École de Technologie Supérieure
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

All projects deal with the optimization of resources, such as our energy sources, water, equipment efficiency, calculation of performance indicators of systems, buildings, processes, improvement of control sequences. All findings and results are expressed in a GHG reduction ratio, etc.
Two research projects have been carried out in this area that demonstrate the campus's commitment to energy efficiency. This is the Energy Management project, whose objective is directly related to the ISO 50001 standards. The ISO 50001 certification of the ÉTS campus is a useful tool or means to demonstrate the credibility and leadership of what ÉTS is doing in this area.
This project was carried out by graduate students in electrical engineering. The recommendations and findings in both cases demonstrate that the ÉTS campus is already well ahead of the specific requirements for accreditation or certification to this international standard. ÉTS could be certified without much difficulty.
These two research projects were conducted under the supervision of an electrical engineering professor and presented internally. Campus engagement with the standard is underway as it is an action in the current SD plan. External organizations have shown interest in participating in the certification of ÉTS by proposing a pilot project and also with financial collaboration through existing funding programs.

Buildings, laboratories, mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, etc., projects are presented internally and externally and are part of competitions between universities and other events such as conferences.

The GHG reductions recommended in the reports of student projects carried out in the ÉTS laboratory campus have a direct influence in the institution's GHG reduction as well as in the morning and air quality improvement.
In this field a PhD student has started a study on ""Optimization of the design and operation of ventilation systems based on temperature and CO2 concentration"". This study deals with air quality and rational use of energy by the simple fact that if the premises are not occupied and consequently the CO2 content of the air is low, there will be less fresh air to treat, i.e., to heat or cool unnecessarily. The result has a direct relationship to the reduction of energy consumption without affecting air quality. This project is based on the continuous improvement of the campus environment, of which ÉTS is already proactive. Adapting to the rational use of resources contributes to the reduction of GHG and climate change

The results of the studies allow us to compare the performance of our equipment, the use of different management approaches and new technologies, the choice of energy sources to use depending on the processes, etc.
This area has been the subject of studies offered by faculty to building services students interested in campus development. The growth of the campus and the existing energy resources gave rise to a reflection on the possibility of exchanging excess energy resources in existing buildings and also with new buildings. Two projects addressed this topic. The modelling of the energy needs of the Down Pavilion with a global approach on the use of renewable energies and the energy-efficient design of the future building. The subject of the study carried out by a graduate student whose project is entitled "Study of the application of different energy-saving measures in the design of the future Dow Complex building".
A second project was carried out by a master's student who is researching the simulation of an energy loop or mixed water network as a means of exchanging excess energy between buildings. The project's objective is to quantify the excess energy in the various buildings, the method of recovery and the way in which the transfer could be made and used to reuse the energy.
In addition, an external firm is also participating and collaborating in the search for alternative solutions for the optimization of the campus.

Through real time metering, the use of new technologies and non-energy consuming materials. For many years, a wide range of energy efficiency and optimization projects have been offered to students in all engineering programs. These projects are carried out in almost every building on campus and are very interesting in revealing findings on current energy use. Here are some examples of projects where simply by having findings, the engineering staff takes action and makes the necessary changes by implementing the recommendations. This has become a common practice normally known as recommissioning, which makes SWE a very energy efficient campus.
- Project "Designing an Energy Recovery System to Heat or Preheat Domestic Hot Water at SWE" Graduate
- Project "Conflicting impacts of water loop temperature on the efficiency of cooling equipment and on the efficiency of heat recovery systems" second cycle
- Project "Energy efficiency project for the design of an energy recovery system for HTA" second cycle
- Project "Study of the application of various energy saving measures in the design of the future Dow Complex building", second cycle
- Project "Optimization of the design and operation of HVAC systems based on temperature and CO2 concentration" third cycle
- Project "Feasibility study of the application of an air quality monitoring system" second cycle
- Project "Prediction of the electrical power of the ÉTS campus using statistical and machine learning models" graduate
- Project "Study of HVAC systems and proposals of the best operations of HVAC systems in the ÉTS building b" undergraduate project (PFE)
- Project "Energy audit of the university residences phases 1 and 2 of the École de technologie supérieure" second cycle
- Project "Performance study of the geothermal system of the university residences of the ÉTS" undergraduate and graduate

The calls for tenders for new buildings already include the sustainability component in terms of technical specifications focusing on the durability and performance of the equipment and technologies to be proposed.

Efficient electrical equipment (transformers, motors, lighting, etc.), efficient energy recovery equipment, the choice for the purchase of high efficiency mechanical technologies, for the purchase of meters, flowmeters and energy analyzers in order to produce energy consumption balances and also to measure the performance of equipment. This type of action is required in the tender documents when a building is redeveloped or constructed and even for equipment in operation.

A major project was carried out under the supervision of the prefect Annie Levasseur in order to quantify the GHG emissions related to commuting (scope 3). Exact title of the project: Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions from commuting of ÉTS employees and students. It was submitted in April 2021.

In addition, several projects have been carried out to validate the transformation of electric vehicles to replace conventional vehicles.

For the development of the 2020-2023 Waste Management Plan of ÉTS, a committee on waste management was created. Two of its members are ÉTS students. https://www.etsmtl.ca/docs/ets/gouvernance/documents/pgmr

Several graduate research projects on waste management are conducted in the environmental engineering laboratory (Station expérimentale des procédés pilotes en environnement (STEPPE)). For example, optimization of the industrial composter at ÉTS.

The projects on water use are always focused on the optimal use of this resource with the aim of comparing with the reference consumption, the new construction projects have the mandate to use technologies regarding water consumption at reduced flow.

The use of Revit and BIM, are used in the design of buildings, these applications help our consultants (architects and engineers) on the way to work in an efficient way, our students concerned are those of construction engineering.

Especially with graduate students, because there are a lot of foreign students who need to do real projects and have experience in the engineering field in Quebec. This will allow technical learning and in the climatic conditions of Quebec where the facilities and equipment must work.

In the project reports, in most cases present a cost analysis in order to verify the return of a possible investment in case of realization of one or several projects.

Certainly, the main parameter is air quality and temperature and humidity, then the projects in the campus aim to reduce consumption or make rational use of resources without detriment to comfort and air quality.

During the realization of projects, students use the campus as a laboratory and make measurements in the electromechanical installations in order to validate the readings of the instrumentation (sensors of CO2, temperature, humidity, validation and optimization of control sequences, etc.) They also carry out random punctual measurements in the premises, laboratories, classrooms, library, etc. in order to verify if the standards of air quality and comfort are respected. A wide range of data is recorded for analysis by students and researchers, all supervised by professors and supported by technical staff.