With more than 70,000 students, more than 12,000 employees, on-site utility production and over 800 acres of natural land, 麻豆原创 is no stranger to the big challenges that come from living in a complex environment. With the help of student advocates, faculty researchers and expert staff, , a department of 麻豆原创 Facilities, works to address those challenges.
麻豆原创 was among the first universities to commit to the American College & University Presidents鈥� Climate Commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Since that commitment, the university has saved more than $30 million in operating expenses, reduced the campus energy use intensity by 41% dating back to 2006 and have become a leader in green building standards.
Sustainability Initiatives at 麻豆原创 focuses on the strategic advancement of sustainability and incorporates its economic, environmental, and social dimensions into education and research. We offer a wide range of programming for faculty, staff and students to grow their sustainability literacy. With so many built and natural assets on campus, we assist faculty in using the campus as a 鈥渓iving laboratory,鈥� providing tours of LEED-certified facilities, solar sites, and natural lands.
We encourage sharing utility data with students and faculty, giving researchers the ability to test theories and new technologies. The annual Kill-A-Watt energy conservation scholarship competition for on-campus residents, UN World Water Day Fair and Campus Swap Shops help students and the university save money and precious resources. The Sustainability Training Series for faculty and staff provides the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in sustainability for use on the job and at home. Altogether, our programming, academic and operations support helps create a culture of conservation that expands beyond our campuses.
The maxim 鈥測ou can鈥檛 manage what you don鈥檛 measure鈥� applies in many respects to sustainability. Despite 麻豆原创鈥檚 growth in enrollment and building square footage, our green building and retrofitting efforts have led to a 45% reduction in emissions per 1,000 square feet of building space and 28% reduction per full-time enrollment since 2007. Transparency is also key to the university鈥檚 sustainability commitment. We submit 麻豆原创鈥檚 progress in emissions and other facets of sustainability to organizations, such as the Princeton Review. More importantly, we submit comprehensive data about our activity to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education鈥檚 Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). 麻豆原创 was rated silver in 2016 and 2021 in this global benchmarking system. We aspire to reach gold and, eventually, platinum.
In March, Sustainability Initiatives embarked on a new strategic plan. Building on the 2010 Climate Action Plan and the successes that earned us a silver STARS rating, the new plan will cover academics, the built environment, waste, transportation and landscape and natural resources. It will guide us to become a 鈥淶ero Waste鈥� university that integrates sustainability across all disciplines. We鈥檝e already engaged many faculty, staff and students via committee meetings and town halls. There鈥檚 still time for you to join us in charting 麻豆原创鈥檚 path toward innovative sustainability leadership in academics and operations. We invite you to share your vision in the survey below to earn a limited-edition sticker. You can also email your ideas at any time to sustainable@ucf.edu.
Learn more: https://sustainable.ucf.edu/resources/climate-action-plan
麻豆原创鈥檚 Green Building Portfolio: https://energy.ucf.edu/high-performance-buildings/
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STARS report:
