Polytechnique Montréal
IN-27: Innovation D

Located within Polytechnique Montréal, the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on the Operationalization of Sustainable Development (CIRODD, www.cirodd.org) was created in November 2013. It was initiated by professors at Polytechnique Montréal, who have spearheaded the proposal to create the CIRODD and the establishment of the network of researchers that it brings together. The CIRODD is the first strategic cluster of researchers on sustainable development in Québec. It is made up of more than 80 researchers coming from 12 universities and 4 colleges and whose expertise cover a great variety of disciplines, that include life cycle assessment, corporate social responsibility, environmental and public health, ecodesign, urban design, process engineering, industrial symbiosis, green logistics, sustainability measurement and analysis, environmental policy and legislation, green economics and sustainable innovation. Their work, and that of their 700 students, reaches all across Québec and has garnered an international reputation. The CIRODD is a unique centre for research on crosscutting issues in sustainable development operationalization. In less than three years, is has already become a catalyst for interdisciplinary research in this area of strategic interest for Québec. The CIRODD has set out a practical mission that combines sustainable development and its tangible operationalization: “Conduct, coordinate, integrate and transfer sustainable development operationalization research to ultimately facilitate the emergence of a green economy.” The added value of the CIRODD is the development of a synergetic research environment for experts from a wide range of disciplines seeking to carry out interdisciplinary projects to generate the knowledge and tools required to implement truly sustainable solutions. The aim of the cluster is therefore to provide businesses and society with the means to transition towards a green economy. The CIRODD team is led by Professor Réjean Samson from Polytechnique Montréal and includes executive director Laure Waridel and four associate directors: professors Daoud Aït-Kadi (Université Laval); Mohamed Cheriet (École de technologie supérieure); Marie-Andrée Caron (Université du Québec à Montréal); and Louise Millette (Polytechnique Montréal).