Water and Energy

Our commitment to sustainability drives us to adopt practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and push towards carbon neutrality. Discover how our cutting-edge geothermal projects and other initiatives are setting new standards in environmental stewardship and helping pave the way for a greener future.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

On April 20, 2023, Bishop’s achieved carbon neutrality in terms of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), from owned and controlled sources and energy purchases (scopes one and two). Since then, Bishop’s bought carbon credits to maintain carbon neutrality for scopes 1 and 2.

• See the 2021 GHG Inventory Report (PDF in French only)
• See the carbon neutrality presentation given on April 22nd (Earth Day), 2023 (PDF)

Achieving Carbo-neutrality on scopes 1 and 2 required carbon credits purchase

For 2023-24 purchased in 2024-25

Source	CO2e offset – Quantity (tons)	CO2e offset – %	Cost (CDN)
Fundao-Santa Clara Energetic Complex Project	1,285	75%	$4,754
Carbone boréal	428.2	25%	$17,984
TOTAL:	1,713	100%	$22,738

For 2022-23 purchased in 2023-24

Source	CO2e offset – Quantity (tons)	CO2e offset – %	Cost (CDN)
Fundao-Santa Clara Energetic Complex Project	1,216	75%	$4,500
Carbone boréal	406	25%	$14,210
TOTAL:	1,622	100%	$18,710

For 2021-22 purchased in 2022-23

Source	CO2e offset – Quantity (tons)	CO2e offset – %	Cost (CDN)
Fundao-Santa Clara Energetic Complex Project	1,438	75%	$5,824
Carbone boréal	480	25%	$16,800
TOTAL:	1,918	100%	$22,624

Sustainable Transportation Habits Survey (part of scope 3)

We endeavour to keep our data up-to-date by conducting surveys on transportation habits and help us to target measures that will contribute to reduce our emissions in scope 3.

See the survey on Sustainable Transportation habits, carried out in December 2021

Geothermal System

In 2008, Bishop’s started a Geothermal project to replace the old steam heating and cooling system, which operated on natural gas and oil, with a new system running on natural energy from the earth. This project allowed Bishop’s to take advantage of cost-effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly energy.

With technological advancements, we no longer need to be located next to tectonic plate boundaries to access geothermal energy. Below our very own Abbott soccer field are 57 geothermal wells drilled 160m in depth which tap into the thermal energy emanating from the earth. Heat pumps were then installed on campus to transform this low-grade thermal energy into high-grade usable power. Bishop’s buildings were connected to the main central energy plant through an underground energy loop.

Our new source of geothermal power consists of 25% electricity from Hydro-Québec and 75% from free underground thermal energy. Bishop’s is currently saving more than 2300 tons of CO² per year compared to our 2006 consumption, and more than 1 million cubic meters of natural gas per year (equivalent to heating 337 big single-family houses at 2,000 sq. ft. each).

This effort made Bishop’s University the first geothermal district heating system in Canada.

For more details, see the following documents:

• Campus-Wide District Heating & Cooling System
• AMERESCO: Carbon Neutral Campus