CASE STUDY: ASSINIBOINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT

--Used with permission of ACCC. Chernushenko, D. Greening Campuses, 1996. Chapter 1.

Between February and October of 1994, Assiniboine Community College (ACC) in Brandon, Manitoba conducted a comprehensive environmental audit of facilities and operations at its Brandon and Parkland campuses. This initial audit was a key component in the Co11ege's response to the recommendation of its Task Force on Sustainable Development that ACC "should assure that the internal operations of both its physical plant and program delivery systems are consistent with its commitment to sustainable development."[1]

It was felt that an environmental audit would help to identify strategies to reduce costs, environmental impact, resource and energy consumption and waste generation, as well as improve the overall health and aesthetic quality of the campus. Given the prohibitive costs of such a comprehensive audit, however, a search was conducted for audit services available at no or low cost, but which would achieve as many of these stated goals as possible. An audit program was developed by college officials, and was ultimately carried out with financial support from several provincial and federal government programs, including On-Site Manitoba, a program which matches engineering and environmental professionals currently receiving unemployment benefits with project opportunities.

The audit included eight major components:

1. 1. Regulatory Compliance Audit
2. 2. Management Systems Audit
3. 3. Procurement Policy and Procedure Audit
4. 4. Waste Management Audit
5. 5. Energy Systems Audit
6. 6. Water Systems Audit
7. 7. Audit Shadowing/Environmental Education
8. 8. Documentation and Final Report

The audit project had several specific goals:

1. (a) To help foster values, attitudes, and practices of environmental stewardship in staff, instructors and students at ACC.
2. (b) To assure that all College facilities, operations and programs comply with relevant regulations and laws to assure the safety, health and environmental sustainability of these facilities, operations and programs
3. (c) To strengthen partnership between Manitoba Government Services and ACC in the safe and environmentally responsible operation and maintenance of College facilities.
4. (d) To establish baselines of data and management systems which support socially, environmentally and economically sustainable decision-making relative to College operations, facilities and programs.

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A workplan was developed, which was subsequently reviewed by ACC administrators and a senior executive committee.

Findings of the audit were compiled in a 32~page Final Report. A Summary of Recommendations contained 99 recommendations, some of which can be enacted quickly and at little expense. Others concern issues which will require a major revision of College practises, and more significant expenditures.

At time of publication, ACC's administration and executive are considering how to respond to the recommendations of the audit, and which action steps might be implemented most promptly.

Comprehensive Environmental Audit of Assiniboine Community College - A Final Report, Assiniboine Community College, 1995.