R∙I∙T Rochester Institute of Technology Contents CAP – Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 1 Organizational Boundaries ................................................................................................................ 1 Operational Boundaries ..................................................................................................................... 1 Emission Source Breakdown .............................................................................................................. 1 Offsets ................................................................................................................................................ 2 GHG Footprint................................................................................................................................... 3 The Climate Action Planning Process .................................................................................................. 5 The 2011 Climate Action Plan Strategy ............................................................................................. 6 Frequency of Reporting ................................................................................................................. 6 Selection of Target Year ................................................................................................................ 6 Rationale for Selecting 2030 as the Target Year ........................................................................... 7 Creating a Long Term System to Achieve a Zero Emission Campus........................................... 8 Report’s Focus ................................................................................................................................ 9 The Items Deferred Until the 2013 Report .................................................................................... 9 Templates of Action .............................................................................................................................. 9 Facility Operations ...........................................................................................................................10 Mission Statement: ...........................................................................................................................10 Objectives: ....................................................................................................................................10 Suggestions: ..................................................................................................................................10 Facilities Team Proposals ............................................................................................................. 13 Food Service...................................................................................................................................... 14 Mission Statement: ........................................................................................................................... 14 Objectives: .................................................................................................................................... 14 Suggestions: .................................................................................................................................. 15 Food Service Team Proposals ....................................................................................................... 15 Grounds ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Mission Statement: ....................................................................................................................... 17 Objectives: .................................................................................................................................... 17 Suggestions: .................................................................................................................................. 17 CAP – Executive Summary ii Grounds Team Proposals ............................................................................................................. 17 Outreach ...........................................................................................................................................18 Mission Statement: .......................................................................................................................18 Objectives: ....................................................................................................................................18 Suggestions: ..................................................................................................................................18 Outreach Team Proposals ............................................................................................................19 New Initiatives ............................................................................................................................. 22 Purchasing ....................................................................................................................................... 22 Mission: ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Objectives: ................................................................................................................................... 23 Suggestions: ................................................................................................................................. 23 Purchasing Team Proposals ........................................................................................................ 23 Sustainable Purchasing Policy .................................................................................................... 24 Specification and Procurement ................................................................................................... 24 Communication and Education .................................................................................................. 25 Tracking and Benchmarking ....................................................................................................... 26 Recycling .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Objectives: ................................................................................................................................... 26 Suggestions: ................................................................................................................................. 26 Recycle Team Proposals .............................................................................................................. 27 Communications ......................................................................................................................... 28 Transportation ................................................................................................................................. 29 Objectives: ................................................................................................................................... 29 Suggestions: ................................................................................................................................. 29 Transportation Team Proposals .................................................................................................. 29 Other ideas.................................................................................................................................... 31 The Effect of the CAP Plan on the GHG Inventory............................................................................ 32 The 2011 Climate Action Plan Projections ...................................................................................... 32 CAP Summary.................................................................................................................................. 32 Next Steps ............................................................................................................................................ 34 The Facility Operations team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: ... 34 The Food Service team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: .............. 36 CAP – Executive Summary iii The Grounds team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: ..................... 38 The Outreach team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: ................... 38 The Purchasing team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: ................. 39 The Recycle team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures:....................... 39 The Transportation team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: .......... 40 Contributors ......................................................................................................................................... 41 CAP – Executive Summary iv CAP – Executive Summary ochester Institute of Technology‟s Climate Action Plan (CAP) was completed as part of their commitment to the American College & University President‟s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) initiative. In 2010 the University inventoried their greenhouse gas emissions and developed a baseline from which RIT will plan, forecast and measure reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions defined by the Kyoto Protocol (CO2, CH4, N2O, HFC, PFC, and SF6) as contributing to global warming. R This is the University‟s initial climate action plan that forecasts emission reductions using the base year greenhouse gas inventory for FY 2009 and evaluates the impact of projects, actions and proposals that are being undertaken to improve operational efficiencies and processes. The Clean Air – Cool Planet Campus Carbon Calculator workbook was used to develop this report. Organizational Boundaries T T he GHG inventory and CAP include the emissions generated by the RIT community at the Henrietta Campus, Boathouse, Racquet Club, Liberty Hill and Observatory sites. Operational Boundaries he Operational Boundaries of the GHG inventory indicate which emission sources are part of the University‟s annual submission to the ACUPCC. These boundaries also indicate the emissions being managed to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint to its smallest practical value through the measures enacted in the CAP, before other offsetting measures are undertaken. The emissions recorded in the inventory are produced by many sources. The combustion of natural gas that is used to heat the facilities, warm potable water for washing, and energize lab equipment is a major source of annual emissions. Additional emissions are generated by the gasoline, diesel, B20, airline and other fuels used in campus-related transportation. Another large source of emissions result from the generation and transmission of the electricity used for powering equipment, lights and other devices (plug loads) in the buildings. The application of nitrogen-based fertilizers, the burying of solid wastes in the landfill and other processes also yield emissions tracked in accordance with the GHG Protocol. All of these emissions are the greenhouse gasses that contribute to global warming and are recorded in the University‟s GHG inventory. Their quantities were reported in the initial inventory (88,393.2 metric tonnes (Mt) of equivalent CO2 in FY 2009) and are updated annually to track the change in GHG emissions. In FY2010, the emissions generated within the Operational Boundaries of the University amounted to 75,221.3 Mt of equivalent CO2. Explanations for the differences in GHG emissions are detained in the appropriate scope in the Emission Source Breakdown section of this report. Emission Source Breakdown T he 2009 inventory was made of the sources of emissions within the Operational and Organizational Boundaries of the study and updated for FY10. The quantified sources were allocated within the three Scopes following GHG Protocol. Within the Organizational Boundaries of the RIT study, Scope 1 emissions are generated primarily by stationary sources; heating boilers, potable hot water heaters, the heating sections of roof top heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) units and other natural gas combustion equipment. These sources accounted for 22,233.8 metric tonnes of the base year CAP – Executive Summary 1 emissions and 18,203.2 Mt in FY10. The 18.1% reduction in Stationary Equipment emissions was a result of having the new centralized boiler system online for the entire fiscal year. Other Source 1 contributors are produced by directly-financed transportation which are emissions produced by RIT fleet vehicles, refrigerants leaking into the atmosphere and fertilizers applied within the boundaries. The sum of these non-stationary sources contributed 1,422.5 Mt of the RIT GHG footprint in 2009 and 997.7 Mt in 2010. There were reductions in all three categories due to decreases in the amount of recorded direct transportation fuel usage, the quantity of refrigerant used to replace that which leaked into the atmosphere and the quantity of fertilizer applied as recorded by the Grounds department. Therefore, the total Scope 1 contribution to the greenhouse gas footprint in 2009 was 23,656 and 19,201 in 2010, which represents a change of -18.8% in the mass of Scope 1 emissions. Scope 2 emissions are produced by the generation of the electricity purchased for the facilities within the Organizational Boundaries. The emissions produced by the electric generators for the quantity of energy purchased by RIT are assigned to Scope 2 emissions while the associated transmission losses are assigned as part of RIT‟s Scope 3 emissions. Scope 2 emissions accounted for 25,995.7 Mt of the University‟s greenhouse gas footprint in 2009 and 25,589.6 Mt in 2010, a reduction of 1.6%. The transmission-related emissions accounted for an additional 2,571.0 Mt in 2009 and 2,530.8 Mt in 2010, a reduction of 1.6%, which are assigned to Scope 3 emissions. Additional Scope 3 emissions are produced by faculty, staff and