Camp
pusSusstainab
bilityP
Plan
FirsttEditio
on
Rev
vision1
1
Decemb
D
ber15, 2010
TABLEO
T
OFCONTENTS
I.
ExecutiveS
E
Summary........................................................................................................................................................................................................3
II.
Introductio
I
onandHisttory...................................................................................................................................................................................10
III.
Organizatio
O
on...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................15
IV.
Energyand
E
dInfrastruccture...............................................................................................................................................................................17
V.
Academics
A
andStuden
ntLife..........................................................................................................................................................................38
a. CurriculumandTe
eaching........................................................................................................................................................................39
b.
b Research
h...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................41
c. Co‐curricularActiv
vitiesandR
RaisingAwa
areness.............................................................................................42
d.
d ServiceL
Learning,In
nternshipss,Voluntee ring.........................................................................................................43
e. CampusEvents...........................................................................................................................................................................................................45
VI.
Transporta
T
ation...................................................................................................................................................................................................................47
a. DailyCommuting....................................................................................................................................................................................................47
b.
b On‐Camp
pusVehicle
eUsage.......................................................................................................................................................................50
c. AirTrav
vel............................................................................................................................................................................................................................50
d.
d Transpo
ortationSerrvices............................................................................................................................................................................51
VII.
Purchasing
P
g.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................53
VIII.
Community
C
yEngagementandCommunicatiions.........................................................................................................55
IX.
Assessmen
A
ntandEvalu
uation...........................................................................................................................................................................59
X.
Conclusion
C
ns...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................61
XI.
Appendices
A
s................................................................................................................................................................................................................................62
A.
A Presiden
nt’sClimate
eCommitm
mentAgreem
ment..................................................................................................63
B. Reporto
onXavierU
UniversityG
GHGEmissiionsSurvey
y................................................................................65
C. Energya
andInfrastrructure......................................................................................................................................................................81
D.
D AlternattiveEnergy
yOptions..................................................................................................................................................................91
E. EcologicalFootprin
ntProposall.................................................................................................................................................104
yofTerms............................................................................................................................................................................................106
F. Glossary
2
I.E
EXECUT
TIVESU
UMMARY
Y
Keepingw
withitsJesuiittradition,X
XavierUniverrsityhasahiistoryofcom
mmitmenttosocialand
economiccjustice.Itno
owseekstob
broadenthetraditionalin
nterpretationsofthoseccommitmentssto
includea moresignifiicantemphassisonenviro
onmentalstew
wardship.
ommittee.Itwas
OnApril29,2008,Fr..MichaelGraaham,S.J.,forrmallyconveenedtheSusttainabilityCo
uenttohissiggningtheAm
mericanColleegeandUniversities’
oneoftheestepsrequiiredsubsequ
Presidentts’ClimateCommitment. Fr.Grahamframedsusttainabilityassapivotalglo
obalissuein
whichtheeUnitedStatteshasavery
yimportantrrole,andTheePresident’ssClimateCom
mmitmentassan
importan
ntvehiclebywhichtoinittiateacalltoaction.Thecommitmen
ntalsoresonaateswiththee
Jesuitmisssionandphilosophyinw
whichweareeallsteward
dsofthisplan
net.Thisstew
wardshipis
centralto
otheoutwardexpression
nofourfaithandinstitutiionalidentityy.
