Climate Positive Energy

Industry Partnerships

Leah Cowen

Subheadline

Strategic industry-academic collaboration aims to accelerate adoption of green energy technologies

The University of Toronto has signed a multi-year agreement with Siemens Canada that seeks to transform the energy grid and boost Canada’s ability to provide clean energy to communities.

The partnership will bring together �鶹��Ƶ’s cutting-edge research, commercialization and policy expertise with Siemens’s industry-leading experience in sustainable energy management and intelligent infrastructure – all with a view to advancing Ontario’s energy transition goals and contributing to Canada’s target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

“The University of Toronto is delighted to strengthen our relationship with Siemens by entering into this institutional partnership agreement,” said Leah Cowen, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, at a signing ceremony held Nov. 21 at Hart House.

“This framework agreement will generate broad and deep mutual value enabling both Siemens and �鶹��Ƶ to build a green future together as global organizations with global ambitions.”

The partnership expands on �鶹��Ƶ’s existing ties with Siemens: the company is partner in �鶹��Ƶ’s Grid Modernization Centre, which brings together companies and �鶹��Ƶ researchers to advance decarbonization of the electric grid while supporting innovation in clean energy technologies, policy advocacy and financing. The centre is led by Climate Positive Energy, a �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative that leverages research expertise across the university to support efforts to curb carbon emissions, reimagine energy systems and facilitate an equitable transition to a clean energy future in Canada and globally.

“We are thrilled to strengthen our partnership with the University of Toronto through signing this framework agreement,” said Faisal Kazi, president and CEO of Siemens Canada. “Today marks not just another step but the continuation of a collaborative journey we’ve nurtured over many years. I look forward to seeing continued leadership and innovation as a result of this agreement.”

The partnership with Siemens Canada is part of ongoing efforts across the university to address grid modernization and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future powered by clean energy.

For example, researchers on all three campuses are currently contributing to efforts to transform Canada’s energy grid – and the infrastructure that powers homes, buildings and electric vehicles – into an intelligent and secure grid. The resulting “smart grid” will leverage the latest advances in AI to appropriately direct energy to the points of highest need at critical times to avoid power outages.

The undertaking combines two areas where �鶹��Ƶ is among the world leaders – sustainability and AI. �鶹��Ƶ was named the most sustainable university in the world in the 2024 QS World University Rankings, and is a longstanding leader in AI research, thanks in part to the efforts of luminaries like University Professor Emeritus Geoffrey Hinton, whose foundational discoveries and inventions were recently recognized with a Nobel Prize.

At the same time, �鶹��Ƶ researchers are also at the forefront of addressing emerging challenges associated with the transition to a smart grid. That includes security considerations – which will be among the key areas of focus for �鶹��Ƶ’s partnership with Siemens, a leading supplier of electrical components to utilities.

For example, Professor Deepa Kundur, chair of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, leads a research group that’s exploring exploring how to defend power utilities from cyberattacks.

Working with industrial partners across different sectors, these and other �鶹��Ƶ researchers are helping companies make better use of resources and enabling safe access to emerging green technologies.

Going forward, �鶹��Ƶ’s collaboration with Siemens will expand beyond energy systems to encompass other crucial sectors such as AI, automation and advanced manufacturing.

Learn more about industry partnerships at �鶹��Ƶ

Learn more about Climate Positive Energy

�鶹��Ƶ’s Grid Modernization Centre receives $10 million in federal funding to advance energy transition

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:52:38 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ’s Grid Modernization Centre receives $10 million in federal funding to advance energy transition

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 07/29/2024 - 10:52

Cutline

(Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Sayyeda Masood

Topic

City & Culture

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Leah Cowen

Subheadline

Founded by the Climate Positive Energy institutional strategic initiative, the Grid Modernization Centre will help accelerate integration of novel green technologies

The University of Toronto has received $10-million in federal funding in support of the Grid Modernization Centre, a state-of-the-art facility in Toronto’s Downsview area that aims to accelerate progress towards a decarbonized, decentralized and digitalized power system for Canada.

Founded by Climate Positive Energy, a �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative, the centre will serve as a hub that provides utilities, regulators, municipalities and enterprises with the equipment and expertise needed to test, develop and commercialize a range of green technologies.

The Government of Canada announced the investment – which includes $5 million apiece from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and Natural Resources Canada – at �鶹��Ƶ's Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship on Friday, July 26.

“On behalf of the University of Toronto, we thank FedDev Ontario and Natural Resources Canada for their $10-million investment in the Grid Modernization Centre,” said Leah Cowen, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “By convening stakeholders across the electricity ecosystem, Climate Positive Energy and their partners will help ensure the electrical grid remains safe and reliable, while supporting the development of clean technologies and jobs.”