students commuting to the University facilities for work or classes; University financed air, bus and other travel; and the methane produced by the solid waste buried in landfills. The sum of all Scope 3 emissions totaled 38,824.1 Mt of the CO2-e inventory footprint in 2009 and 33,144.0 Mt in 2010. The reduction in commuter-based emissions may be a consequence of the poor response to the commuter survey. Only 2.4% of students, 10.2% of faculty and 17.5% of the staff filled out the survey instrument and the results were extrapolated from that small sample. Offsets Offsets are a carbon accounting method by which the footprint of an organization is reduced in response to the implementation of processes that produce a net reduction in the global mass of CO2-e emissions. Beginning in 2009, the University has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) in the form of green electricity delivered to the main campus. A REC is a non-tangible energy commodity that represents proof that one megawatt–hour of energy was produced by a renewable energy source such as wind, solar, biofuel, hydropower, geothermal heat, etc. If the University had not purchase this green energy its footprint would be greater because the energy would have had to have been produced by conventional fuels. The offsets attributed to these RECs reduced the GHG footprint by 79.1 metric tonnes in the base year and 2,545.5 Mt in 2010. The University also received carbon credits for the aerobic composting of yard waste and waste from the dining centers on the Henrietta campus. The offsets for the base year were 3.8 metric tonnes of equivalent CO 2 emissions and 167.7 Mt in 2010. The increase in non-additional offsets was due to an increase in purchase of RECs and the additional offset increase was due to 30.9 Mt of pre-consumer food waste from campus that was sent for composting and a large reported increase in aerobic composting. CAP – Executive Summary 2 GHG Footprint he 2009 GHG footprint for RIT is shown in Table 1 on Page 3 and Figure 1 on Page 4, the 2010 footprint is depicted in Table 2 and Figure 2. To fulfill the ACUPCC requirements, the University began evaluating modifications in planning, operations, projects, processes, and procedures to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint from 88,393.2 metric tonnes of CO2-e emissions to a net emission value of zero – at which point operations within the Organizational Boundaries become greenhouse gas neutral. Milestones have been set to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of FY 2030. These milestones are described in the GHG Targets section of this report. T Select Year --> Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 O ffsets Totals Energy Consumption MMBtu 2009 Other On-Campus Stationary Direct T ransportation Refrigerants & Chemicals Agriculture Purchased Electricity Faculty / Staff Commuting Student Commuting Directly Financed Air T ravel Other Directly Financed T ravel Solid Waste Scope 2 T &D Losses Additional Non-Additional Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 All Scopes All Offsets CO 2 CH 4 N2 O eCO 2 kg kg kg Metric T onnes 420,148.3 6,342.7 326,186.5 182,615.2 225,228.4 32,427.0 1,795.0 32,260.2 22,165,233.6 443,951.5 25,893,166.2 12,806,104.3 15,854,843.3 6,366,638.9 127,929.8 2,560,862.6 2,216.3 74.1 291.0 2,556.8 2,887.0 62.7 16.1 14,967.5 28.8 44.3 26.2 2,309.7 319.7 880.3 1,006.0 72.1 5.9 31.6 426,491.0 326,186.5 474,325.8 1,227,003.2 22,609,185.1 25,893,166.2 37,716,378.9 86,218,730.1 2,290.4 291.0 20,518.9 23,100.3 2,380.2 319.7 1,995.9 4,695.8 Net Emissions: 22,233.8 453.6 280.6 688.3 25,995.7 13,132.3 16,226.8 6,389.7 130.1 374.2 2,571.0 (3.8) (79.1) 23,656.3 25,995.7 38,824.1 88,476.1 (83.0) 88,393.2 Table 1 – 2009 GHG Data CAP – Executive Summary 3 Figure 1 – 2009 GHG Data Chart Select Year --> Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 O ffsets Totals 2010 Other On-Campus Stationary Direct T ransportation Refrigerants & Chemicals Agriculture Purchased Electricity Faculty / Staff Commuting Student Commuting Directly Financed Air T ravel Other Directly Financed T ravel Solid Waste Scope 2 T &D Losses Additional Non-Additional Scope 1 Scope 2 Scope 3 All Scopes All Offsets Energy Consumption MMBtu CO 2 CH 4 N2 O eCO 2 kg kg kg Metric T onnes 343,982.0 6,223.0 321,090.5 106,824.0 220,428.1 33,237.5 2,434.7 31,756.2 18,147,025.3 437,067.4 25,488,635.0 7,491,159.3 15,551,077.0 6,525,773.5 173,159.7 2,520,854.0 1,814.5 71.1 286.4 1,495.6 2,674.8 64.3 23.4 12,304.2 28.3 36.3 25.2 1,712.1 314.7 514.9 939.5 73.9 8.5 31.1 350,205.0 321,090.5 394,680.5 1,065,975.9 18,584,092.7 25,488,635.0 32,262,023.5 76,334,751.2 1,885.6 286.4 16,590.7 18,762.8 1,773.6 314.7 1,568.0 3,656.3 Net Emissions: 18,203.2 446.4 41.2 510.2 25,589.6 7,682.0 15,897.9 6,549.4 176.3 307.6 2,530.8 (167.7) (2,545.5) 19,200.9 25,589.6 33,144.0 77,934.6 (2,713.2) 75,221.3 Table 2 – 2010 GHG Data CAP – Executive Summary 4 Figure 2 - 2010 GHG Data Chart The Climate Action Planning Process R ochester Institute of Technology is committed to conducting its operations in a sustainable way. A well-developed CAP will advance sustainability, lower emissions, save energy and help the University conduct its activities in an ecologically and economically sound manner. It also promotes responsible consumption of resources and environmentally sound practices among all members of the University and engaged communities. To maximize the chances of successfully implementing the American College and University Presidents‟ Climate Commitment, five champions were selected from the campus community to co-chair a Climate Task Force (CTF), representing the education, research, community outreach, facilities, and purchasing activities of the campus, with the role of CTF task coordination performed by the RIT Sustainability Manager. These groups of interested individuals engage in diverse roles at the University and are dedicated to navigate and maintain University‟s successful path toward climate neutrality. The strategies developed in this CAP are based upon input from nine University teams brought together in the formation of the CTF. The individual CTF teams have personnel with responsibilities in facility operations, purchasing, transportation, food service, recycling, grounds maintenance, education, research and community outreach. Each team was tasked to independently achieve their objectives in preparing a proposal that fulfilled the following general criteria: Develop a list of processes, procedures, incentives and resources to identify, promote and measure opportunities that may lead to reducing the existing footprint of carbon-based emissions associated with that team‟s focus. The Climate Action Planning Process 5 Rank the processes, procedures, incentives and resources identified by the team based on their projected impact on reducing the carbon footprint. Consideration for ranking includes first costs, annual costs, CO2 reduction potential, implementation feasibility and other characteristics unique to the measures. Create an initial strategic plan addressing the requirements for implementing, benchmarking and quantifying the measures identified in the previous tasks. Develop a structure to permanently support the carbon emission reduction efforts and the education of the University and local communities. In response to this request, each CTF team prepared a report of their measures and submitted them to the Sustainability Manager who integrated the input from the nine teams into a unified report prepared for the Committee for Sustainable Practices (CSP) and the Administration‟s approval. RIT‟s initial CAP submission was originally scheduled for submission in May 2011 but the date has been changed by ACUPCC. RIT's mandatory CAP delivery date is now January 15th, 2012 with subsequent Progress Reports due to ACUPCC in bi-annual intervals. The RIT Sustainability Manager entered the quantifiable opportunities submitted by the teams and entered it into the Clean Air – Cool Planet Carbon Calculator. Other initiatives proposed by the teams have been included in this Climate Action Report even though their impact is not currently quantifiable. The 2011 Climate Action Plan Strategy This section of the report outlines the University‟s approach in developing and executing the CAP, the selection of a target year, the initial strategy for creating long term success and a list of the measures that will be further developed and described in the 2013 CAP report. Frequency of Reporting This is RIT‟s first CAP Report prepared for the year 2011 to fulfill the ACUPCC submission schedule. Accordingly, the follow-up reports will be prepared in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029, with the final “Zero-Emission Report” scheduled for 2030. These eleven reports will reflect the measures implemented and progress occurring since the previous submission to maintain the University on the pathway to climate neutrality. Selection of Target Year A review of CAP reports submitted to the ACUPCC shows the carbon neutrality target years selected by the reporting universities fall within the years of 2012 through 2050. Those planning a target year in the near future are reporting well-developed plans to credibly achieve climate neutrality. Conversely, universities reporting a target year closer to the far end of the range anticipate implementing aggressive measures towards the end of the reporting cycle. It is the intent of the RIT CAP team to achieve climate neutrality by the year 2030. The Climate Action Planning Process 6 Rationale for Selecting 2030 as the Target Year RIT intends to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. The University recognizes that its commitment to reduce the impact on global climate disruption requires moderate yet decisive action to demonstrate its leadership role in the curtailment of emissions supported by reasonable and measurable annual net reductions. In October 2009, the U.S. President signed Executive Order No 13514, “Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance”. Its intent is to require all federal agencies to lead by example in implementing sustainable practices and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Executive Order 13514 also establishes that all new federal buildings must achieve a zero-net-energy by the year 2030. Based on the direction taken by the federal government, challenges from other universities, growing pressure from internal and external interest groups, regulatory agencies and calls for leadership from RIT Administration, the University selected 2030 as the carbon neutrality target date. As signatories of the AUPCC, the universities have committed to reducing their carbon emissions. Realistically, there are many obstacles that institutions of higher education face when making operational changes. A balance must be maintained that keeps a university attractive to prospective and current students, while meeting programmatic needs within its budget constraints. The following is a list of known cost-related impediments RIT is assessing that impact the time schedule and order of implementation needed to achieve carbon neutrality: Costs associated with upgrading existing equipment to improve the operating efficiency of campus heating and cooling equipment thereby reducing emissions Costs associated with improving existing buildings, sealing building envelopes and improving thermal resistance to reduce energy losses Costs associated with adding energy-related experts (commissioning agents and energy analysts) to the physical plant staff to tune energy consuming systems Costs associated with lowering emissions associated with commuting. This may involve expansion of local mass transit system, subsidies for using a public transportation and construction of affordable living quarters for faculty and staff in close proximity to the campus Costs associated with buying offsets to neutralize corporate air and land travel Costs associated with buying Green-E certified power to offset a fossil fuel sourced electric power that is currently being purchased Costs associated with buying offsets needed to counter-balance the emissions remaining after all other opportunities have been exhausted. The above-mentioned measures alone will not be enough to markedly lower emissions and it is reasonable to expect that, as new emerging technologies become more affordable, the University may actively pursue construction and operation of power producing facilities and large-scale energy storage systems. Those facilities may need to counterbalance the University‟s GHG in all three scopes until a zero-emission state is achieved. The following list represents some of those hurdles resulting from implementation of those end-of-the-curve counter measures: Costs associated with implementation of new technologies, like the “Ice Ball Technology”, where thermal energy harvested during cold winter months is stored underground and recovered in the warmer months, thereby reducing energy requirements associated with the operation of chiller plants The Climate Action Planning Process 7 Costs associated with erecting and operating wind farms. Wind harvesting offers opportunities to generate energy at off-campus areas of Upstate NY Costs associated with installation of a solar photovoltaic power plant. Solar opportunities exist in RIT‟s geographic area but equipment costs are prohibitive Costs associated with the construction and operation of the University‟s power plant running on natural gas. Total electrical energy independence is a logical objective and should be considered in future plans. All these factors were considered when selecting year 2030 as the carbon neutrality target date. Creating a Long Term System to Achieve a Zero Emission Campus The University sent a representative to the Pre-Conference Workshop “Creating Your Action Plan: Sharing Best Practices” organized by the AUPCC and held in Denver, Colorado on October 12, 2010. It was suggested at the conference that the focus of the first CAP Report should