plaidout,then,wasto:
Thethreee‐foldchargeetothegroup
 Deveeloptherepu
utationasaninstitutiontthatdoessusstainabilityw
well
 Beco
omeaninspirrationtothebroadercom
mmunity
 Estab
blishregionaalbestpractiices
pusSustainaabilityPlanissadynamicd
documentthaatresultsfro
om18month
hsofworkon
nthe
TheCamp
partofth
hecommitteeeandthecom
mmunity.Mu
ultiplekinds offorumsin
ncludingluncchdiscussion
ns,
Sustainab
bilityDaycom
mmunitycon
nversations,draftplanfe edbacksessiions,electron
nicfeedback
k
options,aandconversaationswithk
keyconstitueenciesforall sectionsofth
heplan,wereheldtosoliicit
feedbackfromtheUn
niversitycom
mmunityonth
hePlanandtthespecificaactionsitsho
ouldtake,.Th
he
mmitteetook
karoleindrraftingthePlaninfivemaajorsections:Academic,Transportattion,
entirecom
CommunityEngagem
mentandCom
mmunicationss,Energyand
dInfrastructture,andPurrchasing.Ineeach
ngegoals,andadiscussio
onofresourcce
section,thereisasetofimmediate,mid‐termandlong‐ran
dobstacles.Thegoalsan
ndreductionsaresetbas edon2008llevels,ascalcculatedinou
ur
needsand
firstgreenhousegasssurvey.
A. PlanHighlights
visionandgo
oalstatementtsforeachseection.
Belowweelistallthev
andInfrastru
ucture
Energya
TominimizeG
GHGemissio
onsfromthepurchasean
nduseofelecctricityand
Long‐terrmVision:T
naturalgas(stationarryfuelsourcees)tothefullestextentp ossible;toreeducethecon
nsumptionaand
waloffreshw
water;toredu
ucetherateo
oforeliminaatestormwatterrunofffro
omXavier
withdraw
premisess;toreducesolidwasteth
hroughconseervativepracctices,reuseitemsthatcaanstillserveea
function,andrecycleusedmateriaals;toprovid
declean,aesttheticallyrew
wardingoutd
doorfacilitieesfor
nts,staff,and
dvisitors.
allstuden
Goals: gyUse
1. Energ
AccordingtoX
A
XavierUniveersity’sGHGiinventoryco mpletedinttheSpringof2009,purch
hased
en
nergyin200
08accounted
dfor63%ofttheentireCO
O2equivalentemissionso
oftheUniverrsity.
Twopathshav
vebeeniden
ntifiedfromw
whichtochooosetheinitiaalreductionssintheGHG
missionsfrom
mpurchased
delectricityaandstationarryfuelsourcces.Toachieveourgoals,,
em
in
nvestmentsinamultitudeofalternatiiveenergy,eenergyconservationmeasures,andofffsets
to
oarenecessaary.Thetrajeectoryofemiissionsreducctionswilldeependontheepathtaken.
3
I.E
EXECUT
TIVESU
UMMARY
Y




Path1
Investtinalternativ
vetechnologgiessuchasssolar,geotherrmal,co‐generationandffuel
cellstoachieveatleasta7%reeductionfrom
m2008levellsby2012an
ndusetheco
ost
ductioninitiaatives.
avoidaancesavingstofundotheercarbonred
Furtheerreducegreeenhousegassemissionstto50%redu
uction(anadd
ditional43%
%)by
2030tthroughotheeralternativeeenergyand
denergyconsservationmeeasureswith
han
interm
mediatestepof35%redu
uctionby201
18. Path2
uallyreduceo
ourgreenhou
usegasemis sionstoachiievea25%reductionby2018
Gradu
throug
ghhigherRO
OIenergycon
nservationm
measures.
Furtheerreducegreeenhousegassemissionstto50%redu
uction(anadd
ditional25%
%)by
2030tthroughhigh
herROIalternativeenerggyandenergyyconservatio
onmeasuress.
Regardle
essofthep
pathchosen
n


Investtmentinoffsets(preferab
blytangible, measureableeinitiativesiinthe
surrou
undingcomm
munity)willp
probablybe requiredforrtheremainiing50%by2
2030.
Allsub
bsequentplaanningandnewconstructtionwillrequirethatach
hievingcarbo
on
neutraalityiskeyto
otheoveralldesign.
dingandPlan
nning
2. Build
 Paybaackanalysissshouldrefleccttheactualllifeofthestrructure,withmaterialand
d
equipm
mentselectio
onsbasedon
nGHGemissiionreduction
ns,sincesom
mefundswillneed
tobeu
usedtobuyo
offsetsifthisisnotdone.
