Royal Roads University is proud to offer learners with the opportunity to apply their learning to real world sustainability issues. These applied learning projects identify opportunities for improving the sustainability of university operations and inform university policy and decision making and program development.
Student Projects
2015
2014
- Campus Conservation Partnership and Paper Reduction Campaign
- Invasive Species in the Capital Regional District Best Practices
2013
- RRU Waste Audit Report
- RRU Transportation Demand Study
- The Role of Youth Environmental Stewardship in Generating Awareness of Energy Efficiency
- Measurement and Verification of a Local Government Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Project – PV4EV
2012
- An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Solar Colwood Program in Reducing Greenhouse Gases
- Home Energy Efficiency
- The Electric Car
2011
- Communicating Sustainability at Royal Roads University
- Lifecycle Assessment of a Solar Thermal System
- Solar Colwood – Baseline Assessment for Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions, Recommendations for Best Methods of Measuring Social Diffusion and Economic Benefits, and Recommendations for Best Methods for Reporting to Public, Academic and Government Audiences
Solar Colwood
Through a partnership with the City of Colwood, Royal Roads University’s Office of Sustainability was responsible for conducting the RRU Solar Colwood Monitoring Program. This leading-edge research measured energy use and greenhouse gas emissions saved by Solar Colwood participants at a household level over the course of the four-year federally funded Clean Energy Fund project (Natural Resources Canada).
Findings
The findings of our four year monitoring program demonstrate that homeowners who installed solar thermal hot water and/or ductless split heat pumps through the Solar Colwood incentive program reduced their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 26% and 37% respectively in the first year after installation. For the period after installation until December 2014 (including the first year) energy consumption was down 37% and GHG emissions 43% compared to pre-installation values. As expected, homeowners that installed both systems demonstrated greater reductions in energy consumption. Based on these findings, it is clear that the use of financial incentive programs by municipal or regional governments to inspire homeowners to install energy efficient technologies can translate into meaningful reductions in energy consumption and GHG emissions at the community level.