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University of California, Irvine 2007 Campus Sustainability Leadership Award Application

Category

Four-year and graduate institutions over 7,500 student FTE

UC Irvine's first biodiesel shuttle bus The debut of UC Irvine's first shuttle to run exclusively on biodiesel.

Contact

Erin Lane
Senior Administrative Analyst
559 Aldrich Hall,
Irvine, CA
(949) 824-1925
elane@uci.edu

Governance & Administration

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) incorporates sustainable practices in all aspects of campus life to ensure environmental sustainability and to preserve natural resources. The 2007 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) provides the vision for campus evolution through 2025 and affirms UC Irvine’s commitment to sustainable practices. The plan states that development and operations at UC Irvine will be environmentally sound and that portions of the campus with significant natural features will be preserved. In addition, the 2007 LRDP encourages efficient water use, solid waste recycling and reuse, energy efficiency, sustainable design features, use of clean-fuel vehicles, and use of alternate modes of transportation.

The Green and Gold Plan, which was adopted in 1994, plays a significant role in preserving the campus’ natural features. The plan established progressive practices for sustainable landscaping in order to conserve and maximize resources, as well as to increase species and age diversity of plants.

Other sustainability plans at UC Irvine, including one for residential life and one for approaching carbon-neutral, are currently being developed.

UC Irvine will strive to meet/exceed the targets/requirements set forth by:

  • University of California Policy on Sustainable Practices (provides guidelines for green building design/renovation, clean energy standards, climate protection practices, sustainable transportation practices, sustainable operations, recycling and waste management, and purchasing practices)
  • California Energy Code (Title 24)
  • US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Certified rating
  • American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment.

Since 2003, Campus Sustainability Meetings have been held quarterly. Committee members include students and staff from various campus departments. The mission of this group is to promote sustainable practices in day-to-day operations and activities at UC Irvine.

There are several student organizations on campus that focus on sustainability, including the Green Campus program, the Irvine Student Sustainability Coalition, Anteaters for Recycling and Conservation, and CalPIRG.

UC Irvine is a member for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP). In addition, numerous staff members belong to professional organizations, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the National Academy of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), the Association of College and University Housing Officers- International (ACUHO-I), and the Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA).

Operations

Buildings

  • Buildings constructed since 1992 outperformed California’s energy code by 20-30 percent.
  • Buildings are designed to qualify for the USGBC’s LEED Certified rating.
  • UCI submitted the first prototype campus-wide LEED submittal, working with the USGBC to streamline and economize the LEED process for all universities, nationwide.
  • The first campus project submitted for LEED certification received a LEED Gold rating, the first Gold certification in Orange County.
  • UCI has six LEED accredited design professionals.

Energy

  • Received a 2006 award from Southern California Edison for Best Lighting Retrofit – Sustainable Operations. Forty-eight buildings were retrofit with energy-efficient ballasts and T8 lamps, reducing campus energy costs by $350,000.
  • A four-year energy-efficiency project implementation plan is expected to reduce energy consumption more than 14 percent.
  • The Green Campus program has distributed over 1,000 fluorescent lights to student residents.

Transportation

  • Sustainable Transportation provides incentives to individuals who walk, bike, or share a ride to campus.
  • Campus policies prohibit students living in adjacent complexes from purchasing commuter parking permits to encourage the use of alternative transportation.
  • The campus shuttle system carries over 1 million passengers a year.
  • UCI has an AVR of 1.87, the highest among large employers in the Los Angeles basin.
  • Opened the first hydrogen fueling station in California capable of dispensing hydrogen at 10,000 pounds per square inch.
  • Students passed a referendum to provide monies for new vehicle purchases, equipment, and route upgrades for the campus shuttle service.
  • All students, faculty, and staff are provided free access to Orange County Transportation Authority buses.

Air Quality

  • UCI is committed to approaching carbon-neutral as soon as possible.
  • The campus has created an emissions report card to track its success in offsetting carbon dioxide emissions.
  • UCI has increased the percentage of students living on-campus, turning commuters into residents. Forty-eight percent of students live on-campus and 57 percent live within a short walk or have shuttle access to campus.
  • The new combined heat and power plant reduces campus CO2 emissions 24,000 tons annually and NOx emissions 58 tons annually.
  • The campus shuttle system is being retrofitted for 100 percent biofuel (B-100 biodiesel), reducing annual campus CO2 emissions by an estimated 480 tons. Although many campuses use B-20 biodiesel (20% biodiesel/80% petro-diesel), UCI is the first U.S. campus to convert its entire shuttle bus fleet to 100 percent carbon-neutral biofuel.

