RDP receives international recognition at Green Gown Awards for sustainability initiatives

Jul 17, 2023
Solar panels on top of the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre

Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) has received international recognition as part of the 2023 Green Gown Awards for its efforts in energy innovation and emissions reduction. RDP was recognized with a Highly Commended Award in the 2030 Climate Action category (the only Canadian post-secondary institution in that category and one of only two Canadian finalists across all eight categories). The International Green Gown Awards are led by The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education and are supported by the UN Environment Programme. 

“It is an honour to be recognized globally as a post-secondary leader in environmental sustainability and energy innovation,” says Stuart Cullum, President of Red Deer Polytechnic. “We will continue to collaborate with industry and communities in seeking innovative solutions to achieve both energy and climate security in Alberta and beyond.”

The International Green Gown Awards, in association with Allianz Global Investors, were established in 2004. The Awards recognize the exceptional sustainability initiatives by post-secondary institutions around the world. This year, Red Deer Polytechnic was among 93 finalists from 25 countries that were nominated in eight categories.

As a polytechnic, RDP acts as an innovation hub, where industry can leverage the applied research capabilities of its people and facilities to help solve real-world problems. 

“Our Energy Innovation Centre team provides world-class energy analysis, equipment testing and systems integration advice to a wide variety of stakeholders from utilities to manufacturers,” says Dr. Tonya Wolfe, Director of the Centres for Manufacturing and Energy Innovation at RDP. “We have the capacity to accelerate green technology adoption, and this award acknowledges our role as a climate leader in Alberta.”

Red Deer Polytechnic’s focus on environmental sustainability is also reflected in its planning, facilities and campus management. The Highly Commended Award for 2030 Climate Action recognized the innovative infrastructure projects undertaken at RDP as part of the institution’s Green Campus Master Plan, which was developed in 2021. 

“Our Green Campus Master Plan details the tangible actions we are taking to make our campus more environmentally sustainable,” says Mandeep Parmar, Director of Campus Management at RDP. “By focusing on emissions reduction, energy generation and storage, and waste reduction, we not only make sustainability central to design and planning, we also create educational opportunities for students in the process.” 

Prior to the Green Gown Highly Commended Award, Red Deer Polytechnic also won national and international recognition for several energy-efficient buildings on its main campus. The Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre received a gold ranking in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The Polytechnic’s Alternative Energy Lab is a LEED-Silver facility and RDP's newest Studio Residence building has contributed to the Polytechnic being honoured with five previous sustainability awards. 

These projects, along with the installation of more than 4,000 solar panels and a Combined Heat and Power Unit are reducing RDP’s energy consumption and contributing to the Polytechnic becoming a net zero energy institution by 2031.

A list of Green Gown Awards recipients is available online. 

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