Lehigh University

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

The Environmental Initiative, a collaborative research-based program that spans multiple academic disciplines, is currently the university’s only potential resource for sustainability programs. Beginning fall 2007, 15 environmentally minded students will live in the Green House, an on-campus special interest house for students pursuing a green lifestyle.

The university has three certified energy managers on staff and utility usage is monitored and analyzed. All major buildings are equipped with direct digital controls, have the capability for night temperature setbacks, and have had lighting retrofits that are expected to save 21,000 megawatt-hours annually. Students are also given the option to participate in a wind energy purchasing program.

Local and organic produce is available in certain capacities and the university currently uses a local produce vendor that has contracts with several local farmers. Fair-trade coffee is also served. The university has a comprehensive recycling program and 100 percent corn-based packaging products are available in most retail locations on campus. Dining services is exploring the possibility of converting waste oil from kitchen facilities into a fuel product.

The university is committed to adhering to Standard 90.1 of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) regarding energy efficiency for new construction and major renovation projects. A new science and environmental building, which will house the Environmental Initiative, is intended to achieve LEED certification when completed in 2010.

The university has not made public any programs or practices that encourage or facilitate the use of alternative forms of transportation.

The university makes neither its proxy voting record nor its list of endowment holdings public. This information is only available to trustees and senior administrators.

The university aims to optimize investment return and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university asks that its investment managers handle the details of proxy voting.