Green Building:
Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources
Green Building

  • Welcome

CIER

Prepared by: Jessica Roder Dec. 2004; updated by jason Locke April 2006

WELCOME

ABOUT CIER

CIER was established by First Nations chiefs from across the country in 1995. Its original goal was to build capacity for Aboriginal communities so that they could better deal with the environmental issues affecting them. CIER began mainly as an educational program that also wanted to provide technical expertise to First Nations communities. They have now expanded into research, training, running a science camp, environmental consulting and holding workshops across the country. The library on the fourth floor is shared with other aboriginal groups and is open to the public by appointment. It houses First Nation environmental material, core western environmental texts and material that integrates traditional ecological knowledge with western scientific theory. CIER works both with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups. They have a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to problem solving that is broken down into four major areas:
1. forestry
2. climate change
3. water
4. sustainability

For several years, CIER ran an 18-month long training program for aboriginal youth through the University of Manitoba. Unfortunately, long term funding could not be secured and the program is on hold for the moment. In the few years it was running, 54 students graduated from the program. CIER is currently working with students at Arby Russell School. The students are building new shelving for CIER out of strawboard. In this way, they familiarize themselves with sustainable building materials that will soon become the standard and learn how to work with them now. They also learn about the organization and the space that CIER has renovated.

CIER has a corporate sustainability policy to ensure that they put into practice what they teach. This has garnered them several awards for the green building that they renovated and now work out of as well as several awards for their outstanding programs.
A view of the historic Kay Building from the South East. CIER occupies the third and fourth floors. Source: www.cier.ca
The CIER logo embodies the organization's pursuit to attain balance between the Earth and its peoples. Reegan Breu painted this rendition in 1995. It is currently hanging in the reception of 245 McDermot Avenue. Source: J. Roder
The 'sacred space' is located on the fourth floor. The ribbons represent the four major colours of the earth’s people and the organizations colours. Source: J. Roder
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