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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Gioia Thompson
Title: Sustainability Director
Date survey submitted: July 21, 2009
ADMINISTRATION
SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES
1) Does your school have its own formal sustainability policy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available: The University’s mission statement provides the overarching vision: To be among the nation’s premier small research universities, preeminent in our comprehensive commitment to liberal education, environment, health, and public service. The strategic plan explains how this is to be carried out.
2) Has the president of your institution signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. If completed, please provide the date the GHG Report was submitted to the ACUPCC: June 2009 most recent update
3) Has your institution signed the Talloires Declaration?
[x ] No
[ ] Yes
4) Is there a sustainability component in your institution's master plan and/or strategic plan (check all that apply)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes, in the master plan. Please describe and provide URL, if available: http://www.uvm.edu/~plan/
Commitment to reducing reliance on personal vehicles and creating a pedestrian and bike-friendly campus, LEED Silver minimum for new buildings and major renovations, responsible storm water management, and thoughtful installation of alternative energy projects.
[ x ] Yes, in the strategic plan. Please describe and provide URL, if available: http://www.uvm.edu/president/?Page=strategicplan2009_2013.html
VISION: To be the nation's premier small public research university, preeminent in liberal education and the study of the environment and health, and dedicated to providing students with extraordinary opportunities for learning and personal development and to enhancing the cultural, social, and economic life of Vermont, the nation and the world.
In addition to a strong emphasis on diversity and supporting key academic priorities, the plan includes a number of sustainability-related objectives such as
Infuse a broad understanding of and personal responsibility for health and wellness, environmental stewardship, and sustainability throughout the academic and co-curricular experiences of all UVM students.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
5) Does your school have a council or committee that advises on and/or implements policies and programs related to sustainability?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes
If you answered "No" to question 5, please proceed directly to question 11.
6) Please provide the name of the committee and list the number of meetings held since August 2008.
Name: Environmental Forum
Number of meetings: 9
7) Please provide number of stakeholder representatives on the committee. As an average these are:
[# 2 ] Administrators
[# 4 ] Faculty
[# 4 ] Staff
[# 6 ] Students
[# for a total of 15+ ]
Other include community members, sustainability staff from nearby institutions and organizations.
Please describe:
The Clean Energy Fund Committee is a formal committee with students in the majority, working with administrators, staff, and faculty to recommend uses of $200,000 per year generated by a student fee.
This year our long-standing Environmental Council became the Environmental Forum. The Council had formal representation by faculty, staff, students and community members, but we are opting for a more flexible structure to support the grassroots’ desire to engage in sustainability projects and policy development. The Forum, a monthly two-hour meeting with presentations and discussions, is led by a doctoral Fellow in the Office of Sustainability, and it is linked with a monthly newsletter distributed to 200 stakeholders, including deans, alumni, and community members.
8) Please provide the name of the chair(s) of the committee for the 2009-2010 academic year, and indicate which stakeholder group the chair(s) represents.
If 2009-2010 academic year information is not yet available, please provide information for 2008-2009 instead.
Name of chair(s): Tatiana Abatemarco
Position(s) (e.g., administrator, faculty, staff, student): Doctoral Student
9) To whom does the committee report (e.g., president, vice president)?
To the Office of Sustainability, which reports jointly to the Provost and the Vice President of Finance & Administration.
10) Please list key issues/programs that the committee has addressed or implemented since August 2008. Progress made on each of these issues since August 2008.
Climate Action Planning: stakeholders input into plan that’s due 1/2010
Local foods: wide range of activities this year, see food section. Supported by sustainability intern, dining services, and Eco-Reps.
Focus the Nation events: organized, publicized climate change educational activities
Food packaging alternatives: dining and recycling offices solicited recommendations about using bioplastics in dining
Deferred maintenance and energy costs of small, historic buildings: student project, raised awareness of issues and need for new funding sources
Funding for transportation demand management: recommending new ways to fund programs for staff
See newsletters for details.
SUSTAINABILITY STAFF
11) Does your school employ sustainability staff (excluding student employees and interns)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide titles and number of sustainability staff.
[# 5 ] Number of full-time staff (in FTE). Titles: [Sustainability Director, Sustainability Projects Coordinator] Green Building Coordinator, Recycling/Solid Waste Manager (has other employees but this position is really focused on sustainable systems and education); Environmental Safety Manager (bridges compliance with greening, especially relating to the research community and energy use)
[# 1.5 ] Number of part-time staff (in FTE). Titles: [ Three Sustainability Fellows, each .5FTE ]
12) Does the head of the sustainability staff report directly to the president or another high-level administrator (e.g., vice president, vice chancellor)?
[ ] N/A
[ ] No
[ x] Yes. Please describe: Provost and VP Finance & Administration, jointly
OFFICE OR DEPARTMENT
13) Does your school have an office or department specifically dedicated to furthering sustainability on campus?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe (including name of office or department and year created): Office of Sustainability, 2008, building on the Environmental Council, 1996-2008.
WEBSITE
14) Does your school have a website detailing its sustainability initiatives?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide URL: http://www.uvm.edu/~sustain/ and http://www.uvm.edu/greening
GREEN PURCHASING
15) Does your school have a formal green purchasing policy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe policy and provide URL to full policy, if available:
The green building policy of LEED Silver minimum is effectively a purchasing policy that has resulted in more efficient buildings, locally sourced materials, less waste, and greener cleaners, carpets, and finishes. Other than the Campus Master Plan, the University has few formal policy statements affecting campus operations, and very decentralized purchasing methods. Fortunately, most staff who make major purchases at the university in areas of building maintenance, energy, custodial services, dining, architecture and engineering, procurement, transportation, and grounds have been involved with the Office of Sustainability's Environmental Forum (formerly Council) for many years, where the student pressure is on to choose the most environmentally responsible products and practices. Most managers have worked with student activists and interns to research best practices and help educate the campus. The Office of Sustainability and Environmental Forum keep these decisions in the public eye.
We have had a Paper Purchasing Policy since 1998. At the moment there is no official Policy on the university website, following a major overhaul of university policies. Regardless, the university policy is to buy 100% postconsumer, chlorine-free recycled copier/printer paper for routine use on campus.
16) Does your school purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ ] All Everything over which our facilities and construction staff have control, including refrigeration units, lighting, motors, etc. We encourage our students to choose ENERGY STAR products as well. However, faculty and students are able to purchase other products as well.
17) Does your school purchase environmentally preferable paper products (e.g., 100 percent post-consumer recycled content, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council)?
[ ] No
[ x] Some. Please describe: See above re LEED. In addition, central administration specifies 100% PCC copier paper, and the Office of Sustainability works with Procurement to inform purchasers on campus of the policy. However, people can also purchase from other vendors, and those purchases are difficult to track centrally.
Custodial Services specifies all Green Seal certified paper towels, toilet paper and routine cleaning products, and there are few others on campus purchasing such products.
[ x ] All. Please describe: {Please note that the response “all” meaning all paper products (custodial, copier, printer, notebook) at all times by all people would indicate a level of institutional control that few if any institutions actually have.}
18) Does your school purchase Green Seal, Environmental Choice certified, or biorenewable cleaning products?
[ ] No
[ x ] Some. Please describe: All Green Seal for routine cleaning, except floor strippers, for which certified products are now lacking.
[ ] All. Please describe:
19) Are your school's computer/electronics purchase decisions made in accordance with standards such as the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Some. Please describe: All computers purchased by and through the campus “computer depot” meet EPEAT standards, and that means most computers used by students, faculty, and staff. However, faculty also purchase computers from other sources that may not use the EPEAT standards.
[ ] All
Again, it’s practically impossible to ensure that ALL computers purchased using university funds meet these criteria.
20) Does your school use only pesticides that meet the standards for organic crop production set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Canadian Organic Standards (excluding on-campus farms)?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ x ] All as of 2009—but in fact the campus has little need for pesticides anyway. This is as a result of many years’ effort, involving staff, students, faculty, contractors, and the local board of health. We have been fortunate that there has been an effective solution for every problem that has arisen.
CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY
21) Has your school completed a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory?
Please check all that apply.
[ ] No.
[ ] In progress. Please describe status and provide estimated completion date:
[x ] Yes. Please provide total annual GHG emissions (in metric tons of CO2e). Also, include the start date for each year as well as the URL to each inventory, if available online, or attach the document.
2008: 69551
2007: 69941
2006: 59741
2005: 64936
www.uvm.edu/sustainability and click on Projects and Documents
2007: 50018, http://acupcc.aashe.org/ghg-report.php?id=281 This year we decided to use the regional factors instead of local factors for electricity, which changes our emissions calculations dramatically. We believe it is not useful to compare across institutions at this time.
COMMITMENT TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION
The purchase of carbon offsets does not count toward greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions for this indicator. They are counted in a subsequent indicator.
22) Has your school made a commitment to reducing GHG emissions by a specific amount?
[ x ] No, we are in the process of putting together our climate action plan.
[ x ] Yes. Please list details. The commitment is to reach carbon neutrality by 2020
Reduction level:
Baseline year:
Target date: 2020
If you answered only "No" or "In progress" to question 21, please now skip to question 27.
{Why skip? An institution can reduce greenhouse gas emissions without having made a commitment to do so}
REALIZED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
23) Has your school achieved a reduction in GHG emissions?
[ ] No
[x ] Yes. Please list details.
Yes and no, depending on your manner of thinking. Our institution added students and a new campus since 1990, our baseline. We have more overall emissions as a result, but fewer per student and per square foot, as detailed below.
Percentage reduced: increased 21% between 1990 and 2008
Percentage students increased: 23%
Percentage square footage: 37%
Baseline year: 1990
Date achieved:
2008 69551
2007 69941
2006 59741
2005 64936
1990 57622
24) Please provide the total heating and cooling degree days averaged over the past three years.
Data on total degree heating and cooling days is available at: http://www.degreedays.net/. This information will be used to help reduce bias between schools in different climates.
This calculator doesn’t work for any of our local airport sites. Incomplete.
Cooling degree days average over the past three years:
Heating degree days average over the past three years:
25) Please provide GHG emissions figures on a per-thousand-square-foot basis for the past three years.
Per-Thousand-Square-Foot Emissions = Total CO2e in metric tons / Total maintained building space in thousands of square feet.
2007: 10.5
2006: 9
Note that we changed our method in 2008 to use the regional emissions factors rather than local, making our emissions increase significantly above previous calculations. We will update the ACUPCC data accordingly.
2008: 14.0
2007: 14.6
2006: 13.5 (warm winter)
2005: 15.1
2004: 15.3
2003: 15.6
1990: 15.9
11% less in 2008 than 1990
26) Please provide GHG emissions figures on a per-full-time-student basis for the past three years.
Per-Student Emissions = Total CO2e in metric tons / Total number of full-time enrolled students.
2008: 6.0.
2007: 6.4
2006: 5.6—warm winter
2005: 6.3
2004: 6.7
2003: 6.9
1990: 6.2
About the same as 1990, depending on how cold the winter is
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
27) What programs or technologies has your school implemented to improve energy efficiency (e.g., cogeneration plant, retrocommissioning of HVAC systems, performing system tune-ups, temperature setbacks)? Vending misers; retrofits of each building; LED exit signs; efficient washing machines; temperature setbacks, control systems, major steam pipe replacements, central plant upgrades.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
28) Do you facilitate programs that encourage members of the campus community to reduce energy use (e.g., cash incentives, signs reminding individuals to turn off lights and appliances)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe:
EcoReps program http://www.uvm.edu/ecoreps in residence halls
Lightbulb exchanges
Broadcast messages by email during peak demand, before breaks
Signs on light switches
New project this year to get data online
RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION
29) Does your school generate renewable electricity?
[ ] No BUT our community does—see question 31. The biomass component (40% of electricity mix) is two miles from campus.
Description:
30) Does your school have solar hot water systems?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please specify number of systems and total BTUs generated annually, if available:
RENEWABLE ENERGY PURCHASE
31) Has your school purchased electric energy from renewable sources or renewable energy credits (RECs)? EMAILED MARY SULLIVAN ABOUT THIS
RECs and electricity from renewable sources must be Green-e certified or meet the requirements of the Green-e standard.
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe.
Date of most recent contract: We buy through our municipal electric utility, which has a goal of 100% renewable sources by 2012. At this time they are buying 67% renewable, though not Green-E certified. The utility does not contract with nuclear or large hydroelectric sources of electricity.
[ ] Yes. Please specify percentage of overall electricity generated from each of the following sources and describe details below.
[ 0 %] B100 biodiesel
[ 42%] Clean biomass, within city limits
[ 0%] Concentrating solar power (CSP)
[ 0%] Geothermal
[ 25%%] Low-impact hydropower
[ 0 %] Solar photovoltaics
[ .05 %] Wind
[ .28 LANDFILL METHANE%] Other Quantity (kWh):
Percentage of your total electric energy use that it represents: ABOUT 65%, as most of campus is in Burlington.
32) Has your school purchased non-electric energy from renewable sources?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Date of most recent contract:
Quantity (BTUs):
Percentage of your total non-electric energy use that it represents:
ON-SITE COMBUSTION
33) Please provide total BTUs of energy for heating and cooling from on-site combustion:
2008: 599,246
34) Please list each fuel source (e.g., coal, natural gas, oil) and the percent of overall BTUs derived from that source:
Natural gas 586,801 MMBTUs = 97.9%
#6 fuel 3,776 MMBTUs = 0.6%
#2: 7462 = 1.2%
Propane 1,207 = 0.2%
35) Is any on-site combustion for heating and cooling derived from renewable sources?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Percentage on-site combustion derived from renewable sources: [ %]
Total BTUs of energy generated from renewable sources: [# ]
Description of renewable energy sources used for on-site combustion for heating and cooling:
FOOD & RECYCLING
The food portion of this category is covered in a separate dining survey.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
36) Please indicate which traditional materials your institution recycles (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ x ] Aluminum
[ x ] Cardboard
[ x ] Glass
[ x ] Paper
[ ] Plastics (all)
[ x ] Plastics (some)
[ x ] Other. Please list: Scrap metal, food waste, cooking oils, e-waste, construction waste.
37) Diversion rate: [ 36 %]
RECYCLING OF ELECTRONIC WASTE
38) Does your institution have an electronics recycling program?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. If available, please indicate the total annual weight or volume of each material collected for recycling or reuse. Total E-waste is about 41 tons. Data not readily available on lightbulbs.
[ x ] Batteries
[ x ] Cell phones
[ x ] Computers
[ x ] Lightbulbs
[ x ] Printer cartridges
[ ] Other E-waste. Please list:
COMPOSTING (ASIDE FROM DINING FACILITIES)
39) What percentage of your campus's landscaping waste is composted or mulched?
[ ? %] Don’t track this
40) Do you provide composting receptacles around campus in locations other than dining halls (e.g., in residence halls, offices, academic buildings)?
[ ] No
[ x] Yes. Please describe: we provide them for some students but not a comprehensive program at this time
SOURCE REDUCTION
41) Do you have any source-reduction initiatives (e.g., end-of-semester furniture or clothing swaps and collections)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: Several programs and initiatives: End of year student collection of clothing and furniture. Office supply contractor using reusable shipping boxes to deliver office supplies. Elimination of paper payroll and all employees paid electronically. Office Supply Collection and Reuse Program (OSCAR).
GREEN BUILDING
GREEN BUILDING POLICY
42) Does your school have a formal green building policy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe policy and provide URL to the full policy, if available: http://www.uvm.edu/~uvmppg/ppg/facil/greenbuilding.pdf
GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS
43) Please indicate LEED-certified buildings.
[# 5 ] Total number of LEED-certified buildings. Five buildings completed, totaling about 600,000 of 4,800,000 square feet, or 12.5%.
[ sq ft] Certified-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ 144,200 sq ft] Silver-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names: Wing Davis Wilks Residential Complex- Silver - 127,000
· The Joseph E. Carrigan Wing- Silver - 17,200
· [ 464,000 sq ft] Gold-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names: University Heights Residential Complex- Gold - 266,000 ft2 , 438 College Street- Gold - 12,000
· Dudley H. Davis Center- Gold - 186,000 ft2. Winner of 2009 American College Unions International awards for design/build and innovation.
[ sq ft] Platinum-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
44) Please indicate buildings that meet LEED certification criteria but are not certified. NA
[# ] Total number of buildings that meet LEED criteria
[ sq ft] Certified-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Silver-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Gold-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Platinum-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
45) Please indicate buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled.
[# 0 ] Total number of ENERGY STAR buildings. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
RENOVATIONS AND RETROFITS
46) Please indicate LEED-EB certified buildings.
[# 0 ] Total number of LEED-EB certified buildings. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
47) Please indicate buildings that meet LEED-EB certification criteria but are not certified.
[# 0 ] Total number of buildings that meet LEED-EB criteria but are not certified. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
48) Please indicate renovated buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled.
[# 0 ] Total number of renovated buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
49) What energy-efficiency technologies have you installed in existing buildings (e.g., HVAC systems, motion sensors, ambient light sensors, T5 lighting, LED lighting, timers, laundry technology)?
For each technology, please indicate the number and type of fixtures installed, and the number of buildings in which those fixtures are installed. If possible, include either the percentage of the overall campus fixtures each type represents or the percentage of overall maintained building space that has been renovated with the technology (e.g., 20 buildings representing 10 percent of maintained building space have been retrofitted with motion sensors; thus, 10 percent of the total maintained building space in square feet would be the desired data).
We do not keep data at the level of specificity requested. Please note we have been investing millions of dollars in energy efficiency technologies such as these over the past 15 years, with positive results as evidenced by our per square foot energy use.
HVAC: heat recovery, variable speed drives, use of building control systems in most large buildings on campus.
Motion detectors are used in many public spaces such as conference rooms and bathrooms.
Ambient light sensors are not common.
T5 in newest buildings
LED used in the student center. Compact fluorescents throughout campus.
50) What water-conservation technologies have you installed in existing buildings (e.g., low-flow faucets, low-flow showerheads, waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets, gray water systems, laundry technology)?
For each technology, please indicate the number and type of fixtures installed, and the number of buildings in which those fixtures are installed. If possible, include either the percentage of the overall campus fixtures each type represents or the percentage of overall maintained building space that has been renovated with the technology (e.g., 20 buildings representing 10 percent of the maintained building space have been retrofitted with low-flow faucets; thus, 10 percent of the total maintained building space in square feet would be the desired data).
We do not keep data at the level of specificity requested.
Low flow faucets and showerheads and efficient laundry technology are used throughout the residential campus. Low flow faucets are used throughout the entire campus, with the exception of some historic buildings.
Waterless urinals are installed in a few locations on campus.
We do not have dual flush toilets or gray water systems. We have a few composting toilets.
51) What percentage of your institution's non-hazardous construction and demolition waste is diverted from landfills?
[ 85 average % for last nine projects—all LEED]
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES
52) Are there any sustainability-themed residential communities or housing options at your school?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide details below.
Name of program: GreenHouse
Type of community (e.g., hall, building, house): Hall
Number of students involved: 250
Additional details: LEED Gold complex http://www.uvm.edu/~ghrlc/
Also a student coop, Slade Hall, 24 students, http://www.uvm.edu/~rlweb/?Page=students/living_on_campus/slade.html&SM=students/living_on_campus/living_sm.html
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
53) Does a portion of your new student orientation specifically cover sustainability?
[ ] No
[ x] Yes. Please describe how sustainability is incorporated (e.g., information sessions, green tour): We focus on zero-waste events as an experiential way to introduce students and their families to campus greening. Campus tours already include some references to sustainability. We find that students are too concerned about housing and classes to focus on any printed material or special info session. Instead we focus on teaching new students about campus culture through the Eco-Reps in the residence halls.
INTERNSHIPS/OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
54) Does your school offer on-campus office-based sustainability internships or jobs for students?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please provide number of students and average number of hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Paid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student: Three 0.5 FTE Sustainability Fellows (masters or doctoral students). Temporary employees on projects, generally 10 hours/semester, 2-4 students per year. One or two workstudy students 5-10 hours per week. Also, see EcoReps.
[# ] Unpaid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
55) Does your school have residence hall Eco-Reps or other similar programs to promote behavioral change on campus?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide details below, and indicate URL if available: http://www.uvm.edu/ecoreps
Established peer environmental education and behavior change program based in residence halls that also supports campus-wide activities
[# 35 ] Paid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student: 4
Plus doctoral student supervisor, 20 hours/week
[# depends ] Positions that award academic credit. Average hours worked weekly per student: Some students take an accompanying one-credit course
[# ] Uncompensated positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
56) Does your school have active student-run organizations devoted to sustainability efforts on campus?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide total number of active organizations, names of organizations, a brief description of each, and URLs, if available:
Changes annually. Please see http://www.uvm.edu/~sustain/?Page=forum/forum.html --several formal and informal groups at any given time on wide range of issues
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
57) Does your school organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please list details for all competitions.
Name of competition: Way to Go Commuter Challenge
Year initiated: 2003
Frequency of competition: Annually
Participants: 310
Incentives: Transit related rewards for signing up (transit pass, bicycle deals, pedometers), plus potential to win prizes.
Goal of competition: raise awareness of alternatives
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition: awareness of alternative transportation options
Website: http://www.uvm.edu/~sustain/news/downloads/April09Newsletter.pdf
[ x ] Yes. Please list details for all competitions.
Name of competition: RecycleMania No longer. We decided not to participate any more, as our Eco-Reps and Recycling Office found it was not motivating to our campus population. We do other events—waste sorts are particularly educational.
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
TRANSPORTATION
CAMPUS MOTOR FLEET
58) How many vehicles are in your institution's fleet?
[# 239 in 2007 ]
59) Please list the number of alternative-fuel vehicles in each class.
[# 3 ] Hybrid. Please list makes and models: Toyota Prius x 3
[# 9 ] Electric. Please describe type of vehicles: Global Electric Motorcars
[# 8 ] Biodiesel. Please describe type of vehicles and list biodiesel blend(s) used: B20 biodiesel buses
[# 2 ] Other. Please describe: compressed natural gas buses, will be 4 next year to replace two B20 buses
60) What is the average GHG emission rate per passenger mile of your institution's motorized fleet?
[# ] pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per passenger mile traveled.
This would take a significant investment of time and resources to track down the data to give an accurage value. We have no use for this information ourselves. We aim for cleaner fuels in our passenger vehicles, natural gas is the best we can get right now for our buses.
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES
61) Does your school offer incentives for carpooling?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe details of the program including the type of the incentive and eligible community members (e.g., faculty, staff, students): Eligible to all members, allows lower cost parking permits. Includes guaranteed ride home, gift certificate drawings. Carpoolers also receive one additional day’s parking pass per month and may park in more central lots.
62) Does your school offer public transportation subsidies?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe the program including the size of the discount (as a percent of full price) and eligible community members (e.g., faculty, staff, students): Students, faculty, and staff can ride local buses for free.
63) Does your school provide free transportation around campus?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: shuttles fueled by compressed natural gas or biodiesel
64) Does your school operate a free transportation shuttle to local off-campus destinations?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: downtown shuttles
BICYCLE PROGRAM
65) Does your school offer a bicycle-sharing/rental program or bicycle repair services?
[ x ] No, we tried it out and found that this didn’t work on our campus, in part because of our northern climate. We also found that people who want to bike already can and do, with low-cost bikes, repair services, and bike lanes already available in our community,
[ ] Yes. Please provide details below.
Year created:
Number of bikes available:
Fees for participation:
Repair services provided:
CAR-SHARING PROGRAM
66) Does your school partner with a car-sharing program?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide details below. UVM is a partner in CarShareVermont, a non-profit community-university car-sharing organization that started in 2008. Two of the CarShare cars are housed at UVM. CarShareVermont
Year created: 2008
Total number of vehicles: 2 for our university
Number of hybrid vehicles: 2
- Fee for membership: $30 application fee per person (to check driving record)
Low use:
No monthly membership fee
- $6.95 an hour
- 25¢ per mile
- $69 day rate (24 hours), plus 15¢ per mile
- Free gas and premium insurance included
High use:
- $15 monthly membership fee (or save $30 by paying $150 for the year)
- Add up to 4 drivers to your account and share the monthly fee*
- $4.95 an hour
- 25¢ per mile
- $49 day rate (24 hours), plus 15¢ per mile
PLANNING
67) Does your school have policies that support a pedestrian-friendly or bike-friendly campus (e.g., in the school's master plan, a policy prohibiting vehicles from the center of campus)?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe: Yes, explicit support in the guiding principles for pedestrian and bike-friendly campus, plus university-community access and related transportation systems. Transportation demand management plus campus planning have resulted in a decrease in the number and use of parking spaces on campus. See http://www.uvm.edu/plan
68) What percentage of individuals commute to campus via environmentally preferable transportation (e.g., walking, bicycling, carpooling, using public transit)?
[ 55 % of commuters take alternate modes; ] 60% of total campus population including residential students takes alternate modes
Employees- 2005: 39.8% alternate mode
Students: Residential- 2006: 99% walk or bike
Off-campus- 2006: 64.4% alt mode
STATISTICS
69) Campus setting:
[ x ] Rural
[ ] Suburban
[x ] Urban
[ x ] Other. Please describe: The campus is in heart of the largest city (40,000) in a rural state (600,000).
70) Total number of buildings: [# 179 ]
71) Combined gross square footage of all buildings: [# 5million ]
72) Full-time enrollment (undergraduate and graduate): [# 10,846 ]
73) Part-time enrollment (undergraduate and graduate): [# 1,954 ]
74) Part-time enrollment as a proportion to a full-time course load: [# ] FTE is calculated by summing the credit hours taken by part-time students and dividing by the standard full-time student load (e,g. in fall 2008our 399 part-time undergraduates enrolled for a total of 2406 credits. When we divide by the standard 15 credit hour undergraduate full-time load, we get an fte of 160 for the part-time undergraduates.) Part-time fte's for fall 2008 were 160 for undergraduates(as explained), 235 for graduate students, 6 for post-baccalaureate certificate students, and 244 for non-degree students.
75) Percent of full-time undergraduate students that live on campus: [ 52% ]
Questions 76-87 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
OTHER AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT
Please mark an "X" next to each item that applies to your institution.
76) Outdoors club: [ yes, very strong ]
77) Disposable water bottle ban: [ no, this is not an idea we support, inconsistent if still allow soda, which is bottled water plus additives. Big campaign to refill water bottles instead]
78) Participation in Recyclemania: [ not helpful on our campus, so we’ve stopped ]
79) Student trustee position: [ yes ]
80) Environmental science/studies major: [ both ]
81) Environmental science/studies minor or concentration: [yes ]
82) Graduate-level environmental program: [yes several ]
83) Student green fee: [clean energy fund ]
84) Alumni green fund: [ several]
85) Revolving loan fund for sustainability projects: [no ]
86) Campus garden or farm: [ yes ]
87) Single-stream recycling: [ yes, county provides ]
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