Sustainable initiatives

UVic male researcher in a lab working with green laser light fuel cell
Research at IESVic is helping to make the next generation of hydrogen fuel cell batteries safer and more powerful.

Sustainable teaching, research and operations

With a wealth of natural and landscaped open space across a 166-hectare campus, almost anywhere you walk, you’ll see why the surrounding West Coast campus inspires us—in our teaching, our research, and in how we plan and manage our campus.

The 2012 UVic Strategic Plan, A Vision for the Future: Building on Excellence, calls for the establishment of a formal framework to manage the university's physical and financial resources in a sustainable manner; that is, with attention paid to the "triple bottom line" of economic, social, and environmental consequences.

The sustainability site is the digital hub for sustainability on the University of Victoria campus. We invite you to explore our green initiatives on the ground, in the classroom, and in our research activities. Connect with student groups, learn tips to reduce your impact and find out how you can get involved.

Sustainability on campus

Sustainability is a key part of the curriculum in nearly every major field at UVic, from science and engineering to social sciences and law. The Gustavson Business School makes sustainability a core component of its curriculum as well, and is home to two research centres devoted to sustainable economies and business practices. 

Across the board, UVic research is at the forefront of sustainability breakthroughs for our changing world. We’re a global leader in climate and ocean sciences, and sustainable energy research as well. UVic was also selected to host and lead the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS), a province-wide hub for internationally leading climate change research.

Our campus operations also reflect our focus on sustainability. All our new buildings are constructed to meet the LEED Gold standard, one of the highest green building ratings in the world. Most are situated on former parking lots to preserve our natural spaces.

Valuable initiatives across campus—from strategic purchasing changes and transportation initiatives, to student-led proposals and changes in teaching curriculum—have further embraced sustainability in ways that bring both tangible results and an increased level of cultural know-how that continues to help us improve, individually and institutionally.

More sustainability initiatives