Dalhousie secured a spot as a top performer globally in two key categories in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index.
The university tied for tenth place in the Coordination & Planning category with full marks and achieved sixth spot for Purchasing with a score of 92.5 out of 100 in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's (AASHE) latest report.
The index tracks the performance of universities around the world across a range of 17 impact areas as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
Dalhousie achieved its third consecutive Gold rating from STARS in 2021, data from which was used to calculate its ranking in this year's index. Ratings are valid for three years, after which time participating universities are required to submit new data. Dal is currently gathering data for its new submission this fall.
"We are very pleased to be featured as a top performer in multiple categories of AASHE's 2024 SCI and are hopeful we'll advance even further after this fall's STARS submission," says Stephanie MacPhee, executive director with Dal's Office of Sustainability.
Spotlight on success
This year's report also includes a spotlight feature on Dal's Emera IDEA and Richard Murray Design Buildings on its downtown Sexton Campus.
The buildings, which opened in 2018, are the first at Dal to have achieved LEED Platinum designation and have won an international award for the sustainability of their design.
"We are committed to the continued advancement of sustainability across all areas of our institution, and projects like the Emera IDEA and Richard Murray Design buildings are a prime example of that commitment," says MacPhee.
