University of Pennsylvania

College Sustainability Report Card 2008

President Gutmann signed the Presidents Climate Commitment. Senior staff in the facilities and business services divisions work together to coordinate sustainability initiatives across campus, including greenhouse gas reduction, energy efficiency, waste management, and sustainable food and dining operations. The newly formed faculty, staff, and student Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee will meet regularly to address campus-wide issues.

The university sources approximately 30 percent of its electricity from wind-generated power, making it the second-largest university purchaser of wind power in the nation. The purchase was funded in part through aggressive conservation efforts that improved energy efficiency by 18 percent and made possible the construction of a new 12-turbine, 20-megawatt wind farm in Pennsylvania.

The university purchases from 15 to 20 local producers and offers fair-trade and organic products. Students can use their meal plans to purchase local produce at a farmers market on campus, supporting regional farmers and reducing food miles. Biodegradable to-go containers have replaced Styrofoam in the dining halls and reusable bags are offered in retail locations. Penn operates an EarthTub composting program and will begin sending preconsumer food waste to a composting facility this year.

As a decentralized institution, the university has not yet mandated a LEED standard for each of the 12 schools and numerous centers on campus. However, several ongoing building projects are targeting LEED Silver certification, and one, the Horticulture Center at the Morris Arboretum, is anticipating LEED Platinum certification. This fall, the university is replacing the first of several conventional dormitory roofs with a green roof.

The heavily subscribed PennPass transit program allows students to take unlimited rides on Philadelphia buses and subways for a per-semester fee. The university also provides free shuttle service throughout campus. Penn has partnered with a local biodiesel supplier and manufacturer, The Energy Cooperative, to investigate and promote the use of biodiesel in the campus fleet.

The university publishes an annual financial report that includes information about the endowment. Information about specific endowment holdings, however, is only available to the board, members of the investment office, and senior university administrators.

The university aims to optimize investment return and is exploring, but not currently invested in, renewable energy funds or similar investment vehicles.

A committee with four students, four faculty members, two alumni representatives, and two staff makes recommendations to the proxy subcommittee of the board of trustees on votes involving social issues.