14 Feedback Solutions in Canada

Team 21 Poster

Team Reflection

For our COIL assignment, we interviewed Feedback Solutions Inc, a clean tech company that supports the sustainable development goal climate action, a goal that aligns with our commitment to sustainability in the business world. Our group, along with many others, recognizes concerns about rising greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the impact it has on climate change. Feedback Solutions specifically recognizes that non-residential buildings are significant contributors to these emissions. According to the United Nations Environment Program, buildings and their construction account for 36% of global energy use and 39% of annual energy-related carbon dioxide emissions (Feedback Solutions, 2024). This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need for innovation in our developed environment, prompting us to consider our role in addressing these challenges. Notably, Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems contribute over 40% of energy consumption in commercial and institutional buildings, making building operations responsible for more than 28% of global CO2 emissions (Feedback Solutions, 2024). As a group when we were looking through the options for companies, these statistics stood out to us and surprised us greatly. As consumers, we contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions that are emitted when we enter commercial, retail and educational spaces, and we wanted to learn more about how Feedback is reducing even our own individual carbon footprint. We chose Feedback Solutions because they highlighted a significant issue, and chose to take action in addressing these challenges. We wanted to dive deeper into their innovative approaches and solutions to promote sustainability in the industry. We believed that Feedback Solutions was an ideal choice for this assignment because it directly addresses the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) discussed in this course, focusing on innovation in green technology and the development of more sustainable HVAC systems. This connection to global goals made our research feel even more meaningful, as we understood the broader implications of our findings. This experience reinforced our understanding of sustainability and highlighted the importance of accountability in business practices.

Additionally, our research through the form of an interview provided us with specific examples of how a company can implement sustainable practices effectively. For instance, we learned about their Occupancy-Based Ventilation Control technology, which highlighted the innovative use of occupancy sensors to optimize HVAC systems, something we hadn’t fully grasped before, and which enhanced our understanding of how technology can drive sustainability in business.

We were surprised to learn how significant the built environment is in our greenhouse gas emissions, a staggering 40% that challenges our previous assumptions about energy consumption in commercial spaces. Moreover, we now realize the importance of continuous education in the field of green technology as well as how innovation in sustainability is not just an option, but a necessity to achieve the maximum long-lasting benefit for everyone in our world. We are now more committed to our responsibility toward the environment, having seen the positive impact that Feedback Solutions has made. This story inspired us to see new possibilities for collaboration between businesses and communities to achieve sustainability. We used to think that businesses operated in isolation from social and environmental issues, but Feedback Solutions shows how businesses can be effective partners in improving the environment through innovation. This reinforces the idea that working together between the private sector and communities can lead to positive environmental and social outcomes, opening up new avenues for change.

This assignment deepened our knowledge of sustainability issues in our world today regarding green house gasses, as well as strengthened our commitment to prioritize these concerns in our future careers as responsible business leaders. We are now more committed to exploring sustainable practices in our future endeavours and will approach our roles with a heightened awareness of environmental impacts. We felt a mix of concern and inspiration, realizing that solutions are within reach which we have seen from interviewing Feedback Solutions. In our future endeavours, Feedback Solutions will act as a model company on how each of us can be sustainable as we navigate our business careers. We hope to implement similar innovative strategies as business leaders that can reduce our carbon footprint in the workforce and our individual lives. Additionally Feedback Solutions sets a good example on how to present sustainability initiatives to the public and customers effectively. This assignment has sparked a passion within our whole group to advocate to use business as a force for good in every aspect of our work, ensuring that environmental care becomes a core value in our future careers.

Individual Reflections

Elle Seely

Participating in this activity as part of a virtual team was a rewarding experience, despite a few early challenges. Initially, we faced some difficulties when two members dropped out of the class, leaving us with just four group members. However, this shift allowed us to build a tight-knit group communicating openly and effectively. I very much enjoyed this project, and my group added to the experience as I genuinely enjoyed working with my teammates. We were all eager to succeed and complete our tasks on time. I think this project is different from any other class’s projects and allowed me to learn many real-world lessons and experiences I will carry with me into my future endeavours. Each member contributed uniquely, and in different ways which created a good foundation for our group. For instance, I took the initiative to schedule our meetings and send out the Zoom links, and each week a different member submitted the minutes to Google Classroom. Managing two time zones required flexibility, but we were committed to accommodating each other’s schedules, which reinforced our teamwork. Overall, this cross-cultural project equipped me with valuable real-world skills, and deepened my understanding of sustainability within companies.

Megan Holtved

The COIL experience provided a valuable opportunity for personal and collaborative development. Despite the anticipated challenges of teamwork, I am proud of how our COIL team showed diligence and mutual trust to tackle some of the problems along the way. At the beginning of our project, two members withdrew, leaving us with four group members rather than six. While this initially felt like a setback, our group ultimately established a deeper connection and enabled more efficient meetings as a result of having fewer members. Additionally, our group demonstrated amazing initiative and organization as we always met at our agreed-upon time and always adapted to specific schedule needs when external priorities arose.

From my perspective, I am very grateful to have been a part of a COIL team that was so exceptionally well organized and very transparent about the cross-cultural dynamics. With COIL being my first experience doing international collaborative work, I am left feeling eager to participate in more cross-cultural projects. This experience has not only strengthened my individual skills but I have learned so much about navigating communication challenges.

To conclude, the COIL experience has been a great opportunity for our team to combine our unique and diverse skill sets to achieve our shared goals, reinforcing the benefit of working on a diversified team.

Hind Alnashar

Participating in COIL as part of a virtual team from different countries was a new experience for me, but it was also an enjoyable and beneficial one. I had the opportunity to learn new lessons and gain diverse skills. Through this experience, I learnt how to work within a diverse team and how to face challenges with innovative solutions and a spirit of cooperation.

We faced many challenges and difficulties at the beginning of the project, as two members of the group withdrew, which increased the burden on the remaining members. Initially, we had to review the roles and modify the work plan, which we accomplished successfully. Our team was able to cooperate effectively and work hard to compensate for the responsibilities left by the withdrawn members.

Although the withdrawal of two members from the team presented a significant challenge for us, it taught us how to adapt to unexpected situations. This experience enhanced important skills, such as flexibility, teamwork, and leadership development. Additionally, I gained skills in time management and organization. I believe that what I learnt from this experience will help me better overcome professional challenges and enhance my ability to work within diverse teams in various fields, making me more prepared to face the challenges of professional life with confidence and adaptability.

Reem Almutairi 

The COIL project was a new experience for me. Despite the challenges we faced in finding a suitable time to coordinate meetings, and the fact that we became only four members after two withdrew, it became an opportunity to learn how to face challenges collectively, and the resulting team spirit. It was an opportunity that helped us enhance communication, cooperation, and support among ourselves I am also proud to be in a great team, working on a great international project about businesses supporting sustainability goals for a better environment. This project was completely different from any other project I have worked on, so I learned a lot about how to integrate business goals with sustainability, and how innovation can contribute to creating sustainable solutions. In conclusion, the COIL project was a turning point in my academic career, as it provided me with valuable skills and influenced my future ambitions in the field of sustainability. I hope to continue working on similar projects that contribute to improving our environment and achieving positive change.

References

Wood, C. (2021, February 17). Why the buildings of the future are key to an efficient energy ecosystem. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/02/why-the-buildings-of-the-future-are-key-to-an-efficient-energy-ecosystem/

Home – Feedback Solutions. Feedback Solutions. (2024). https://feedbacksolutions.io/

United Nations. (n.d.). Home – United Nations Sustainable Development. United Nations. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/