Leah Cowen (left), �鶹��Ƶ's vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, was joined by Ya'ara Saks (centre), minister of mental health and addictions, and Julie Dabrusin (right), parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment, at the $10-million funding announcement for �鶹��Ƶ's Grid Modernization Centre (photo by Liz Beddall)

The first facility of its kind in Canada, the Grid Modernization Centre will foster innovations pertinent to electricity demand, which is estimated to double in the next 30 years according to Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.

“Through initiatives such as the Grid Modernization Centre here at �鶹��Ƶ, we are collaborating to unlock a brighter future for our energy systems on the path to net-zero,” said Julie Dabrusin, parliamentary secretary to the minister for environment and climate change and the minister of energy and natural resources.

“By supporting advancements in clean energy technologies, we are not only protecting our environment but also positioning Canada at the forefront of the clean energy revolution,” said Ya’ara Saks, minister of mental health and addictions and MP for York Centre, who attended the announcement on behalf of Filomena Tassi, the minister responsible for FedDev Ontario.

Ya'ara Saks and Julie Dabrusin speak with Associate Professor Ali Hooshyar during a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics (photo by Liz Beddall)

Ontario’s existing grid faces a number of challenges, including extreme weather events, the increasing popularity of electric vehicles and concerns around capacity, reliability, and security.

To address these challenges, the Grid Modernization Centre will enable an array of green technologies – from electric vehicle charging stations to battery energy storage systems – to be tested and refined before they are integrated with the grid.

It will also provide training opportunities for students and thought leadership on policy, regulatory and climate financing models.

Prior to Friday’s announcement, MP Saks and Parliamentary Secretary Dabrusin enjoyed a tour of the Centre for Applied Power Electronics led by Ali Hooshyar, associate professor and Canada Research Chair in Electric Power Systems in the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering. The centre specializes in research and development around electric power systems in areas such as integration of renewable resources into power grids and energy storage and distribution in microgrids.

(L-R) Chris Yip, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, and Deepa Kundur, chair of the Edward S. Rogers Sr. department of electrical and computer engineering, said the Grid Modernization Centre will help address crucial challenges around sustainable energy (photo by Liz Beddall)

Professor and chair of the department Deepa Kundur hailed the Grid Modernization Centre as a “crucial step” toward a safer and more sustainable society. "At ECE, we actively contribute to the technological landscape by addressing challenges in vehicle electrification, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. This new centre represents �鶹��Ƶ's proactive response to society's energy needs, and I'm thrilled about its potential impact,” Kundur said.

Professor Christopher Yip, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, described the clean energy transition as arguably the most important shift facing companies and communities today. “�鶹��Ƶ has responded to this challenge by developing the Grid Modernization Centre," Yip said.

"Today’s investment is key in supporting the centre and propelling us towards a reliable, resilient and sustainable electricity grid that will power a clean energy future for generations.”

Read the Climate Positive Energy story

Students tackle impact of climate change at �鶹��Ƶ Climate Impacts Hackathon

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:44:57 +0000

Students tackle impact of climate change at �鶹��Ƶ Climate Impacts Hackathon

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 05/06/2024 - 12:44

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Students, instructors and organizers participate in the inaugural Climate Impacts Hackathon (photo by Milan Ilnyckyj, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DEED)

Chris Sasaki

Topic

Institutional Strategic Initiative

Data Sciences Institute

Climate Change

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

Teams of undergraduate and graduate students grappled with problems that ranged from altering irrigation practices in Sudan to adapting snow-clearing plans in Ottawa

In the wake of Toronto’s warmest winter on record, students at the University of Toronto recently gathered for the inaugural �鶹��Ƶ Climate Impacts Hackathon.

The event asked students to tackle several challenges brought by a warming planet: How should the City of Ottawa adapt its snow clearing plan in response to increased precipitation caused by our warming atmosphere? How should irrigation practices in Sudan change in response to higher temperatures and reduced rainfall? And where should new cooling stations – swimming pools, libraries, community centres, shopping malls – be located in an increasingly sweltering City of Toronto?

Participants included undergraduate and graduate students from a range of natural science and engineering disciplines, as well as from the humanities and social sciences. They were divided into teams and competed for prizes.

The hackathon was led by Paul Kushner, a professor of Earth, atmospheric and planetary physics in the department of physics in the Faculty of Arts & Science; and Karen Smith, an associate professor, teaching stream, in the department of physical and environmental sciences (DPES) at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough. Co-organizers included Michael Morris, a PhD candidate in the department of physics, and Francisco Camacho, a masters of environmental science student at DPES.

