News from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario
Posted October 1st, 2025 on Niagara At Large
The Tower, above the Niagara Escarpment, at Brock University. file photo by Doug Draper
Niagara, Ontario – A new Brock University initiative is fuelling efforts to reduce the institution’s carbon footprint and impact on the planet.
Now underway, SPARK (sustainability, performance, adaptation, renewal and knowledge) is a three-year clean infrastructure program that supports current University needs while also advancing Brock’s commitment to build a sustainable future.
The energy retrofit will enable Brock to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 83 per cent by 2028, surpassing the University’s initial target of a 75 per cent reduction by 2030 (compared to a 2013 baseline). The initiative will also cut energy usage by 60 per cent.
SPARK will address deferred capital renewal and operational inefficiencies faced by the University, leveraging the Canadian Infrastructure Bank’s low-interest carbon fund in partnership with Enbridge Sustain through an energy-as-a-service funding model. This approach will move the retrofit forward without upfront capital costs from the University.
“SPARK builds on Brock’s legacy of climate action<https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2025/05/growing-green-brock-charts-a-course-to-a-sustainable-future/> and positions the University as a global post-secondary leader in sustainability and carbon reduction,” says Scott Johnstone, Vice-President, Administration and Services. “Through adaptive thinking and innovative solutions, we’re prepared to address the challenges of today while creating a better tomorrow.”
Mary Quintana, Interim Associate Vice-President, Facilities Management, and Sergio Alza, Manager, District Energy, review real-time data and diagrams for Brock’s energy systems in the control room of the University’s Central Utilities Building.
To enable an energy-as-a-service solution, facility renewal will take place in spaces across campus, including the Walker Sports Complex, Arthur Schmon Tower, Thistle Complex, Robert S.K. Welch Hall and Mackenzie Chown Complex, among others. Work will also take place on Brock’s District Energy Network.
SPARK will see lights across campus converted to LED, new efficient hot water heat pumps installed and building automation system controls optimized, among other upgrades. New air handling units will be installed in several buildings across campus and new fume hoods installed in the Mackenzie Chown Complex.
Design is underway, with consultants conducting site visits and inspections across campus. The initiative’s completion date is planned for 2028.
“Our modernized systems will not only meet today’s needs but will deliver reliable, cost-effective operations that strengthen our academic and research mission,” says Mary Quintana, Interim Associate Vice-President, Facilities Management. “We will deliver both energy performance, with savings through efficiencies, and building performance, fostering an improved student experience with healthier and more comfortable spaces.”
SPARK will improve system performance across campus and prepare Brock to thrive in the face of future climate risks and uncertainties, Quintana says.
“This is not only about infrastructure renewal; it’s about breathing new life into Brock and our community, ensuring that our spaces match the ambition and excellence of our people,” she says.
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