Loyalist College to receive funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Loyalist College will be receiving funding from Ontario’s Climate Change Action Plan to reduce greenhouse emissions for both colleges and universities. Photo by Joseph Carin, QNet News

By Joseph Carin

BELLEVILLE – All Ontario colleges and universities are set to receive funding to improve their greenhouse gas emissions as part of Ontario’s climate change action plan.

The announcement was made last week at Guelph-Humber College by Mitzie Hunter, minister of advanced education and skills development, and Chris Ballard, minister of environment and climate change. Funding for the investment comes from the province’s cap on pollution and the carbon market. This investment aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from post-secondary institutions.

Loyalist College uses a heating system that is powered by natural gases which create carbon emissions, says Mark Kirkpatrick, director of facilities and information technology services.

Mark Kirkpatrick, Loyalist’s director of facilities and information technology services, says the college will look to see how it can improve efficiency. Photo by Joseph Carin, QNet News

“One of the things we can work on is how do we increase the efficiencies of those pieces of equipment? Or look at alternative power sources to replace our current ones. Efficiency, as well, can be increased indirectly through envelope upgrades such as the installation of the college buildings. Small things like tinted windows with proper seals help improve the overall efficiency of the building by reducing the amount of stress on the heating systems,” he said.

Compared to other post-secondary institutions, Loyalist College holds a small carbon footprint because of the campus size.

According to Kirkpatrick, the college is still waiting for the ministry to finalize the total amount of funding to be given but Loyalist is always working toward the improving efficiency. The renovations on the third floor of the college’s Northumberland wing illustrate that, he said.