Item Description Principle 2 Clean Energy – Supports the development and use of clean and renewable energy sources. Goal 2.1 Achieve UMass commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 or as specified through the sustainability planning process occurring through the development of campus-specific action plans, as identified in Goal 1.1 as being necessary to achieve carbon reduction commitments and meet…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., In 2007, the President of the University of Massachusetts signed the American College & University Presidents’ Climate commitment (ACUPCC). In doing so the University committed to developing plans to achieve climate neutrality. In the context of this commitment climate neutral is the elimination of net greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations. The University under the commitment is…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, The ACUPCC outlines the importance of this goal as it relates to climate change. Climate change is defined as a change in the global or regional climate patterns. The scientific consensus is that climate change is real and attributed to increases in greenhouse gas emissions largely caused by humans. The speed and scale of climate change has the potential for large scale adverse health, social,…, Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, All five campuses have completed climate action plans and report on greenhouse gas emissions and progress to the ACUPCC. It is important to note that the interim goals and climate neutrality are not consistently normalized. Even if they were being normalized they are still not being met because the goals do not compensate for growing energy use intensities (Ex. Labs). Therefore, with the campuses…, Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, Several departments are integral in moving forward to meet this goal, including Facilities, Engineering and Construction, Planning, Transportation, Purchasing, Sustainability & Energy Management, Power Plant Operations, Administration & Finance, and faculty, staff, and students., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, The campuses have made significant gains in reducing greenhouse gas emissions despite aggressive growth and the addition of new buildings. These reductions come principally from energy efficiency measures, retrofits, fuel switching, and in part from LEED building design., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, High level support and funding is required to develop more extensive carbon reduction plans and to make investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Item Item No. Description Principle 2 Clean Energy – Supports the development and use of clean and renewable energy sources. Goal 2.2 Procure a defined amount of annual electricity consumption through renewable and clean energy sources as identified in Goal 1.1 as being necessary to achieve carbon reduction commitments and meet sustainability objectives. Metric Total GHG Emissions Reduced Since…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., When the Leading By Example Executive Order was written and signed into law in 2007, the Governor and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts acknowledged their buildings consumed over 1 billion kwh of electricity, 22 million gallons of heating oil, and 46 million therms of natural gas, resulting in over a million tons of GHG emissions a year contributing to “environmental and health issues…such as…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, As campuses expand and our energy consumption grows, the University must be seeking electricity from renewable energy sources to alleviate the greenhouse gas emissions impacts. The University is the largest energy consumer in the state and therefore can have a tremendous impact on the overall GHG emissions of Massachusetts. The environmental and human health impacts would be positively affected…, Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, The campuses have experienced progress in expanding renewable energy sources particularly around solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The campuses are a part of solar net-metering projects across the state and exploring other renewable energy options. Additionally, there has been an overall reduction of GHG emissions by 14.7% based on the FY 2004 baseline. Some of the campuses have developed interim…, Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, The University will have to engage with our energy planners and facility staff in determining the most cost-effective and consistent renewable energy sources. The campus may have an opportunity to engage in conversations with their local electricity utility companies to discuss available resources in the region and ways to work together. The System Office will need to continue to play an…, What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, The University is currently a part of solar net-metering projects which allows for the credits to offset their electricity costs through large-scale solar PV projects which are not required to be in close geographical location. Despite rapid physical growth of most campuses within the UMass System and new development of very high energy intensive facilities that help serve the academic mission of…, What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, The campuses must work to identify the renewable energy sources available to them and how much electricity consumption should be sourced by renewable energy. Carbon emission reduction efforts must be ramped up and prioritized through energy master planning, updates to carbon plan goals and GHG inventories, etc. as well as utilize innovative funding mechanisms such as green revolving funds which…
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Item Description Principle 3 Climate Resilience and Preparedness - Implementation of strategies to mitigate or reduce environmental impact. Goal 3.1 Build climate resilience and preparedness standards into the University’s capital planning process and emergency management and business continuity planning. Metric Published plans including measurable objective with corresponding strategies., Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., Climate resilience is the ability for a system, institution, or operation to withstand the impacts of climate change and related events and to modify assets and adjust operations based on changing circumstances. Climate resilience planning is a critical process for all major institutions to be mindful of when considering other types of planning., Why is this goal important to highlight?, Climate resilience planning for the campuses will assist the long-term planning at the campus level in order to be proactive about potential weather/climate related events impacting University assets and operations. Including but not limited to specific topic areas, such as tropical storms/hurricanes, snow storms, extreme heat, or sea level rise., Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, The University has included aspects of climate resilience planning into the University Hazard Mitigation Plan., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, The stakeholders involved in this goal are: facilities, administration & finance, design & construction, operations heads, academic heads, student affairs personnel, student government, IT, emergency management staff and campus communications., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, The University has included aspects of climate resilience planning into the University Hazard Mitigation Plan., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, Continued participation and discussion at a local level; funding that can help both resilience and sustainability efforts.
