectural Conservation & Sustainability, B. Arch. Studies in Conservation & Sustainability and Master’s in Sustainable Energy Engineering & Policy.
  • Carleton is a leader in finding solutions to the emerging climate change challenges of our time, from our world-class researchers and teachers, to providing experiential learning opportunities for our students so they can take on the challenge of making the planet a better place. Our community is charging ahead with many exciting research projects, awards and collaborations, and we have many success stories to celebrate.

Some exceptional highlights include:

  • The Carleton Research and Innovation in Sustainable Energy (C-RISE) house will make use of solar thermal energy, seasonal thermal storage, and provide a test bed for various innovative concepts with the aim of reducing the overall energy demands.
  • Energy and Emissions Research Laboratory: We collaborate closely with the National Research Council of Canada and Natural Resources Canada and draw research support from several diverse sources including the World Bank Global Gas.
  • Flaring Reduction Partnership (GGFR), Natural Resources Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Environment Canada, Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada (PTAC), and United Nations Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
  • Carleton is home to some of the great environmental and climate change thinkers including, the Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Climate Change Impacts/Adaptation in Northern Canada, and scientists leading the next IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC).
  • The Carleton Building Performance Research Centre, which advances state of the art building and community design and operations, while improving comfort and usability. The Centre has over 40 graduate students and community/industry partners.
  • The Human-Building Interaction Laboratory (HBIL). Led by Prof. Liam O’Brien, HBIL strives to understand two-way interaction between buildings and their occupants to maximize comfort while minimizing environmental impacts using a multidisciplinary approach.
  • Carleton Engineering students placed first in the Solar Decathlon for Team Ontario in this international competition.
  • The Northern Nomad Tiny House is a net zero and water autonomous tiny house built through the collaborative efforts of Carleton architecture and engineering students.
  • The 40,000-square-foot Advanced Research and Innovation in Smart Environments building will create a new home at Carleton University for applied research in clean technology, health technology, information and communication technology, and accessibility. The Smart Environments building will bring together professors and students from our five faculties — Science, Engineering and Design, the Sprott School of Business, Public Affairs, and Arts and Social Sciences — to collaborate on research and training in areas such as 5G wireless, smart cities and data analytics. The Smart Environments building is intended to become a living laboratory that will allow students to obtain marketable skills and become entrepreneurs through early-stage commercialization development and by facilitating interactions with partners of all sizes.
  • Construction of the $25-million Co-Generation Facility, $5 million of which was funded through an Ottawa Hydro incentive program, better equips Carleton for the building growth on campus that has resulted in increased burdens on the existing steam plant and electrical service capacities of the heating plant. This project expands the heating plant to accommodate the installation of a combined heat and power (co-generation) system to support increasing needs in the most sustainable and economical manner.
  • Carleton ranked 39th and second in Canada among over 900 universities in the UI Green Metrics international ranking for sustainability.
  • Carleton achieved Gold rating in the STARS (Sustainability Tracking and Ranking System).
  • 61 per cent of the Carleton community travel by transit to campus and 10 per cent cycle.
  • Carleton has achieved a 67 per cent waste diversion rate (2018/19).
  • Carleton’s wider waste programs are progressing with main food courts being certified as zero waste and increased construction waste diverted from landfill.
  • Since 2005, Carleton has reduced green-house gas carbon emissions by 35 per cent and energy use intensity by 21 per cent.
  • The university’s food service provider Aramark dining services purchases 25 per cent of its food supplies from local and humane food sources.
  • Since 2014, Carleton has reduced water use by 19 per cent.
  • Carleton’s food court in the University Centre and residence food courthall are zero waste environments. Both venues divert 90 per cent of waste from landfills.
  • To reduce the risk to cyclists and pedestrians, the long-term campus master plan will shift cars and parking structures to the campus perimeter, to limit vehicular traffic in the heart of the university.
  • The university’s master plan will link bike and pedestrian pathways to city bike paths and on campus bus stops, to promote multiple modes of transportation to and from campus.
  • In the University Centre food court all packaging is recyclable or compostable and plastic straws on campus are banned.
  • Some Carleton buildings are now being used as living labs to measure certain sustainability initiatives. The Health Sciences building has integrated, natural daylighting blinds to conserve energy use.
  • Carleton leverages the Green Globe assessment protocol to assist in sustainable building design. To date 11 buildings have been certified.
  • To promote greater Ottawa community engagement towards sustainability on campus, the university has joined Ottawa Green Business to create climate change awareness and reduce collective greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Carleton’s Ideas@Carleton web portal fosters community engagement by welcome new ideas to promote more sustainability.
  • Campus workshops have generated over 500 suggestions for inclusion in the university’s new environmental strategy.
  • Organic food waste disposal has been introduced to all waste and recycle bins across campus
  • Carleton has introduced electric charging stations to allow community members to charge their car while on campus.