be developing the framework for getting the plan to completion, and building a long term system to support the plan‟s objectives from first report to the target date. Following that format, RIT has executed the following operational changes and tasks in support of this report: Critical areas of campus operations affecting sustainability and GHG production were identified recognizing Facility Operations, Purchasing, Transportation, Food Service, Recycling, and Grounds Maintenance as key sectors on the road to zero-emission campus. Each of these sectors of operation has been thoroughly analyzed and “templates for action” completed with objectives, suggestions for actions, and list of deliverables needed to properly execute CAP were developed. Education, Research, and Community Outreach teams provided the necessary curricular and social components of sustainability that make progress in reaching the carbon neutrality by 2030 possible. The outcome of the actions of these teams will impact emissions reductions but may be challenging to quantify. The University recognizes the profound importance of these areas and their impact on the University‟s sustainability performance through behavior change; the development of sustainability practitioners; advancements in science, research and related innovation; and community education and outreach efforts. Each of these sectors has been thoroughly analyzed and “templates for action” - complete with objectives, suggestions for actions, and list of deliverables needed to properly execute the CAP - were also developed. A dedicated and permanent CAP Task Force was formed with representation from Facility Operations, Purchasing, Transportation, Food Service, Recycling, Grounds, Maintenance, Education, Research, and Community Outreach. This Task Force is coordinated by the Sustainability Manager. A new position, Senior Advisor to the President on Sustainability, was developed to provide leadership across all sectors of the University‟s operations, and to create a department focused on sustainability, budgetary appropriation and cross-reporting of sustainability-related communications and promotions. The Committee for Sustainable Practices has been engaged to act as a guiding body and steward of the University‟s GHG reduction process. An RIT Greenhouse Gas Inventory Manual was created to manage the collection of University emissions data and development of the report. RIT has conducted a voluntary GHG inventory for 2010 to obtain a second point on the CAP performance curve to assist The Climate Action Planning Process 8 with planning the GHG reduction. RIT intends to continue to update its GHG inventory on an annual basis. Report’s Focus The 2011 CAP focused on the following activities: Defining tasks related to the GHG inventory. Reporting the results of the second GHG inventory in relation it to the first inventory. Preparing “templates for action” for the identified sectors of University operations. affecting sustainability and GHG production, and vital to the University‟s curricular, research and community outreach activities. Developing a list of intended actions and approaches based on each sectors‟ responses to their “templates for action”. Developing a list of projects undertaken to reduce carbon emissions, mainly through energy efficiency improvements. Developing a list of projects for future considerations. The Items Deferred Until the 2013 Report In this Report, RIT has refrained from making any assumption on implementation of measures that may create significant impact on GHG reduction but are difficult to quantify at this time. Projects proposed by the teams that have a predictable high initial cost will be preceded by an engineering evaluation to assess the cost / benefit ratio of the measure. After this evaluation, the University may decide on its implementation and determine the timing of the project and its emissions impact. RIT has decided to look at this initial CAP Report as the basis for thinking and creativity and anticipates a well-defined list of actions, associated costs and a timeline for implementation in its 2013 report. Templates of Action The following sections highlight the data requested and collected from the Climate Task Force teams based on prepared “templates for action.” Each team‟s mission statement, objectives, suggestions and projects are presented. Templates of Action 9 Facility Operations Mission Statement: As the main provider of utilities, Facility Operations assumes a leading role in reducing carbonbased emissions, developing and implementing the best in class environmental practices in support of the American College & University Presidents‟ Climate commitment. Objectives: Develop processes, procedures, solutions, incentives and resources to recognize, measure, impact, and reduce the existing footprint of carbon-based emissions associated with the operation, maintenance, and upkeep of the interior and exterior spaces of the facilities and grounds, along with intra-facility transportation and other processes and systems that fall within the operational boundaries of the University as declared in GHG Inventory and the jurisdiction of Facilities Develop and implement a strategic plan that defines and quantifies processes procedures and benchmarks addressing the University environmental and energy efficiency goals that guide the design, upgrades and repair of new and existing facilities, utility systems and equipment, thereby increasing the efficiency, sustainability, comfort and reliability of the campus infrastructure Provide a University structure to permanently support the carbon emission reduction efforts, utilizing energy analysis, commissioning, reporting and forecasting. Develop policies guiding the selection and purchase of utilities, cleaning supplies, materials, fuels, consumables, replacement equipment, vehicles, etc., based on their sustainability, how they are harvested, manufactured, packaged and delivered and other appropriate characteristics to minimize their embodied carbon Develop vital statistics and a collaborative platform to transparently illustrate the progress in achieving the Climate Action Plan of the University in relation to the responsibilities of Facilities and the stewardship of land, water and built environments. Suggestions: Develop the following sustainable policies and processes for the University facilities departments and support their proper implementation: o University Energy Policy: Guidelines and setpoints for maintaining acceptable internal space conditions, indoor air quality and a system of checks and balances to continuously assess operations to reduce variation from the norms established by the policy o Operation Reporting Procedures: In support of the University Energy Policy, implement a reporting procedure that will automatically generate daily, weekly, monthly and annual status reports listing setpoint changes, trending, overrides, alarm densities and other daily dynamics, along with the number of outstanding HVAC system alarms remaining in the daily stack, in an effort to quantify the impact of these changes on the carbon footprint o Sustainable Construction Policy: An enforceable policy including pre and post score sheets that calculate the impact of Value Engineering decisions that had taken place after construction documents o Contractor’s Performance Integration Policy (CPIP): mandating commissioning of all deliverables according to University standards and assures results through contractual contingencies Templates of Action 10 o Green Building Policy: Specifications addressing required materials, recycling content, light transmittance, insulation factors, energy factors, water use minimization and other sustainable parameters for use in the project design and submittal documentation, based on the LEED, local and state codes and best practice recommended for the universities, including: Certification of all new and renovated buildings to LEED standard assuring: Design to a LEED specification with (an initial) minimum achievement of LEED Silver certification Design based on a carefully prepared Owner's Project Requirement (OPR) and Base of Design (BOD) documentation Designed based on the energy modeling input Completed with a design thoroughly reviewed by an internal engineering team Commissioned with 'zero defect' goal, confirmed throughout a basic and extended commissioning Commissioned with full resolution of all punch list items Followed up with a ten-month-review and survey of building occupants to establish a level of customer satisfaction in the building‟s use and its comfort Furnishing new buildings with a public display showing a demonstration of building's energy performance indicative of the energy use by various normalization factors Participation in NYSERDA energy incentives programs Develop a position for a dedicated Energy Analyst (EA), whose role is focused on finding system deficiencies and continuous investigative work, problem solving and verification of corrections, in an effort to decrease emissions throughout the campus Develop building energy metering systems including: o Continuous monitoring of its energy sources, including gas, electric, heating and cooling consumption, renewable energy, and water and sewer usage per each building o Meter balance reports to show the accuracy of energy metering, (for example, compare a total sum of heating energy metered in each building against a total metered heating output produced at the central plant). Do this for all utility supplies o Trend and tracking process for each building integrated with the associated energy benchmarks/profiles to support continuous, intelligent analysis of the energy consumption and its variations over time o Development of the utility charges and a department-based billing process based on network of building-based meters, feeding the data into dynamic matrixes utilized for implementation of a real-use charges appropriated to the University entities according to the amount of energy utilized o Develop media to educate and impact a building occupant‟s behavior with focus on the resources conservation, CO2 based control and other applicable opportunities Organize a revolving commissioning program, reinforced through the development of a dedicated Commissioning Authority (CxA) o The University CxA will be responsible for existing building infrastructure, new construction and renovations to maximize energy performance, asset value, life expectancy and reduction of emissions associated with their use Templates of Action 11 Develop procedures for accurately and continuously tracking the data needed for the GHG inventory submission. Institutionalize each task so its completion becomes routine, supported by personal responsibility, accountability and proper supervision o Development of procedures, supporting tools, archives and reporting methods to continuously track data, impact of changes, measuring of progress and updating the milestones through updates of Climate Action Plan (CAP) o Development of Refrigerant Replacement and Loss Log record as needed for GHG reporting o Development of methods and systems to allow for online creation, collaboration, sharing, storage and retrieval of GHG and CAP records, transparent and native to a common PC software platform. Develop operational procedures favorable to reducing the University‟s carbon footprint and increasing its sustainability o Incorporate sustainability parameters into the prioritization of equipment replacements, calculating the potential of the carbon released or saved and use it as one of the considerations of the selection process o Develop maintenance procedure policies that detail recycling of CFLs, fluorescent and mercury containing lamps and increased recycling of other electronic components o Implement sustainable housekeeping, grounds, HVAC, painting, etc. policies and procedures o Maximize the efficiency of university-owned vehicles, centralize FMS operations to reduce the vehicle miles associated with maintenance functions, purchase green fuel vehicles, develop a replacement vehicle policy, etc. Develop outreach opportunities on efficiency and sustainability topics for the campus and outside communities o Work within the University and engaged communities to share lessons learned and encourage adoption of sustainable practices. o Promote and maintain activities that encourage exchanges, swaps and resale of surplus products and supplies. o Investigate resource conservation, reuse and recycling options and encourage adoption of those by all members of the University community. o Organize open forums, town meetings and other publicly available events that would inform the community of the Facilities‟ progress in sustainability, application of new products and technologies and progress in energy efficiency and GHG curtailment o Provide a public forum for vendors demonstrating exceptionally sustainable quality of product or service o Participate in large public events, like Innovation Festival, by including demonstrations of sustainable methods, products and achievements implemented as a consequential aspect of University‟s innovation, progress and involvement in the Presidents‟ Climate Commitment o Review sustainable performance of leading educational institutions in search of ideas, approaches, current progress and achievements in area of sustainable facilities, energy and emission curtailment through implementation of their Climate Action Plans. Templates of Action 12 Facilities Team Proposals In response to the above suggestions, the Facility Operations‟ team presented the following projects, initiatives, polices, procedures and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; initiatives are undertakings already in place or under consideration that are instrumental in lowering emissions; policies are statements of intent that delineate Facility Operations‟ commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures describe how the policies will be enacted. The following projects are underway by the Facilities