 Deviseewaystoach
hieveacadem
micprogram goalswhileb
buildingasliittlenewspaaceas
possib
ble.Construcctioncosts,en
nergycosts,aandemission
nswouldbelower.No
amoun
ntofconserv
vationcanav
voidincreasin
ngcampusemissionswh
henadditionaal
squareefootageisb
built. 3. WaterConservation
a..Consumption ptionlevelsb
by40%from
m2008levels.  Reducceoverallwaaterconsump
 Examiinewater‐consumingsysstemsandim
mplementchaangestohigh
h‐consuming
devicees.  Provid
dewaterusaagefeedbackandeducatioontochangeeindividualb
behavior. b.Withdrawaal  Seekw
waystocapttureandreussestormwattertominimizefreshwatterusefor
irrigaationandcoo
olingtowers.
 Impleementpracticesthatredu
ucetheneed forirrigationandcoolingwater. mwaterManaagement
4. Storm
Sttormwaterrunoffisamaatterofseriousconcernt oCincinnati’’sMetropolittanSewerDistrict
(M
MSD)duetocombinedseeweroverflow
ws(CSOs).
a..Runoff  SeekaanMSDgrantttoreducesttorm‐waterrrunoffby10,000,000gallonsperyear
within
n5years. 4
I.E
EXECUT
TIVESU
UMMARY
Y

Investtigatewaterrretentionsysstemsandim
mplementchaangestocapturehardsu
urface
runofff. b.Reuse waystocaptu
ureandreusestormwateertoimprovvethefeasibilityofretenttion
 Seekw
system
ms. 5. Solid‐‐WasteManaagement
So
olidwastein
ncludesmaterialspurchassedbytheUn
niversity,maaterialscarriiedinfromo
off
caampus,andm
materialsgen
neratedoncaampus.
 Preven
ntusefulmaterialresourrcesfrombeiingwastedandreduceth
heconsumptiion
ofraw
wmaterialsby30%from2008levelsw
within5yeaars.  Expan
ndrecyclingiinallareasfo
orallrecyclaableproductss.  Createeacampusw
wideinformationexchanggeandeducaationalsystem
maboutmatterial
recyclling,reusean
ndreduction. ndsMaintenance
6. Groun
 Reduccedependencceonfossilfu
uels,otherexxtractedmin
nerals,chemiicalfertilizerrsand
pesticideswhilereetaininganaaward‐winnin
ngappearance. oppoliciesto
oensurethattsustainabiliityisincorpo
oratedintolaandscapedessign,
 Develo
maintenanceandm
managementt. Transportation Toreducetraansportation‐‐relatedgreeenhousegasemissionsbyy50%by20
030. Long‐terrmVision:T
Goals:
ulty,staffandstudentvehiclemiles( 55%oftranssportationem
missions)byy:
1.
Toreducefacu
nganeffectiv
vecarpool/rideshareproggram.
 Developin
withcommun
nityleaders,Universityp
planners,cityyofficials,an
ndtheregion’s
 Workingw
transitautthoritytodeevelopviable masstransittoptionsforrtheXavierccommunity.
nganincentiv
vizedparkingsystem,inccludingdeveelopingnon‐d
dailyparkingg
 Developin
passestoencourageriidesharing,eexpandingm
motorizedtwo
o‐wheeledveehicleparkin
ng,
anddesign
natingpreferrredparkingglocationsfoorcompactcaars/high‐efficiencyvehicles,
andcarpo
ooling.
ngbicycleand
dpedestrian
ncommuting byinstallinggadditionalb
bikeracksin
nkey
 Supportin
locationso
oncampusaandcreatingaacentralized
dbikeparkin
nglot(s),developingbike‐
routemap
psforcommu
uterswithinafive‐miler adiusofcam
mpus,implem
mentinganon
n‐
campusbiike‐sharingp
program,workingwithC
Cityofficials,Universityplannersand
communittyleaderstoencourageb
bike‐lanecon
nstructiontoimprovesaffety,and
partnering
gwithlocalrretailerstosupportpurch
hasesandreepairs(ofbik
kes?).
vehicleemisssionsbyrequ
uiringthepu
urchaseorleaaseofhigh
 Reducingon‐campusv
efficiencyfleetvehicleesaswellasttransitioninggfleetvehicleestomoresu
ustainablefu
uel
optionssu
uchasvegetaableoil,biodiesel,electriccorhydrogeen.
