NEUF + UdeS for a sustainable business plan

Following our partnership with McGill University, Université de Montréal, and Université Laval in Quebec City for the NEUF Global Design Studio, we are starting a collaboration this fall with the Université de Sherbrooke's Centre universitaire de formation en environnement et développement durable (CUFE) [University center for environmental training and sustainable development] to find more opportunities for sustainable development in our business operations.
 
Four pre-dimploma undergraduate students visited our offices on Friday, October 8, to meet with Fannie St-Gelais, sustainable development specialist, and Hugo Gagnon, partner architect and director of the Sustainable Strategy division. They were able to see our current facilities, get an overview of our services, and ask the two project managers questions regarding our operations. The process continues with a current-state analysis according to the four spheres of sustainable development, which will be followed by an action plan. Aimed at improving internal performance through a spatial and/or organizational proposal, the plan will address areas like waste management, procurement, ergonomics of work spaces, and integration of biophilic principles.

The initiative is based on the principle of mutual exchange: students can use this opportunity to deepen their expertise by realizing a real-world project within a professional environment and NEUF can build on the principles of sustainable strategies by optimizing the work environment it offers to employees. Presenting their findings and proposals at the end of the year in a final report and conference, the young experts will help concretise our objectives of reducing GHG emissions and improving the health and well-being of our employees. These solutions will be implemented over the next two years in our Montreal office, with a potential deployment into our Ottawa and Toronto offices at a second stage.
 
Stay tuned for our step-by-step progress towards a healthier work environment.