team: 1. West Chilled Water System optimization 2. West and East Boiler System optimization 3. Air handling unit retro-commissioning The Facility Operations team is also engaged in several initiatives designed to decrease campus emissions, knowing that in some cases the GHG reductions are hard to calculate; nevertheless those are necessary to increase energy efficiency and maintain long-term efficiency gains. A significant capital investment will be needed to conclude some of those projects. The following initiatives are already in place: 1. Consolidation of various building‟s energy systems into a web-based seamless control platform 2. Retrofit of buildings with energy metering system to determine their cooling and heating consumption, electric, gas and water usage; all metered in real time 3. Development of reporting related to building energy system as a base for understanding buildings‟ performance under diverse conditions and against established energy benchmarks 4. Development of system for a customer-specific billing charges to link the energy use with a customer budget, thus providing direct incentives for energy conservation by each billed unit 5. Development of display media to educate and impact a building occupant‟s behavior with focus on the resource‟s conservation and applicable opportunities The following initiatives are being considered in the near future; their implementation and sequence of completion will depend on availability of the financial resources: 1. Adding a “winter chiller” unit to improve the cooling plant‟s energy performance when operating under decreased load condition 2. Interconnecting of East and Water Heating and Cooling Plants to improve energy performance, system redundancy and reduce the equipment wear when operating under decreased load condition 3. Improving energy efficiency and system response to a changeable load conditions by adding variable speed drives and two-way vales in heating and cooling loops of existing buildings 4. Review of tertiary heating and cooling energy loops and related energy exchange in buildings Templates of Action 13 5. Adding a new position of Energy Analyst (EA), with the role focused on finding system deficiencies and continuous investigative work, to advance a problem solving and verification of corrections in effort to decrease emissions related to operations of campus buildings. Unprecedented level of energy performance called upon by the CAP commitment will require continuous tuning and adjustment of campus energy system, well beyond our traditional operating normative 6. Adding a new position of Commissioning Authority (CxA) focused on integrating a continuous, systematic and revolving commissioning of building system, to sustain their mechanical endurance while maximizing energy performance The development or modifications of the following policies are underway by the Facilities team: 1. University Energy Policy 2. Commissioning for LEED, New Construction and Renovation The development or modifications of the following procedures will be considered by the Facilities team: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Refrigerant Loss replacement and log procedure Green Housekeeping procedure Sustainable Construction policy LEED Certification for new construction and existing buildings GHG Data Collection system CAP Data Exchange and archiving system Repair or replacement equipment analysis based on a potential GHG impact of the change 8. CFL and Mercury Recycling procedure. Food Service Mission Statement: As the main provider of prepared foodstuffs to the campus community, Food Service assumes a leading role in reducing carbon-based emissions through integrating opportunities to reduce imbedded carbon associated with purchasing; developing and implementing measures to aerobically compost organic wastes; and Institute environmental practices in support of the American College & University Presidents‟ Climate commitment. Objectives: Develop solutions, incentives and resources to lower the environmental burden of the University‟s food service operations while maintaining a nutritional quality, product appeal and requirements of health standards Implement a strategic plan that defines and quantifies the imbedded carbon associated with the purchase of foodstuffs used by dining services and develop benchmarks and procedures to measurably reduce carbon Provide a structure to permit the collection, measurement and composting of organic waste by aerobic methods Investigate the selection and purchase of recyclable dishware, utensils and packaging along with a method to collect, measure and recycle the used material Templates of Action 14 Implement procedures to improve the efficiency of water usage by the food service locations. Suggestions: Develop a sustainable food purchasing policy for the University and support its proper implementation and periodic revisions, and furthermore: o Recognizing that sustainable purchasing is a critical component of preserving natural resources, lowering of operating costs and reducing waste investigate procedures to reduce carbon emissions associated with the growth, manufacture, delivery and use of foodstuffs, materials and their disposal o Develop supplier requirements with business partners, contractors and suppliers to drive sustainable and socially conscious practices o Construct procurement policies for the purchase of commonly used supplies, materials, equipment and services to minimized their environmental costs Disposable plates and dishes (bio-degradable if practical) Cleaning solvents (bio-degradable) Packaging (recyclable, bio-degradable or containing a minimum packaging mass) Investigate resource recovery, conservation, reuse and recycling including the: o Application of the energy recovery equipment in cooking, ventilation, heating, air conditioning and dishwashing equipment and processes o Implementation of run-time minimization for all energy consuming equipment and processes o Recycling of cooking oil Develop the following outreach and educational instruments to improve the efficiency of use and reduction of carbon associated with food service functions: o A Vendor Questionnaire Form to monitor food market supply chains including details of harvesting, manufacturing, packaging, delivery and disposal of goods to assist in purchasing “green” products o An assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy and make changes when necessary o Fliers to encourage customers to adopt the recycling and other sustainable practices o Participation plans for public events to demonstrate and deploy sustainable food service practices, products and processes. Food Service Team Proposals In response to the above, the Food Service team presented the following projects, polices, procedures and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; policies are statements of intent that delineate the Facilities commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures will describe how the policies will be enacted. The following projects and operational changes are underway by the Food Services team: Arrangements were made to remove pre-consumer food waste from campus for composting Currently replacing all foam food containers with number 5 plastic products. Number 5 plastics are recyclable, eco-friendly products and are versatile for all uses including microwaveable use Templates of Action 15 Number 5 plastic food containers including salad bowls, pasta bowls, grill/sandwich stir fry platters and soup/chili bowls are being collected in separate recycling bins. All pasta products are produced at the local Barilla Pasta plant In conjunction with RIT Procurement Services, Energy Star compliant appliances and equipment are specified and acquired when available as an alternative. Specification and use of bio-degradable cleaning chemicals that have substituted baking soda-based chemical for soda ash-based products Currently employing sustainable purchasing with approximately 34% of the food products budget sourced from within a 150 mile radius of the campus and a prime vendor pool that is currently 100% local All seafood purchases are made with consideration for sustainable fishing standards, with associated chain of custody documentation Recycling used cooking oil which is removed from the campus and recycled for use as biodiesel fuel. Current totals approximately 30,000 gallons/year. Began a program to eliminate trans-fats from the food program with an oil product that has the added benefit of longer oil life, therefore offering an increase of cycle times for oil usage with subsequent reduction of waste oil leaving the campus Tray-less food delivery was rolled out in one dining hall and has resulted in a 30% reduction in waste from this facility. Plans are in place to expand the tray-less program to another facility Currently in place a „Bring your own mug‟ program in dining facilities offering a 10¢ cost reduction and a reduction of disposable cup usage Currently using a bio-degradable clam shell package but have not partnered with a recycler or on-campus group to formulate an action plan for processing the waste. Currently exploring operating alternatives for energy consuming equipment including reduced runtimes for dish washing equipment, optimum operating temperatures for fryers and zoned heating for grills Food Services has worked in conjunction with the RIT Community Garden to coordinate growing cycles with dining offerings and has included garden output including tomatoes, green beans, herbs, peppers and edamame in its supply stream Food Services offers a NetNutrition online nutrition program that provides guests with nutritional information and recipe ingredients for meals at many on-campus dining locations. The on-line program also allows guest to filter meals by allergies, such as milk and peanuts Currently providing support to the Farmer‟s Market activities on campus with featured product recipes, on-site samples and a recipe share program staffed by the Dining Services Executive Chef and other staff. The development or modifications of the following policies are underway by the Food Service team: Currently working with the RIT Recycling Administrator to develop promotional and educational materials to encourage customers to take advantage of recycling opportunities and adopt/support other sustainable practices within the scope of Food Services Food Services will begin a Smart Nutrition labeling system focusing on allergen warnings, low fat, special dietary needs and healthy benefits Templates of Action 16 Currently participating in the Green Report Card program for college sustainability assessment. 2011 Report Card indicates a grade of B for the Food and Recycling category. Grounds Mission Statement: As the department charged with the responsibility to maintain the excess of 1,300 acres of University land, roadways, parking lots, sidewalks, playing fields and vegetation beds, the Grounds team assumes a leading role in reducing carbon-based emissions associated with their upkeep. Objectives: Develop policies, solutions, incentives and resources to decrease the environmental burden of the University on the local ecosystem by maintaining synergistic harmony of the natural and built environment; enhancing ecological value and size of woods, wetlands and agricultural land; protecting natural and native spices of fauna and flora; and enhancing growth of the mutually beneficial forestall sink of the CO2 on campus grounds. Suggestions: Develop a practical composting policy that includes realistic solutions to systematically collect, process and dispose of the aerobic composted materials o Develop and implement use of assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy by: Creating the goals, benchmarks, reports and statistics to plan, trend and track progress of campus recycling Creating mechanism for monthly tracking of recycling data and implementation of corrective actions Comparing the University‟s performance with the achievements of other similar universities Develop a plan to replace vehicles and gas fueled equipment with comparable equipment that emits lower CO2 o Natural gas o Biodiesel o E-85 Reduce the quantity of nitrogen-based fertilizers used on site. Grounds Team Proposals In response to the above, the Grounds team presented the following projects, polices, procedures and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are the initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; policies are statements of intent that delineate the Facilities commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures will describe how the policies will be enacted. The following projects are underway by the Grounds team: Templates of Action 17 Aerobic Composting a. Developing a work order system to systematically aerate the compost pile b. Developing a process for weighing and recording the organic materials added to the compost site The development or modifications of the following policies are underway by the Facilities team: Vehicle replacement emissions policy o Vehicle replacement schedule Fertilization policy to minimize the use of nitrogen-based chemicals o Develop a process for weighing and recording the fertilizer applied Outreach Mission Statement: To educate, instruct, inform and promote behavioral changes of University‟s stakeholders, students, business partners and engaged communities on the sciences associated with carbon emissions and global warming. Objectives: Develop solutions and strategies to educate, instruct, inform and promote behavioral changes of University‟s stakeholders, students, business partners, and engaged communities. Create an environment that encourages faculty and students to share sustainable experience, knowledge, tools and educational resources. Develop community outreach programs that could propel University into sustainability leadership in the community. Suggestions: Organize open forums, town meetings and other publicly available events that would inform the community on University‟s progress and sustainable