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Sustainable procurement

Find out how we apply sustainability best practices to every purchasing decision and the efforts being taken to improve our approach.

Integrating best practices

At Dal, we are mindful of the environmental impact of procuring supplies needed for daily activities throughout the university. We apply sustainability best practices to every purchasing decision and are working hard to constantly improve our approach.

Be a part of this university-wide effort by reviewing each category of procurement below, and read Dal’s Sustainable Procurement Checklist (login required).

Green cleaning and products

Facilities Management has been using green cleaning practices for over 20 years, including an educational program on health and sustainability.

Green cleaning practices
A Dal Facilities Management staff cleaning a window with a spray bottle and red cloth.

Furniture and building materials

Dalhousie strives to have furniture and building materials puchased and disposed of in a sustainable manner.  

Furniture and building materials
The Wallace McCain Learning Commons with a section of blue comfy chains in front and desks and white chairs behind.

Electronics and appliances

Dal has strict purchasing criteria that it adheres to when purchasing or leasing electronics and appliances.

Electronics and appliances
A lab full of computer working stations.

Garments and linens

From the practices involved with growing raw materials, such as cotton, to the production factory, to shipping the final product to our stores, there are many considerations to make when choosing clothing suppliers and procuring.

Garments and linens
Shelves of Dalhousie merchandise with a mannequin wearing a sweatshirt that says Dalhousie and a baseball cap.

Food services

Initiatives that ensure sustainable procurement are key factors in Dal’s food services. These initiatives include purchasing local and organic items, bulk purchasing to reduce waste, and choosing fair trade food items.

Food services
A dozen cubes of tofu in a black crate.

Fleet and vehicles

At Dalhousie, we reduce extra or inefficient fleet vehicles through a variety of measures including downsizing or right sizing and by purchasing vehicles that are low-emitting and fuel efficient.

Fleet and vehicles
A Dal Security vehicle parked in the quad on Dalhousie's Studley campus.

Paper and office supplies

The amount of paper we use impacts cost and the health of our forests. Paper purchased by Dalhousie units should be purchased at the Dalhousie Print Centre, which offers 100% post-consumer paper as the base paper for the university. 

Paper and office supplies
A person holding packages of environmentally friendly printing paper while standing beside a printer.

Utilities

Dalhousie Halifax campuses uses natural gas from Canada and the US for the District Energy System. The University is active in pursuing fuel reduction projects through energy efficiency, adding geo-exchange and other heat pump and solar solutions and exploring alternative fuels as they come to market. 

Approach to accessing utilities
Someone holding two EnviroCopy paper packages in front of a printer.

Equipment

Equipment covers a broad category of items, including equipment for sports, labs, and facilities. Hundreds of items are purchased on campus through multiple departments. Dal works directly with key departments to incorporate sustainable purchasing criteria and provide evaluation advice.

Equipment

Purchasing

Dalhousie purchases some items through a joint university and colleges purchasing cooperative InterUniversity Services Inc (ISI). ISI incorporates sustainability criteria in purchasing. This is guided by their Sustainability Policy. Dalhousie and other universities and colleges in Atlantic Canada participate in the ISI sustainability committee which discusses and educates each other on topics such as sustainable purchasing. 

The University has the opportunity to purchase through Nova Scotia government tenders as part of the municipalities, academia, schools, and hospital sector (MASH). The Nova Scotia government has passed a Sustainability Policy and criteria in purchasing regulations. 

Read Dal's Waste and Sustainable Procurement Plan [PDF - 857 kB]

Educate your group on sustainable purchasing 

At Dal, sustainability criteria is added and evaluated for individual Request for Proposals and Tender documents. Sustainable purchasing Lunch and Learns, workshops, and lectures are provided as a part of the ongoing educational programming efforts.