26 SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities – Igernan Limited

Group Reflection

As a group, we all really enjoyed the experience working as an international group. It is not every day you get to interact and work together with people from around the world, and this project was an enjoyable time, even if we faced difficulties along the way. The story itself was really interesting to learn about. The idea that buildings could be made more sustainably is a very interesting concept that we were not overly familiar with, and thus made it both challenging but also fun to discover the different ways builders can make use of the space. The green walls and geothermal tubing being the main two innovations were both really intriguing. The space itself was very vibrant and reflected the ideas stated during the interview that the location is enjoyable to work within, due to all the plants around the hallways, and well taken care of green walls. Especially compared to other office buildings located in big downtown cities, the place felt like it had life, and for the Guelph members, was a very enjoyable location to tour. The geothermal piping was a very unique method to heating and cooling the building, which the team has heard about but not seen in use before. As stated during the interview, they have many pipes at just over 60 total, that can use the ground to either keep cool air or hot air inside for when one is required. They also pipe throughout every office in the building, allowing specific temperature control to be met for all tenants, as well as assisting the building stay efficient, by moving air that is hot from rooms heated by the sun, into rooms that are not hit by sunlight. The capabilities we have in the modern day are truly fascinating and beyond what we expected, and it was very enjoyable to learn more about. We as a group also discussed how we all were impressed by the building, and the design of it. Especially due to the nature of having an international group, while a building is the same concept no matter where you are in the world, they may be made differently depending on where you live. Thus it was a fun time discussing the building and features after the tour to the members who do not live in Canada due to the differences in design. It is also worth saying, even the Guelph members were impressed upon entering at first due to the completely different approach the building was made in compared to the average office building in Toronto.

A big take away from finishing this story, especially thanks to the person we got to interview, is how to start acting sustainably today? They put a lot of emphasis during the interview discussing, as they put it “how to reduce energy at source” and how “sustainability is about what we can do today”, rather than what we can do in the future. They ended up reinforcing the idea that sustainability is something we as individuals have to work towards as best we can now, due to these statements and the general way they talked throughout the tour. Sustainability needs to be a priority for an individual first and foremost and put emphasis on it to help other groups or people recognize the importance and follow through. Previously to the group it appeared that most buildings in downtown cities were not built sustainably due to the nature of what a building is, but in reality we learned that buildings have a lot of potential within them, and it is just on the creators to put time and care into ensuring the place actually is sustainable. The learnings through our courses helped us better have an idea of how important sustainability was and how sustainability can be beneficial to the company. For example, the Guelph team members being in a course about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) have heard a lot about the importance and potential benefits of good CSR practices. Thus we can understand that a company like Igernan Limited has benefits from their sustainability practices and good CSR, such as tenants who respond to sustainability being a core part of their own business. This is in comparison to other buildings in Toronto that do not have sustainability built into the plans and may find a more lack-luster or basic response from members of the community.

Word was generally conducted based on who seemed well fit for a job or who had time to finish a task. We would have our weekly meetings where we would discuss what was due for the week, and we would try our best to spread work out between group members and see who was available time wise to finish the task. It was hard to figure out who would do certain parts of the workload due to technical errors and the sort, but also due to exams or projects in other classes. In the end though we pulled through as a team completing what was required as fast as we could! The biggest thing that helped was the weekly meetings, as even though we communicated through messaging, talking live with each other was always more efficient and clear. Having these meetings also allowed everyone to share their thoughts better and schedule activities and ensure nothing was being skipped, such as what was due for the week. As for things that did not work, the biggest issues were how it was hard to find time to or even message at times, due to the nature of different time zones, and the time zones changing, as well as the splitting parts of the assignment up. Take for example the Appendix 3 document and the interview, both are easier to be done for the members that communicated with the person we interviewed, rather than the members who were living elsewhere in the world. While we still split the work up as best we could, potentially communicating as a group to the person we were going to interview may have been a better approach to have been able to better involve everyone and spread the workload between the team.

Individual Reflections

Alex: Personally, I really enjoyed my time working in this international group project. There were some difficulties with scheduling meetings and getting everyone together, especially with the time changes that occurred on the Guelph and Navarra side. In the end we tried to get as many people as we could every week and share the work between those who had time and felt comfortable doing specific tasks which worked out well. Interacting with everyone was fun, and learning about each other’s cultures and learning environments were fun side conversations. I will also comment that we had some slight communication issues, but nothing major and we resolved all of them as they came up, such as when a member could not understand what someone else had said. As a whole, while extra challenging at times, this international group work was very exciting and a very refreshing experience and I would love to try something similar again at some point.

Ariel: While it was difficult, this project gave us all a great learning experience in managing meetings across different time zones. This is such a unique project, and especially after COVID, it is so important to work on group communication and organizational skills, and this project was the perfect opportunity to do so. As well, our project benefited from all our different experiences and perspectives. It was also nice to chat about things not related to the project and hear what it’s like to be a student in Mpumalanga and Navarra. Everyone was extremely nice and understanding. I think we had a great team. I would like to shout out Alex specifically, as he was so amazing at organizing the meetings and ensuring we had everything we needed to submit each week!

Cristina: As a team member, I found this project as a challenging and rewarding experience. The cross-cultural dynamic demanded open-mindfulness, and it was interesting how we acknowledged diverse perspectives. People were very nice and friendly. The only hurdle we found was the difference between the time zones, however we managed to meet all the weeks or at least most of the members. The collective spirit of the team, characterized by friendliness and mutual respect, was instrumental in overcoming hurdles. Notwithstanding the challenges, the team demonstrated impressive flexibility in scheduling regular meetings, ensuring effective communication. The diverse linguistic landscape brought out a mosaic of ideas that significantly enriched our project. Remarkably, the team fostered a cohesive and supportive atmosphere. The shared commitment to project goals mitigated potential cultural misunderstandings, underscoring the team’s resilience and adaptability. I have improved a lot of skills and gained knowledge, which will help me in my future professional and personal life.

Lucía: Engaging in an international group project was a transformative experience that broadened my perspectives, challenged my communication skills, and deepened my understanding of cultural diversity. As a member of a diverse team composed of individuals from different countries, backgrounds, and academic disciplines, I found the project to be both rewarding and challenging. One of the most significant aspects of this international collaboration was the exposure to diverse working styles and cultural nuances. While this diversity brought richness to our discussions and ideas, it also required a heightened level of communication and understanding. Adapting to different time zones, working hours, and expectations required a high degree of flexibility and a proactive approach to time management. However, these challenges served as catalysts for our team’s growth as we collectively learned to navigate and appreciate our differences. The lessons and skills acquired will undoubtedly contribute to my personal and professional growth, shaping my approach to future collaborations and interactions.