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 LEED-Silver as Baseline Construction Standard

Working with Area Universities and the State to Purchase Renewable Energy

Preparing RFP for Energy Performance Contractor Audit

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 Applied Environmental Health

EcoHouse – Sustainable Living/Learning Community

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 Green Fund)

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 – Report Progress and Savings

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