KAMLOOPS – Thompson Rivers University (TRU) continues to build recognition for its leadership in sustainability initiatives.
TRU was recently named to the Princeton Review’s Green College 2025 Honor Roll. It’s the only Canadian school to earn the achievement, getting a perfect score in the Green Rating tallies.
The Princeton Review is an independent online resource, offering information for students as they transition into post-secondary studies. TRU previously made the list in 2021.
An increasing number of students are interested in attending green schools, said Rob Franek, the Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief.
“Since we created our Green Guide in 2010, we have also seen dramatic growth in the number of colleges committing to sustainability practices — from sourcing food locally and constructing LEED-certified buildings to making commitments to becoming fossil fuel-free,” he said.
“We are proud to shine our light on these exceptional schools and to recommend them to students who want their ‘best-fit’ college to also be a green one.”
Schools were ranked on their performance as an “environmentally aware and prepared institution.” Criteria included campus quality of life for students, how well students are prepared for employment in today’s clean-energy economy and how environmentally responsible the school’s policies are.
Of the nearly 600 schools that were ranked, only 45 received perfect Green Rating scores.
“We are proud of these recent achievements, which show us that we’re on the right track with our sustainability initiatives, but we know there’s still lots of work ahead,” said James Gordon, manager of TRU’s sustainability programs.
The entire Sustainability Office team came in as runner up for Energy Manager Canada’s Energy Manager of the Year award, which was announced last week.
TRU team members include:
- Matt Milovick, vice-president, administration and finance
- Warren Asuchak, associate vice-president of campus infrastructure, sustainability and ancillary services
- James Gordon, manager of sustainability programs
- Natalie Yao, energy manager
- Sofia Rueda, sustainable energy and transportation specialist
- Gord Setka, manager, electrical/mechanical
Energy Manager of the Year is the organization’s flagship award and recognizes those in the sector whose work in “proactive energy management, energy efficiency and/or decarbonization are benefiting their organizations and/or the community at large.”
“We work really hard to put these green initiatives forward,” said Natalie Yao, TRU Sustainability Office energy manager. “This fall alone, we’ve broken ground on the new Low-Carbon District System and gotten permission from BC Hydro to install nearly 1,000 solar panels on campus building rooftops to help power it.”
Recent sustainability initiatives by the numbers:
- Reduced energy consumption on campus by 45 per cent since 2010
- Low-Carbon District Energy System will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95 per cent, once complete
- In spring 2024, TRU became compliant with ISO 50001, an energy management systems standard that allows organizations to continue to improve energy performance and make this part of its culture
- TRU earned first place in the 2024 Sustainable Campus Index’s energy category
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Contact:
James Gordon, Manager, Sustainability Programs
Sustainability Office, Thompson Rivers University
250-572-2740 (cell) | jgordon@tru.ca
