The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.
The new Xstrata Nickel Sustainable Energy Centre at Cambrian College will help Sudbury build on its reputation as a world leader in environmental remediation and sustainability, officials said.
They made the comments Tuesday as they officially opened the centre, which will house cutting-edge applied research and education.
The teaching and research facility is busy with a number of applied research projects underway alongside classes and labs for students in Cambrian’s Energy Systems Technology and Environmental Monitoring and Impact Assessment programs.
At the official opening, special guests got a first-hand look at what takes place inside the centre, its future potential, and its sustainable design features.
“We’re focused on applied research because it gives students in various programs real-life experience working with prototypes and entrepreneurs; it supports small- and medium-sized enterprises; and it diversifies our local economy,” Cambrian president Sylvia Barnard said in a release. “The centre also supports two advanced programs that support the green economy.
“Our success so far is proof that corporations and local, provincial, and federal governments are prioritizing projects that embrace innovation, energy efficiency and environmental stewardship like never before.”
Xstrata Nickel, Cambrian’s partner in the project, contributed $2 million to the project. The college also received support from FedNor and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.
“It’s a privilege to have partnered with Cambrian since 2007 in this worthwhile project,” said Marc Boissonneault, vice-president, Xstrata Nickel, Sudbury Operations.
“Today marks the result of our collaborative efforts and it showcases our shared values and commitment toward post-secondary education and research. We are certain the centre will support sustainable growth within the community.”
The Xstrata Nickel Sustainable Energy Centre will also provide space for new research equipment that will arrive this year.
“Cambrian has a strong record in applied research, which attracts expert faculty and dedicated students,” said Sherrill McCall, director of planning and research. “In August, we received two federal grants totaling nearly $165,000 from the prestigious National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for two new pieces of equipment, which we will use for research projects and training students.
“One project could involve testing a unique chemical filtration process to see if it can remove contaminants from industrial waste water.
“It’s exciting because we’re creating ground-breaking solutions to real-world problems.”