Enabling a Sustainable Campus Experience
Having earned multiple national and global awards and recognitions for building construction and green energy initiatives, Humber Polytechnic and the University of Guelph-Humber have been leading sustainable campus development for over a decade. Our students have access to connect with and study in nature and to learn in buildings built to LEED platinum standards and the Canada Green Building Council’s (CAGBC) Zero Carbon Building Designs.
By integrating sustainability principles and climate action into Humber’s operations, learners experience a “living lab”- an environment where they experience climate action in practice.
Take a self-guided tour of how we are living our sustainability commitments by visiting the Campus Compass app and search for Sustainability Trail or visiting our Sustainability Trail webpage.
Humber Polytechnic Accelerates Plan to Achieve Net Zero in 2029
Humber Polytechnic is creating the blueprint on sustainability after establishing an aggressive timeline to reach net zero more than two decades earlier than its original goal of 2050.
Our Commitment: Humber students will learn examples of living sustainably through our campuses and healthy and equitable operations.
INNOVATIVE LEARNING SPACES & OPERATIONS
Leading by Example
Through our intentional efforts, we model our values so that students can both witness and directly benefit from sustainability in action. Our sustainable practices extend beyond our infrastructure and buildings to the daily actions of our staff, the choices we make in purchasing, waste reduction, landscape management, and even the food we serve. We will continue to enhance our practices – such as leaning into electrification and other energy alternatives to allow us to go beyond net zero to net positive.
Climate Action and the Built Environment
Humber has made aggressive energy and climate commitments and strives to build and operate low-impact campuses. This has led us to accelerate our progress to NetZero.
Humber’s Food Strategy & Vision
Humber’s Food Strategy and Vision is a holistic and strategic approach to on campus food that focuses on the principles of quality, equity and affordability, availability, accessibility, sustainable practices, cultural diversity, dietary preferences, and nutrition.
Sustainable Procurement
Humber is developing a procurement strategy and implementation plan that will drive social and sustainable purchasing practices, promote a circular economy, and build on current practices, including maintaining our FairTrade Campus designation.
Sustainable Transportation
Humber is refreshing its plans to play a leadership role in convening partners to advocate and create more sustainable transit for our students, staff, and communities who access our campuses.
Sustainable Transportation
Humber’s Sustainable Transportation includes multiple transit options:
Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Humber has 46 electric vehicle (EV) dual charging stations across its campuses. The first four charging hours are free and usual parking fees apply. Advance spot reservation is not required.
To use the EVs:
- Download the ChargePoint app and enter your credit card information. You will not be charged for the first four hours of complimentary charging.
- After four hours, Humber encourages you to move your electric vehicle to a regular parking spot. If you choose to remain parked at the EV charging station, you will be billed $5.00 for each hour or partial hour of additional charging.
North Campus
- Commuter Hub: 16 EV charging stations (open 24/7)
- Lot 9: Four EV charging stations (A valid Humber parking permit is required to access) (open 24/7)
Carrier Drive: Four EV charging stations (open 24/7)
Lakeshore Campus
- Welcome Centre underground parking area: Four EV charging stations. (Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 7 am to 10 pm and Saturday to Sunday, 8 am to 6 pm)
- Lot 1 located behind B Building: Ten EV charging stations (open 24/7)
Public Transit
Students can purchase the TTC Full-Time Student Photo ID at any time during the year at Bathurst Station or on campus during the fall semester; follow @SustainHumber to find out when the next TTC campus visit is.
Smart Commute & Carpooling
Humber Polytechnic has partnered with Smart Commute who offers a free app to help the Humber community explore options for sustainable travel across the GTHA. By signing up for the app (iOS, Android), community members can:
- Find a carpool match within the Humber community
- Plan and track your carpool, transit, walking and cycling trips
- Join a network of GTHA commuters through your workplace or organization
- Take advantage of program benefits including workplace travel support
For tips on using the app, members can visit:
Humber Parking services offers carpool members the option to split a parking permit. For more information visit:
Biking
Bike rentals are available through Bike Share stations at the Lakeshore and near Humber Downtown. Humber staff and students receive a 20% discount on yearly memberships when they sign up with their Humber email. Maps are available to plan routes to work, school, shopping, or simply to explore:
Humber offers secure, indoor bike parking at the North and Lakeshore campuses. Users register for the program and pay a minimal annual fee online through MyHumber. For more information, contact parking.sales@humber.ca or visit How to Register and Pay for Secure Bike Parking. Guelph-Humber students should email parklock@uoguelph.ca to set up Secure Bike Parking.