performance. Use easily recognizable promotions like Campus Sustainability Day, Earth Day, Recycle Day, etc. Reach out to local colleges, universities and high schools to educate, exchange information, coordinate joint activities to reduce global carbon emissions Become an active participant at large public events to present sustainable processes and breakthroughs, opportunities and possibilities based on the University‟s innovation and progress Invite key experts and representatives to community gatherings to present, discuss events and exchange information Become an active part of RIT Open Houses, to raise awareness of educational courses available to freshmen in sustainable areas of study Encourage and engage University‟s student population in sustainability initiatives, energy competitions, recycling and club activities that address environmental needs of RIT and community at large Work with the University on the deployment of public displays addressing current and pending events, building energy performance, recycling and other sustainable topics Templates of Action 18 Initiate a regional clean energy demonstration and resource center to inspire, educate, and assist members of the wider community on availability and use of renewable energy Develop new ideas for the RIT Green website and University News to attract a larger audience of internal and external readers Review the sustainable performance of leading educational institutions in search of ideas, approaches, current statuses and achievements in area of a community outreach component of the Climate Action Plan. Outreach Team Proposals In response to the above suggestion, the Outreach team presented the following projects, and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are the initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; policies are statements of intent that delineate the Outreach team‟s commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures will describe how the policies will be enacted. The following projects are underway by the Outreach team: Events National Teach-In on Global Warming On February 5, 2009, RIT's President Destler announced his commitment to sign the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. This announcement was made during an address to the campus community, which concluded a daylong observance of the National Teach-In on Global Warming. This event, organized by an ad hoc group of faculty, staff and students at RIT, encouraged all members of the campus community to engage in solution-driven dialogue on climate change. Activities included an expert panel on the human impact of climate change, the screening of several environmentally-themed films, and outside speakers RIT Climate Change Action Awareness Week (October 2009) This weeklong event highlighted a number of on-campus initiatives and concluded with participation in the 350.org International Day of Action with a Cycling Summit, to celebrate and discuss bicycle and alternative transportation initiatives, and to make connections between the Rochester bicycling community, city planners, and environmentalists RIT Sustainability Mobility Fair (May 2010) This event was sponsored by The Center for Student Innovation at RIT (CSI) and the Center for Environmental Information (CEI), a local non-profit organization that works with citizens, organizations, institutions, government and businesses to advance environmental sustainability. Attendees had an opportunity learn to what is new and available on the markets and were able to experience the latest choices in electric (bicycles, trikes, cars and motorcycles), hybrid electric, GEM car, Zip car, hydrogen, biodiesel, compressed natural gas, propane hybrid, plug-in electric, ethanol, Walking School Buses, bicycles, „veggie‟ vehicles, and cycling transportation technologies. In addition, alternative fuel options were on display Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival (Annually - first Saturday in May) This campus-wide, public event showcases the innovative and creative spirit of RIT students, faculty and staff. A number of exhibits and demonstrations throughout the campus have climate change and energy themes, with a focus on student and faculty research. In 2010, RIT President Bill Destler challenged the RIT community to build energy-efficient vehicles for Templates of Action 19 a competition. All contestants showcased their vehicles. In addition, other alternative fuel vehicles in the RIT fleet (electric carts, natural gas powered trucks, biodiesel powered FMS vehicle, fuel cell vehicle, etc.) were on display. Visitors learned about the power train and annual energy savings for each vehicle, and the extent to which the technology is available to the general public Earth Day Events RIT student, faculty and staff have participated annually in Earth Day events that include members of the general public. In recent years, climate change initiatives have been a major focus of on-campus activities. Workshops/Presentations/Conferences Office of Sponsored Research-Forum for University and Energy Leaders (FUEL) on Fuel Cells and Batteries This forum was designed to connect RIT researchers in this field with local and national company experts. The Symposium featured an expert in Fuel Cell and Battery Technology from the University of Munich (Germany) Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) In addition to its research and graduate education programs, GIS has hosted a series of educational forums featuring experts from around the world in the areas of life cycle engineering, industrial ecology, alternative energy development, and remanufacturing. The series‟ goal is to disseminate information in a host of sustainability disciplines to researchers and students both at RIT and in the greater Rochester community The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (P2I) This organization is a statewide research and technology transfer center funded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. RIT and its partner universities, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Clarkson University, and the University of Buffalo, along with the state's ten regional technology development centers (RTDC) together comprise the NYSP2I. P2I provides a statewide, comprehensive and integrated program of research, technology development and diffusion, outreach, training and education aimed at making New York State more sustainable for workers, the public, the environment and the economy. The P2I offers education and training programs that are marketed to RTDCs, other government agencies, companies, and nonprofit organizations. Programs include classroom training sessions, technology demonstrations at RIT and other partner university facilities as well as in private companies, conferences and workshops. Recent workshops have included Sustainable Practices and Lean, Energy and Environment Assessments Environmental Management Leadership Symposium Launched in 2008, this annual symposium has been held in the United States (Rochester) and Europe (Hungary and Croatia). These events consist of workshops that examine specified issues with a long-term goal of developing consensus documents representing the position of environmental managers on a variety of topics and issues, with an emphasis on sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Co-ops and Internships Cooperative education (co-op) is the most extensive and intensive of RIT‟s experiential education opportunities. Many academic programs require co-op while other academic programs feature internships and other work opportunities. A number of these experiences are within the local community and focus on sustainability and climate change initiatives. Templates of Action 20 Capstone Projects Several undergraduate degree programs require students to complete capstone projects and some of these projects come from local government and community organizations with an emphasis on climate change, energy efficiency and sustainability. A few examples are described below. o During Winter Quarter AY 2010, Public Policy seniors assisted the City of Rochester with its Climate Action Plan by conducting a benchmarking study of CAPs in cities of comparable size and geographic location o In Spring Quarter AY 2010, Environmental Science students will earn capstone credit by partnering with Monroe County Environmental Services to restore Red Creek Student Organizations and Initiatives Student Environmental Action League (SEAL) SEAL coordinates a number of events throughout the year, including the annual Campus Clean-Up (April 20) and Waste Audit (April 22). SEAL also sponsored an Environmental Summit, which featured a series of speakers from various environmentally-related backgrounds and experiences RIT Habitat for Humanity RIT‟s Habitat for Humanity, a student-led campus organization, built its first sustainable Habitat home in the Josanna neighborhood of the city of Rochester. The home featured energy-efficient innovations designed by students and materials that minimize the home‟s environmental impact. A number of alumni and industry partners also supported the project financially or through donations of green building materials Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) ESW is composed mostly of engineering students, but the group is open to anyone interested in improving sustainable practices. ESW focuses most on innovative applications and hands-on projects to improve sustainability on campus. Recent events include a GM fuel cell demonstration and UV tube workshop. In addition, ESW is assisting St. Joseph's House of Hospitality on energy efficiency improvements for its men's emergency housing shelter The P3 Workgroup This group was founded by faculty and students in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering. With focus on „P3‟ philosophy (people, prosperity and the planet) the group works on advancement of sustainability “by increasing the level of awareness on all sustainability dimensions among students, so that they can later make a positive impact on our planet and society”. Other gRIT (GreenRIT) is a networking group for members of the environmental community at RIT. The group maintains a website that includes information on events and other environmental topics Students in Service Twenty-five RIT undergraduate and graduate students will receive education awards for their work in the community. Several of the student projects focus on sustainability and environmental issues EnvironmentalManager.org EnvironmentalManager.org is part of a larger international effort to identify common ground upon which environment professionals can stand in solidarity of purpose, with commonly held goals, and delineated opportunities and responsibilities. The Templates of Action 21 website is a clearinghouse for information and a public forum for environmental managers around the globe RIT Climate Change Expert Group The RIT Climate Change Expert Group is a group of faculty from many different Colleges on campus, including the COE, COS, GCCIS, CLA, CAST, COB, and GIS. The goal of the expert group is to provide a resource for RIT students and faculty interested in climate change issues AASHE Member RIT is a member of Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Faculty, staff and students with valid RIT email account can access online databases, assessment tools, fact sheets, publications, presentations, policy lists, reports and other electronic resources Rochestereatslocal.org This website was designed and produced by students in anthropology courses in an effort to promote local food producers and to encourage local consumers to patronize local producers RIT Farmers‟ Market Offered during fall quarter, the Farmers‟ Market provides a huge selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables. The market is held for six consecutive Thursdays during September and October. New Initiatives Hold annual town meetings in the Spring quarter with faculty, students and staff to update inventory of current initiatives/activities and identify new initiatives Support COOL Rochester by becoming a partner in the Summer of 2011 Include sustainability information in New Student and New faculty Orientation materials beginning in the Fall 2011 quarter Organize for a more comprehensive carbon neutrality/climate change exhibit/demonstrations at Imagine RIT beginning in May 2012 Participate in Greentopia Festival beginning in September 2011 (The Greentopia Festival is Rochester‟s and the Finger Lakes‟ celebration of the green movement sweeping around the globe. The two-day, interactive fest in Rochester‟s historic High Falls section will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. RIT faculty and staff are represented on the Festival Steering Committee) Convene an annual regional Climate Disruption Summit on RIT Campus in 2014 Purchasing Mission: Strive to conduct activities in an ecologically and economically sound manner and will promote responsible consumption and environmentally sound practices among all members of the University community. We recognize that sustainable procurement practices are a critical component of preserving natural resources, lowering operating costs, and minimizing waste. Templates of Action 22 Objectives: Develop solutions, incentives and resources to lower the environmental burden of purchasing and procured products by developing requirements for sustainable goods, products and services distinguished by their extended life expectancy, high ranking efficiency, high content of recycled materials or certifiable pre-consumer use. Other sustainable opportunities should consider how purchased products are harvested, manufactured, packaged and delivered. These characteristics should be imbedded in procurement requirements and documents for direct purchases and competitive bids. Suggestions: Develop a sustainable purchasing policy for the University and support its proper implementation by: o o o o Recognizing that sustainable purchasing is a critical component of preserving natural resources, lowering of operating costs and waste minimization, specify whenever possible and reasonable, the use of sustainable, environmentally friendly systems, equipment and materials Ensuring that supplies, materials, equipment and services are procured at the lowest possible monetary and environmental costs Incorporating a commitment to purchasing the Energy Star certified appliances and products Promoting business with design firms, consultants, contractors, manufacturers and suppliers that consistently demonstrate sustainable and socially conscious business practices Develop and maintain a database of suppliers and materials complying with University‟s sustainable purchasing policy Develop procurement tables with details and parameters of measuring the sustainability of recommended equipment, appliances and other items listed below: o o o o o o o Electronic equipment, desktop computers, notebooks, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners and overhead projectors Copiers and printers should be comparable with the use of recycled products and defaulting to double sided printing Electric motors and motor driven appliance should have a high energy efficiency ratings Water appliances should have low water flow characteristics Car fleet should consider electric-hybrids, biodiesel and high MPG characteristics Cleaning solvents should be biodegradable Packaging should use recyclable, biodegradable or similar materials and contain a minimum of packaging mass Work within the University and engaged communities to share lessons learned and encourage adoption of sustainable practices. Purchasing Team Proposals In response to the above, the Purchasing team presented the following projects, polices, procedures and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are the initiatives that Templates of Action 23 have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; policies are statements of intent that delineate the commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures will describe how the policies will be enacted. The development or modifications of the following policies are underway by the Purchasing team: Sustainable Purchasing Policy The University is developing a Sustainable Purchasing Policy which will: Specify the use of sustainable, environmentally friendly systems, equipment and materials Investigate resource conservation, reuse and recycling options and encourage adoption by all members of the University community Promote and maintain activities that encourage exchanges, swaps and resale of surplus products and supplies Commit to purchasing the Energy Star certified appliances and products Promote business with suppliers that consistently demonstrate sustainable and socially conscious business practices Encourage the University and in the broader community in which we reside to share experiences and encourage the adoption of sustainable practices Develop and implement the use of assessment tools designed to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy and make changes where necessary Specification and Procurement The University is developing a Specification and Procurement Policy with the following characteristics: Waste collection specifications have been developed that seek innovation in resource conservation and recycling options resulting in a single-stream recycling solution reducing the carbon impact of on-campus collection traffic and increased overall efficiency of the recycling process downstream. (Contract term – Calendar 2011 – 2014 with 2-year renewal option based on evidence of productivity and sustainability improvements) RIT has actively promoted a recycle/reuse program for Institute-owned office furniture and supplies. Current tracking mechanisms employ actual unit counts and estimated savings based on buying new. Future tracking plan will consider the mass of surplus diverted from the waste stream. In conjunction with Institute Information and Technology Services, Energy Star compliant standard computer configurations have been specified and established. In conjunction with Housing Operations, Energy Star compliant appliance configurations have been specified and established for student housing facilities. The Institute selects flex-fuel alternative vehicles on all purchases when available on State Contract Pricing or when offered as an in-kind alternative. Sustainable and value engineering solutions have been included as evaluation criteria in campus-wide bids. Sustainable alternatives offered in the campus Vending Machine contract have resulted in energy efficiencies from LED, insulation and cooling technologies totaling approximately 35,000 kWh/year In conjunction with Facilities Management Services, minimum LEED Silver requirements have been established for new construction Requests for Proposal Templates of Action 24 Electricity purchases for the Institute are committed to a progressive Green-e power component Established Steelcase Furniture as Institute office furniture standard to reduce waste of office turnover as well as company-specific green/sustainable manufacturing, recycled content, product certification and handling components Will to establish an internal designation of RIT Sustainable Vendor/Contractor with key evaluation components measuring supplier performance and commitment to partnering with the Institute in long-term improvements in reducing environmental impacts. Designation will become a key evaluation criterion in all future contract awards Review of inbound/outbound logistics and the impact of delivery frequency of vendors. Is underway. The goal of this review will be the consolidation of package delivery with subsequent reduction of on-campus miles attributed to vendors In conjunction with Facilities Management Services, specified, bid and secured pricing for low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints. Low VOC has subsequently become the de-facto standard for Institute paint The current Request for Proposal process is being reviewed and enhanced to include sustainable components as key determining factors in the bid selection process Electronic waste recycling has been bid and awarded to provide for routine disposal of electronic office waste and periodic department and/or student organization targeted recycle efforts Facilities Management Services Design Guidelines are included as a part of Institute Supplementary General Conditions in all RIT contracts for construction. Design guidelines specifically include components for: o Occupancy sensors o High-performance hand dryers o High efficiency lighting systems o Type G low-flow shower heads in Housing Operations Communication and Education Procurement Services publishes a quarterly newsletter outlining procurement trends, vendor highlights and technical updates. A “Green Corner” will be added to highlight sustainable initiatives and opportunities for the Institute community Procurement Services conducts a bi-annual program entitled The ABC‟s of Purchasing and will add a component on sustainable purchasing and established Institute Green procurement standards Procurement Services has promoted and maintained activities that encourage exchanges, swaps and resale of surplus products and supplies. The RITchies List web site is an online tool for faculty and staff to promote a free office supply exchange within Rochester Institute of Technology Investigate resource conservation, reuse and recycling options and encourage adoption of those by all members of the University community Organize open forums, town meetings and other publicly available events that would inform the community on University‟s progress in sustainable purchasing, available new products and technologies Procurement Services regularly invites in and provides a public forum for vendors demonstrating products or services, and has begun to focus on sustainable quality and components Templates of Action 25 Participate in large public events, like Innovation Festival, by including sustainable purchasing products as a consequential aspect of University‟s innovation and progress. Tracking and Benchmarking Continuous improvement through benchmarking with other Institute, local partners or best practices Active partner in the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM) and its associated Listserv. Recycling Mission Statement: The Rochester Institute of Technology Recycling Department exists to actively promote proper waste management through Recycling and Waste Minimization. We do this by developing solutions, initiatives, and educational programs that encourage sustainable behavior throughout the University in order to facilitate change in our Global community. Objectives: The recycling program currently recycles over 2,000 tons per year, diverting about 38.5% of our waste stream from the landfill. The Facilities Management Services Recycling Department has set a goal of recycling over 50% of the waste that leaves the campus. In order to meet the goal of recycling half of the Institute's waste, the Recycling Department at RIT is working continuously to raise awareness of the benefits of recycling and to make recycling more convenient for everyone. Suggestions: Recognizing that recycling is a critical component of preserving natural resources, lowering operating costs and improving waste minimization, develop a comprehensive recycling and composting policy for the University open space and grounds and support its implementation: o Develop a comprehensive recycling policy addressing: dormitories and housing collection routines that support sorting, storage and distribution mechanisms to “free-cycle” the usable items during the move-in and move-out days New construction and renovation projects including a reporting platform Recycling at University events, celebrations, festivals and public events Annual actions focused on collection and disposal of electronics, computers, cell phones, printers and other hazardous and postconsumer materials o Develop and implement use of assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy by: Creating the goals, benchmarks, reports and statistics to plan, trend and track progress of campus recycling Creating mechanism for monthly tracking of recycling data and implementation of corrective actions Comparing the University‟s performance with the achievements of other similar universities Templates of Action 26 o o o o Develop a campus-wide recycling contest supported by a matrix‟s table to allow comparison and measurement of the individual and collective achievements Participate in the nationwide recycling events including the America Recycles Day and RecycleMania Develop a Vendor Qualification Form to assess the level of vendor‟s operational efficiencies considering the type of provided recycling stream (single vs. comingled) and the hauler‟s driving distance from the base from the University‟s campus Create the recycling informational campaign to educate campus community Recycle Team Proposals In response to the above, the Recycle team presented the following projects, polices, procedures and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are the initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; policies are statements of intent that delineate the commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures will describe how the policies will be enacted. The following initiatives are underway by the Recycle team: RecycleMania – With over 400 participants, Recyclemania is a nationwide competition between colleges and universities to achieve the highest reuse and recycling results for their campus community. Locally, RIT competes with the University of Rochester, Roberts Wesleyan University, SUNY College at Brockport, Monroe Community College, and St. John Fisher College. Recyclemania is one of the most exciting ways of raising awareness about recycling at RIT. In 2008, RIT ranked #1 in New York in three categories: the largest amount of recyclables per person, the largest amount of total recyclables, and the highest recycling rate. This was RIT‟s first year of participation in Recyclemania Earth Month – Events throughout the entire month of April are put on by the Recycling Department to highlight environmental awareness at RIT. Activities are scheduled each week to further enhance a larger event on Earth Day, sponsored by others in the RIT community Waste Audit – These activities are conducted multiple times during the year in a joint effort with Facilities Management Services and Student Environmental Action League (SEAL). Volunteers sort bags of RIT trash on the main “Quarter Mile” walkway to bring awareness to the student body about recyclables that are being thrown away. This popular activity provides a learning opportunity for all members of campus, including the Recycling Department, which learns where progress can be made with campus recycling efforts Brick City Recycling Showcase – A display in the Student Alumni Union (SAU) is set-up for part of the year to exhibit the Recycling Department‟s efforts on campus. This is used as an awareness and educative tool Imagine RIT – This is a day to celebrate innovation and creativity in the RIT community. The Recycling Department presents current and future recycling efforts in a way that encourages involvement with students, faculty, staff, and local businesses Templates of Action 27 America Recycles Day – An event held with the support of Keep America Beautiful to raise awareness about the benefits of recycling Greenwill – Working in conjunction with Housing Operations to support the collection, sorting, storage and distribution to “free-cycle” usable items during student housing move-in/move-out cycles. Initiated a fiscal 2011 pilot program to collect and warehouse usable items and coordinate with Fall move-in and Orientation programs E-Waste – SEAL organizes bi-annual electronic waste reuse and recycling events focused on the collection and proper disposal of electronics, computers, cell phones, printers and other hazardous or post-consumer materials Facilities Management