| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Principle 4 | Green Building Design and Sustainable Campus Operations – Strategies to address emissions associated with designing, building, maintaining, and operating campus buildings and grounds. |
| Goal 4.2 | Reduce energy consumption and determine goals consistent with capital investments and annual programs implemented in support of energy consumption reduction, as identified in Goal 1.1 as being necessary to achieve carbon reduction commitments and meet sustainability objectives. |
| Metric | Total Energy Use Intensity Per Square Foot |
Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms.
Energy reduction goals need to be met in a variety to ways that include green procurement, enhanced recycling, IT, enhanced tree planting, increasing recycled paper, transit and clean energy options, residential dorms, building complete streets or smart/livable/walkable cities, food sourcing, green construction etc. and thus involves system-level planning over and above physical plant improvements.
Why is this goal important to highlight?
The importance of this goal stems from the need to identify strategies that reduce the energy consumption of existing campus infrastructure and align the planned capital investments with the goal of minimizing future energy usage. Progress in this goal area has the starkest impact on overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?
Most campuses provide annual tracking data to Department of Energy Resources and also to ACUPCC & STARS - and should continue to do so.
Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?
Students are the most critical group on each campus when considering sustainability issues. Outreach to students through more effective, campus-wide education such as on campus social media. University communications should be engaged to reflect these sustainability priorities for the campus and use their expertise in emerging media techniques.
What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?
Since 2013, The System has created the annual sustainability report which has become an annual feature for the Board and the public to learn about the efforts taking place at each campus.
What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?
Most campuses are moving in this direction, however, a greater transparency, and integration with A&F goals and budgeting is needed. Accomplishing significant savings associated with energy consumption is achievable through undergoing master planning exercises. Management of energy systems with a focus on conservation is a crucial part of reaching this benchmark.