Creating A Sustainable Campus: Challenges and Opportunities

Creating A Sustainable Campus: Challenges and Opportunities to Integrate Sustainability at the University of Maryland Presented by: Scott Lupin – Office of Sustainability Dr. Matthias Ruth – Center for Integrative Environmental Research

American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) Launched in October 2006 Modeled after the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement Sponsored by: AASHE (Association for the Advancement for Sustainability in Higher Education) Second Nature ecoAmerica

Purpose of ACUPCC Puts Educational Institutions in the Forefront of Efforts to Address Climate Change Commits Schools to Serve as Models of Sustainability Operations Curriculum Research Commits Schools to become Carbon Neutral to Reduce Global Warming

ACUPCC – What Do They Sign? Signatories officially Agree to: Create a Strategic Plan to Eliminate and/or Offset Greenhouse Gas Emissions Integrate Sustainability into Curriculum May 2007, President Mote signed Initiative - Committing UM to Climate Change Regional Signatories Include: 9 MD Schools, 12 VA Schools

ACUPCC: Initial Requirements Within Two Months: Create Institutional Structures to Develop and Implement a Plan Within One Year: Complete Comprehensive Inventory of all Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Update Inventory Every Other Year Thereafter

ACUPCC: The Climate Plan Within 2 years an Institutional Action Plan – Identify Actions to make Campus Carbon Neutral Include Target Date for Climate Neutrality Set Interim Goals and Phase in of Actions Actions to make Climate Neutrality and Sustainability a Part of the Curriculum and other Educational Experiences. Actions to Expand Research or other Efforts to Achieve Climate Neutrality. Mechanisms to Track Progress on Goals and Actions.

ACUPCC: Tangible Actions During Development of the Plan, Initiate Two or more of the following “Tangible Actions”: LEED-Silver Policy for New Campus Construction Policy Requiring Purchase of ENERGY STAR Certified Products Policy of Offsetting all Greenhouse Gas Emissions generated by Air Travel Encourage Use of and Provide Access to Public Transportation for all Faculty, Staff, Students and Visitors

ACUPCC: Tangible Actions (cont’d) Within One Year, Purchase/Produce at Least 15% of Institution’s Electricity Consumption from Renewable Sources Policy or Committee that Supports Climate and Sustainability Shareholder Proposals at Companies where the Institution’s Endowment is Invested Participate in Recyclemania’s Waste Minimization Component and Adopt Three or more Waste Reduction Measures Make all Reports and Information Publicly Available

UM - ACUPCC Initiatives UM Research Center (CIER) Conducting GHG Inventory Establishing a Climate Action Plan Workgroup Adopted USGBC LEEDSilver as Baseline Construction Standard Working with Area Universities and the State to Purchase Renewable Energy Preparing RFP for Energy Performance Contractor

Evolution of Sustainability at UM 2002 FMP Transportation and Environment Underpin the Plan Environmental Stewardship Committee Environmental Stewardship Guidelines Sponsored Three National Sustainability Conferences March 31-April 2, 2008 – 4th Conference

Evolution of Sustainability at UM (cont’d) New Office of Sustainability Campus-wide Sustainability Website (www.sustainability.umd. edu) Released Sustainability Report on UM Initiatives New Energy Manager, Environmental Planner and Recycling/Solid Waste Manager

Sustainability Initiatives at UM Comprehensive Stormwater Study to Identify Improvement Projects Comprehensive Tree Inventory and Assessment New Efficient Irrigation Systems with Moisture Sensors Installed Several Low Impact Development (Stormwater) Projects Completed

Sustainability Initiatives at UM (cont’d) Buses Using Biodiesel Fuel Flexcar Program Introduced Major Lighting Improvement Program Underway CO2 Monitors being Installed to Operate Ventilation Systems

Sustainability Initiatives at UM (cont’d) Competed in“Recyclemania” Composting Program in Dining Halls (10 tons per month) Use of Native Plants for Landscaping Green Seal Certified Cleaning Products in Residence Halls