The event was hosted by the department of physics and the DPES; sponsors included Climate Positive Energy (CPE) – a �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative – the Centre for Climate Science and Engineering (CSE) and the Cosmic Future Initiative.

The event kicked off with a wide-ranging discussion from a panel of climate experts with diverse perspectives.

Steve Easterbrook, director of the School of the Environment in the Faculty of Arts & Science, spoke about how climate models work and why we can trust them. Lisa MacTavish, project lead in resilience, climate resilience policy and research for the City of Toronto, shared how the city uses climate projections to manage infrastructure and crisis planning. And Daniel Posen, an associate professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, talked about his expertise at the intersection of climate change and engineering.

To develop their solutions, students used the University of Toronto Climate Downscaling Workflow (UTCDW) which includes the UTCDW Guidebook developed by Morris, Smith and Kushner, and the UTCDW Survey, a project design tool. The UTCDW was developed with the support of the CSE, CPE and the Data Sciences Institute, another �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative.

Climate models or simulations typically work on a global scale; the UTCDW is designed to help researchers “downscale” what the models do in order to understand how smaller regions and even individual cities are being affected by climate change. The resulting projections can then inform decisions on a local level.

“In our proposal for support to develop these tools, we committed to holding this hackathon to roll them out,” says Kushner. “The intent is to encourage a better understanding of climate change impacts on different domains of application in an atmosphere of fun engagement and community cohort building.”

First prize was awarded to a team that tackled the cooling centre challenge. Using the downscaling tool, the team made detailed projections using temperature and humidity data. They considered vulnerable groups including children, the elderly, refugees and the underhoused; and they factored in education and income levels.

After surveying the current locations of the city’s cooling centres, the team came up with recommendations for six new centres located in areas that are currently underserved.

“We were very pleased and impressed at how far the student participants got in their analysis – how they creatively overcame technical and conceptual obstacles, and how they maintained a constructive and positive attitude as they grappled with the serious issues of climate change,” Kushner says.

Smart and clean growth conference draws industry, government leaders

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:17:46 +0000

Smart and clean growth conference draws industry, government leaders

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 12/04/2023 - 15:17

Cutline

(photo by Liz Beddall)

Catrina Kronfli

Topic

Climate Change

Sustainabilty

Subheadline

Event organized by �鶹��Ƶ’s Climate Positive Energy and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce brings together researchers and leaders from government and industry

From innovative clean technology to smart building standards, University of Toronto researchers are working with industry and communities to reduce emissions in infrastructure and transportation – and to support a cleaner energy grid.

That was among the takeaways from the inaugural Smart Growth Symposium, which recently drew more than 250 representatives from industry, academia and government to Hart House to showcase smart and clean technology solutions.

The event was co-hosted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and �鶹��Ƶ’s Climate Positive Energy (CPE) initiative, an institutional strategic initiative that brings together more than 500 researchers and students across �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses to develop social, scientific, technical, economic and policy solutions that will help policymakers reach net-zero by 2050 and ensure an equitable energy transition.

Leah Cowen, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, said Climate Positive Energy is working with the university to create a climate positive campus (photo by Liz Beddall)

“While Climate Positive Energy is working to solve global problems, it maintains a laser focus on local impact,” Leah Cowen, �鶹��Ƶ’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives, said in her opening remarks.

“CPE is working closely with other groups across the university to create a climate positive campus by engaging researchers in projects that can be piloted right here at the university, with our campus functioning as a ‘living lab.’”

The Ontario government’s priorities, meanwhile, include balancing housing construction with environmental objectives and increasing green space in the province, said Andrea Khanjin, minister of environment, conservation and parks.

David Sinton, CPE’s academic director, said �鶹��Ƶ has deep expertise in all the fields needed to help Canada achieve its climate objectives.

“The critical role of strategic initiatives like CPE is that we bring together those disciplines, and match teams with industry, government, and other partners to achieve those goals,” he said.

The event brought together more than 500 researchers and students across �鶹��Ƶ’s three campuses (photo by Liz Beddall)

The symposium included several panels that examined the shifts taking place across various sectors, including:

Building Smart: The building sector is increasingly adopting technologies – from digital twinning to smart energy monitoring to retrofits – to improve overall performance and efficiency. Dima Zreik, director of investments at the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), spoke to the CIB’s Building Retrofits Initiative, which provides financing to decarbonize and improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings in both the public and private sector – including �鶹��Ƶ’s Project Leap. Derek Goring, Northcrest Developments’ CEO, stressed that to adopt new technologies in the building sector, there must be shared standards on data governance, referring to his ongoing collaboration with the Centre for the Sustainable Built Environment led by Shoshanna Saxe, an associate professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.

