Built environment
With 14 campuses totaling over 3 million square feet of indoor space located in communities across our province, thousands of people interact with our buildings every day.
Sustainability in NSCC's built environment
The energy used to power and heat our buildings has a direct impact on our greenhouse gas emissions, and our infrastructure can also have hidden impacts on both natural ecosystems and social equity.
To embrace this broader definition of sustainable development, we follow industry-leading operations and maintenance practices at our facilities, and we employ sustainable design and construction principles in our new construction projects.
Our goals include reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, making our facilities more accessible, and creating more community supports as we expand our on-campus housing solutions.
Goals for 2023/24
- Continue to advance sustainability in our three new student housing projects, as well as our new campus in downtown Sydney.
- Progress on accessibility improvements as the college works towards a barrier-free NSCC.
Recap of 2022/23
- Significant progress was made on new student housing projects at Akerley, Ivany, and Pictou Campuses to assist in tackling the housing crisis. These projects remain on schedule and budget.
New Sydney Waterfront Campus
The completion of NSCC’s newest campus is only one year away. The Sydney Waterfront Campus will demonstrate how NSCC strives to be a leader in sustainability in the built environment. The 305,000 sq. ft. campus in the downtown core of Sydney, Nova Scotia, is being built to withstand forecasted sea level rise for the next 100 years. It will be certified to LEED Gold Standards and Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility requirements.
The street-spanning facility will be equipped with geothermal heating and cooling systems and will have a pathway to net zero performance with the future addition of solar panels on its roof. As the Province works to increase its reliance on affordable, renewable energy sources, the new campus will be ready to lead the way.
Campus housing projects
With housing occupancy and cost at an all-time high in Nova Scotia, students are struggling to secure sustainable housing arrangements. To help address this, NSCC is currently building campus housing at Akerley, Ivany, and Pictou Campuses in partnership with the Provincial Government. These three buildings will provide 350 additional beds and a total of 168,000 square feet to provide safe, affordable, accessible and inclusive housing options on campus.
These projects will achieve the latest environmental sustainability and carbon reduction standards with goals to attain LEED v4.1, and Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certifications. This will further advance resilient infrastructure and climate action at the College while enriching life on campus and providing increased opportunities for individuals to access quality education.
Akerley and Pictou will be open to students in September 2024 and Ivany by September 2025.
Campus housing highlights
- 350 additional beds
- 168,000 square feet
- Safe, affordable, accessible and inclusive housing
Project progress photos and renderings
Ivany Campus housing
Opening 2025
Ivany Campus housing progress photo, July 2023
Ivany Campus housing rendering
Akerley Campus housing
Opening 2024
Akerley Campus housing progress photo, July 2023
Akerley Campus housing rendering
Pictou Campus housing
Opening 2024
Pictou Campus housing progress photo, September 2023
Pictou Campus student housing rendering
Accessibility at NSCC
In 2021, 26% of NSCC's student population of 10,049 self-identified as having a disability.
In response to the Nova Scotia Accessibility Act and the province’s goal of a barrier-free Nova Scotia by 2030, NSCC established an Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC) and launched NSCC’s Accessibility Plan. The Plan titled Setting the Stage: A Social Justice Approach to Accessibility recognizes accessibility as a human right and outlines goals and commitments to create a more equitable and inclusive college community through eight priority areas.
Accessibility audits have been completed at all NSCC campuses as they relate to compliance with national building codes, provincial regulations, accessibility guidelines, and related standards.
The audits have identified areas in need of improvement. These results will help NSCC’s Facilities and Engineering department prioritize work and track progress on accessibility improvements as the college works towards a barrier-free NSCC. The Facilities Management and Engineering team works closely with Student Services and College Leaders to provide personal accommodations for staff and students when requested to suit individual needs, such as customized furniture, to ensure that everyone can successfully work and learn at NSCC.
