A greener campus is the goal of the Green Gryphon Initiative, which was officially launched March 28 as part of Sustainability Week. The University hired Toronto-based MCW Custom Energy Solutions Ltd. to audit energy and water use on campus and find ways to conserve these resources, which helps save money and the environment.

The University currently spends about $20 million on electricity, gas and water annually, says Don O’Leary, vice-president (administration and finance). That adds up to about $1,200 per student per year. Energy-efficient lighting and mechanical system upgrades are among the options being considered by the University to reduce energy consumption.

“It’s an opportunity to make a real impact not only on the $20 million we spend but also to reduce our carbon footprint, as there are inevitable greenhouse gases associated with that energy use ,” says O’Leary.

Reducing the University’s greenhouse gas emissions by 7,400 metric tonnes annually is the equivalent of taking 1,500 cars off the road, he adds. Cutting water consumption by 87,000 cubic metres saves about 35 Olympic-sized swimming pools’ worth of water per year.

The initiative’s steering committee consists of representatives from Physical Resources, Planning, the Sustainability Office, the Student Energy Retrofit Fund and MCW. The committee launched a contest to name the initiative and received more than 300 submissions from across campus. U of G staff member Sean Kenny was one of five people who came up with the “Green Gryphon Initiative,” and their names were drawn to win an electric bike donated by MCW.

Explaining how he came up with the name, Kenny says, “I think it’s appropriate for the University’s roots and where they’re going through this initiative.”

This summer, Physical Resources will evaluate MCW’s feasibility study, including more than 60 recommendations. The department will identify the most promising recommendations in a final report for the Board of Governors. The University expects to save more than $3 million per year in energy and water costs through the initiative.

“Physical Resources is excited about this project,” says Paul Mesman, manager, construction co-ordination, in the department. “A lot of these measures address deferred maintenance. If you can deal with deferred maintenance, comfort and energy savings, it becomes a great project.”

For more information about the Green Gryphon Initiative, visit www.greengryphon.ca.