Advanced Mobility: Electric vehicles (EVs) are sparking change across the automotive supply chain. Brian Kingston, president and CEO of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, noted the auto sector plans to spend nearly $1.2 trillion through 2030 to produce millions of EVs, along with the batteries and raw materials needed to support that production. For Kingston, a key challenge is ensuring EV demand since adoption sits at 13 per cent in Canada amid consumers’ concerns about the availability of charging infrastructure and grid capacity.

Smart Energy Grid: With electricity demand from EVs and a growing population expected to double electricity demand by 2050, concerns about the power grid’s reliability have grown. This is why CPE is spearheading the Grid Modernization, Testing and Simulation Centre with the support of 55 partners, said Shatha Qaqish-Clavering, CPE’s director of strategy and operations. Led by Professor Ali Hooshyar, the Ontario-based, state-of-the-art facility will help small- and medium-sized enterprises commercialize green technologies and develop solutions to ensure Ontario’s grid remains safe and reliable.

Industry partners said the Grid Modernization, Testing and Simulation Centre will accelerate the adoption of new technologies.

“We’re very excited about this centre,” said Frank D’Andrea, Hydro One’s vice-president and executive lead, enterprise strategy and energy transition. “One way to offset affordability issues is to become innovative. We view �鶹��Ƶ as a partner and are looking to test technologies, scale them, and bring them to utilities for adoption.”

“Before we implement anything onto the grid, we need to ensure it’s safe and resilient,” said Shitiz Agrawal, vice-president of power systems, sales and operations at Schneider Electric. “What’s unique about this centre is that it’ll provide real-time simulation and engages all ecosystem players.”

The collaborative approach adopted by the Grid Centre initiative is also evident in another effort led by CPE: the CANSTOREnergy project. The project, which recently received a $24-million grant from the federal government’s New Frontiers in Research Fund, involves researchers from 11 Canadian universities, led by Sinton, who are developing clean energy technologies tailored to meet the needs of two Canadian communities – one in Ontario and the other in the Yukon.

Whether the domain is transportation, housing, or energy transmission, all panelists agreed that the time for action is now.

Nolan Andres, chief of technology and innovation for Kindred Credit Union, said the existential threat of climate change is increasingly being met with a collaborative response — one that is "driving us closer together."

�鶹��Ƶ’s plan to become climate positive expanded to all three campuses

rahul.kalvapalle — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 15:54:25 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ’s plan to become climate positive expanded to all three campuses

rahul.kalvapalle Mon, 12/04/2023 - 10:54

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(photos by Nick Iwanyshyn, David Lee and Sean Liliani)

Rahul Kalvapalle

Alexandra Gillespie

Climate Positive Campus

Subheadline

The commitment builds on an earlier pledge to have the historic St. George campus reduce more greenhouse gases than it emits

All three of the University of Toronto’s campuses are committing to reduce more greenhouse gases than they emit in the years ahead, an ambitious goal that goes beyond carbon neutrality and targets a climate-positive future.

The commitment expands on an earlier pledge to make the St. George campus climate positive by 2050 – a milestone the university now says it will reach well in advance – and is an extension of �鶹��Ƶ’s Low-Carbon Action Plan, which looks to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 37 per cent relative to 1990 levels by 2030.

It comes as the United Nations COP28 climate conference gets underway in Dubai, where the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability (CECCS) and Climate Positive Energy, a �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative, are scheduled to host a variety of events and panel discussions that highlight the role of universities in supporting a clean energy transition.

“�鶹��Ƶ is determined to lead by example in addressing climate change – a strategic priority of the university and one of the most pressing issues of our time,” said �鶹��Ƶ President Meric Gertler.

“The goal of becoming climate positive on all three campuses is bold and befitting of our mission as an educational institution that strives to make the world a better place.”

President Gertler noted the pledge aligns with �鶹��Ƶ’s commitments to the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), which include climate resilience, and the U7+ Alliance of World Universities, whose priorities include championing sustainability and climate action.

“As a large and globally top-ranked public university, �鶹��Ƶ has a responsibility to play a leadership role on this issue by taking actions that will be felt across our three campuses and beyond,” he said.

