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Illinois State University Climate Action Plan Strategies Developed Spring-Summer 2014 By Emma Gilmore, Ramya Kumaran, and Paul Miller This plan is a working document that will be adapted as Illinois State University continues to advance through its guiding principles as identified in “Educating Illinois.” Portions of the plan are in development as the institution works through its shared governance process to establish campus-wide endorsement and commitment to the actionable items. Executive Summary 3.1. Sustainability – Our Definition Sustainability at Illinois State University is an evolving process, which enhances quality of life and meets economic, social, and environmental needs of the present without compromising resources for future generations. At Illinois State University, this is accomplished through teaching, research, service, and administrative efforts that benefit our various communities. 3.2. American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) In 2008, ISU joined the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), and both the creation and implementation of CAP are ways for ISU to honor and to measure their commitment to ACUPCC. “The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment is a large-scale initiative to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to reduce and ultimately neutralize greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon emissions.” Carbon neutrality is defined as having no net GHG emissions. In achieving carbon reductions, these institutions will advance the research and knowledge that will equip society with the tools to re-stabilize the earth’s climate. In joining ACUPCC, ISU joins over 660 other colleges and universities in committing to develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). With the signing of the ACUPCC, ISU has also committed to do the following: ● Set a target date for achieving climate neutrality as soon as possible. ● Set interim targets for goals and actions that will lead to climate neutrality. ● Devise actions to make climate neutrality and sustainability a part of the curriculum and other educational experience for all students ● Develop actions to expand research or other efforts necessary to achieve climate neutrality. ● Create mechanisms for tracking progress on goals and actions. The CAP is geared towards reducing GHG emissions, as well as highlighting and supporting university academic endeavors. According to the Signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate commitment, “academia must exercise leadership in their communities and throughout society by modeling ways to eliminate global warming emissions,” while, “integrating sustainability into their curriculum to meet their social mandate to help create a thriving, ethical and civil society.” 3.3. Summary of Goals, Approach, and Outcomes The Illinois State University Climate Action Plan is intended to meet or exceed the requirements of the ACUPCC mission, as well as the Illinois State University strategic plan and master plan. In developing this Climate Action Plan it became quite clear that these guiding documents have complimentary directives. A Climate Action Plan which enlists participation from all students, staff, faculty, and administrators stimulates civic engagement, integrity, and diverse values, while preserving and enriching the environmental and financial assets of Illinois State University. In order to ensure that the Climate Action Plan upholds the long term environmental, strategic, and financial, and academic goals of Illinois State as articulated in the three guiding documents, the development approach will follow an iterative process. The Office of Sustainability, as the curator of the Climate Action Plan, will seek the advisement and input of all stakeholders within the principle action areas through direct communication as well as open-forum online discussion boards. The Climate Action Plan, as an evolving document, will hold campus carbon neutrality as its primary objective, supported by the above-mentioned documents. Each draft of the Climate Action Plan will incorporate a list of current, ongoing initiatives and their progress. It will also include a summary of newly proposed initiatives, expected outcomes from each initiative and assumptions, as well as relevant university contacts and background on similar past projects. 3.4. Authors and CAP Process The very first draft of the ISU Climate Action Plan was created in a cooperative effort between the Office of Sustainability and students in the Renewable Energy major in the Department of Technology (College of Applied Science and Technology). After an initial attempt to coordinate a formal committee of University officials and staff, the task of researching possible climate mitigation strategies was ultimately undertaken by two graduate students and two undergraduate students, with advisement by the Director of the Office of Sustainability, Melissa (Missy) Nergard, and the Program Coordinator for the Renewable Energy degree, Professor Jin Jo. The students were Ramya Kumaran (MS) with the Office of Sustainability, Emma Gilmore (MS), Paul Miller (BS) and Steven Ripp (BS) with the Department of Technology. Ms. Kumaran, during her work with the Office of Sustainability, had already researched current and past ISU climate mitigation initiatives, and by the beginning of the Spring 2014 semester had developed a list of possible strategies to pursue in the future. Paul and Steven began working under the guidance of Emma and Dr. Jo in their Renewable Energy Senior Capstone class that spring to develop a survey of strategies practiced by other colleges and universities across the United States and to develop a scoring system to determine the best strategies for ISU. The students collected data found in 26 institutional climate action plans and inventoried financial and environmental project data on more than 440 strategies, many of which proved to fall into similar action areas. The students identified the strategies that had been used most commonly from this group, and produced a list of forty climate action plan strategies that had been cited in more than three climate action plans. The students then arranged these strategies for priority implementation by financial and environmental return, knowing that strategies that produced good results in both areas were more likely to be implemented quickly and effectively. The student class project research was presented to Missy and Ramya at the Office of Sustainability for review and revision, and those comments were included in the report submitted by the students as their senior project. To finalize the first formal draft of the ISU Climate Action Plan before public comment, Emma and Ramya spent more time reviewing and summarizing the proposed ISU Climate Action Plan strategies. 4. Introduction Climate change is very real. It has already begun to alter both our environment and our lives. While the full implications are not fully understood, accelerated changes have occurred within the climate, and these changes have the potential to cause devastating impacts on all productive sectors and livelihoods. Scientific evidence suggests that climate change is a causal factor in rising sea levels, increased occurrence of severe weather events, food shortages, changing patterns of disease, severe water shortages and the loss of tropical forests. Most experts agree that over the next few decades, the world will undergo potentially dangerous changes in climate, which will have a significant impact on almost every aspect of our environment, economies and societies. Consequently, there is great need for the federal government to make fundamental shifts in its energy policy and to align its vast research and development resources with climate protection. Recently, the United States federal government has taken action in addressing the issue of climate change. In June 2013, President Obama first launched a Climate Action Plan for the nation. Additionally, in November 2013, he signed an order to create a climate change task force comprised of state and local officials, including Illinois Governor Pat Quinn. Further, universities play a unique role within the field of climate change because they focus their educational mission on research and intellectual leadership in society, which makes them an ideal setting for modeling the transition to a lowcarbon future. As an institution of higher education, Illinois State University (ISU) is serious in taking on its responsibility to help solve national and global problems. Therefore, the creation and the implementation of a climate action plan would mark the next milestone in ISU’s commitment to climate change and subsequently, contributing to solving both a national and global problem. 4.1 About Illinois State University (ISU) Illinois State University is located in Normal, Illinois, designated by the Department of Energy as climate zone 5. In 2012, there were 20,502 full time enrolled students. The University owns a total of 920 acres of land, on which 221 university structures comprise a total building square footage of 6.9 million square feet (Illinois State University, 2010). The university employs a great amount of on campus stationary as well as fleet vehicles and other resources to meet operational goals. Four natural gas steam boilers provide the steam used to heat university buildings and provide hot water to campus fixtures. More than 40 cars, vans, and mini-buses comprise the Illinois State University campus fleet. 4.2 ISU Campus Culture Illinois State University prepares students to be informed and engaged citizens and leaders within their chosen fields. To do this, ISU has a strong commitment to a sustainable future, which ensures that the University’s tradition of excellence will continue well into the future. This mindset is reflected in the central goal of the Illinois State University Educating Illinois 2008-2014 strategic plan, the promotion of a healthy, safe, and environmentally sustainable campus. ISU aims to achieve this goal through teaching, research, and service, using environmentally sound business and operating practices, and fostering a culture of sustainability among all members of the campus community. 4.3 Campus Overview 4.4 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory (see attached) 4.4.1. Overview Since signing onto the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in 2007, Illinois State University (ISU) has been committed to publishing annual greenhouse gas (GHG) reports. Beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2010, ISU’s GHG inventory and emissions estimate calculates annual emissions from the operations of the university. Also known as a "carbon footprint" assessment, this estimate includes an initial baseline (in our case FY2010) from which to measure progress, and provides annual updates as we track our progress toward our university-wide climate goals. Data for the GHG Inventory was collected from numerous sources on campus and then calculated using the Campus Carbon Calculator v6.75 from CleanAir Cool Planet, which includes the six GHGs defined by the Kyoto Protocol. 4.4.2. What are Greenhouse Gases? As defined by the Kyoto Protocol, greenhouse gases (GHGs) include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). These gases within the earth’s atmosphere allow solar radiation to pass through the atmosphere and heat the surface of the earth and its waters. This heat is then reradiated as infrared energy, a lower solar radiation frequency. Since GHGs absorb radiation at lower frequencies, this heat becomes trapped and the gases act like greenhouses, in that radiation passes into the gas but the heat is kept from reradiating out of these gases. Of the GHGs, CO2 is considered to be the most significant contributor. Therefore, when accounting for GHGs, all the other gases are normalized to CO2 equivalents, which makes the standard unit for accounting for GHGs to be metric tons of CO2 equivalents (MTCO2e). 4.4.3. Projections In going forward, ISU needs make the campus infrastructure more efficient by seeking reductions from each contributing sector, as well as promoting innovation across campus functions and units. Additionally, it is necessary for ISU to have the cooperation of the entire campus community. To name a few, this would accelerate the adoption of more sustainable means of transport, increased environmental literacy and research, reduced energy use in buildings, and reduced solid waste campus production. 5. Vision Since 2010, the university has been reporting and evaluating its greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Action Plan (CAP) provides a roadmap and strategy for achieving carbon neutrality. The CAP calls for the university to reduce its on-site carbon emissions from its buildings, transportation, and energy use. Additionally, the CAP outlines ways Illinois State University can provide climate change, as well as broader curriculum and research in an interdisciplinary manner. Further, the plan showcases how the university can use communications resources in providing transparency, encouraging community participation, and celebrating progress upon reaching its goals. In our pursuit of a course of action, which will decrease the footprint of Illinois State University within the surrounding communities, we are guided by several principles. We aim to: ● Increase student, faculty, and staff awareness of their impact on the environment; ● To mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and create adaptive strategies for future mitigation; ● To decrease operational costs and preserve institutional resources through reduced energy use; ● To join in collaborative projects with civic leaders to enhance the neighboring communities. Through the creation and subsequent implementation of ISU’s Climate Action Plan, Illinois State University takes a crucial step forward in asserting their role as a community leader in sustainability. The realities of climate change showcases the necessity for ISU’s role in reducing GHG emissions, as well as adapting strategies to take action in reducing the risks caused or exacerbated by climate change. As a working document, the CAP will serve as an outline and basis for the university to leverage themselves as a model for other higher-education institutes, as well as a steward in protecting the future of the community of Bloomington-Normal. Illinois State University Climate Action Plan Overview Strategies for the Illinois State University Climate Action Plan are organized into seven areas of campus influence: ● Academics ● Co-curricular Activities and Programs ● Communications ● Physical Environment ● Transportation ● Utilities and Operations ● Waste Minimization and Recycling Criteria for Initial Selection of Strategies The Climate Action Plan strategies presented here were selected using a combination of formal criteria and brainstorming techniques. First, an assessment of the ongoing and planned future efforts were catalogued by the ISU Office of Sustainability. Then, as the result of a senior capstone project in the Renewable Energy major, a list of strategies with documentation on financial and environmental outcomes was compiled based on the Climate Action Plans from twenty-six other colleges and universities. Next, this list was filtered into distinct categories to aid analysis, and financial and environmental norms were determined for each strategy. In order to maximize university buy-in, these strategies were first filtered according to desired financial outcome, and then environmental outcome. The result was a draft of strategies arranged within short, medium, and long term implementation timeframes according to these parameters. The ongoing and future sustainability efforts were referenced at this point, and added to this list where appropriate. Several more brainstorming sessions were held to define opportunities for new strategies that would be uniquely suited to the culture of ISU and would therefore be more assured to meet with success. Academic Advancement and Research Past Accomplishments ● Creation of Major in Renewable Energy ● Creation of Minor in Business Environment and Sustainability ● Research into Biodiesel and Biomethane by Environmental Health professors and students ○ Incorporation of Biodiesel Production in AGR 225: Renewable Energy and Agriculture ● Research into microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa by Katie School of Insurance professor ● Research into Community and Economic Development by Stevenson Center ● K-12 Energy Education Collaboration with Illinois Schools ● College of Arts and Science Interdisciplinary Research Working Group *Certificate Program in Sustainability Strategy 1: Sustainability Literacy/Social Responsibility-Civic Engagement Course Requirement Gaining knowledge of sustainability enables students to learn how to create both a more humane and environmentally sound future for society. Students are the consumers for the future. Therefore, it is important that they gain knowledge on environmental problems, as well as how to create a more environmentally healthy and humane world. At many higher education institutions, students graduate environmentally illiterate and unaware of resource distribution inequalities (McIntosh, Cacciola, Clermont, and Keniry 2001). Universities which have incorporated this requirement within their curricula include the University of Minnesota and the University of Northern Iowa. Since 1994, the University of Minnesota has required undergraduate students to take at least one course in each of four themes. Of these four themes, two of the themes are Environment and Citizenship and Public Ethics. Whereas, at the University of Iowa, since 1988, students have been required to take the course Environment, Technology, and Society. Through implementation of a sustainability literacy/social responsibility course requirement within the General Education core requirements, all undergraduates of ISU will graduate with basic learning competency in the field of sustainability. ISU will also be a part of setting precedent for other higher education institutions, in terms of curricula innovation. Especially in today’s context, it is becoming more and more valuable for students to gain knowledge on sustainability, both in general and in relation to their respective prospective career fields. With incorporation of this new graduation requirement, ISU will be graduating students with a skill valuable within the job market, which can enable ISU students to become more competitive and have an edge compared to other internship and job seekers. Strategy 2: Environmental Research Initiatives These environmental research initiatives are to be on-going on ISU’s campus. While the initiative to promote engagement in environmental research has no quantifiable effect on emissions or operational savings, it has a significant qualitative effect on the well-being and quality of life experienced on ISU’s campus. Organic Farming Techniques at University Farm The University Farm is located near Lexington, Illinois, which is around 18 miles away from ISU’s campus. Through supporting the teaching, research, and outreach activities of ISU’s Department of Agriculture, the farm offers hands-on training for ISU students. Through incorporating organic farming techniques, University Farm will continue to expand its teaching, research, and outreach activities, while encouraging campus research in the field of sustainable food systems. Essentially, the University Farm can be seen as a living laboratory where students have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of sustainable agricultural techniques. This initiative can be incorporated into many different types of coursework at ISU, because of the interdisciplinary aspect of the Farm. Areas of potential research exploration include policy, economics, agriculture, environmental science, public health, and social science. It can also lead to curriculum expansion and the incorporation of new partners within this sector of agriculture. Additionally, it can attract new students who are interested in focusing on raising food with philosophy and practices valuing long-term environmental sustainability. Despite organic farming being only a small portion of the agricultural sector, there has been a steep increase in sales of organic produce, as well as increased consumer desire to understand where their food comes from and how it is produced. Overall, this initiative will enable students to consider the viability of organic agriculture and the knowledge in how to approach it. Green Roofs on Campus Buildings Green building construction and renovation will enable the ISU campus to conserve energy, reduce usage of raw materials, and ultimately save money. Green roofs are considered one component of green building, and they promote sustainable construction, which is financially sound and environmentally beneficial. They can make significant difference by reducing stormwater runoff, improving the life-cycle of waterproof roofing, insulating its building from the summer heat and the winter chill, and attracting butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. If properly planned, green roof retrofit installations can be well budgeted, planned, executed, and maintained. They are also a growing field of research and development. Annually, new information is released on the approaches to installing and sustaining diverse plant communities, and higher education institutions could become a part of the effort in expanding knowledge and research within this field of interest. Within the topic of green roofs, there is great potential for students to partake in research efforts concerning maintenance, plant materials and regionally appropriate ecosystems, temperature mitigation, technical assemblies, and storm runoff data. At ISU, green roofs can add valuable green space and beautify the campus. For example, the need for ample parking has led the University to create many asphalt surface lots and concrete parking structures, all which decrease campus green space. Through greening the campus through underground parking with gathering spaces and lawns and gathering spaces a top of the structure, the campus community can experience a more welcoming environment. Additionally, green roofs offer opportunity for the coexistence of new construction and recreational open space. With the renovations planned for ISU’s Bone Student Center, it would be prudent to consider a green roof retrofit to be a viable solution for the building. As a landmark on campus, this building has the potential to serve as a best practice model for other buildings on campus, as well as other buildings in the greater Bloomington-Normal community and other universities. Further, with the development and maintenance of this initiative, students and the rest of the campus community have opportunity to participate in research efforts and expand their knowledge, as well as that of others interested in this field of interest. University Carbon Emissions The campus could utilize a methodological framework which quantifies its carbon emissions. The data gathered from this initiative could be used to conceptualize innovative solutions for the mitigation and adaptation of carbon emissions, as well as relating the greenhouse gas emissions back to University finances. This could lead to research for different ways the University’s can lower their carbon emissions, while being financially responsible. The Climate Action Plan is one example of how this strategy can be implemented. Climate Change Effects on Local Ecosystems Climate change is leading to rapid, large scale transformations of ecosystems, which has led to the expansion of species into new areas, the intermingling of species which formerly did not overlap, and species extinction. These ecological impacts are often local and vary from place to place. Also, these changes cannot be considered inherently good or bad, but they are shifting away from the system’s prior state. Since human actions have caused climate change, and subsequently, this transformation of ecosystems, the importance lies in the how human activities which affect ecosystems are approached. To name a few, these activities include agriculture, water management, transportation, and biological conservation. In Central Illinois, the effect on the local ecosystem can be seen upon analyzing shifts in agriculture and migratory waterways. Research in this area will be beneficial in the identification of mitigation strategies related to these shifts. For example, in efforts to preserve native plants, Illinois State University horticulturist, Don Schmidt is working in conjunction with Sugar Grove Nature Center to preserve native prairie plants. Through research, similar steps can be taken to preserve natural resources and to preserve the integrity of the land in both species and native plants. *Composting at University Farm: Mitigate Local Contamination Co-curricular Activities and Programs Past Accomplishments ● Department of Energy Race to Zero - Technology Students from Construction Management, Renewable Energy, Engineering Technology, and the Project Management MS were represented at the Net Zero Energy Home Design Challenge ● Student Herb Garden ● Illinois Green Business Association Interns - many times per year the Illinois Green Business Association (IGBA), a local nonprofit certifying body for sustainable business practices, recruits interns from many academic departments at ISU and trains them in basic workplace conservation principles and practices. Many of these students take on the task of communicating the green business practices that they have learned to a local business already enrolled in the IGBA Green Business Program and helping them towards certification. Strategy 3: Cross-Disciplinary Environmental Projects Students have many different learning styles, one of which thrives in groups. What extra- or co-curricular environmental projects that reach across disciplines provide is they enable students to benefit from a broader and richer base of knowledge about topical issues. With an improved net of communication between campus departments and organizations, the shared goals of sustainability and climate mitigation will be more readily understood and discussed. Communications Past Accomplishments ● Creation of a vibrant social presence with Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts for Sustainability ISU ● Reusable Door Hangers for Water Reduction to be placed in University Residence Halls Strategy 4: Campus Sustainability Training Video Currently, during the orientation of faculty, staff, and students, ISU utilizes technology through different training videos. Amongst the training videos shown, ISU could incorporate a campus sustainability training video. When looking at cost versus benefits, this video would yield minimum costs with widespread campuswide benefits. Cost estimate: $0-10 per hour labor (either free labor/volunteer or internship/assistantship. Assume 5 average work time on this project is 5 weeks by 2 people. No cost for software or materials, all are available in university labs (assuming software is free movie editing software, possibly combined with Captivate or Articulate training development software. Strategy 5: Behavioral Change through Outreach Through educational and social marketing outreach, campus behavior can be transformed to conserve energy. Not only is behavioral modification cost-effective, these habits can have great benefit on the climate when modified habits are implemented within the personal lives of those a part of the Illinois State University campus community. Energy Demonstrations As cited in the CAPs of Transylvania University and Syracuse University, energy demonstrations are effective as a communications mitigation strategy, in that it increases awareness within the campus community. This allows for the facilitation of behavioral change, which will then aid universities in their goal of reaching carbon neutrality. At ISU, energy demonstrations will be designed for maximum campus visibility, as well as to raise awareness of Illinois State University’s sustainability efforts. Also, the demonstrations enable an interactive component in the advancement of learning and exercise of sustainable practices, as well as aiding the campus community in its cultural change. Physical Environment Past Accomplishments ● Tree Campus USA ● Integrated Pest Management ● Rain Garden ● Phosphorus Free Fertilizers ● Donor Tree Program Strategy 6: Update Campus Tree Map – Develop Interactive Smartphone App The Campus Tree Map is one way Illinois State University is preserving Jesse Fell’s legacy. Using the map, one can find specific types of trees, including cypresses and oak. The data for the current Campus Tree Map is around four years old. Since then, changes have occurred with the addition of new trees, as well as some trees being no longer around. Since it is a time-consuming task to collect data for each tree on campus, we suggest the creation of an interactive smartphone application. This application would utilize GIS Cloud technology and would allow the Campus Tree Map to be a web-based map and database that enables everyone to collaboratively create an accurate and informative inventory of the trees on the campus of Illinois State University. Strategy 7: Utilize Grounds to Promote Sustainability Initiatives The management of campus grounds is an opportunity for sustainable development on campus. The campus landscape can be seen as a physical embodiment of the University’s values. ISU’s Grounds Unit with the Department of Facilities already looks for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. Therefore, it is necessary for ISU to utilize the Grounds Unit to promote sustainability initiatives. These outdoor initiatives can act as a springboard for building momentum towards other sustainability endeavours. Through campus landscape, damaged ecologies can be restored, biodiversity can be increased, and human health can be promoted. Additionally, the campus landscape should be sustainable ecologically, socially, and economically. By being sustainable these three ways, it will contribute to ISU’s short and long term health and resiliency. For example, landscape designs can reduce water usage, and the planting of shade trees can eliminate the need to use harmful chemicals and fertilizers. Also, the implementation of University-wide composting could lead to ISU being able to utilize compost for fertilizers and mulch. Often, not much capital is needed for sustainable landscaping to be accomplished. Rather than building and installing new, pricey features, most of the time institutions just need to change how the maintenance occurs. Strategy 8: Student Run Vegetable Gardens A campus, student-run community garden would grow herbs and vegetables, which could then be sold to the campus community or utilized by campus dining. Some of the produce could also be donated to needy individuals and families in the greater community of Bloomington-Normal. Sustainable agriculture and environmental best practices would be acquired through this proposal highlighting sustainability and food. The vegetable gardens would be student-run but would be maintained by a team of volunteers consisting of faculty, staff, students, and members of the surrounding community. Benefits from this initiative include community-building, hands-on experience, organic produce, food transparency, and campus connectivity to food. Transportation Past Accomplishments ● Installed 5 electric vehicle charging stations on the Illinois State University campus Locations found here: http://www.afdc.energy.gov/fuels/electricity_locations.html ● Signed universal access agreement with local bus company to provide free public bus rides to students, faculty, and staff through yearly fees ● Enabled local rideshare opportunities between ISU students through Zimride subscription Strategy 9: Carpool Policy Many ISU students who want to travel to see family and friends on the weekends choose to utilize the ample public transportation available to and from ISU and the Chicago Suburbs, Champaign, Peoria, and communities in between. The Amtrak passenger train system, along with the local bus companies typically provide this service to ISU students at a rate of $25-35 per trip, sometimes more or less depending on the amount of planning involved in the ticket purchase. However, it is frequently the case that, finding the price of train or bus have risen last minute, students either need to cancel travel plans or take a personal car to their destination. What these students do not know is that ISU has an online subscription to Zimride, a rideshare posting board that connects drivers with passengers who are going to the same destination. Thepage may be found at this link: http://zimride.illinoisstate.edu/user/rides. All users must be an ISU student to post to the ISU page, and many users are connected via Facebook and other social media, providing carpool partners the opportunity to meet each other and relieve the anxiety of sharing a ride with a stranger. The participants are also welcome and encouraged to negotiate terms for gas money, which in many cases could result in a less expensive option than the traditional public transportation by bus or train. What ISU can do to familiarize students with this service is institute an incentivizing policy, such as offering printable coupons with each verified rideshare, something which is possible to implement through social media. Some ideas include a punch-stamp style coupon system, which would offer students a free item from one of the campus eateries and would be accomplished at minimal cost. Strategy 10: Increase EV Charging Stations In order to support a growing community of electric vehicles users both internal and external to the ISU community, we recommend that ISU conduct a study to determine the best locations to install several more electric vehicle charging stations. This will not only provide the infrastructure to enable increased utilization of electric vehicles, but also stimulate the local green economy and interest in sustainable transportation. Strategy 11: Student-staffed Bike Repair Program through Student Government Association At Illinois State University, the bike-share program, Reggie Rides, has been available to the campus community since Spring 2014. This program allows anyone with an Illinois State University ID to check out a bike from the Student Fitness Center. Even without Reggie Rides, it is not unusual for members of the University’s campus community to own or to have access to a bike. Despite bikes being accessible, there are no bike repair programs available on campus. Therefore, if there bike repair facilities and staff on campus that are readily-accessible to students, even high capacity bike usage will be a possibility for the students of ISU. Strategy 12: Establish more Bike Lanes around Campus The Bloomington-Normal area has been making moves towards branding and implementing itself as a biker-friendly community within its downtown areas. This is reflected within the renovated, bike friendly Uptown Normal, as well as the newly formed initiative in Bloomington, Illinois, Bike Blo-No, which aims to renovate Downtown Bloomington to become more biker-friendly through the installation of bike lanes. Further, with the newly instated program, Reggie Rides, bikes are now more accessible to the campus community. This program allows anyone with an Illinois State University ID to borrow a bike for up to a day from the Student Fitness Center. Despite the pro-bike changes being made in the greater community, on campus, there are not sufficient bike lanes to encourage biking as a safe method of transportation. Instituting more bike lanes will allow the campus community to be encouraged to bike more. It will also allow ISU to incorporate similar initiatives to what is being implemented in the Bloomington-Normal area. Strategy 13: Incorporate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fee into Parking Fees The Bloomington-Normal community offers several alternative transportation options which are readily accessible to student and faculty commuters. Due to a Universal Access agreement signed with the local public bus company, ISU students and faculty are granted free access to any city bus. In addition to the public bus system, biking to or from any location in the campus vicinity is made easier by the Constitution trail, a retired and repaved railway line which is maintained by the public works departments year-round. These modes of transportation have the capacity to serve many more commuters who already have access to them, but may not have sufficient incentive to switch to an alternative mode. Therefore, one component of a comprehensive local car commuter reduction policy is to increase parking fees and reduce the amount of commuters who are willing to pay for parking on campus. Strategy 14: Video Conferencing Policy Videoconferencing is one way to decrease the need for long distance car and air travel and subsequent greenhouse gas emissions. Other universities have employed this strategy chiefly to reduce the need for university colleagues to purchase aircraft in order to conduct meetings. The strategy has been cited in the Colgate University and Syracuse University Climate Action Plans with insight relevant to potential costs, savings, and carbon mitigation. Strategy 15: Public Transit Policy ISU students and faculty are currently granted Universal Access to the Bloomington-Normal public transit system and may access buses with bike racks at many locations during the day. It is recommended that members of the ISU community are given more information on this service and more opportunities to become familiarized with the local bus routes, which can be confusing to new riders. ● Include a bus riding and schedule reading orientation as part of new student welcome weekend, led by Resident Assistants or Office of Sustainability volunteers. Utilities and Operations [Utilities and Operations were defined as any aspect of ISU under the purview of Facilities Operations and Management. ] Past Accomplishments ● Between 2001 and 2011 ,despite a 16% increase in campus square footage, ISU reduced its energy consumption by 20% and water consumption by 28%. ● Lighting upgrades ● Automated building controls ● New mechanical systems and chiller plants ● Energy Services Contract with NORESCO *Energy Star Certification for Buildings - Good Comparison to LEED Strategy 16: Internal Energy Auditing – Smart Energy Design Assistance Center (SEDAC) The Illinois State Office of Energy Management has publicly released plans to increase building-level electricity metering in the future, which is a strategy we recommend to increase quality of energy information and resource allocation in terms of energy efficiency investments. We also recommend partnering with a local non-profit known as the Smart Energy Design Assistance Center, which provides free comprehensive energy audits and recommendations. SEDAC typically collects data on buildings at the facility level and therefore we recommend a request for collaboration with SEDAC to perform energy analysis services for one or more high value projects. ● Building-level submetering ● SEDAC Energy Audit Strategy 17: IT Power Management Policy A comprehensive information policy across campus has the potential to easily save a large amount of energy from by turning off computer systems during off hours. Currently, each university computer lab and administrative technology facility is maintained by professionals who manage the IT hardware and software. A uniform IT power management policy will call attention to the imperative not just to properly maintain the equipment and software, but also to take advantage of the opportunity to save energy through responsible management. Strategy 18: Energy Star Purchasing Policy Energy Star appliances and equipment may use 20-30% less energy than competing products, as Energy Star certification is given only to products which meet a high standard of efficiency in their category. Illinois State should institute a policy to purchase Energy Star rated products when possible, or determine high efficiency product alternatives in categories where Energy Star does not exist. Strategy 19: Low-Flow Shower Head Replacement Due to the high number of students living in campus housing, there are huge gains in water conservation to be made by replacing water fixtures with low flow options. Other universities have instituted strategies to install low flow shower heads on campus wherever possible, including the University of Delaware, Colgate University, and Transylvania University. EPA Watersense Program provides standards for flow rates of showerheads. ● Replace shower heads at remaining university residence halls ● Campus apartment companies Strategy 20: Vending Machines Vending machine energy efficiency strategies have been implemented at several institutions including the University of New Mexico, University of Delaware, Oberlin College, and the University of Montana. Replacements of energy hogs with more efficient models or sensor-activated systems have proven cost effective, and the opportunity to re-negotiate vendor contracts presents a timely opportunity for ISU to offer students snacks which are both healthy and energy-rich. Strategy 21: Electric Vehicle Fleet Purchase Normal, Illinois leadership have made huge efforts to promote electric vehicle use in and around the Bloomington-Normal community. The groundwork set by Mayor Chris Koos, the administrators at the Town of Normal offices, and the Electric Vehicle Task Force would allow the Illinois State University Fleet to easily find and negotiate good value contracts for electric vehicles to suit the University’s needs. Bloomington Normal already has electric vehicle charging stations installed on and off-campus to meet the needs of the more than 300 electric vehicle owners in the area, which will enable the vehicle operators to easily find and charge their vehicles while they are away from the fleet storage area. A chief advantage of electric fleet vehicles is low fuel cost, because right now and for the foreseeable future all electricity drawn from charging stations is free of charge, and the upfront installation fee for each station is about $700. Strategy 22: Smart Travel Policy One simple but effective change that can be made to campus travel is to consciously plan local and long-distance route effectively for local university business travel. This can be enabled by simply posting a local map to every office which makes frequent local trips to regular locations, providing the most economical routes. Strategy 23: Revised Building Scheduling We recommend that Illinois State University building schedules be examined and revised in order to find opportunities for energy savings during off hours. Some buildings have already received energy efficient lighting retrofits and occupancy sensors, however there are still significant gains which can be made by shifting custodial and class schedules slightly to reduce energy use during later hours. Once ISU has determines the potential for revised building scheduling while maintaining safety during off-hours, the cost savings from reduced lighting loads will be substantial. Strategy 24: Occupancy Sensors Although occupancy sensors have been installed in many buildings across campus, there are still areas where occupancy sensor installation has the potential to yield high energy savings. Many labs and conference rooms are only used for specific activities, while offices are more frequently occupied. The savings yielded will be in proportion to the variability in room usage throughout the day, provided sensors are placed at appropriate locations in each room. Strategy 25: Lighting Upgrades with Occupancy and Daylight Sensors Lighting retrofits and light sensors can be used in a variety of ways to reduce energy usage during periods of low usage or high natural lighting effectiveness. In the former case, room occupancy sensors can be installed to turn off lights when no activity or movement if detected in the room for a certain period of time. Where buildings spaces are designed to provide sufficient lighting for work tasks, daylighting controls can be installed to monitor the changing amount of light per room space, and adjust indoor lighting levels accordingly. Strategy 26: Water Conservation Under a comprehensive water conservation policy, we recommend that Illinois State University provide annual water consumption data distinguished by building type and square footage, and encourage students and staff to conserve water through more educational campaigns. Strategy 27: Solar PV Generation The Illinois State University Campus contains several buildings with large open rooftop, parking deck, and building facade space viable for solar photovoltaic development. Any solar development on the Illinois State University campus will not only support the Illinois State Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard of 7% solar power generation by 2025, but also the Town of Normal Distributed Generation Plan to incorporate small distributed power sources within close proximity to local electrical loads. In the past several years, several ISU locations have been under study as potential sites for solar pv development. They are listed below: ● South Parking Garage Top Deck ● Bone Student Center Parking Lot ● Facade of Bone Student Center Strategy 28: Window Replacements Where possible it is recommended that ISU facilities replace old windows with new ones that provide a good thermal barrier to preserve the indoor environment and to more effectively operate building heating, ventilation, and cooling systems. Strategy 29: Roof Improvements Rider, Univ Tennessee at Knoxville, Univ Colorado at Boulder Strategy 30: Lighting Retrofits New Mexico, Florida, UCLA, Oberlin, Mount St. Mary's, Binghamton, Montana, Transylvania, City College NY, Univ Tennessee at Knoxville Strategy 31: Lighting Controls New Mexico, Syracuse, Cincinnati, Rider Strategy 32: Energy Service Contract - ESCO Strategy 33: Alternative Fuel for Fleet Vehicles Colgate, Syracuse, Univ Tennessee at Knoxville Waste Minimization Past Accomplishments ● Trayless Dining Centers ● Electronics Recycling ● Computer Refurbishing and Reuse Strategy 34: Construction Debris Recycling Policy Strategy 35: Freecycle policy for Office Materials Strategy 36: Increased Installation of Water Fountain Bottle Filler Station Retrofits Strategy 37: Increase Free-cycle Events on the Quad and in Bone Student Center Strategy 38: Increased Composting Cited in Arizona State, Binghamton, U Tenn Knoxville, Colgate University Farm has been able to incorporate ISU’s campus dining’s sustainable efforts of composting into its operations. This is especially true because innovation and research in waste management strategies is beneficial to both ISU and the greater community of Normal. The University Farm composts almost all the manure produced on the farm. The Farm composts manure, which has been proposed to reduce odor and seen to have environmental impact on livestock waste. Illinois State University has also developed partnerships with commercial enterprises to make the compost available for public use, such as in lawns, gardens, and flower beds. Further, the utilization of composting at the farm leads to sustainable efforts being employed on both ISU’s main campus and the University Farm. ISU’s campus dining has made significant efforts to incorporate collecting compost as a part of their daily routine and within their operational model. Strategy 39: Anaerobic Digester at University Farm Adaptation Strategies Strategy 1: Sustainability-Focused Career Fair No quantifiable effect on emissions of operations savings Beyond Illinois State University, sustainability is highly sought after within the workplace. In the past decade, sustainability-oriented business has flourished; existing trends show great potential in job creation. Job seekers increasingly want to work for sustainable companies, and companies increasingly value applicants with sustainable backgrounds. The rising importance of protecting natural capital has led companies to turn to mitigation and adaptation strategies. As a result, there has been a surge of sustainable career opportunities over a variety of sectors. Additionally, the umbrella of sustainability encompasses the field of sociallyconscious careers, which include non-profit jobs. Today, the nonprofit sector is the third largest job market. Bringing a sustainability-focused career fair to Illinois State University would provide students with a greater number of career opportunities, as well as provide companies and organizations with job candidates possessing valuable backgrounds. Further, the fair can become an adaptation strategy for the university to use in its efforts to become more sustainable. At Illinois State University, a Sustainable Career Fair could provide a number of opportunities. Essentially, a Sustainability Career Fair would bridge the gap that divides students and young professionals from sustainability-active companies and institutions. Companies can utilize a sustainability-focused career fair to bring their sustainable message to students. Since eco-friendliness is no longer confined to the environmental sector, it is important for companies to have their message reach students. This provides the opportunity for ISU’s Career Center to entice sustainable organizations, such as Deloitte and IBM, to recruit Illinois State University students. In addition to fulfilling student and employer needs, the fair could be another opportunity for the ISU Career Center to connect with alumni currently in sustainable careers. Further, this career fair could be opportunity for Illinois State to broadcast job opportunities available within the university. This would be sustainable because the university would be using its resource, students, to fill a campus need. Further, there is the opportunity to invite graduate schools offering sustainability programs, as well as promoting sustainable programs at Illinois State, such as the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development. The invitation of graduate schools provides more sustainability-related post-graduation options for students. Strategy 2: Install More Rain Gardens Strategy 3: Plant Native Prairie Grasses and Trees Strategy 4: Donor Tree Program Trees are essential to the campus landscape. Strategy 5: Forest Carbon Sequestration Colorado State, Colgate References McIntosh, M., K. Cacciola, S. Clermont, and J. Keniry. 2001. State of the Campus Environment: A National Report Card on Environmental Performance and Sustainability in Higher Education. Reston, Va.: National Wildlife Federation.