Sustainable development at ÉTS
The move toward sustainable development at ÉTS affects all members of the ÉTS community. Students, faculty members, employees and management personnel are called upon to make an active commitment to integrating sustainable development principles into their daily activities.
Contributions from the ÉTS community include the adoption of best practices and the search for technological and innovative solutions to major issues related to sustainable development!
The 2020-2022 Sustainable Development Action Plan represents the fruit of the efforts of a dedicated community of students, professors and employees who are focused on the well-being of everyone. It sets out concrete achievements in the implementation of sustainable development at ÉTS!
Consult the Plan d'action en développement durable 2020-2022 (Sustainable Development Action Plan, in French).
Consult the Press Releases related to sustainable development (in French).
Our four pillars
TEACHING
Become a significant contributor to the development of competencies related to sustainable engineering
RESEARCH
Stimulate research and innovation in the area of sustainable engineering
COMMUNITIES
Provide an ecoresponsible, stimulating and welcoming living environment and make a significant difference in our communities
OPERATIONS
Become a reference in terms of responsibility in our operations and procurement
Vision and mission
At ÉTS, our vision is to act as a major driver of positive change. With the help of our faculty, researchers, student community, staff and ecosystem, ÉTS is training the next generations of great minds in technology and science and developing the innovations that are needed by industry, by Québec and by the entire planet in the transition toward a sustainable and resilient world.
To accomplish this, ÉTS works hard to create an organizational, teaching and research culture that supports the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations, based on interdisciplinary collaboration, diversity and the engagement of its entire community. ÉTS also provides spaces, tools and practices intended to stimulate innovation, knowledge sharing and responsible consumption and action.
Governance
Sustainable Development Policy
Since adopting its Sustainable Development Policy (in French) in 2008, ÉTS has been focusing on the next generations, the environment and society for more than a decade. The Policy was updated in 2021, with the addition of Culture as a fourth sustainable development sphere and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SGD) established by the United Nations as guiding principles.
Sustainable Development Subcommittee (SDSC)
The mandate of the SDSC is to promote the integration of sustainable development principles into all actions and activities at ÉTS related to the four pillars of the ÉTS Sustainable Development Action Plan (in French), namely teaching, research, communities and operations.
The SDSC’s mission
- Publicize and promote the principles of sustainable development throughout the ÉTS community.
- Encourage and support the development of activities that are in keeping with sustainable development principles throughout ÉTS, in connection with each of the four pillars.
- Spotlight the accomplishments of ÉTS students, professors and employees related to sustainable development by disseminating them on all available media.
- Oversee the implementation of the ÉTS Sustainable Development Action Plan and propose a new Sustainable Development Policy.
- Report to the Academic Commission on a regular basis.
President
- The Secretary General, as the individual responsible for the sustainable development dossier
Members
- The Director of CIRODD (or their representative)
- A professor who is active in SD (named by the Academic Council)
- An instructor who is active in SD (named by the Academic Council)
- The President of the TribuTerre Student Committee (or their representative)
- An SD Advisor from the ÉTS Student Association (or their representative)
- The Dean of Studies (or their representative)
- The Director of the Facility Assets Management Service (or their representative)
- The Director of the Finance Service (or their representative)
- The Director of the Communication and Student Recruitment Service (or their representative)
- The ÉTS Sustainable Development Advisor, who acts as Secretary
In 2018, an extensive internal and external consultation process led to the creation of the Plan de développement urbanistique de l’ÉTS (ÉTS urban development plan).These consultations focused on the following five aspects:
- Sustainable mobility
- Street furniture
- Security
- Beautification and greening
- Territorial identity
The recommendations (in French) resulting from this process have greatly influenced the content of the 2020-22 urban development plan, among other things with regard to sustainable mobility, greening and the integration of arts and culture.
Certification and recognition
Over the years, the commitment, leadership and exemplary performance shown by ÉTS has been honoured with awards, certifications and recognition:
- STARS Gold Certification 2022
- Prix de la transition écologique (from Concertation Montréal)
- IOR Performance +
- LEED Platinum for Residences Phase IV
- LEED Gold for INGO
- Commercial Heritage Award
- Member of the Energy Savers' Circle
- 2015 Continuity Award – Leaders in Sustainable Mobility
About STARS certification
In the spring of 2022, ÉTS obtained STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System) Gold certification for the quality of its accomplishments in sustainable development. Having been carbon neutral since 2021, ÉTS also stands apart thanks to the inclusion of sustainable development concepts in its teaching and research, the sound management of waste materials and its community’s commitment to sustainable modes of transportation. This certification guides ÉTS toward a process of continuous improvement that focuses on best practices in sustainability. Read the report.
Partnerships
ÉTS maintains partnerships with key players with a view to contributing to the implementation of its move toward sustainable development and the sharing of its expertise in order to increase its impact beyond the limits of its campus:
- BIXI Montréal
- Écotech Québec (clean technologies hub)
- Exo (public transit agency)
- MR-63
- Partenariat Climat Montréal
- Réseau universitaire québécois en développement durable (Québec university sustainable development network)
- SÉRI Montréal (synergie émergente recherche industrie/institution, Ville de Montréal and universities table of partners)
- Société de transport de Montréal (STM)
- Sustainable Development Solutions Network Canada (SDSN)
A seal to showcase sustainable development actions
Designed to identify and showcase all types of actions, conferences and events related to ecoresponsibility, the seal is available to all members of the ÉTS community.
Would you like to use the seal on your visuals and share the pride of actively promoting sustainable development?
- Send a request by e-mail to devdurable@etsmtl.ca.
- Briefly describe the nature of your initiative (type of event or action, target public, date and time).
You will receive a response within five business days.
As an institute of higher learning, ÉTS is obligated to train future engineers who are committed and responsible with respect to society and the environment. At the same time, it must also demonstrate leadership by adopting exemplary institutional practices.
That is why ÉTS has been carbon neutral since 2021, and is pursuing its firm commitment to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.