The tri-campus pledge is the latest step by the university to realize its longstanding goal of building a more sustainable future. That includes its 2021 commitment to divest its endowment fund of fossil fuel investments and make the St. George campus – the oldest, largest and most energy-intensive of the three campuses – climate positive before 2050, as outlined in the campus’s carbon and energy master plan and accompanying technical report.

Among the major initiatives on the St. George campus is Canada’s largest urban geoexchange field beneath Front Campus. Part of the Landmark Project, the geoexchange system is set to become fully operational in spring 2024 and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15,000 metric tons annually.

The campus is also modernizing what are some of Canada’s oldest district energy systems via Project LEAP, an effort supported by the Canada Infrastructure Bank. The project comprises a number of retrofit projects – including the replacement of gas boilers with electric alternatives in the St. George campus’s central steam plant – that will help curb greenhouse gas emissions by over 50 per cent by decade’s end.

“The renewal of this infrastructure – much of which is out of sight for the 100,000 people served by the campus each day – offers a chance for us to embed sustainability into the very backbone of campus,” said Ron Saporta, �鶹��Ƶ’s chief operating officer, property and sustainability.

Saporta said the expanded, tri-campus scope of the climate commitment “offers opportunities for us to collaborate and share best practices as we work to deliver on key milestones along this journey,” noting �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga and �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough will publish details of their roadmaps to becoming climate positive in the coming months.

He pointed out that many of �鶹��Ƶ’s tri-campus sustainability efforts double as experiential learning opportunities for students through the Campus as a Living Lab initiative, which are part of CECCS.

At �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, sustainable infrastructure efforts include both existing and upcoming projects.

The campus’s oldest building, the Science and Humanities Wing, has been undergoing deep energy retrofits since 2018 – work that will be accelerated in the coming years. Elsewhere, the campus’s geothermal system, which comprises 350 boreholes, will be expanded to 450 by the end of 2024.

�鶹��Ƶ Scarborough is also proceeding with new climate-responsible construction projects such as the recently announced Scarborough Academy of Medicine and Integrated Health (SAMIH) and the EaRTH (Phase 2) complex, part of the collaborative EaRTH District initiative with Centennial College.

This fall, �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough opened a new student residence, Harmony Commons, that meets the rigorous Passive House standard for energy-efficient construction. The building is equipped with eco-friendly features, including mechanical systems that can capture and re-use heat generated by sunlight, cooking and even body heat. In addition to being energy-efficient, the complex is designed to inspire students to carry forth sustainable thinking into their careers and spheres of influence, and drive change in construction and related sectors.

Wisdom Tettey, �鶹��Ƶ vice-president and principal at �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough, said the climate-positive commitment is a testament to the university’s global leadership.

“We are delighted to be a part of this tri-campus commitment to a climate-positive future,” said Tettey. “Sustainability is a core consideration in every aspect of �鶹��Ƶ Scarborough’s mission of facilitating world-class learning, scholarship and innovation that supports flourishing communities in the eastern GTA and beyond – while protecting the health of the world we all inhabit.”

Tettey added that he’s confident the commitment will be met even as the campus experiences significant growth in the years ahead.

“We are very confident that the tremendous talent of our faculty, students and staff will be harnessed, in collaboration with partners, to deliver on our goal through ground-breaking research, transformative learning and operational excellence.”

At �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga, a key element of the clean energy transition is moving away from natural gas as the primary energy source for heating, hot water and research processes. To that end, the campus launched Project SHIFT, an initiative to carry out deep energy retrofits in the central utilities plant to hasten the shift from fossil fuels to electricity.

The campus is already home to a cutting-edge geothermal system, situated beside the Instructional Centre, and is working to expand solar energy projects across numerous buildings.

�鶹��Ƶ Mississauga also recently completed campus-wide energy audits, following which some 240 energy conservation measures were devised for the short, medium and long term.

Alexandra Gillespie, �鶹��Ƶ vice-president and principal of �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga, said the campus is on track to exceed the targets set by the Low Carbon Action Plan, and is ramping up work towards becoming climate positive.

“Our community is developing efficient LEED-certified buildings, accelerating our transition to renewable energy and realizing our sustainability goals,” said Gillespie, echoing comments she made in �鶹��Ƶ Mississauga’s Climate Positive report. “We have strengthened this work through outstanding programs in research and teaching, which continue to extend the power of sustainability learning from our campus into the wider world.”

She added, in the report, that the university has a responsibility to future generations to help forge a more sustainable future.

“I look forward to achieving this goal together and to opening a path to go beyond net zero. It’s the right and good thing to do – for our lifetime and for lives to come.”

�鶹��Ƶ sustainability leaders head to Dubai for COP28 climate summit

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:51:02 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ sustainability leaders head to Dubai for COP28 climate summit

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 11/30/2023 - 09:51

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The 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in Dubai, runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 (photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Global Lens

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Climate Change

Global

Graduate Students

Sustainability leaders from the University of Toronto are among the thousands of world leaders, legislators and climate activists attending COP28 in Dubai this year – highlighting the university’s commitment to advancing sustainability and research on a global scale.

Beginning Nov. 30 and running until Dec. 12., the 28th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference will feature numerous discussions, presentations and other events aimed at mitigating and adapting to the ever-evolving challenges of climate change.

That includes several panels hosted by �鶹��Ƶ’s Climate Positive Energy Initiative – an institutional strategic initiative that supports sustainable energy and climate change initiatives across the university and beyond – and a roundtable discussion, evening reception and a networking event hosted by the �鶹��Ƶ President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change & Sustainability (CECCS).

Kristy Faccer, director of CECCS, says the committee is activating the university’s "third mission" – after education and research – by taking action on climate change and sustainability.

“At COP28, CECCS is meeting with Network and higher education leaders that are already involved in the global dialogue and innovating on climate, but so far are largely doing so with an ‘outside-in’ focus and operating in a largely uncoordinated manner outside of their own networks,” she says.

“As co-convenor of the Network of Networks and roundtable at COP28, CECCS is turning this conversation ‘inside-out’ to work with leaders on how and where we can move the dial together, not by setting out a direction and next steps for one institution, or one network, but potentially thousands of institutions around the world, for the sector, and critically, with partners where it is needed most.”

The CECCS roundtable discussion on Dec. 8 – an invite-only event co-hosted by Faccer – will feature remarks from the past COP26 president and UN Climate Change High-Level Champion as well as the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), UN Climate Champions, U7+ Alliance of World Universities and the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN). An invite-only reception in the evening of Dec. 8 with a keynote from the co-president of the Club of Rome will also be co-hosted by CECCS.

The panel discussion topics hosted by the Climate Positive Energy Initiative, meanwhile, will focus on everything from addressing gaps in climate innovation to the role of universities in ensuring no one is left behind in the transition to a net-zero future.

On Dec. 8, a panel moderated by Shatha Qaqish-Clavering, director of strategy and operations at Climate Positive Energy, will focus on Western Canada’s plans to tackle climate change – in particular, the challenges and opportunities around meeting net-zero emissions reduction targets by 2050.

“We will focus on clean energy innovation in Alberta and Saskatchewan,” Qaqish-Clavering says. “Our hope is that this conversation can inspire global collaboration, spark ideas for scalable solutions in other climates and countries, and foster shared optimism towards a clean and equitable energy transition worldwide.”

A side event panel on Dec. 9 will discuss how universities are working with communities and industry to support 2050 net-zero emission reductions targets, with Qaqish-Clavering co-moderating and sharing �鶹��Ƶ’s efforts. She says she intends to highlight �鶹��Ƶ’s plans for a Grid Modernization Centre in Ontario, which would be the first of its kind in Canada and would see the university convene more than 50 industry partners to accelerate the adoption of renewable technologies into the grid. In addition to discussing innovation, policy-building and strategic partnerships, the panelists will also explore universities’ efforts to promote social justice, equity and youth leadership.

A third panel – also moderated by Qaqish-Clavering – on Dec. 10 will focus on how universities can help communities and industry realize a net-zero future. That includes questions around adoption of new innovations, the gaps between universities and society more broadly on climate action and the role of fundamental and applied research in the field.

Finally, on Dec. 11 – the same day that CECCS will co-host a networking event which will include guests from different universities – Qaqish-Clavering will participate on a panel about the role of academic institutions in a low-carbon transition organized by Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Qaqish-Clavering says participating in COP28 showcases the university’s commitment to being a leader on climate change and sustainability.

“The university is a global leader in climate research, and established the Climate Positive Energy Initiative to unite our climate and sustainability research experts so that we can work together towards achieving a net-zero future,” she says.

“One of CPE’s goals is to help Canada become a global clean-energy model. Having CPE at COP28 allows us to showcase some of the research that is underway to transform our energy systems – and to bring forward future collaboration opportunities that can support equitable clean energy solutions not only in Canada, but around the world.”

�鶹��Ƶ’s collaborative approach to addressing climate change and other sustainability issues is longstanding. It is a member of ISCN and the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3), and works to address global challenges such as climate change through the U7+ Alliance of World Universities.

Emma Lecavalier, a PhD student in the Faculty of Arts & Science, is among four �鶹��Ƶ students attending the conference. As a political scientist, she examines the role of transnational policy actors in promoting ambitious climate targets and building cities’ capacities to reach those targets.

At COP28’s Local Climate Action Summit, she plans to interview policymakers to inform her research.

“Attending the Local Climate Action Summit at COP28 will be a unique opportunity to observe the global dimensions of urban climate action,” she says.

Rohina Kabir, a master’s student studying European and Russian affairs at �鶹��Ƶ’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, says attending COP28 will allow her to connect with fellow researchers, governmental and non-governmental agencies, and technology companies engaged in climate change initiatives in Central Asia.

She hopes to uphold the commitment of leaving no one behind, with a specific focus on countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan and others.

“Climate change knows no boundaries,” Kabir says, “making it even more imperative to address these issues.”

�鶹��Ƶ undergrad student takes the fight against climate change to the streets

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:59:37 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ undergrad student takes the fight against climate change to the streets

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 08/30/2023 - 13:59

Cutline

Sebastian Ibarra Mendez, pictured here towing a gas analyzer behind his bike, is a summer researcher with Climate Positive Energy, a �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative (photo by Chris Sasaki)

Chris Sasaki

Topic

Physics

Undergraduate Students

Subheadline

Sebastian Ibarra Mendez cycles around the Toronto region towing a unit that measures methane leaks

As a high school student in Cajicá, Colombia, Sebastian Ibarra Mendez developed a methane detector for homes that was designed to alert users of harmful levels of the gas leaking from domestic stoves – not unlike a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm.

He won a national competition with the idea, which he dubbed the Air Keeper.

Now entering his fourth year in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science, Ibarra Mendez is continuing his focus on measuring methane leaks as a summer undergraduate researcher with Climate Positive Energy, a �鶹��Ƶ institutional strategic initiative.

He and Mishaal Kandapath – a former CPE summer researcher – have been monitoring levels of methane throughout the Toronto region by towing a gas analyzer behind a bicycle. The mobile device measures the concentration of methane along different routes, revealing plumes or hotspots with higher-than-normal emission levels.

“Kilogram for kilogram, methane traps over 20 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide so it’s very important to track,” says Ibarra Mendez, who is a physics and statistics major with a minor in computer science.

“Measuring levels in different locations helps identify methane emitters. It allows the City of Toronto to better focus its efforts on methane emission reduction and it can be used to test existing policies designed to tackle the problem.”

Water treatment plants are one place where the breakdown of biodegradable materials creates plumes of methane in Toronto, the researchers found. The data collected by the students can be used to identify excessive emissions and help plant operators to mitigate the problem.

Active landfill sites also emit methane and plumes from these locations similarly show up in the maps.

The researchers also discovered that landfill sites no longer in use continue to outgas at significant levels.

“It made me realize that you can close a landfill site, but it’s still going to be a source of methane,” Ibarra Mendez says.

Sebastian Ibarra Mendez, right, and Mishaal Kandapath, left, prepare for another ride (photo by Chris Sasaki)

Recently, the team even detected a major leak from a Toronto hospital that resulted in measurements of 300 parts-per-million. “The concentration of methane in your home is about 2 parts-per-million – so 300 is a lot of methane,” Ibarra Mendez says.

The research is part of the ongoing GTA Urban Emissions project headed by Debra Wunch, an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of physics and the School of the Environment.

The project is just part of Wunch’s overall research as a member of the department’s Earth, atmospheric, and planetary physics group. Throughout her career, she has focused on measuring atmospheric greenhouse gases to gain a better understanding of the flow of carbon within the Earth’s land, oceans and atmosphere.

“With the bike measurements, we can identify facilities in the city that emit methane,” she says. “And then, with five remote sensing instruments in permanent locations, we get the bigger picture of city-scale emissions – I can't tell you if it's a particular building or road, but we can see the amount of methane being put into the atmosphere by the city as a whole. And then, we also get measurements from satellites, which show us how much Toronto is producing relative to other cities around the world.”

Among other criteria, the Climate Positive Energy (CPE) summer undergraduate research program provides funding for undergraduate students conducting research in climate and sustainability topics that are “focused on achieving a just and equitable net-zero future.”

“With this in mind, we planned our routes so they covered neighbourhoods that varied by household income,” says Ibarra Mendez. “By using this methodology, we ensure that the data being collected doesn’t benefit just specific target areas or groups, but rather supports everyone across the GTA.”

Not only has the research been a natural extension of the methane alarm he began working on in high school, it also lets Ibarra Mendez enjoy another of his interests: cycling.

