³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ

Overhead view of the downtown campus, overlaid with a teal-navy gradient and an icon that reads "Carbon Neutrality"

Carbon Neutrality

³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, meaning net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, by:

  1. Reducing GHG emissions wherever feasible, such as through largescale energy transformations,Ìý
  2. Sequestering carbon via carbon sinks, through its forested lands, andÌýÌý
  3. Purchasing carbon offsets to compensate for unavoidable or difficult-to-reduce emissions, such as those from air travel and commuting.ÌýÌý

The University’s target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2040 is aligned with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) decarbonization timeline. Due to the urgency of climate change, strong commitments and actions need to be implemented and prioritized in order to significantly reduce our carbon footprint. By 2030, ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ aims to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 45% compared to 2015.

Progress towards Carbon NeutralityÌý

45,767

Ìýnet tonnes ofÌýCOâ‚‚ equivalent are currently emitted by ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ

³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµâ€™s 2024 greenhouse gas emissions breakdown by key activity

Doughnut chart showing ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ's emission by catergory. Energy 62%, Miscellaneous 10%, Air Trael 13%, Commuting 13%, Purchased energy 2%.

Ìý

Miscellaneous includes emissions from: livestock & fertilizers, refrigerants & insulating gas, vehicle fleet and other sources. Scope 1 refers to direct emissions. Scope 2 refers to emissions from purchased energy. Scope 3 refers to indirect emissions such as business -related travel and commuting.Ìý

Key Progress

The majority of ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµâ€™s emissions come from energy combustion to heat our buildings. Emission reduction efforts at the university are therefore concentrated on energy, including via multi-million-dollar investments in electrification and energy efficiency projects. Key projects include the following:

  • began to be deployed in 2018, recovering waste heat from buildings.
  • In 2023, a natural gas boiler was replaced with at the Downtown Powerhouse. This $33M investment, along with associated energy efficiency projects, will lead to a reduction of 9,000 tCOâ‚‚e/year.
  • ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµâ€™s Powerhouse heat recovery unit came online in 2024, capturing waste heat from the natural gas boiler exhaust to provide heating to the Arts, Ferrier, and James Administration buildings.
  • ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ has joined Hydro-Québec’s (Alliance for Exemplary Buildings) to champion responsible energy use in large buildings.

See more on ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµâ€™s energy transition here, including the Roadmap for ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ's Energy Transition.

³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ 2024 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sources


Get Involved in Becoming Carbon Neutral

Learn more about greenhouse gas inventories, or carbon footprint assessments, with the Office of Sustainability’s Greenhouse Gas Inventories 101.


Frequently Asked Questions

What is a greenhouse gas inventory?

A greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, also known as a carbon footprint assessment, is a quantified list of an organization’s greenhouse gas emissions and emission sources. It is a strategic tool for understanding, managing, and communicating emissions resulting from an organization’s activities. Learn more about greenhouse gas inventories, or carbon footprint assessments, with the Office of Sustainability’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory 101.Ìý

What does ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ include in its carbon neutrality target?

³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ includes Scope 1, Scope 2, and select Scope 3 emissions in its carbon neutrality target. Scope 1 includes direct emissions from energy consumption in buildings owned or controlled by ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ, the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ vehicle fleet, the Macdonald Farm, and leaked refrigerants and insulating gases. Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from purchased grid electricity and purchased steam and hot and chilled water.ÌýÌý

Scope 3 includes other indirect emissions upstream and downstream of ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµâ€™s activities, including emissions from University-financed air travel and student and staff commuting, energy consumption of select buildings over which we do not have operational control, sports team travel, the intercampus shuttle, water supply and treatment, and power transmission and distribution losses. By including select Scope 3 emissions in its long-term target, ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ is taking an ambitious approach to carbon neutrality that demonstrates leadership and accountability.

Who does ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ report its emissions to?

In addition to the ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ Board of Governors, ³ÉÈËVRÊÓÆµ reports its emissions to: Environment and Climate Change Canada's and ; the ; the City of Montreal's Inventaire des sources fixes d’émissions atmosphériques; the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur du Québec's ; and the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s

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