North Carolina State University

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

North Carolina State University strives to be a model for sustainability in the state and incorporates sustainability into its master plan. The board of trustees approved several guiding principles of sustainability in 1999. The University Environmental Sustainability Task Force, coordinated by a sustainability officer, continues to submit guidelines to the administration. In its effort to meet the North Carolina governor’s executive order relating to acquiring goods and services, the university prioritizes sustainable purchasing of recycled products.

The university has a solar house equipped with solar panels and other energy-efficient features that serves as a resource for education and research related to renewable energy. The university also has a 5-kilowatt stationary fuel cell installed at the agricultural school. NC State prioritizes energy conservation and is working to reduce usage by 20 percent.

The university sponsors a residence hall environmental education program and a recycling program. The diversion rate for 2005–2006 was 39 percent. The university’s dining services department does not offer any notable amount of local or organic foods, and does not run a composting program.

While the university has not sought LEED certification for new projects, the facilities management department follows guidelines for green building related to site and water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.

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

The university and North Carolina State Foundation have no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or shareholder voting records. Therefore, there is no known ability to access this information.

The university and North Carolina State Foundation aim to optimize investment return and have not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university and North Carolina State Foundation have not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.