“Yes, I really like cycling,” he says. “And we’ve covered over 160 kilometres so far. So, for me, it’s the perfect job.”

Can AI help make our buildings more sustainable?

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 29 May 2023 18:00:57 +0000

Can AI help make our buildings more sustainable?

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 05/29/2023 - 14:00

Cutline

Seungjae Lee, a professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering, is using �鶹��Ƶ buildings as models to design deep learning algorithms that could optimize the operations of building heating and cooling systems – significantly reducing energy use (supplied image)

Selah Katona

Topic

Climate Positive Campus

Artificial Intelligence

Subheadline

Assistant Professor Seungjae Lee is working on a pilot project aimed at reducing �鶹��Ƶ’s climate footprint by using machine learning to optimize heating and cooling systems in existing buildings

We know we should switch the lights off when we leave a room – but what about the furnace, or air conditioning? In studying how unnecessary heating and cooling of buildings wastes a lot of energy, Seungjae Lee, an assistant professor in the University of Toronto's department of civil and mineral engineering in the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, has found that artificial intelligence (AI) could offer a better way forward.

Lee’s latest research project, Grid-Interactive Smart Campus Buildings, is a three-year pilot project that aims to reduce �鶹��Ƶ’s climate footprint by leveraging AI to optimize the heating and cooling systems in existing buildings. The project is carried out in partnership with Chi-Guhn Lee, a professor in the department of mineral and industrial engineering and is jointly funded by the Climate Positive Energy and Climate Positive Campus initiatives at �鶹��Ƶ.

“Buildings account for around 25 to 30 percent of total energy consumption and energy-sector greenhouse gas emissions in Canada and worldwide,” Lee says.

“Given that people spend an average of 90 percent of their lives indoors, ensuring comfortable and healthy indoor environments is a critical function of building systems. But we could be a lot smarter about using the resources we have.”

This schematic describes how deep learning could be used to create customized algorithms for optimizing energy use in buildings (illustration by Seungjae Lee)

Lee’s research applies AI solutions to building science to tackle this issue. In the first year of the project the team is focused on creating a digital twin – or virtual representation – of the Exam Centre at 255 McCaul St.

In the next stage, the researchers will develop a deep reinforcement learning algorithm for the optimal control of the heating and cooling systems. This algorithm will be pre-trained with the digital twin to avoid putting excessive stress on the actual building.

The algorithm will then be implemented in the real Exam Centre and further fine-tuned through interactions with the building. If successful, Lee hopes to use the same approach to convert more campus buildings to smart buildings, contributing to �鶹��Ƶ’s Low-Carbon Action Plan.

“60 percent of campus energy consumption on the St. George campus comes from heating and cooling buildings,” he says.

Lee’s research group is also investigating how humans interact with their buildings in an NSERC Discovery-funded project on scalable systems for intelligent and interactive buildings, which is an emerging area of study with relatively little published research – something Lee hopes to change.

Where previous methods relied on data such as the correlation between thermostat setpoint temperature and other parameters (such as the time of the day), Lee and his team are instead using causal relations – for example, the factors affecting occupants’ decision-making on thermostat setpoint temperature – to develop reliable human-centric smart solutions.

“Once we understand how humans interact with their buildings in the light of causation, we can realize more intelligent and human-interactive buildings,” says Lee.

While Lee is not the only researcher interested in using machine learning and AI techniques in buildings, the sector has lagged behind other sectors such as the automotive or health-care industries, because of how different the energy consumption profiles and needs of individual buildings can be.

“A solution customized for one building is not necessarily fully transferable to another,” Lee says.

“This is a major roadblock in the path of making our buildings smarter. If we can seamlessly combine existing building-science domain knowledge and AI, we can build scalable and reliable solutions to create sustainable buildings.”

To tackle this issue, the team is partnering with PLC Group, along with funding from the Ontario Centre of Innovation, to develop a scalable digital twinning tool for building energy systems. If the tool is effective, it will equip the building industry with a solution to create intelligent, interactive and more sustainable buildings around the world.

“The use of AI in building management systems not only has the potential to significantly improve the sustainability of our built environment, but also the way in which we interact with it,” Lee says.

�鶹��Ƶ-led collaboration to develop community-tailored clean energy technologies

lanthierj — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 13:57:30 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ-led collaboration to develop community-tailored clean energy technologies

lanthierj Tue, 04/25/2023 - 09:57

Cutline

It’s important to develop clean energy systems that meet the needs of individual communities, says Kate Neville, one of the lead researchers of the CANSTOREnergy project (photo by Kate Harris)

Adina Bresge

Topic

Breaking Research

Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Political Science

School of the Environment