Operations

Guiding principles

Prioritize sustainable mobility.
Promote ecoresponsibility in procurement, consumption and disposal.
Reduce energy consumption and fight against climate change.
Ensure a sustainable built environment.

Designing, building and operating a university campus in an ecoresponsible manner requires contributions from stakeholders who are driven by a shared philosophy. Construction teams, facility asset management, auxiliary and procurement services are among the key stakeholders that enable ÉTS to work toward becoming a true reference in terms of responsibility in its operations and procurement.

Two buildings on campus are certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The Phase IV student residence building is certified LEED Platinum, and is the first to receive this distinction in Québec. The INGO Innovation Centre is certified LEED Gold.

Visit the Groupe de recherche en intégration et développement durable en environnement bâti (GRIDD) website,

Carbo neutrality

In June 2021, ÉTS became the first academic institution in Montréal to attain carbon neutrality, thanks to a unique and innovative carbon offset system.

Three pillars of carbon neutrality:

Measure: an inventory of GHG emissions was conducted by research associate Sandrine Quéré under the supervision of Professor Annie Levasseur, an international expert in measuring the impact of climate change.
Reduce: ÉTS has been the most energy efficient campus in Québec for decades, and is constantly developing new energy recovery and efficiency projects. Future building developments at ÉTS will be designed with carbon neutrality as a target.
Offset: ÉTS has developed a unique offset system with high added value based on the following actions:
- Purchase of Gold Standard certified carbon credits (the highest quality standards in the world) through the NPO Planetair;
- Creation of the FRECC to finance research projects involving technologies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions;
- Creation of the Planetair+ÉTS product, which is accessible to all clients to offset 100% of their GHG emissions based on the highest standards, along with investment in the future through applied research aimed at developing even more efficient reduction technologies. For each ton of carbon credits sold, 20% of the sale price is donated back to the FRECC.

Energy efficiency

The implementation of tangible measures related to energy efficiency has conferred upon ÉTS an undeniable position of leadership in the Québec university sector. In 2019-2020, ÉTS attained a performance rating that was 53% higher than average for Québec universities in terms of annual energy intensity.

ÉTS is committed to constantly improving the management of energy sources for its buildings in order to optimize use and reduce its environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions.

Some of the initiatives introduced at ÉTS:

The inclusion of both proven and innovative clean technologies in its buildings.
The use of an extensive energy consumption monitoring and control system on its campus.
Autonomous management of the distribution of electricity through a single medium-voltage (25 kV) feed from Hydro-Québec.

In addition, the ÉTS campus serves as a living laboratory for its professors and student community, who conduct practical projects leading to improvements in energy performance

Going greener

Pursuant to the desire expressed by the community within the context of the consultation that led to adoption of the ÉTS Campus Urban Development Plan, the amount of plant cover on campus was increased. In addition to helping to beautify the neighbourhood, this initiative served to enhance the quality of urban biodiversity, reduce the presence of heat islands, improve air quality, promote storm water retention and contribute to the physical and mental wellness of the population.

Some of our accomplishments:

Creation and installation of a park between Pavilions D and E;
Installation of Place des Réflexions, a green space facing the Centech building;
Planting of 64 trees on campus;
Installation of a green roof on Pavilion E.

Since its construction, Pavilion E has featured a 675 m² plant-covered roof that is visible from the surrounding Pavilions. No pesticides, inorganic fertilizer or irrigation system is used in this green space. Considered to be fallow because it is not accessible to the public, the green roof is home to numerous residents (praying mantises, spiders, pollinating insects, etc.), making it a veritable oasis of biodiversity.

Sustainable mobility

In keeping with its commitment to climate action, ÉTS is a recognized leader in sustainable mobility, providing its community with numerous incentives to use public transit and active or electric transportation modes.

Active transportation

250 secure indoor parking spaces for bicycles;
150 outdoor parking spaces for bicycles throughout the campus;
50 stations for bicycles provided by Ville de Montréal on campus;
Free lockers at the Sports Centre accessible to the entire ÉTS community;
Three BIXI stations on campus, and others nearby;
10% savings on seasonal and monthly BIXI memberships;
Multi-user BIXI keys available to ÉTS employees;
Centre d'ajustement et de réparation de bicyclettes (CRABE – Bicycle adjustment and repair centre) for sharing tools, equipment and expertise in bicycle maintenance;
Self-serve bicycle adjustment and repair station in front of Pavilion B;
Numerous bike paths near the campus.

Public transit

Public transit incentive program: For students | For employees

Electric transportation

ÉTS demonstrates leadership in sustainable mobility and is actively involved in the electrification of transportation. In addition, its charging stations are produced in Québec!

46 charging stations on campus:
- Pavilion A: Reserved for employees (19 stations);
- Pavilion B: Open to visitors 24/24 (21 stations);
- Pavilion E: Open to visitors 24/24 (6 stations – Basement Level 2 reserved for students).

Management of waste materials

Some of the actions that enable ÉTS to remain proactive in its management of waste materials include the collection of organic materials, managing a composter on campus, the recovery of procedural masks, the creation of awareness-raising visuals and excellent performance with respect to source separation.

Consult the Waste Materials Management Plan (in French)

ICI on recycle + certification

ÉTS has attained the Performance + level in RECYC-QUÉBEC’s ICI on recycle + certification program in recognition of its efforts, and is committed to continuing to implement sound waste materials management practices.

This program encourages application of the Politique québécoise de gestion des matières résiduelles (Québec waste materials management policy) in order to develop sound habits related to the management of waste materials in response to the following challenges:

Ending the wasting of resources;
Helping to attain the objectives of the Climate Change Action Plan;
Holding all stakeholders involved in the management of waste materials accountable.

Ecoresponsible events

ÉTS encourages both internal and external event organizers to adopt ecoresponsible practices. Guide sheets are available to help organizers integrate concrete measures from the planning stage to the reporting stage.

Consult the Guide sheets (in French)