SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Learn more about UN SDG 11 and take action
Three of Dalhousie's campuses are located in Halifax, the capital city of Nova Scotia and the educational, cultural and economic hub of Atlantic Canada. For over 200 years, Dalhousie has been a part of this vibrant city and as a civic university, we are committed to encouraging public access to our university’s activities and facilities to foster a clearly visible connection between the university and the communities in which we reside. You can see this commitment in the transformative role our faculty and students play in our local health-care system; in the programs and initiatives that help propel Nova Scotia’s start-ups and small businesses forward; and in the clinics, summer camps and community spaces that directly link our campuses with our community.
High-impact research
Ask an expert: How can Nova Scotia grow and stay green?
We asked Dr. Westwood about the state of environmental assessments in Nova Scotia — last updated in 2008 — and what changes she and her colleagues would like to see implemented.
Read more in Dal News
See how 30 Canadian cities stack up on environmental quality with this Dal researcher's scorecard
More than 80 per cent of Canadians live in urban areas and this study is the first to develop a comprehensive portrayal of their environmental conditions. The Canadian Environmental Quality Index (Can-EQI) distills the review of complex environmental characteristics into a single value for each location, with higher values indicating more desirable environmental conditions.
Read more in Dal News
Canada’s National Housing Strategy: Is it really addressing homelessness and affordability?
The National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $72-billion effort launched in 2017 to address key areas in the Canadian housing landscape. Its goals include increasing housing affordability and reducing homelessness. But research shows that the vast majority of people in core housing need are not benefiting from NHS programs.
Read more in The Conversation
Urbanisation is a global phenomenon with regional significance and local consequences
The Green Infrastructure Performance Lab (GIPL) engages in interdisciplinary research focused on the analysis and design & planning of landscapes to improve human and ecological wellbeing. Their research has wide impact on our communities and engages solutions to the issues surrounding carbon neutral design.
DalTRAC
The Dalhousie Transportation Collaboratory (DalTRAC) is a multidisciplinary transportation research unit dedicated to transportation studies, planning and policy analysis. Established in 2011, it is sponsored by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Province of Nova Scotia, and Halifax Regional Municipality.
Exceptional student experience
Welcome back to campus! Learn about your active transportation options
Over 1,040 bike spots and over 470 bike racks are located throughout the Studley, Carleton, Sexton, and Agricultural Campuses. All new buildings have bike facilities, including showers and indoor/outdoor bike racks. Bike parking spots for all campuses can be found on the following maps.
Read more in Dal News
Learn how to plan more sustainable and equitable spaces
Community Design is a program for students who care about the character and future of our communities. You'll learn to design better living environments and give communities the tools to make their own choices through real-life and hands-on experiences. You'll do all of this while keeping sustainability and the environment in mind.
Dalhousie’s School of Planning launches new course in housing policy amid skyrocketing prices
Students have the opportunity to study the intricacies behind housing issues and learn ways to inform the future in a new course on housing policy launching in Dalhousie’s School of Planning.
Read more in Dal News
Transform communities
One of the oldest of engineering professions, Civil Engineering is responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of our ever-changing world. Civil engineers are dynamic professionals who build infrastructure such as highways, bridges, marine structures, residential and commercial buildings, water treatment solutions, and more.
Civic university with global impact
Dal’s Faculty of Architecture and Planning is hosting a Housing Engagement Series to address the ongoing housing issues in our city and province.
Bringing together practitioners, academics, community organizers, government leaders, and the public this Open Dialogue Live series will examine the social impacts of housing, how we understand the housing sector, and innovation and creativity in the industry to engage and develop strategies to address the housing issues we all face.
Art for community: Neighbours and university collaborate on street mural
Residents, students and the Dalhousie community came together to bring a colourful street mural to life at the intersection of Larch and Jennings in Halifax designed by Mi’kmaw artist Tayla Fern Paul.
Read more in Dal News
Connecting with our community
For 50 years, Community Day on the Truro Campus has been bringing a wide range of community members to campus with a wide variety of interests. Travel from station-to-station across campus sampling treats, exploring our greenhouses, touring our newly renovated Cox Institute, and much more. There really is something for everyone on campus.
A warm neighbourhood welcome: Dal opens arms to North End elementary students waiting on new school
Students of St. Joseph’s-Alexander MacKay elementary, aged 5-12, have been studying in temporary classrooms near Dalhousie while waiting for their new school to be ready. Jalana Lewis, director of African Nova Scotian Community Engagement at Dalhousie, has been volunteering with SJAM for the past year. And a partnership with Dal Athletics ensures the kids could stay active during their school days.
Read more in Dal News
In search of his roots: Residential school survivor Jim Prosper's extraordinary book collection finds new home at Dal
During his retirement, Jim Prosper began curating an impressive book collection — one that has now found a new home at Dalhousie. The more contemporary books in the collection will be found on the shelves in the newly launched Indigenous Community Room, found on the first floor of the Killam Memorial Library in the Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Legacy Space.
Read more in Dal News
Welcoming the community
All of our campuses welcome our neighbours with full access to campus green spaces. In Halifax, the Bicentennial Commons project is developing outdoor public space to draw students, faculty, staff, and the community to the centre of campus. On the Truro campus, a rock garden, along with shade and herb gardens, a butterfly meadow, an apple orchard, and other unique features create quiet havens for visitors.
Foundation for inclusion and distinction
Dal's Emera IDEA and Richard Murray Design buildings achieve LEED Platinum status in first for the university
This Platinum certification from the globally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program vaults Dal into a new orbit with a small group of other post-secondary peers in Canada leading the way in green building.
Read more in Dal News
Dalhousie and the community
Community engagement at Dal includes both outreach and invitation. Community Updates are distributed door-to-door and an annual Community Calendar communicates important dates. We've established relationships with community partners, including the YMCA, Halifax Public Libraries, Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, and the United Way. And our Dalhousie Community Experience Committee (DCEC) brings together a network of community developers from across the university.
Set in Stone: How three Dalhousie buildings have forged stronger connections between campus and community over the decades
The Dalhousie Arts Centre, Killam Memorial Library and Life Sciences Centre first opened their doors in 1971 and they share a few things beyond their moment of origin, most notably their Brutalist design. But possibly their strongest common bond is the part they played in reshaping Dal’s relationships with its broader community, making Dalhousie more open, to more people, than ever before.
Read more in DAL Magazine
Dalhousie University is Certified as a Bike Friendly Workplace
Bike Friendly Certification is a recognition and training program for businesses and institutions that support bicycle commuting, bicycle travel and bicycle tourism experiences in Nova Scotia.
SmartTrip Dalhousie
Dalhousie has partnered with Halifax Regional Municipality's SmartTrip program to inspire students, faculty, and staff to engage in alternative sustainable transportation decisions.
Providing transportation choices for students, faculty, and staff
Dalhousie’s Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan
highlights progress made to date, as well as challenges, opportunities, and
strategic directions for the next decade.
Building green
Under the Sustainability Policy green building requirements, all new buildings should be built to third party certification such as zero-carbon and LEED® Gold Certified standards or higher and existing building upgrades follow a green building standard as outlined in our Design Guidelines. This includes a commitment to building on brownfield sites as part of our commitment to green building. Dalhousie is a member of the Canada Green Building Council.