Marc Beaudoin, Director, Advisory and Practices (Project Delivery), Real Property Branch, Public Works and Government Services Canada
Kathleen White, Project Director, Major Crown Projects, Real Property Branch, Public Works and Government Services Canadat
Justin Blanchette, Senior Project Analyst, Project Delivery Office, Information Technology Services Branch, Public Works and Government Services Canada

The National Project Management System (NPMS) is the centrepiece of improvements to the project management regime at Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC). The NPMS places enhanced emphasis on the linkages of the delivery system with branch investment strategies, provides greater clarity on project governance and promotes knowledge management. The NPMS is NOT an IT application – it is a web-based project management methodology based upon the standard recognized in the project management community – the Project Management Institute. The NPMS has been developed to be flexible, and is now being elevated to become the Department’s standard methodology and will soon include business and information technology enabled projects. Come learn how the NPMS is helping PWGSC increase its ability to deliver projects on time, on budget and on scope and gain insights as to how NPMS can help your organization.

Peter Linkletter, Director General, Realty Policy and Plans, Infrastructure and Environment Group, Department of National Defence
Marc Desjardins, Director, Realty Asset Plans, Infrastructure and Environment Group, Department of National Defence

It is not business as usual at the Department of National Defence (DND). The Canada First Defence Strategy commits the department to replace 50% of its $21 billion, 10 million square metre real property portfolio over the next 20 years. To support this new level of ambition, the DND Capital Construction Program is doubling over the span of three years going from around $500 million to $1 billion annually. This has forced some fresh thinking with regard to accelerating the approval and delivery of projects. Come learn about the initiatives underway, share your insights, and take away some approaches that you can apply within your organization.

Frank Rogers, A/Regional Director, Accommodations and Portfolio Management, Public Works and Government Services Canada

As the common service provider for the Government of Canada, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) has a major role to play by supporting various federal departments who are required to deliver services, from real property acquisition and management to large purchases and travel arrangements, during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler in February/March of 2010.
This presentation will focus on PWGSC's project delivery experience in the early planning stage, preparing for Games-time, operational planning during the Games as well as post-Games wrap-up. PWGSC will share some of their unique experiences and tools they have created to assist clients with their preparations.

Claude Giroux, Director, Environmental Management and Sustainable Development, Corporate Administration and Services Directorate, Public Health Agency of Canada

The Government of Canada has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 (Speech from the Throne, November 2008). Government departments thus need strategies for reducing their energy use.

In its Sustainable Development Strategy, 2007-2010, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) committed to reducing its energy use by 2% over four years. To do so, the Agency has pursued several strategies, one of which has been changing employee behaviour. Changing behaviour has focused on scheduling use of equipment, two national energy initiatives and energy assessments. A third is planned. The presentation will focus on PHAC’s successful experience seeking employee participation in energy use reduction.

Based on a Quebec Region pilot, a PHAC national initiative was launched in 2008 to reduce unnecessary energy use by turning off electrical equipment and lights outside work hours. While local green teams in some other departments have implemented this program, PHAC is the first department to do so nationally.

Two promotions encouraged all staff to turn off their equipment in May and November 2008. In May, an energy assessment after work established a baseline, and in November, volunteers assessed energy use in about 57 per cent of Agency offices. Per employee, unnecessary energy use outside work hours declined substantially – by 39%.

If the Agency saving of 111 kWh per person could be realized across the federal government, assuming 460,000 federal government employees, this would represent a saving of 51,060,000 kWh for the environment. On a yearly basis, assuming these same savings could be realized 16 hours per workday and 24 hours per weekend day, the Government of Canada could save $5,331,000 per year.

We estimate this initiative reduced energy use in our office space by about 1.4%. PHAC is the first federal government department to demonstrate that this program can contribute to an organization target of reducing energy use.