A self-service bike repair station is also available at each campus:
- North Campus: Next to the Parking Services Kiosk (directly in front of LRC)
- Lakeshore Campus: In front of the L Building on the east side of campus
Healthy Landscapes & Biodiversity
Using a two-eyed seeing lens that braids the strengths of Indigenous and non-Indigenous worldviews, Humber is creating a Healthy Landscape & Biodiversity Plan that ensures its campus landscapes support ecosystems and biodiversity and includes nature-based climate solutions.
Humber Arboretum and the Centre for Urban Ecology
A unique tri-partnership between Humber Polytechnic, the City of Toronto, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the Humber Arboretum consists of ~250 acres of public gardens and natural areas located in the Humber River watershed.
Sustainable Waste Systems
With multiple waste reduction initiatives already underway, Humber is taking stock of how it might enhance its waste management systems to further reduce waste production and encourage reuse, recycling, composting, and circular economy principles on campus.
Healthy Landscapes & Biodiversity
Humber’s Healthy Landscapes & Biodiversity includes several key initiatives:
Campus Landscaping
Stewardship of the natural environment and the regional biodiversity in which our campuses are located. We collaborate to protect and improve the health and resilience of these areas, which will improve the quality of campus and community life now and for future generations. Humber Facilities Management (link) incorporates several practices to maintain campus grounds in sustainable ways. These include:
- Native plant species are favoured in landscaping
- Pesticide-free products are selected to prevent toxins from leaching into the soil
- Environmentally-friendly coated salt products are used to minimize corrosive salt damage
- The parking lots at Humber College North Campus were landscaped following the City of Toronto's Design Guidelines for 'Greening' Surface Parking Lots. Among the 200 trees and 1000 shrubs installed, three-quarters were selected from the guide's Native Species Planting List.
Healthy Landscape Plan and Standards Coming Soon
Bee Campus
Sustainability is one of Humber College’s six values and our goal is to be a “national leader in developing sustainable campuses” (2018-2023 Humber Strategic Plan).
We strive to connect the natural world to our students, staff and faculty, and encourage our community to be environmental stewards. We are proud to announce that we are taking steps towards protecting pollinators by becoming a certified Bee Campus.
Bees pollinate approximately 70% of the world’s crops and without them, our grocery stores would be empty. Sadly, there are many threats facing pollinators today including harmful pesticides and the climate crisis.
Some of the actions we have taken to protect pollinators include:
- Installing hives at our North and Lakeshore campuses as well as the Humber Arboretum to educate our community.
- Installing a pollinator garden in front of the Centre for Urban Ecology.
- Harvesting honey at our campus apiaries, which is then used by Humber Culinary Management students and the Office of Sustainability.
- Offering a Sustainable Beekeeping course through the Arboretum with topics ranging from equipment and Toronto native bees to growing native plants.
We are excited to partner with Bee City Canada to ensure we are advocating for native species in the 250 acres of natural space surrounding Humber’s campuses.
Interested in protecting pollinators in your own backyard? We encourage students, staff and faculty to show their support for this initiative by taking the Pollinator Protector Pledge!
If you have questions about the Bee Campus certification, please email sustainability@humber.ca.
Forest Nature Program
Launched in 2016, the Forest Nature Program was created through health and wellness and Indigenous mandates. The program helps children explore nature and learn from and with the land. Humber students studying in the Early Childhood Education program also benefit from learning about the forest nature programs, as it is part of their placement opportunities. They help encourage play and outdoor learning with the children while creating new methods to enhance physical activity and wellness. In September 2019, the program received the Edward Burtynsky Award for excellence in environmental inquiry.
Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP)
Launched in 2015, Humber’s Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP) is Humber’s long-term strategy to achieving significant reductions in energy, water, and greenhouse gas emissions so that Humber campuses embody sustainability.
By 2034, the Plan aims to reduce energy use by 50% per square foot, water use by 50% per student, and greenhouse gas emissions by 30%.
