Respecting our Environment

Guiding the Centre’s environmental performance, Banff Centre’s Environmental Management System (EMS) is grounded by the policy:

"Banff Centre shall be a leader in environmental management practices by ensuring all of our programs, activities and operations have a minimal environmental impact and by seeking continuous improvement in our environmental management efforts, all with the goal of reducing the Centre’s ecological footprint, emission of greenhouse gases and overall environmental impact."

Approved by the Board of Governors, July 20, 2007. 

View the environmental management policy.

Banff Centre's Kinnear Centre for Creativity and Innovation has received the prestigious LEED GOLD Certification, as well as the renovated Donald Cameron Centre. LEED is a standard established by the U.S. Green Building Council and endorsed by the Canada Green Building Council that encourages a careful analysis of buildings with respect to site selection, water and energy efficient design, selection of building materials, consideration of indoor environmental quality and maintenance of the building.

The Centre has set aside an annual budget for specific environmental projects. This fund is managed by the environmental officer and is generally used for training, communication and projects managed by the Environments Committee. Larger-scale environmental projects are funded by the Centre's operating and capital budgets within the departments where those projects occur.

Banff Centre has established an Environment Committee consisting of members representing all operations areas. The mandate of the Environment Committee is to assist the environmental officer by providing support and advice in the maintenance and operation of the EMS. The Committee advises on a broad range of environmental topics, including environmental performance goals, environmental management benchmarks and standards, and Banff Centre environmental policies and procedures. It acts as a coordinating body for environmental activities and initiatives and it works to raise the overall environmental awareness of all staff, program participants, and guests.