Reduceunive
R
rsity‐related
dairtravelfo
orintercolleggiatecompetiitions,recruiitment,
2.
professionald
developmentt,andstudyaabroad(12%
%ofXavier’sggreenhouseggasemission
ns)
y:
by
5
I.E
EXECUT
TIVESU
UMMARY
Y


3.
Usingnew
wandaffordaableteleconfferencingtech
hnologyand
dthroughedu
ucationaleffo
orts
toinformUniversityd
divisionsabou
uttheimpacctofairtraveel.
ngcarbonofffsetsasparto
oftheUniverrsity’slargerplantobecaarbonneutraalby
Purchasin
2030.
nd
Establishaforrmalbodyorrofficetooveerseeandcooordinatetransportationinitiativesan
nfrastructureeimprovemeents.
in
dentLife
AcademiicsandStud
Tocreateanaacademicand
dco‐curricullarexperienccethatintrod
ducesevery
Long‐terrmVision:T
Xavierstu
udenttoideaasandissuessofsustainab
bilityfroma varietyofpeerspectives.Forthosewh
ho
wishtoengagemore,thereareaccademic,expeerientialand
dleadershipo
opportunitieesoncampussand
mmunitytop
provideskillssandknowleedgeforfutu
ureeffortsan
ndcareers.X
Xavierbecom
mesa
inthecom
hubofsu
ustainableeventsandady
ynamicreseaarchcenterfforinterdisciiplinarycollaaborationintthe
region.
Goals:
oincreasetheenumberofcourseswith
hsustainabillitycontento
oncampusso
othat
1.
Teaching—To
ev
verystudenttisexposedttothetopicin
nmultiplecooursesthrou
ughouttheirffour‐yearcarreer
by
y:
 Facilitatin
ngfacultydev
velopmentin
nsustainabiliitytopicsbyofferingann
nualworksho
ops
forfaculty
ytofosterdiaaloguebetweeendisciplin
nesthatwillaaidfacultyin
nincorporatin
ng
moresusttainabilitythemesintoexxistingcoursees.
ngamajorinEnvironmen
ntalSciencess.
 Developin
hsustainabiliitycontent.
 Encouragiingstudentstoenrollinccourseswith
bilitycontenttinthecourssecatalog.
 Identifyingcourseswiithsustainab
2.
Research—To
R
ofosterinterrdisciplinarycollaboratioonsbetweeninterestedfaacultyand
op
pportunitiessforstudentsstoparticipaateinresearcchoncampu
usandinlocaalorganizatio
ons.
Toraiseawaarenessofstu
udents,facultyandstafftthrougha
3.
Co‐curricularActivities—T
multitudeofs
m
sustainability
y‐focusedinitiativesinclu
uding:
 Providing
gbetterpubliicityfortherrecyclingproogram.
nresaOrienttationPrograam.
 IncorporaatingsustainaabilityandreelatedtopicssintotheMan
ndmove‐out bymakingrrecyclingopttionswidely
 Reducingwasteduringgmove‐inan
availableaandwidelyp
publicized.
gallincominggstudentswithaguidefoorsustainabllelivingoncampusandinthe
 Providing
communitty.
nganannualorsemi‐annualsustainab
bilitylectureeseries.
 Supportin
udenthasatlleasttenhou
ursexperienttial
4.
SeerviceLearning—ToensurethateverryXavierstu
leearningrelatedtosustain
nability.
moteeventsth
hateducateaaboutsustain
nabilityinth
hewider
5.
