Purdue University

College Sustainability Report Card 2007

Preliminary steps have been taken to establish an energy conservation program and to obtain LEED building certification. A successful recycling program is in place, alternative transportation ideas are being explored, and dining services has incorporated some local foods into its menu.

Purdue University has taken some conservation measures including building modifications and lighting retrofits to reduce energy consumption. Preliminary efforts are being made, with input from design students, to install a co-firing boiler that will make use of such alternative fuel sources as switchgrass, byproducts of ethanol production and a local corn syrup processing plant, and, potentially, manure from the Research Farm. The most efficient solar panels designed by students during a class competition were installed alongside solar panels that already heated water for one building. Future plans include the establishment of a formal energy conservation program and the University is in the process of hiring an Energy Engineer to lead that effort.

Dining services is in the middle of a large construction project to improve its services and has made minimal efforts to supply local foods, such as a pilot program that offers locally grown apples. The University supported a composting and soil-making operation that became a private business. Compost from the University, animal bedding, food waste, and by-products for various industries in the area were used to create a product that has been used to replace top soil for site projects and to reclaim strip-mined areas in southern Indiana in a Department of Natural Resources sponsored program. The University also composts yard waste in cooperation with surrounding cities.

The University has not adopted any formal policies, though green building design principles are included in the Consultant Handbook that is used for every design project. Construction on a recently completed project closely followed LEED standards and came within ten points of certification. The University is obtaining LED certification for several professional architects and engineers in order to eventually apply formal LED building performance and sustainability goals.

The University’s proxy voting record and a list of endowment holdings are made available to both the university community and the public. This information is emailed to individuals upon request.

The University prioritizes investing to maximize profit and is invested in renewable energy investment funds or similar investment vehicles.

Purdue's custodian bank votes proxies on the University's behalf.