“You have to change your thinking if you desire to have a future different from your present.”
― Germany Kent
A recent Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report says many western world governments look to Higher Education Institutions (HEI) to help deliver key national policy goals such as:
- up-skilling the population and life-long learning,
- social inclusion,
- widening participation,
- citizenship skills,
- economic development,
- regional policy,
- cultural development and regeneration
- knowledge-based development
- research and development, especially in science, technology and medicine
Source: OECD 2004: On the Edge: Securing a Sustainable Future for Higher Education
Many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are asked to deliver on these goals while spending less, despite the unrelenting increases in many costs including energy and facility management. The OECD report goes on say: “While the State remains the dominant or core funder of higher education, in many countries the proportion of institutional funding from the State has now declined…these funding pressures have led to pressures on physical infrastructure, especially buildings and equipment.” Budgets are becoming harder and harder to balance, and some of the choices each HEI faces are either to delay needed infrastructure projects, decrease facility management budgets, or decrease HEI offerings, with none of the alternatives being attractive. Much-needed energy efficiency and infrastructure projects are often just delayed.
Canadian HEIs face these same pressures, so acquiring the use of a new or refurbished infrastructure asset has become very challenging. It is time for a completely new approach.
The IGNITE Sustainable Communities Program, which was created by IGNITE Infrastructure Association Inc, is a revolutionary new approach to acquire the use of a new or refurbished infrastructure asset by HEIs. The flexibility and structure of the IGNITE Program allows the HEI to:
- Do what’s best for the HEI
- Develop a sustainable, long-term infrastructure plan approach
- Take control of infrastructure costs
- Provide cost certainty for infrastructure operation and maintenance
- Remove many barriers from long-term corporate planning
- Address environmental issues
For more detail, contact us by phone or email.
Why Join IGNITE
OVERVIEW
We’re creating The New Way Forward. The IGNITE Infrastructure Association offers a member-driven, collaborative nonprofit platform, created to provide its members with access to the world’s leading expertise and resources in infrastructure enhancement and energy savings implementation.
MISSION
To be the new way forward for public organizations to efficiently renew and expand their infrastructure.
BENEFITS
Members not only enjoy access to a wealth of resources and collaboration opportunities both globally and locally, they gain access to the IGNITE Program – a member-driven initiative which is designed to deliver a tailored plan for any large-scale infrastructure or sustainability project.
GET INVOLVED
Currently, membership is available at no-cost for public organizations such as governments, First Nations, municipalities, schools, universities and other higher education institutions, and healthcare facilities. Simply contact us by phone or email to learn how to become an IGNITE Member.