Waste Management

  • UCI encourages the community to utilize reusable products and recycle materials in order to reduce and divert campus waste from landfills.
  • UCI is close to meeting the 2008 State of California goal for reduction of the landfill wastestream, currently diverting 47%.
  • In 2006, UCI recycled 2,474 tons of green waste.

Grounds Management

  • UCI landscape management staff utilize environmentally sound practices such as recycling plant waste into mulch, reducing fertilization, and implementing water savings measures.
  • Reclaimed water is used extensively. Ninety-five percent of landscaping is irrigated with reclaimed water.

Curriculum & Research

UC Irvine offers 15 undergraduate/graduate degrees and 6 minors that incorporate sustainable issues into the curriculum. These programs cover various disciplines in schools such as Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Health Sciences, The Henry Samueli School of Engineering, and the School of Physical Sciences.

A sustainable focus is also found in campus research units. A summary of these units follows.

Center for Global Environmental Change and Research

  • Promotes global environmental change research and educates students and the public about scientific research.

Urban Water Research Center

  • Mission is to “advance the understanding of the distinct characteristics of the urban water environment in order to assist people and institutions in their effort to promote health, enhance the efficient use of water resources, and protect environmental values.”

Institute of Transportation Studies

  • Conducts research on today’s transportation issues, including intelligent transportation systems, urban traffic networks, transportation pricing and regulation, energy and environmental issues, and much more.

Air Pollution Laboratory

  • Researchers at this lab study air pollution in both the developing and developed world.

National Fuel Cell Research Center (NFCRC)

  • Mission is to “facilitate and accelerate the development and deployment of fuel cell technology and fuel cell systems; promote strategic alliances to address the market challenges associated with the installation and integration of fuel cell systems; and to educate and develop resources for the various stakeholders in the fuel cell community.” The NFCRC is currently working with Toyota USA to evaluate three fuel cell hybrid vehicles by subleasing them to corporate partners who objectively provide feedback regarding the vehicles daily performance.

Campus Culture

In addition to the normal curriculum, Facilities Management provides students with the opportunity to actively learn about sustainability and recycling on campus through two internship programs. Students receive class credit for conducting a recycling project of their choice.

Sustainability is an integral part of student campaigns at UC Irvine. The undergraduate student organization, Green Campus, is instrumental in campus environmental projects, especially in relation to energy conservation. Green campus, in cooperation with Student Housing, opened the Green Room in May 2007. This dorm room contains only environmentally sustainable products ranging from energy star appliances to pens made out of rolled-up newspaper. The room gives students ideas and suggestions for leading a more sustainable and energy efficient life. Just last month, Green Campus held fume hood competitions in labs, rewarding those that closed their fume hoods the most often.

The Irvine Student Sustainability Coalition is very active in promoting sustainable policies. This graduate student group is focusing on several campaigns, including safe disposal of electronic waste, climate change, alternative fuels, and sustainable food options.

Another student group, Anteaters for Recycling and Conservation, promotes creative ways to reuse items and reduce the volume of materials going to landfills.

In March 2007, Associated Students at UC Irvine, in a coordinated effort with several campus departments, began operating the first vehicle in our shuttle bus fleet to be converted to run on 100 percent carbon-neutral biodiesel fuel made from soybean oil.

Community Service & Outreach

Facilities Management at UC Irvine runs a recycling program that enlists the help of the campus community in collecting clothing, books, household items, and non-perishable food items from students moving out of dorms at the end of the school year. Instead of these materials going to landfills, UCI donates these items to the Salvation Army with the exception of the text books, which are donated to Better World Books, a non-profit that works to increase global literacy.

UC Irvine hosted two UC/CSU/IOU Energy Efficiency Partnership workshops in 2006, Labs for the 21st Century: Managing High Performance and Low Energy and Best Practices to Exceed Title 24 by 20% or More.

UC Irvine has also made sustainable partnerships in the community. UC Irvine’s Native Tree Nursery is an innovative shared venture with the Shade Tree Partnership, an Orange County volunteer organization that has planted thousands of trees on the UC Irvine campus and at schools, parks, and public spaces throughout Orange County. Also, UC Irvine was a founding member of the Nature Reserve of Orange County and participates on the governing board.

At UC Irvine, we believe that communication is a key component of successfully conserving natural resources. To increase communication and share knowledge, UCI staff and administrators presented and led sustainability discussion at 14 national and state-wide events in 2006 and 2007.