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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 4.1 Any new construction must meet the MA LEED Plus green building standards (LEED most current version) or other standards as identified in Goal 1.1 as being necessary to achieve…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., In 2006, the Massachusetts Sustainable Design Roundtable was assembled consisting of a public-private collaboration of 54 state agencies, private firms and non-profit organizations to create An Action Plan for Green Building in Massachusetts State Construction Project.The Roundtable has recommended adoption of a new “Massachusetts LEED Plus” standard that specifically mandates certain LEED points…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, The Roundtable’s report found that in studying 33 green buildings that were already built, by spending an additional $3-5 per SF in building costs, a savings of $15 per SF in operational costs from lower energy, water and maintenance was observed., Where do the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, The University of Massachusetts Building Authority has established the Massachusetts LEED Plus and LEED Silver minimum standard for all new construction. Where applicable the campuses have been designing to the LEED Gold standard or higher., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, There are numerous stakeholders associated with the success of this goal: DCAMM and UMBA, Campus Leadership, University’s Facility Management (Planning, Project Management, Operations & Maintenance), Sustainability and Energy Management, and EH&S., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, The establishment of an energy and sustainability standard of LEED Plus & LEED Silver for the Facilities departments to use when considering the renovations and designs for new buildings., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, The design of new construction and renovations provides the opportunity to evaluate the impact of energy infrastructure from a financial and energy efficiency perspective. The diligent application of these standards on all projects, no matter how large or small, will continue to demonstrate progress towards our goal. The University must also examine opportunities to design beyond LEED standards…
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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…, 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…, 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.
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Item Description Principle 5 Sustainable Transportation - Integrating sustainable best practice for the use and maintenance of campus fleets, student/employee commuters, and public transportation options. Goal 5.1 Reduce vehicle fuel consumption of the University vehicle fleet through promoting the use of public transportation, reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles, and increasing the…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., Transportation is a topic which impacts every individual at the University and there are various opportunities to be more environmentally friendly. This goal recognizes the move towards purchasing and utilizing fuel efficient vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles will assist in the need to reduce overall vehicle fuel consumption. It also encourages the implementation of strategies to encourage…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, This goal is crucial due to the fact that everyone has transportation needs on a college campus and the strategies used to get people to where they need to go should be considering the environmental impacts. Adjusting transit habits within the campus community can have significant environmental impacts as well as addressing other regional transportation priorities., Where do the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, The campuses are undertaking projects that align to the outlined goal. Many of the initiatives are highlighted in the annual Sustainability Report. For example, Lowell has instituted a “Park Once Policy”, a carpool program, bike share program, and offers Zipcars. The campus has drawn attention to local public transit options and organized educational campaigns on transit issues. The highlighted…, Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, The campuses will have to continue to engage their campus communities in this process. The involvement of regional transit authorities and local government could provide an arena to align goals with regional planning efforts around transportation., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, The University has demonstrated a commitment to providing alternative methods of transportation, such as shuttle services, to students, faculty, and staff at each campus., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, Each of the campuses will have to evaluate what programs and initiatives are on-going that seek to move forward in this goal area and develop plans for the areas where programs do not exist. The planning process should include transportation alternatives as a priority and consider guidance from complete streets, climate resilience strategies, clean fuels, EV charging stations, and green parking…
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Item Description Principle 6 Waste Reduction and Recycling – Promote strategies to encourage waste reduction and re-use and acknowledges the importance of preventative measures. Goal 6.1 Employ strategies around preventative measures in waste diversion to promote source reduction, re-use and recycling of used materials. Metric Annually report on materials recycled, reused, composted, and disposed, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., This STARS reporting standards recognizes institutions that are diverting materials from landfills and incinerators and conserving resources by recycling and composting. Further, the University must be focused on minimizing the production of waste. While the benefits of recycling and composting cannot be overstated, the importance of preventative measures to avoid the waste should be a primary…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, The reduction of waste disposed and enhanced recycling efforts can dramatically impact the carbon footprint of the University. These efforts are highly visible and require some educational context. In order to be successful, people must adjust their habits to help produce the desired results., Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, Each campus has been consistently involved in notable recycling and waste reduction efforts helping to involve students, faculty, and staff while educating the entire campus community about the benefits to recycling and reducing waste. The campuses track their progress and achievements in this area in their own ways., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, The University will need to be actively engaging students, faculty, staff, administrators, and the general public in this goal. Additionally, the University should evaluate if there are current vendors or other parties that could assist with programs or other infrastructure to assist in accomplishing this goal., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, The campuses can point to marked progress in this area through the substantial programing taking place around this issue. The University’s annual Sustainability Report highlights many of the initiatives underway across UMass., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, UMass must sustain the progress achieved by the campuses and capitalize on the enthusiasm for this issue, thereby generating more programs and strategies such as: the University’s total annual waste generation (materials diverted and disposed).
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Item Description Principle 7 Environmentally Preferable Purchasing – Implement a procurement approach to access environmentally-conscious products whenever applicable and available. Goal 7.1 Establish Environmentally-Preferable Products Procurement Program (EPP) and continue to implement annual procurement goals to move toward alignment with the standards of the Environmental Purchasing Advisory…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., As part of the Commonwealth's overall goals of conserving natural resources, reducing waste, protecting public health and the environment, and promoting the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products, this policy committed to reducing State Agency impact on the environment and enhancing public health by procuring Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) and services…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, This goal is important since it complements the other goals surrounding sustainability and will help support those goals through the use of environmentally preferable products wherever possible., Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, The Director for Enterprise Wide Procurement currently meets regularly with State procurement leaders and will follow-up on the implementation of this program and any changes that the University should be made aware of., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, Working closely with the Procurement Council to ensure that EPP products are available on BuyWays and are competitively priced would be an important step to continue., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, To date, specific products have been researched and launched but not a full scale EPP program. (i.e. Paper, ink cartridges) The Director of Enterprise Wide Procurement has been meeting regularly as the University’s designee with the State’s Procurement Directors., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, The University must continue to work together to develop the best and most cost effective EPP program for the University and ensure that all information is effectively communicated to the necessary stakeholders using the products. The UMass Sustainability Council will provide recommendations to the Procurement office and collaborate on a regular basis. Goals developed should continue to be met…
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Item Description Principle 8 Sustainable Food Services – Supporting sustainable food systems through food and beverage purchases. Goal 8.1 Strive for each campus food service operation to procure sustainable food products while maintaining accessibility and affordability for all students and campus patrons. Metric Annually report on the percentage of dining service food products that are third-…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., The STARS standards recognizes institutions that are supporting sustainable food through the purchase of their food and beverages. Institutions can do this by prioritizing the purchase of sustainably produced food and beverage items. These actions reduce the social and environmental impacts of food production and help foster robust local economies and food security; improved conditions for farm…, Why is this goal important to highlight?, This goal is important since food and beverages are a part of everyday life on a college campus and impacting the manner in which food is produced, transported, and consumed can have a systemic impact., Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, Each of the campus have employed individual strategies or programs to address the theme of this goal. One example has been the commitment to local food options in various ways, including the sponsorship of a weekly farmer’s market at the Medical School., Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, To achieve progress in meeting this goal the campuses will have to continue to partner with their food service providers to identify products and other available options to accomplish this goal., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, Each campus has been promoting sustainability-minded programs to encourage locally sourced food products and reduce food waste. The Amherst campus has committed to the Real Food Challenge, which requires that 20% of the University food and beverage purchases be local / community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane by 2020. The Medical School hosts a weekly Farmers Market from June to…, What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, The University’s dining services purchase food and beverages that meet at least one of the following criteria: a local or community-based producer and/or third party verified to be ecologically sound, fair and or humane. The University must also work to ensure that all vending operations, convenience stores, or concessions abide by the same standards as the campus food service if different.
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Item Description Principle 9 Sustainable Water Systems – Reducing campus water withdrawals can reduce pressures on local aquifers, streams, rivers, lakes, and aquatic wildlife. Goal 9.1 Reduce potable water usage and determine goals consistent with capital investments and annual programs implemented in support of reducing potable water. Metric Annually report the potable water use per weighted…, Define the goal issue and provide background info to understand the goal in lay terms., In 2007, the Leading By Example Executive Order 484 which required state agencies to address resource use at state facilities and established the Leading by Example (LBE) Program to oversee the coordinated efforts state agencies, including UMass campuses and state and community colleges, to reduce their environmental impact., Why is this goal important to highlight?, Water efficiency is important as fresh water supplies are limited and the current systems of treating, pumping, and disposing of water is energy intensive, wasteful, and can be disruptive to downstream ecosystems. As Executive Order 484 states, buildings account for 13% of potable water use. Potable water is defined as water that meets drinking water standards and is safe for human consumption.…, Where does the University/campuses currently stand in meeting this goal?, While the LBE program faced challenges in tracking water usage at state facilities, the University of Massachusetts campuses are achieving LEED certification for new building projects, which helps to meet reduction goals for potable water usage. LEED establishes prerequisite and credit options for the adoption of water use reduction strategies. Currently, all LEED certified buildings are required…, Are there other groups/departments who will be critical in meeting this goal?, Grounds, Facilities, Engineering and Construction, Planning, and Power Plant Operations will all be critical department to include in the discussion of potable water usage at the university., What has been done in the past to advance towards this goal?, Water use is to be considered early in the construction process for new buildings and renovations, irrigation requirements for landscaping and the use of non-potable water, and opportunities to improve efficiency and the use of non-potable water for cooling towers., What does the University/campus need to do in order to reach this goal?, A challenge in meeting this goal will be that UMass campuses continue to grow and that the reduction goals for potable water established by Executive Order 484 are not normalized. Sources of water need to be metered so that tracking of water use can be effective. Continuing to achieve LEED requirements and credits for installation of low flow fixtures, efficient irrigation, and cooling processes…
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