CampusEvents—Toprom
co
ommunity.
6
I.E
EXECUT
TIVESU
UMMARY
Y



Developaandmaintaincampussusttainabilitycaalendaronth
hewebsite.
Developaannualcomm
munity‐widessustainabilityyevent.
Becomeknownforloccal,greencon
nferences.
Purchasiing
Tomakepurcchasesthatw
willpromoteahealthyco
ommunityandenvironmeent
Long‐terrmVision:T
byincorp
poratingkeyenvironmen
ntalandsociaalfactorswitthtraditionallpriceandperformance
consideraations.
dimplementsustainabilitty‐focusedpu
urchasingpo
oliciesby201
12.
Goal:Todevelopand
nityEngagem
mentandCo
ommunicatiions
Commun
Todevelopan
ndmaintainsignificanto utreachefforrts,boththro
oughcommu
unity
Long‐terrmVision:T
engagementandcommunicationss,inordertocommunicattelessonsleaarnedandmarketsuccessses
ortsareknow
wn,appreciatted,understo
ood,andrepllicatedbythe
sothatXaavier’ssustaiinabilityeffo
publicfro
omthesurroundingneigh
hborhoodsto
otheMidwesstregionand
dbeyond.Xaavierwillbeccome
locallyan
ndnationally
yrecognizedasamodelfo
orsustainabiilityefforts.
Goals:
—Toengageaasbothalea derandactivveparticipan
ntininspirin
ng
1.
CommunityEngagement—
th
hinking,deveelopingmodeels,andenacctingplansth
hatspurcreaativeideasan
ndinnovativee
projectsinsteepwithcomm
munitypartn
nersby:
nganOfficeo
ofSustainabillityforthecooordinationofsustainabilityeffortstthat
 Developin
mayalsosserveasaressourceforth
helocalneigh
hborhoods,o
ourcity,andggroupsbeyond.
ntralmannerr,alreadyexistingsustain
nabilityefforts
 Identifyingandcatalogging,inacen
withintheeUniversity,inourcityan
ndourregio nthatcanin
nformcollabo
oration,learn
ning
opportuniitiesandcoordinatedaliggnmentofeffforts.
ons—TopossitionXavierasaplaceto whichtheciity,theregio
onandthe
2.
Communicatio
co
ountrycantu
urntoforinn
novativethin
nkingandcreeativeaccom
mplishmentassrelatedto
su
ustainabilityefforts.
Prioritiesan
ndConclusio
ons
B.TopP
TheCamp
pusSustainaabilityPlanisscomprehensive,ambitioousandinclu
udesmanyreecommendattions
forimmediate,short‐term,mid‐teermandlongg‐termconsid
deration.Wh
hileallofthee
recommeendationswo
ouldhelpmakeXaviermo
oresustainab
ble,someareecritical,esp
peciallyaswee
begintheeprocessofimplementatiion.Belowissalistofthoosecrucialtaasks:
nter
1.
Createasustaainabilitycen
nvestinenerrgy‐conservaationmeasuresandaltern
nativeenergyy
2.
In
3.
Promotebuild
dinguseandplanningwithsustainab
bilityasaprio
ority
hingandreseearchofsusttainability
4.
Promoteteach
ustainabilityintheirdorm
msandatMaanresa
5.
Educatestudeentsaboutsu
Developviabl
D
emasstranssitoptionsby
yworkingwiiththecomm
munity
6.
7.
Establishaforrmalbodyto
ocoordinatetransportati oninitiativess
mplementBeestTotalValu
ueModelinp
purchasing
8.
Im
7
I.E
EXECUT
TIVESU
UMMARY
Y
9.
