A short history of sustainability initiatives on campus
2015
- Minor in Sustainability launched by the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences and School of Interdisciplinary Studies.
- OCAD U establishes ReUse Hub and ReUse Depot
2014
- Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences and School of Interdisciplinary Studies installs a Passive Urban Greenhouse: Greenhaus
- OCAD U creates Office of Diversity, Equity & Sustainability Initiatives
2013
- OCAD U creates sustainability month: sMarch
- Inaugural Urban Ecologies Conference
2012 Indigenous Visual Culture Program and First Gen launches Material Trading Post
2010
- Faculty of Design establishes Material Innovation Centre (Materials Lab)
- Facilities Planning and Management receives the City of Toronto BikeCommuter Award
2009
- Faculty of Design establishes Sustainability Office
- OCAD U signs Council of Ontario Universities (COU) pledge Committed to a Greener World
2008
- Faculty of Design launches a sustainability minor
- OCAD U strikes a Sustainability Task Force
- IT Services and Campus Life launches Green Exchange (electronic swap and waste initiative)
2007 OCAD U holds a Sustainability Salon
2004 Faculty of Design introduces a biometrics course
1992 Facilities Planning and Management establishes guidelines to repurpose pre-owned furniture
Going Greener report
The annual Council of Ontario Universities Going Greener report highlights sustainability efforts across Ontario universities. OCAD University has been highlighted in each report.
Quick facts
OCAD U has documented and diverted over 40,000 lbs* of electronic waste from Toronto landfill sites. A certificate of Destruction guarantees these electronics are dismantled in Ontario or repurposed for local community groups. As part of this sustainable practice, our recycling company has planted 158 trees* in OCAD U's name. (*Data compiled from 2008 to 2013.)
OCAD U set campus copiers to double-sided printing in 2008. This has potentially reduced our annual paper consumption by 100 cartons of paper and saved 60 trees each year.