Award recognizes college’s commitment to environmental sustainability for second consecutive year

Oshawa, ON – Durham College (DC) is pleased to announce that it has been named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for the second consecutive year. Awarded as part of the 2018 editorial competition that is organized by the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project, this designation recognizes employers who create remarkable workplaces that minimize the environmental impact of their operations – and in the process attract a new generation of talented employees and customers.

Winning employers are evaluated on the following criteria:

1. The unique environmental initiatives or programs they have developed.
2. Whether they have been successful in reducing their own environmental footprint.
3. Whether their employees are involved in these programs and contribute any unique skills.
4. Whether their environmental initiatives have become linked to the employer’s public identity, attracting new employees and customers.

DC’s focus on sustainability is broad and wide-ranging and is formalized in the college’s current Business, Strategic, and the Campus Master Plans. Multiple programs involve employees and students in environmental stewardship including the Living Green initiative which involves 20 to 30 employees working to enhance the sustainability of campus operations and planning,  administration, curriculum, research, innovation and stakeholder engagement. Students can also contribute creative ideas and solutions aimed at advancing campus sustainability initiatives through the Student Green Team. In addition, the college supports many environmental management programs, green events and transportation-focused initiatives that further its commitment to sustainability.

The college’s building footprint that includes a number of green features such as a 350-panel photovoltaic rooftop solar array, a geothermal heating and cooling system, and a centralized building automation system that monitors multiple campus buildings, as well as Bistro ’67s “Green Restaurant” certification were among the reasons DC was selected this year. Additionally, the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food grounds that feature outdoor fruit, vegetable and herb gardens, native plantings and pollinator gardens played a role in the college’s award.

“We are very proud to receive this designation as one of Canada’s greenest employers for a second year,” said Don Lovisa, president, DC. “As a college, we work very hard to ensure our facilities, policies and practices are driven by sustainability, for the betterment of the environment and everyone on campus. We’ve made a number of substantial changes over the past several years and are looking to the future with an eco-conscious mindset.”

In support of the college’s green agenda, in March DC announced a number of new initiatives that will be undertaken, including the new Simcoe Geothermal Field project at the Oshawa campus, upgrades of existing facilities, including the installation of high-efficiency HVAC systems and new and upgraded building automation systems and LED lighting.

For more information on DC’s sustainable initiatives please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/livinggreen.

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About Durham College

At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first. With campuses in Oshawa and Whitby and a learning site in Pickering, the college offers more than 12,000 full-time post-secondary and apprenticeship students access to more than 140 full-time and eight apprenticeship programs in a number of different disciplines, enabling them to develop the skills required to meet the demands of today’s job market. The college is also set to launch its first four-year degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management, in September 2018.

The Oshawa campus features the state-of-the art Student Services building and will soon feature the Centre for Collaborative Education, a legacy project tied to DC’s 50th anniversary in 2017. The new facility will bring together local, Indigenous and global communities, providing a new home for several of the college’s most innovative and ground-breaking programs.

The Whitby campus features the award-winning W. Galen Weston Centre for Food, which includes Bistro ’67, a full-service, teaching-inspired restaurant, and Pantry, a retail store featuring food prepared by students in the college’s culinary programs.

For more information, visit www.durhamcollege.ca or call 905.721.2000.

 

Media contacts: 
Meghan Ney 

Durham College
Communications and Marketing 

meghan.ney@durhamcollege.ca