Sustainability-Related Research Many Research Centers at UM are focused on Environmental Issues including: Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER) Center for Environmental Energy Engineering (CEEE) Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC) Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) Center for Smart Growth Solar Decathlon Team Many others

Sustainability Educational Opportunities More than 100 Courses about Environmental Issues are Offered Each Year Four New Academic Programs Opened within the Past Year Environmental Science and Technology Master of Engineering and Public Policy Maryland Institute of

UM Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Research Team Center for Integrative Environmental Research (CIER) David Tilley, Associate Professor, Environmental Science & Technology, CIER Affiliate Matthias Ruth, Director, CIER Kim Ross, Executive Director, CIER Ramy Serour, Graduate Research Assistant, Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences Graduate Program Lucia Ness, Student Research Assistant, Environmental Science & Policy Program Working in Close Collaboration with Facilities Management and the GHG Inventory Taskforce

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Taskforce David Allen, Director, Transportation Services Karen Breen, Director, Business Services Maureen Kotlas, Director, Environmental Safety Joan Kowal, Energy Manager, Financial Services Scott Lupin, Assoc Director, Office of Sustainability Harry Teabout, Director, Bldg & Landscape Services John Vucci, Assoc Director, H V A C Systems

Inventory Approach Clean Air Cool Planet Calculator for Standardization and Comparability Learn from other University Experiences Direct Involvement of Key Stakeholders through GHG Inventory Taskforce Gather Data (Student Research Assistants) Analysis, Development of Recommendations and Report Report to be Posted Online Briefings to Key Leaders and Stakeholders

Scope Temporal Scope: 2002-2007 requested Scope 1 – Direct GHG Emissions from Facilities Owned/Controlled by UMCP (e.g., power plant, vehicles, fugitive emissions) Scope 2 - Purchased Electricity Scope 3 - Indirect Emissions (e.g., commuters, air travel, waste disposal, purchased products)

Inventory Data Categories Institutional Data: Budget, Population, Physical Size Electricity, Purchased Steam, and Chilled Water On-Campus Cogeneration Plant On-Campus Stationary Sources Transportation: University Fleet, Air Travel Commuter: Students, Summer School Students, Faculty, Staff Agriculture: Fertilizer Application, Animal Agriculture Solid Waste Refrigeration and Other Chemicals Offsets: ‘Green’ Electric Certificates, Composting, Forest Preservation, Other

Challenges Met Boundaries – What to Count Trends toward Privatized Buildings Control vs. Own (e.g South Commons) Definition of Boundary (UMCP: include buildings/space that we own and pay electricity for). Transportation, Commuters Design of Algorithm to Calculate Missing Data for Student Commuting Data Consistency Reported by Fiscal Year (July 1 - June 30) vs. Calendar Year Reported for Years 2002 to 2007 Future Updates Required every Two Years Recommendations for Data Collection and Reporting Process Improvements

Integrating Sustainability on Campus: Lessons Learned Make Sustainability a Campus Priority – Establish Broad Goals Get Connected – AASHE, APPA, SCUP, NACUBO, USGBC and Others Involve the Campus Establish a Steering Committee and Program Lead Educate and Inform Empower and Encourage Staff

Integrating Sustainability on Campus: Lessons Learned (cont’d) Implement Projects and Seek Continuous Improvement Small Projects Add-Up (LID, Composting, HazMat Reduction, etc.) Large Initiatives Provide Major Results (Strategic Plans, Renewable Energy, Green Purchasing, LEED, etc.) Ex. – UN Chapel Hill (Stormwater), U. of Florida (Solid Waste), U. of Georgia (Environmental Literacy Req.), Harvard (Revolving

Integrating Sustainability on Campus: Lessons Learned (cont’d) Use Campus/System Resources Build Collaboration Many Are Motivated by Sustainability Provide Educational Opportunities (Internships, Graduate Assistantships, etc.) Measure Progress (Milestones and Metrics) Share Your Success –

QUESTIONS? RESOURCES: Office of Sustainability at UM www.sustainability.umd.edu Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) - www.aashe.org American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org US Green Building Council (USGBC) - www.usgbc.org MD Energy Administration - www.energy.state.md.us