Johns Hopkins University

College Sustainability Report Card 2010

The president committed the university to a goal of carbon neutrality in 2007. The university employs six sustainability staff members in the Sustainability Initiative Office, created in 2006. The campus uses an integrated pest management approach in treating its grounds.

JHU has committed to reducing emissions 51 percent below 2008 levels by 2025, and has reduced emissions by 17,000 tons over three years despite campus growth. The Sustainable Hopkins Infrastructure Program funds campus efficiency projects, and the university has several peer-to-peer education programs to encourage behavioral change. Efficiency initiatives include the installation of 20 megawatts of cogeneration facilities, lighting and equipment upgrades, building occupancy schedule adjustments, temperature setbacks, and peak demand management.

Approximately one quarter of dining services' annual budget is spent on local and organic food. Trayless dining is a standard practice and excess food is donated. Fair trade coffee is served and some seafood is purchased in accordance with Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines.

New construction is built to LEED Silver certification, and designs are based on the school's own green building guidelines. Eight campus buildings are either LEED-certified or in the process of being certified. Efficiency and conservation measures include lighting retrofits, low-flow fixtures, a reflective roof, a rainwater catchment system, and three green roofs, including a 75,000 square-foot roof on Decker Quad.

New-student orientation is paperless and offers a tour of the nearby farmers market. The university employs five sustainability interns and has an Eco-Reps program to encourage behavioral change on campus. Students for Environmental Action successfully campaigned for the president's support of the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate Change, and began battery and ink cartridge recycling programs in the dorms. Students reduced energy consumption by 29 percent during the Saving Energy Extreme Inter-dorm Tournament. Students also contribute new ideas and proposals through the Green Idea Generator.

The campus has a carpool matching program and mass transit passes can be purchased with pretax dollars. A shuttle service runs between campuses and into the downtown Baltimore area. The university facilitates workshops about bike commuting and repair. There is a car-sharing program on campus.

The university makes a list of all holdings available to trustees and senior administrators. The university does not make its shareholder voting record public.

The university aims to optimize risk-adjusted investment return and is currently invested in funds that include investments in renewable energy.

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