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Item type: Item , Access status: Embargo , Advancing Responsible Consumption: A Sustainable Purchasing and Reporting Strategy for The University of Calgary(2025-08-25) Millichamp, Nicholas; Ince, DavidThis capstone study investigates what strategies The University of Calgary can adopt to advance its sustainable purchasing and reporting. While the school has outlined sustainability goals in its Institutional Sustainability Strategy (ISS), there are gaps in procurement processes, data collection and reporting systems that limit the university's ability to measure progress and align with its goals. Existing frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the AASHE STARS™ inform the research along with a review of internal university documents. A thematic analysis of semi structured interviews identifies barriers and opportunities according to current University of Calgary employees and highlights key themes such as the lack of clear policy or guidelines, gaps in training and capacity, and structural disconnect between departments. The research demonstrates that while there may be openness to advancing sustainable procurement, meaningful progress requires clear criteria, top-down leadership, and improved data collection.Item type: Item , Access status: Open Access , An Analysis for Revegetation Plant Species Selection to Optimize Carbon Sequestration for the Casino Mine Project(25-Aug) Zukauskaite, Juste; Kennedy, AlanAs the world moves towards sustainability, the need for raw materials is expected to increase exponentially. Mining is the most common method used to extract minerals and metals from the earth’s surface. The Casino Mine Project is a proposed mine located in the Yukon Territory, and it is determined to bring economic prosperity to the Yukon while also being environmentally cautious. This literature-based capstone project examined which revegetation trial will sequester the most carbon dioxide at the tailings management facility. The results show that native plants found on the site will sequester around 115 kt of CO2, while imported plants not found on-site but present in the Yukon will sequester around 504 kt of CO2. Although the numbers are accurate, the calculations assume all plants will reach their full growth potential and no reversal of sequestration occurs. Future research should include planting trials to verify the calculations.Item type: Item , Access status: Open Access , Developing a Statistical Risk Assessment and Grid Prediction Tool for Power System Reliability(25-Aug) Saha, Chetan; Shaffer, BlakeModern electricity grids face mounting reliability pressures as renewable generation expands, demand patterns shift, and extreme weather intensifies. This project developed a Grid Risk Assessment Tool to identify early warning signs of instability using historical datasets from ISOs and RTOs (AESO, ERCOT, and CAISO). A structured MySQL database consolidated system frequency, pricing, generation mix, intertie flows, and operator-declared events, from which predictive features such as ramp rates, reserve adequacy, renewable penetration, and frequency deviations were engineered. Logistic Regression, Random Forest, and XGBoost models were tested and evaluated using ROC-AUC, precision, and recall. Random Forest achieved both the strongest contextual performance and the best real-time performance. Feature analysis highlighted system electricity prices, renewable share, intertie support, and ramping activity as key drivers of instability. The findings demonstrate that predictive modeling can provide actionable early warning signals, supporting operators and policymakers in strengthening grid resilience and planning.Item type: Item , Access status: Open Access , The Energy Storage Investment Act(25-Aug) Wall, Steven; Ingelson, AllanEnergy storage systems are one piece of Alberta’s complex electricity puzzle. They are underutilized, not yet properly integrated, and essential for decarbonization. When given the opportunity, the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Calgary-Glenmore intends to introduce a Private Members’ Bill (PMB) titled The Energy Storage Investment Act. The goal of this PMB is to create enabling legislation to enhance grid reliability, increase affordability, and attract new investment into Alberta’s electricity sector. In Alberta’s legislature, PMB’s help focus government priorities and direct work to agencies and ministries, but they cannot include financial commitments. A literature review, a market analysis, and cross-jurisdictional assessments focused on California and Texas will complement expert information and opinions from official transcripts of MLA-led stakeholder engagements. This research will demonstrate energy storage expansion is a viable solution under the right circumstances and will identify economic and policy opportunities to influence enabling legislation to prepare for a future policy window.Item type: Item , Access status: Open Access , Advancing Climate Action Through Scope 3 Emissions Evaluation and Reporting for the University of Calgary(25-Aug) Vaghasiya, Masumi; Hannouf, MarwaThis study establishes a Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baseline for the University of Calgary in 2023–2024 to support the institution in beginning comprehensive reporting. Using the GHG Protocol as a guide, the assessment focused on material categories including purchased goods and services, capital goods, business travel, commuting, fuel- and energy-related activities, and waste, with comparisons to the 2011–2012 baseline. A hybrid approach using procurement records, Environmentally Extended Input-Output factors, manufacturer life cycle data, travel surveys, and waste audits was applied. Results indicate that procurement and commuting are the largest contributors, while waste and upstream energy activities are smaller but still material. The analysis faced significant data limitations across nearly all categories, highlighting the need for improved data systems. Findings provide both a baseline and a roadmap to help the University of Calgary advance Scope 3 reporting and climate action.
