Laurier named one of North America’s most green universities

Nov. 20, 2019

Wilfrid Laurier University is one of North America's most environmentally responsible post-secondary institutions, according to The Princeton Review. The American education services company lists Laurier in its new resource, The Princeton Review's Guide to Green Colleges: 2019 Edition. The guide can be accessed at princetonreview.com/green-guide. (An account is required to view the list.)

"We salute – and strongly recommend – Wilfrid Laurier University to the many environmentally-minded students who want to study and live at a green university," says Rob Franek, The Princeton Review's editor-in-chief. He noted that 64% of the 11,900 teens and parents the company surveyed in 2019 said that having information about a university's commitment to the environment would influence their decision to apply to or attend the school.

To compile its list of 413 green universities, The Princeton Review surveyed administrators at 689 North American schools about their sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. Laurier is one of only 13 Canadian universities included in the guide.

“Sustainability is one of the key pillars of the Laurier Strategy,” says Stephanie MacPhee, manager of Laurier’s Sustainability Office. “We are working hard to create a culture of sustainability on our campuses and partner with many departments and members of the Laurier community to implement the goals outlined in our Sustainability Action Plan. This recognition is an honour for us and demonstrates that we are heading in the right direction.”

Among its many leading efforts, some examples of Laurier’s sustainability initiatives include:

• The newest building at Laurier’s Waterloo campus, Lazaridis Hall, is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certified and incorporates environmental features, including: solar panels, an accessible green roof and an electric vehicle charging station.
• The Laurier Energy Efficiency Program (LEEP) is a comprehensive, multi-phase initiative to increase the energy efficiency of Laurier’s buildings. This $50-million project includes the installation of rooftop solar panels, battery storage and a fully functioning microgrid.
• The Sustainable Hawk Fund leverages Laurier’s entrepreneurial and community spirit to integrate sustainability practices into all aspects of student life. Every year, $30,000 in funding is committed to students, staff and faculty to implement sustainability projects at the university.

Laurier has long been applauded for its commitment to the environment. In 2017, Corporate Knights named Laurier the most sustainable campus in Ontario and the third most sustainable in Canada. In 2018, it earned the Region of Waterloo’s Water Efficiency Excellence Award for its water conservation efforts. And so far in 2019, Laurier has been awarded a Gold rating from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System – which measures the sustainability performance of colleges and universities worldwide – and was named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers.