Duke’s Sustainability Strategic Plan2014 PROGRESS REPORT

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Introduction

2,391Hours worked by volunteers of all ages during open community work days

9Class visits to the Duke Campus Farm for hands-on learning and lectures

80Community-supported agriculture subscriptions for box shares of produce from the Duke Campus Farm

Duke Campus Farm: FY2014

2014 OVERVIEW

3

As Duke continues its leadership in campus sustainability, fiscal year 2014 (FY14) has

provided many opportunities to engage the campus community and expand efforts. The

focus for the Campus Sustainability Committee (CSC) this past year was on defining and

developing goals around increasing “sustainable food” at Duke. A Food subcommittee

was charged to review and recommend appropriate definitions for preferred characteristics

that Duke strives to incorporate into food service, as well as provide recommendations

on feasible goals and targets for Duke Dining Services regarding sustainable food

procurement. Underpinning this work was a Nicholas School of the Environment Master’s

project focused on assessment of current internal efforts around sustainable food and best

practices from peer institutions.

Although work is ongoing, a draft definition of sustainable food has been developed

along with overarching recommendations and strategies for aligning food on campus

with this definition. Duke has focused on a broad definition with an emphasis on

health and the local economy. As the CSC moves forward with this effort to hopefully

determine quantifiable goals around sustainable food procurement it will be increasingly

important to collaborate with campus stakeholders and local growers to be innovative in

mitigating potential cost increases and demands on staff time. