Syracuse University 2008 Campus Sustainability Leadership Award Application

Category

Four-year and Graduate Institutions over 7,500 FTE

imageMayFest 2008 Electricity Bike Generator
Photographer: SU Photo & Imaging Center

Contact

Steve Lloyd
Chief Sustainability Officer
Energy & Computing Management/Sustainability Division
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
(315) 443-4993
salloyd@syr.edu

Governance & Administration

Since the arrival of Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor in 2004, sustainability has become an institutional priority at Syracuse University. Although conservation efforts flourished on campus for decades prior to Chancellor Cantor's arrival, her leadership has given rise to a new sense of shared vision, unifying existing endeavors and driving a rapid proliferation of ideas.

Much of this positive change comes as a direct result of Chancellor Cantor's February 2007 decision to sign the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). As one of the first 70 institutions to commit to the ACUPCC, Syracuse University underscored its intent to play a leadership role in the fight against global warming, and crystallized a sense of long-term dedication to the task of creating a more sustainable campus, community and society.

This resolve is evident in the creation of several new internal structures. Three key groups formed in early 2007:

  • ACUPCC Steering Committee. This group of faculty and administrators guides the implementation of the ACUPCC and evaluates all actions the University takes on its path to fulfilling the commitment.
  • Campus Sustainability Committee. Chaired by the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Dr. Louis Marcoccia, this committee includes representatives from the faculty, staff, and student body. The committee meets to discuss new sustainability initiatives and suggestions. One of the group's accomplishments to date is the creation of an institution-wide policy, the Syracuse University Commitment to Sustainability. The group has also developed a policy statement for building sustainability and developed protocols, processes, and funding proposals for LEED certification.
  • Sustainability Division. This administrative unit, headed by the Chief Sustainability Officer, dedicates a full-time staff of four to the daily work of facilitating sustainability. The unit was formed in recognition of the value and potential impact of a formal sustainability program. It is a direct outgrowth of an energy conservation program which has expanded continually since the early 1970s.

In the spring of 2007, Syracuse University changed its proxy voting protocol to better promote sustainability through responsible investment practices. The Treasurer's Office has adopted a new protocol for review of and voting on proxies for shareholder proposals related to environmental, social or governance  issues. These measures help ensure that investment decisions align with the University's values and priorities, while still achieving its financial goals.

In addition to its recent changes, Syracuse University maintains numerous ongoing sustainability-related committees, programs, and memberships, including those listed below.

Committees

  • Indoor Air Quality - addresses concerns and solutions.
  • Preventive Maintenance -evaluates programs.
  • Utilities - financial and operational evaluation of utility usage.
  • Division of Student Affairs Civic Engagement and Sustainability Council -provides civic engagement opportunities for students and staff.
  • Sustainability Contacts - provides awareness and information dissemination.

Programs

Memberships

Operations

Building on over thirty years of energy conservation efforts, Syracuse University continues to expand its portfolio of sustainable business practices across campus.

Buildings and Grounds

  • LEED certification policy for new building and total renovation projects over
    $10 million.
  • LEED Volume Certification program- pilot participant with sixteen buildings registered.
  • Grounds plan incorporates an increasing number of natural landscapes and indigenous plants.
  • Custodians use green cleaning products and techniques.
  • Residence halls use low-flow fixtures to conserve water.
  • Virtual PM - energy management system (EMS) used to test heating and cooling equipment prior to seasonal use, reducing on-campus vehicle use.

Energy Conservation

  • Campus-wide Energy Management System - reduced energy consumption by over 15%.
  • LED and compact fluorescent light fixtures -over 600,000 kilowatt-hours saved with LED exit signs.
  • Space temperature policy to reduce energy consumption and increase comfort.
  • Virtualized servers to reduce computing energy usage.
  • Centralized energy and power settings for desktop computers.
  • Lighting occupancy controls installed in classrooms and offices.
  • Developing pilot project to determine feasibility of solar-powered parking lot lighting.

Environmentally Friendly Products

  • Retail outlets carry recycled, organic and fair-trade products.
  • Comprehensive sustainable purchasing policy under development.
  • 20% of electricity purchased from renewable sources.
  • Soy ink and 100% recycled paper available for all campus publications.

Food

  • Dining centers provide reusable containers for take-out meals.
  • 10% discount for fountain drinks dispensed into reusable containers at food courts and cafes.
  • Dining centers serve locally-grown produce in season.
  • Commitment to other local products when available.
  • All new students receive free reusable beverage bottles.
  • Meal plan offerings no longer include canned soda or bottled water.
  • Organic food for sale at student center.
  • Vending-Misers installed on refrigerated vending machines.

Paper reduction

  • Enterprise document imaging program stores electronically received or scanned documents such as admissions applications, payments, purchasing requisitions, blueprints, contracts.
  • Electronic paychecks and expense reimbursements.
  • Online parking permit registration.
  • Online student registration and housing reservations.
  • Sustainability Division models paperless meetings.

Transportation

  • Campus shuttles use hybrid or compressed natural gas technology - over a million riders per year.
  • Free buses on campus and to nearby neighborhoods with University ID.
  • One-Seat Ride program offers direct buses from suburbs to campus.
  • Carpooling program with financial incentives.
  • Telecommuting option available (as job duties allow).
  • Bicycle patrols in Public Safety Department.
  • Electric golf carts used at all major campus events.
  • Six hybrid vehicles used by Physical Plant and Public Safety Departments.

Waste

  • Excess Property Disposal program encourages reuse of furniture and equipment among campus departments and provides a way to recycle most computer components.
  • Improved campus recycling to 35% by distributing additional containers.
  • Recycling for electronic components, batteries, toner and printer cartridges.
  • Food Services composts pre-consumer kitchen waste.
  • Food Services provides used fryer oil for conversion to diesel fuel.

Curriculum & Research

Syracuse University is developing and implementing curricula across campus for undergraduate and graduate students addressing the ecological, economic and socio-political dimensions of global climate change. Currently, 138 courses are offered on a range of subjects related to sustainability.

Schools and Colleges Offering Courses

The University offers numerous interdisciplinary programs and activities related to sustainability and global climate change. Several institutes and centers participate, as do many schools and colleges, through lectures, seminars, and workshops on pertinent themes.

Institutes and Centers

  • BEESL-Building Energy and Environmental Systems Laboratory.
  • CEPA - Center for Environmental Policy and Administration.
  • CESE-Center for Environmental Systems Engineering.
  • CoE-EES-NYS Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems.
  • EFC-USEPA Environmental Finance Center (Region 2).
  • EQS Star Center-Star Center for Environmental Quality Systems.
  • INSCT-Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism.
  • Institute for Manufacturing Enterprises.
  • Daniel Patrick Moynihan Institute for Global Affairs
  • PARC-Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflict.

Lecture Series, Seminars, and Workshops

  • Business and Sustainability Seminar Series (Whitman, SUNY ESF, CoE).
  • CEPA "Focus the Nation-A National Day of Discussion about Global Warming Solutions".
  • CoE "Symposium on Innovative Built Environments - Design with Nature".
  • Design competition: "From the Ground Up: Innovate Green Homes".
  • Design and Technology Workshop "Eco-Effective Campus".
  • Earth Day Panel Discussion: Perspectives on the Environment: A panel discussion with Professors Steve Brechin, Emanual Carter and David Popp.
  • Geoffrey O. Seltzer Lecture: Amory Lovins, "Profitable Solutions to Climate, Oil and Proliferation Problems".
  • Maxwell School, Africa Caucus Student Speaker Series: "Assessing the Impact of Off-Road Driving on the Masai Mara National Reserve and Adjoining Areas, Kenya".
  • Maxwell School, Center for Environmental Policy and Administration lecture: S. Richard Fedrizzi, "Building Momentum for Green Buildings: From Market Transformation to Sustainability".
  • Moynihan Institute "The European Union: An Insider's View, with a discussion of EU environmental policy".
  • Nelson Lecture Series: SU Earth Sciences Dept., "Glacial-Interglacial Climate Change: A Story from Groundwater Records and Cave Deposits in the Arabian Peninsula".
  • Onondaga Land Rights and Our Common Future: "Finding Common Ground: Indigenous and Western Approaches to Healing Our Land and Waters".
  • School of Architecture/CoE fellowship for architects and engineers focusing on issues of sustainability
  • Summer Biology Research Project in Solomon Islands.
  • SU's Orange Goes Green Week (April 2008).
  • University Lecture Series: Al Gore, "An Inconvenient Truth".
  • Webinar: EnvironDesignLIVE Webinar Series .

Currently underway are plans for a partnership between the Whitman School of Business and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) to design a class project that will create a biodiesel cooperative. Waste fryer oil will be utilized for fuel in fleet vehicles at both schools.

Campus Culture

A paradigm shift is underway at Syracuse University. As members of the campus community increasingly embrace a culture of sustainability, a growing number of groups and activities promote it outside the classroom.

Groups

  • Sustainability Residential Learning Community. This living and learning community conducts a semester-long seminar and devotes a section of a campus residence hall to students with a common interest in economics, social justice, and the environment.
  • University Sustainability Action Coalition (USAC). This group brings together students, faculty and staff from area colleges, along with local residents, to pursue a common interest in sustainability-related action. Committees within the group focus on Energy and Buildings, Curriculum, University Investments, Green Purchasing and Recycling, Food Services and Composting, Transportation, Student Life and Campus Culture.

Programs, Events, and Publicity

  • Departmental visits by Sustainability Division staff to promote sustainable office practices, policies and awareness.
  • Residence Advisors sustainability training.
  • $ustainable Money Saving Tips and More! Program for off-campus students that explores ways students can save money on their heating bills, tips for recycling and ways to support the local economy.
  • New Employee Orientation on sustainability efforts and practices across campus.
  • Campus Commuter Challenge - month long activity promoting the decrease of commuter GHG emissions.
  • Focus the Nation - tie in with nationwide teach-in effort.
  • Resident Hall Energy Reduction and Recycling Increase Contest.
  • Ten Tons of Love - annual local charity drive. Now in its fourteenth year, the event is planned by University and community partners. Over 38 tons of clothing, food, housewares and furniture are collected at the end of each academic year and distributed for reuse; a winter edition is being added.
  • Orange Goes Green Week -a week of sustainability-related activities and events incorporating Earth Day.
  • Staff to Staff - sustainability presentation focused on ways to decrease costs and emissions at home and at the office.
  • Campus Sustainability Day - all-day event to promote sustainability across campus.
  • Campus web site dedicated to sustainability.
  • Monthly sustainable electronic newsletter.
  • Sustainability Division presence at 20 campus events annually to increase awareness.

Community Service and Outreach

A hallmark of Syracuse University is its emphasis on engaging with the community and the world. The University's Scholarship in Action initiative connects academe to real life; sustainability forms an important new aspect of this established focus. Recent examples include the University's participation in:

  • JPMorganChase Corporate Challenge - worked with organizers to "green" this local charitable event.
  • Local Farmers' Markets - held on campus throughout the season to promote local sourcing of perishable goods.
  • Syracuse Sustainability Academy - an educational program to bring sustainability information and tools to Syracuse City Schools and neighborhood residents.
  • Westcott Cultural Fair - provide sustainability education and information to near-campus community.
  • PCC Inforum - an event hosted at Syracuse University in November 2007 to share approaches to the greenhouse gas inventory among twelve New York State educational institutions that signed the ACUPCC.
  • Near West Side Initiative - leadership role in a public-private partnership to foster neighborhood renovation.
  • Syracuse Center of Excellence - platinum partner in a federation of more than 200 businesses and institutions that research and develop innovations to improve health, productivity, security, and sustainability in built and urban environments.
  • Environmental Engineering undergraduate capstone projects providing pro bono civil and environmental engineering services in support of local communities, governments and non-profits.
  • Ongoing coordination of sustainability efforts with other local institutions of higher education: LeMoyne College, SUNY-ESF and Onondaga Community College.
  • The Office of Orientation and Off-Campus Programs partners with Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) and the City of Syracuse to educate students about recycling and to reduce trash in the off-campus community. In addition, the office organizes the largest Earth Day Celebration registered through OCRRA. This year over 150 student, staff and community members cleaned over 120 blocks and three local parks.
  • MayFest - University student presentations and staff information booths are on display for high school students from across New York State.