Establishaneeffectivevehiicleforintern
nalandexterrnalcommun
nicationonth
heUniversityy
website
w
nexcitingtim
meforXavierandtheworrld.Humanityyisatacrosssroads.Work
kingonthesee
Thisisan
complexissuestogeth
herwillbuild
dourcommu
unitiesandou
urabilitytoreducethelo
ong‐termeffeects
ofglobalclimatedestabilization.Itwillalsoprromoteourccommunities’resiliencesothatwearee
hertheeffectsofdestabilizationthat cannotbem
mitigated.
well‐situaatedtoweath
y,andduringgthelasttwo
nd
Xavierhaaslongbeeninvolvedinssustainability
oyearstheccommitteean
theUniveersityasawh
holehaveleaarnedevenm
moredeeplyaaboutthecom
mplexnatureeofsustainaability
work.Itiinvolvesacu
ulturalshift;ssystemicand
dholisticchaange;notjusttsmall,increementalchan
nges.
AsEinsteeinfamouslystated,“Weccan’tsolveproblemsusin
ngthesamek
kindofthink
kingweused
d
whenwecreatedthem
m.”Asaresu
ult,ourUniveersityisenterringanewphaseofsysteemicandcreative
on.Minimally,weseefou
urwaysinwh
hichourUnivversitywillllikelybetran
nsformed.
adaptatio
demics,sustaainabilitycalllsuponustoolearnacrosssdisciplines,,andwewillneed
First,intermsofacad
uetopromottesuchoppo
ortunitiesino
ourteachinggandourres earch.Wew
willalsoneedto
tocontinu
seethato
ourcampusaandneighborringcommun
nitiesarelab
boratoriesforrengagedleaarningaroun
nd
builtenviironments,aalternativetransportation
n,gardening,,energyuseaandalternativeenergy,
amongm
manyotherto
opics.
withinfourto
ofiveyearsaasthisPlanissre‐evaluateed,amoreho
olisticapproaachto
Second,w
sustainab
bilityplannin
ngandfundin
ngwillbenecessary.Thisswillinvolveemovingbeyyondtherubricof
theclimaatecommitmentanditsassessmentto
ools,forexam
mple,tosomeethinglikean
nEcological
FootprinttAssessmentt(seeappendix).Suchan
nassessmen twouldtakeeintoaccoun
ntother
environm
mentalfactors,suchaswaaterusagean
ndtheamoun
ntoflandfillspaceused,iinadditionto
o
greenhou
usegasemisssions.
mostimportan
ntly,weforeseeplanninggandbudgettingbecomin
ngalong‐rangge
Third,andperhapsm
kingthatallow
wsustoincluderesourceeconservatioon,education
nalbenefits,buildinglife
undertak
cycles,an
ndothermeaasuresalongssidethemoreetypicalshoort‐rangefinaancialmeasu
ures.The
combinattionoflong‐ttermplannin
ngandthinkingandaneccologicalfoottprintassessmentwillmeean
thatwetaakethefuturreofourplan
netandoursstudents’graandchildrenaasseriouslyaaswetakeou
ur
education
nalquality,o
ourenrollmen
ntnumbers,andourend
dowment.
work,nomaatterwhereitttakesplace,
hasstated,“S
Successfulsu
ustainabilityw
Finally,asDavidOrrh
useofitsholiisticnatureaandbecauseofthegravityyof
requirestotalinstituttionalcommiitmentbecau
weface.”Inco
orporatingsu
ustainabilityyintoXavier’soperationsatalllevelsisin
theecologicalcrisisw
withtheJesu
uittraditionaandpromotesthewelfareeofourstudents,ourinstitutionandour
keepingw
communiity.WehavebeengratifieedbytheUniiversity’ssup
pportofsusttainabilitywo
orkuptothis
pointand
dforeseeasttrongneedto
obuildonthiissuccessun
ntilwereachthepointthatsustainability
isasmucchapartofou
urculturalvaaluesandmiissionasedu
ucatingstudeentsforsolidarity,successs,
andserviice.Xavierhaasmadegreaatstridesinp
promotinga moresustain
nablecampu
usduringthepast
decadean
ndispoisedtotakethesttepsnecessaarytomeetth
hechallengesahead.
8