Services programmatically removes construction debris and materials from the waste stream and segregates for special handling Dorm Challenge – Recycling contests have been initiated for dorm-dorm and floor-floor competitions in the residence halls during various recycling events. Communications Campus Recycling Bin Map - In addition to small-scale recycling stations there are also approximately 50 dumpster-size recycling centers. Mapped locations are updated as needed, and the master map is accessible through the RIT Recycling Web site The recycling informational campaign uses the Facilities Management Website, brochures, posters, and e-mails to educate the campus community Twitter and Facebook are used to increase communication with students about news and events within the Recycling Department. The development or modifications of the following policies are underway by the Recycle team: The recycling Department in conjunction with Facilities Management Services and RIT Dining Services is developing a practical composting policy that includes realistic solutions to systematically collect, process and dispose of the compostable materials. FMS currently composts grounds waste (clippings, branches, leaves, etc) for use as mulch. Dining Services is exploring a similar composting effort for food wastes that would be ultimately used as composted soil. Develop a reporting platform to include this data in overall campus reporting Develop and implement the use of assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy by: o Creating the goals, benchmarks, reports and statistics to plan, trend and track progress of campus recycling o Creating mechanism for monthly tracking of recycling data and implementation of corrective actions o Comparing the University‟s performance with the achievements of other similar universities Templates of Action 28 o Review sustainable performance of leading educational institutions in search of ideas, approaches, current statuses and achievements in the area of recycling component of CAP. Transportation Objectives: The Institute is committed to improve the vehicular and pedestrian movements on campus. The recently completed Comprehensive Parking and Transportation Strategy focuses on the analysis of opportunities and improvements in the existing transportation patterns; bus and shuttle transit services; parking allocations; and advancements in bike and pedestrian traffic. These new initiatives are part of a coordinated effort to introduce sustainable Travel Demand Management (TDM) techniques to our community. Suggestions: Develop methods to accurately record emissions from University-related transportation sources Encourage use of low energy, fuel efficient (LEFE) vehicles by faculty, staff and students, including the motorcycles, electric vehicles (EV) and hybrids, by providing preferred parking incentives, EV charging stations and other incentives Develop and maintain solutions and incentives to reduce emissions associated with campus commuting like carpooling, park and ride, and rideshare programs. Create and support a culture that encourages faculty, staff and students to share transportation resources Develop programs and infrastructure that encourages the student population to minimize driving within the University campus Develop a bikeway infrastructure including bike-thruways, shelters and storage, parking equipment and shower facilities. o Provide and encourage the use of RITbike, a free on-campus bike use program and bike tune-up services Work with the local Transit Authority on developing cost-effective commuter options and bus route alternatives. o Provide and expand subsidized Bus-Pass programs for work-related transportation of faculty, staff and students, and make available transportation to nearby shopping centers for campus residents Increase the number and capacity of energy efficient residence halls on campus and in its vicinity to minimize number of commuting students and their commuting distance Introduce and expand the use of alternative fuels in University fleet vehicles and provide adequate filling and charging infrastructure Develop a University telecommuting policy and support its implementation Create a regional clean transportation demonstration and resource center to inspire, educate, and inform Transportation Team Proposals In response to the above, the Transportation team presented the following projects, polices, procedures and efforts to reduce the University‟s carbon footprint. Projects are the initiatives that have a quantifiable impact on greenhouse gas emissions; policies are statements of intent that Templates of Action 29 delineate the commitment to sustainability and guide the decisions they will make to fulfill their commitments; procedures will describe how the policies will be enacted. The following initiatives are underway by the Transportation team: A pilot program in progress to encourage the use of low energy, fuel efficient (LEFE) vehicles by faculty, staff and students, including motorcycles, electric vehicles (EV) and hybrids, by providing preferred parking incentives, EV charging stations and other incentives. Upon review and modification, pilot program will be expanded campus-wide providing the infrastructure, such as charging stations, to enable charging of electric vehicles. Programs and infrastructure are being investigated to encourage the student population to minimize driving within the University campus o Additional shuttle (routes and frequency) o Increased enforcement and fines to discourage parking on campus o Covered walkways and travelators A bikeway infrastructure including bike-thruways, shelters and storage, parking equipment and shower facilities is being developed. o Provide and encourage the use of RITbike, a free on-campus bike use program and bike tune-up services o Cash subsidy/financing to buy a bicycle (eg. Boulder/Davis?) o Free bike if a student does not bring a car to campus Increase the number and capacity of energy efficient residence halls on campus and in its vicinity to minimize number of commuting students and their commuting distance st nd o Mandatory RIT housing for 1 and 2 o Affordable housing compared to other private entities year students Introduce and expand the use of alternative fuels in University fleet vehicles and provide adequate filling and charging infrastructure o Public/paid/”commercial” filing station for hydrogen, bio-diesel, electric o All new university vehicle to comply with LEED LEFE standards Develop a University telecommuting policy and support its proper implementation Create a regional clean transportation demonstration and resource center to inspire, educate, and inform o Showcase different alternatives to conventional ICE vehicles with honest pros vs cons and applications for each Templates of Action 30 Other ideas Increase/improve shuttle service to off-campus locations Require alternative fuel for all on-campus shuttles Monorail across campus Bus charters for breaks to popular cities, eg, NYC, Boston, Buffalo, Syracuse Improve pedestrian and bike route to connect to/from campus The development or modifications of the following policies and initiatives are underway by the Transportation team: University vehicles are being tracked using the miles travelled per year based on inspection information. Applying average miles-per-gallon to each vehicle will yield estimated fuel consumption, even if not all fuel is “purchased” on campus. The same level of tracking will be enforced for contract transportation services. Incentives to reduce emissions associated with campus commuting like carpooling, park and ride, and rideshare programs are being developed to create and support a culture that encourages faculty, staff and students to share transportation resources: o Car share o Van pool o Ride-share – in progress through Genesee transportation Council Commuter Choice o Park-and-ride – UR has a program from two locations in Greece with low ridership rates. We will consider joining their program to achieve higher participation and minimize user‟s cost for both entities. o Federal reimbursement for bicycle commuting Investigating cost-effective commuter options and bus route alternatives with the regional Transit Authority. Provide and expand subsidized Bus-Pass programs for work-related transportation of faculty, staff and students, and make available transportation to nearby shopping centers for campus residents o Free ride on all RTS buses with RIT ID o Increased bus frequency on campus and routes Templates of Action 31 The Effect of the CAP Plan on the GHG Inventory The 2011 Climate Action Plan Projections T his initial CAP that resulted from the integration of the feedback from the CTF teams consists of two projects whose impact on the greenhouse gas footprint was quantifiable and a multitude of proposed projects, actions and process changes. These proposed changes will be further developed and quantified in the succeeding years and will be added to the calculator as reliable projection and costs are developed. CAP Summary T he climate action plan based on the marginal amount of implemented projects covered with our first CAP report will permit RIT to reduce its carbon footprint only by 0.54% or 405.7 metric tonnes per year. The annual impact of these projects is depicted in Figure 3; the reduction in emissions over the life of the projects is shown in Figure 4. University progresses toward its goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2030 will require a systematic, focused and coordinated action by all campus entities affecting campus ecology. A targeted path to the reduction in emissions is shown in figure 5. Figure 3 – Annual Reduction in Emissions from Initial Projects The Effect of the CAP Plan on the GHG Inventory 32 Figure 4 – Lifetime Reduction in Emissions from Initial Projects 100000 Starting Point 90000 80000 Current State 70000 MT eCO2 60000 Emissions at Business as Usual Scenario 50000 50% Below 2009 Emission levels 40000 30000 20000 2030 Net Zero 10000 - Year Figure 5 – Annual Emissions: Business as Usual Scenario verses Net Zero Reductions The Effect of the CAP Plan on the GHG Inventory 33 Next Steps In this, RIT‟s first CAP report, the University focused on developing a system, especially a long term mission and templates of tasks to support a planning process over the subsequent years of the CAP program. The initial focus of the plan is to improve energy efficiency through strengthening of that function throughout the Facilities department and through the commissioning of existing mechanical and electrical systems. The Facilities department is adding BTU metering systems for hot and chilled water building loops to improve energy tracking and understanding energy use patterns. When completed, the system will help relaying the actual operating costs to building users. A GHG Inventory Procedure manual is being finalized with intent to clearly describe GHG data collection procedures and assign each task to caretaker departments and other campus groups that will permit accurately tracking the carbon inventory. Simultaneously, programs will be developed to reduce commuter and other transportation-related emissions, the quantity of waste produced and the imbedded carbon in materials, supplies and food service processes to further reduce the impact RIT has on the environment. A concerted effort is also underway to increase the amount of additional and non-additional offsets in the GHG portfolio with 10% of Green-E certified power purchased in 2010 and 15% of Green-E certified power contracted through 2012. The following list indicates the projects, procedures and actions that will be reviewed in greater detail before the next report in order to determine their feasibility and quantify their impact. The Facility Operations team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Develop or review and update the following sustainable policies and processes: a. University Energy Policy: Guidelines and setpoints for maintaining acceptable internal space conditions, indoor air quality and a system of checks and balances to continuously assess operations to reduce variation from the norms established by the policy b. Operation Reporting Procedures: In support of the University Energy Policy, implementing a reporting procedure will generate daily, weekly, monthly and annual status reports on set point changes, trending, overrides, alarm densities and other daily dynamics, along with the number of outstanding HVAC system alarms remaining in the daily stack in an effort to quantify the impact of changes on the carbon footprint c. Sustainable Construction Policy: An enforceable policy including pre and post score sheets that calculate the impact of Value Engineering decisions that had taken place after construction documents d. Contractor’s Performance Integration Policy (CPIP): mandating commissioning of all deliverables according to University standards and assures results through contractual contingencies e. Green Building Policy: Specifications addressing required materials, recycling content, light transmittance, insulation factors, energy factors, water use minimization and other sustainable parameters for use in the project design and submittal documentation, based on the LEED, local and state codes and best practice recommended for the universities Next Steps 34 2. Develop a position for a dedicated Energy Analyst (EA), whose role is focused on finding system deficiencies and continuous investigative work, problem-solving and verification of corrective actions, in effort to decrease emissions throughout the campus 3. Development of building energy metering systems including: a. Continuous monitoring of its energy sources, including gas, electric, heating and cooling consumption, renewable energy, and water and sewer usage per each building b. Development of meter balance reports to show the accuracy of energy metering, (for example, compare a total sum of heating energy metered in each building against a total metered heating output produced at