Dartmouth College

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

Dartmouth employs four full-time staff, and two administrative committees are devoted to advancing sustainability on campus. All paper contains postconsumer materials. The college has made sustainability a priority through formal policies in addition to the master plan and the strategic plan.

By 2030, Dartmouth aims to reduce emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels. Following an audit of campus energy use, the trustees allocated $12.5 million for efficiency projects. Dartmouth has retrofitted lighting, upgraded electrical and steam meters, and continually surveys and maintains steam traps. Real-time energy feedback is displayed in student dorms and campus buildings to encourage conservation. A cogeneration facility generates heat for the campus, and there are geothermal heat pumps, a photovoltaic array, and a wood pellet biomass boiler system.

The college maintains relationships with local farmers through the Farm-to-Dartmouth project. The purchase of local items represents 4 percent of the annual food budget. All eggs are cage-free and 50 percent of seafood is sustainably harvested. Dining halls offer fair trade bananas and coffee. Food scraps from all dining locations are composted on campus.

Dartmouth's green building policy sets LEED Silver as the standard criteria for construction projects. There are two LEED Silver and two LEED Gold buildings on campus, one building that meets LEED standards, and two Energy Star–labeled buildings. Occupancy sensors have been installed in hallways and common areas.

New-student orientation includes volunteer programs, tours of campus, a move-in sale, and information sessions that address sustainability. The school offers six sustainability internships for students and an Eco-Rep program. A variety of student organizations address such topics as waste, energy consumption, local and sustainable foods, alternative fuels, and climate change mitigation. Dartmouth has a student-run organic farm and a sustainability-themed residence.

The college offers incentives for commuting via environmentally preferable means. Dartmouth provides free public transportation on and around campus. A car-sharing program is also available.

The college makes a list of equity holdings available to all members of the school community, and a list of all holdings available to trustees and senior administrators. This information is made available at the investment office. A list of votes cast on proxy resolutions on a company-specific level is made available to the public and is accessible online.

The college aims to optimize investment return and is exploring, but not currently invested in, renewable energy funds or similar investment vehicles. Some of the college's investment managers consider environmental and sustainability factors in their decisions.

Students, faculty, and alumni serve on an advisory committee, which makes proxy voting recommendations to the board.