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Departments > Planning & Development > Development Services Division > Green Initiatives > Corporate Initiatives QuicklinksThe City of Victoria is committed to a triple bottom line approach to decision making that considers economic, social, and ecological dynamics. An important element of this is taking a leadership role in implementing innovative measures. Civic Green Building Policy The City of Victoria has taken a leadership role through the development of a Civic Green Building Policy which requires all new construction of civic facilities to be LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver standard, with a goal of LEED® Gold. The Burnside Gorge Community Centre was completed in 2007 and built to a LEED® Gold Standard. The City also created the framework for the award-winning Dockside Green Development to become the first LEED® platinum level community. Waste Reduction Staff at the City of Victoria have been active in creating an environmentally clean and friendly workplace. In September 2006, the City implemented an Integrated Waste Reduction Pilot Program, with the aim of reducing and recycling as many organic materials as possible and diverting waste from the landfill. Staff at City of Victoria facilities separate and dispose their organic, recyclable, and non-recyclable materials into colour-coded bins labelled with appropriate instructions and graphics, thereby minimizing what goes into the garbage bin. As a result, the City has seen a reduction of waste going to the landfill by 50%. Turn it Off Challenge The City of Victoria was awarded top honours in the 2007 BC Hydro Turn it Off Challenge, winning $20,000 towards the retrofit of a City building. BC Hydro's Turn it Off Challenge was designed to encourage municipal employees to reduce their energy use by having them turn off and unplug all unnecessary fixtures, appliances and office equipment in municipal and public facilities. Over 66 municipalities in British Columbia participated in the Challenge. The City of Victoria competed against 13 organizations in the Large Cities and Districts category (more than 51,000 residents). By taking part, the City of Victoria demonstrated to the community how small changes can lead to big returns in energy conservation. It also worked towards a corporate culture of energy conservation as opposed to one of energy use that will continue long after the Challenge is over. Energy Savings The City of Victoria has undertaken many energy conservation practices such as changing traffic lights over to light emitting diodes (LEDs) in order to lessen our consumption of electricity. The City has also utilized BC Hydro Power Smart grants to replace the lighting in City buildings and parkades with more energy efficient lights. The City began using innovative "trenchless technology" to repair underground pipes, a practice which results in a decrease of approximately 83% in greenhouse gas emissions and 75% in construction costs. The gradual installation of computerized irrigation systems provides greater control over watering our boulevards, fields and trees. The automated system ensures watering is on an as-needed basis only and reduces the City's water use for parks and gardens over the long-term. Organic Recycling/Reuse Program The City of Victoria's Parks Division generates over 7,200 cubic metres of organic material annually that need to be recycled, reused or disposed of, including leaf collection, wood chip/brush, and plant material. The City strives to recover as much organic material as we can; however, some volumes (wood chips as an example) far exceed City requirements. Excess organic material is disposed of through local contractors who in turn use the product for other ventures. Integrated Pest Management Recognizing a need for the environmentally sound stewardship of its parks and public open green spaces, the Parks Division works with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program with a major goal of reducing the use of chemical pesticides. As a result of the IPM program, City Parks division staff has realized a decrease of 97.25% in the use of chemical pesticides. A program using the release of natural insect predators to deal with insect pests has been a useful tool in the City’s IPM arsenal. The Parks Division manages pests by applying IPM principles and practices that:
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