the central plant). Do this for all utility supplies c. Trend and tracking process for each building integrated with the associated energy benchmarks/profiles to support continuous, intelligent analysis of the energy consumption and its variations over time d. Development of the utility charges and a department-based billing process based on network of building-based meters, feeding the data into dynamic matrixes utilized for implementation of a real-use charges appropriated to the University entities according to the amount of energy utilized e. Develop media to educate and impact a building occupant‟s behavior with focus on the resources conservation, CO2 and other applicable opportunities 4. Organize a revolving commissioning program, reinforced through the development of a dedicated Commissioning Authority (CxA) a. The University CxA will be responsible for maximization of operational performance in building infrastructure, new construction and renovations – to maintain energy performance, asset value, life expectancy and reduce emissions associated with their use for all existing buildings on campus 5. Develop of procedures for accurate and continuous tracking of data needed for GHG inventory submission. Institutionalize each task so its completion becomes a routine, supported by personal responsibility, accountability and proper supervision a. Development of procedures, supporting tools, archives and reporting methods to continuously track data, impact of changes, measuring of progress and updating the milestones through updates of Climate Action Plan (CAP) b. Development of Refrigerant Replacement and Loss Log record as needed for GHG reporting c. Development of methods and systems to allow for online creation, collaboration, sharing, storage and retrieval of GHG and CAP records, transparent and native to a common PC software platform 6. Develop operational procedures favorable to reducing the University‟s carbon footprint and increasing its sustainability a. Incorporate sustainability parameters into the prioritization of equipment replacements, calculating the potential of the carbon released or saved and use it as one of the considerations of the selection process Next Steps 35 b. Develop maintenance procedure policies that detail recycling of CFLs, fluorescent and mercury containing lamps and increased recycling of other electronic components c. Implement sustainable housekeeping, grounds, HVAC, painting, etc. policies and procedures d. Maximize the efficiency of university-owned vehicles, centralize FMS operations to reduce the vehicle miles associated with maintenance functions, purchase green fuel vehicles, develop a replacement vehicle policy, etc. 7. Develop outreach opportunities on efficiency and sustainability topics for the campus and outside communities a. Work within the University and engaged communities to share lessons learned and encourage adoption of sustainable practices. b. Promote and maintain activities that encourage exchanges, swaps and resale of surplus products and supplies. c. Investigate resource conservation, reuse and recycling options and encourage adoption of those by all members of the University community. d. Organize open forums, town meetings and other publicly available events that would inform the community on the Facilities progress in sustainability, application of new products and technologies and progress in energy efficiency and GHG curtailment e. Provide a public forum for vendors demonstrating exceptionally sustainable quality of product or service f. Impact large public events, like Innovation Festival, by including demonstrations of sustainable methods, products and achievements implemented as a consequential aspect of University‟s innovation, progress and the Presidents‟ Climate Commitment g. Review sustainable performance of leading educational institutions in search of ideas, approaches, current statuses and achievements in area of sustainable facilities, energy and emission curtailment through implementation of their climate action plans 8. The following projects are underway by the Facilities team and their impact will be quantified: a. West Chilled Water System optimization b. West and East Boiler System optimization c. Air handling unit retro-commissioning The Food Service team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Develop a sustainable food purchasing policy for the University and support its proper implementation and periodic revisions 2. Develop supplier requirements with business partners, contractors and suppliers to drive sustainable and socially conscious practices Next Steps 36 3. Construct procurement policies for the purchase of commonly used supplies, materials, equipment and services to minimize their environmental costs a. Use disposable plates and dishes (bio-degradable if practical) 4. Use cleaning solvents (bio-degradable) 5. Packaging (recyclable, bio-degradable or containing a minimum packaging mass) 6. Investigate resource recovery, conservation, reuse and recycling including the: a. Application of the energy recovery equipment in cooking, ventilation, heating, air conditioning and dishwashing equipment and processes b. Implementation of run-time minimization for all energy consuming equipment and processes c. Recycling of cooking oil 7. Develop the following outreach and educational instruments to improve the efficiency of use and reduction of carbon associated with food service functions: a. A Vendor Questionnaire Form to monitor food market supply chains including details of harvesting, manufacturing, packaging, delivery and disposal of goods to assist in purchasing “green” products b. An assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy and make changes when necessary c. Fliers to encourage customers to adopt the recycling and other sustainable practices 8. Make arrangements to remove pre-consumer food waste from campus for composting. 9. Replace all foam food containers with number 5 plastic products. Number 5 plastic food containers including salad bowls, pasta bowls, grill/sandwich stir fry platters and soup/chili bowls are being collected in separate recycling bins 10. Develop specification and use of bio-degradable cleaning chemicals that have substituted baking soda-based chemical for soda ash-based products 11. Increase sustainable purchasing to approximately 50% of the food products budget sourced from within a 150 mile radius of the campus. 12. Expand tray-less food. 13. Expand „Bring your own mug‟ program in dining facilities. 14. Partner with a recycler or on-campus group to formulate an action plan for processing bio-degradable clam shell package waste 15. Coordinate growing cycles with dining offerings and include garden output including tomatoes, green beans, herbs, peppers and edamame (soybeans) in its supply stream. Next Steps 37 The Grounds team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Develop a practical composting policy that includes realistic solutions to systematically collect, process and dispose of the aerobic composted materials. a. Developing a work order system to systematically aerate the compost pile b. Developing a process for weighing and recording the organic materials added to the compost site 2. Develop and implement use of assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy by: o Creating the goals, benchmarks, reports and statistics to plan, trend and track progress of campus recycling o Creating mechanism for monthly tracking of recycling data and implementation of corrective actions o Comparing the University‟s performance with the achievements of other similar universities 3. Develop a plan to replace vehicles and gas fueled equipment with comparable equipment that emits lower CO2. o Natural gas o Biodiesel o E-85 4. Reduce the quantity of nitrogen-based fertilizers used on site o Develop a process for weighing and recording the fertilizer applied The Outreach team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Hold annual town meetings in the Spring quarter with faculty, students and staff to update inventory of current initiatives/activities and identify new initiatives. 2. Support COOL Rochester by becoming a partner in the Summer of 2011. 3. Include sustainability information in New Student and New faculty Orientation materials beginning in the Fall 2011 quarter. 4. Organize for a more comprehensive carbon neutrality/climate disruption exhibits and demonstrations at Imagine RIT beginning in May 2012 5. Participate in Greentopia Festival beginning in September 2011 (The Greentopia Festival is Rochester‟s and the Finger Lakes‟ celebration of the green movement sweeping around the globe. The two-day, interactive fest in historic High Falls will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. RIT faculty and staff are represented on the Festival Steering Committee) 6. Convene an annual regional Climate Disruption Summit on RIT Campus in 2014 Next Steps 38 The Purchasing team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Develop policies that specify the use of sustainable, environmentally friendly systems, equipment and materials 2. Investigate resource conservation, reuse and recycling options and encourage adoption by all members of the University community 3. Promote and maintain activities that encourage exchanges, swaps and resale of surplus products and supplies 4. Commit to purchasing the Energy Star certified appliances and products 5. Promote business with suppliers that consistently demonstrate sustainable and socially conscious business practices 6. Work within the University and in the broader community in which we reside to share experiences and encourage the adoption of sustainable practices 7. Develop and implement the use of assessment tools designed to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy and make changes where necessary The Recycle team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Update the Campus Recycling Bin Map and signage 2. Expand the recycling informational campaign 3. Expand the use of social communication networks to increase communication with students about news and events within the Recycling Department. 4. Develop a practical composting policy that includes realistic solutions to systematically collect, process and dispose of the compostable materials. 5. Develop and implement the use of assessment tools designed to evaluate effectiveness of this policy by: o Creating the goals, benchmarks, reports and statistics to plan, trend and track progress of campus recycling o Creating mechanism for monthly tracking of recycling data and implementation of corrective actions o Comparing the University‟s performance with the achievements of other similar universities o Review sustainable performance of leading educational institutions in search of ideas, approaches, current statuses and achievements in the area of recycling component of CAP. Next Steps 39 The Transportation team will focus on the Following Projects, Actions and Procedures: 1. Implementing a pilot program in progress to encourage the use of low energy, fuel efficient (LEFE) vehicles by faculty, staff and students, including motorcycles, electric vehicles (EV) and hybrids, by providing preferred parking incentives, EV charging stations and other incentives. Upon review and modification, pilot program will be expanded campus-wide providing the infrastructure, such as charging stations, to enable charging of electric vehicles. 2. Implementing programs and infrastructure to encourage the student population to minimize driving within the University campus 3. Develop a bikeway infrastructure including bike-thruways, shelters and storage, parking equipment and shower facilities is being developed. 4. Increase the number and capacity of energy efficient residence halls on campus and in its vicinity to minimize number of commuting students and their commuting distance 5. Introduce and expand the use of alternative fuels in University fleet vehicles and provide adequate filling and charging infrastructure 6. Develop a University telecommuting policy and support its proper implementation The teams will meet periodically with the Sustainability Manager to report progress and quantifiable impacts / costs on each of the tasks being developed. As an outcome of these meetings, the calculator will be updated to measure progress on the road to carbon neutrality. Next Steps 40 Contributors CLIMATE TASKFORCE: James H. Watters, Chair, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Witold Bujak, Coordination, Sustainability Manager, Facilities Management Services Catherine Ahern, (Facilities), Director, Engineering Services, Facilities Management Services Don Boyd, (Research), Vice President for Research, Office of VP for Research M. Ann Howard, (Community Outreach), Senior Associate Dean, College of Liberal Arts Gary A. Prokop, (Campus Services), Procurement Analyst, Purchasing Maureen Valentine, (Education), College of Applied Science and Technology SUPPORTING MEMBERS: Gary Gasper, (Campus Services - Food), Director, Dining Services Chris Furnare, (Campus Services - Grounds), Grounds Foreman, Facilities L. Dave Harris, (Facilities), Director, Environmental Management, Facilities Laura Collibee, (Campus Services - Recycling), Recycling Administrator, Facilities Tina Karol, (Campus Services - Purchasing), Director, Commodity Management, Purchasing Gil Ong, (Campus Services - Transportation), Transportations Manager, Facilities Patty Spinelli, (Campus Services - Food), Executive Director, Food Services Kitty Stappenbeck, (Campus Services - Accounting), Payroll Manager, Controller‟s Office Richard D. Stein, (Facilities), HVAC Engineering System Manager, Facilities Jim Yarrington, (Facilities), Director, Construction Services, Facilities ADMINISTRATION: Bill Destler, President, Rochester Institute of Technology Enid Cardinal, Senior Advisor to the President on Sustainability Jan Reich, Director, Facility Management Services CONSULTING SERVICES: Thomas Horan, Consultant, Sustainable Performance Consulting Inc. Contributors 41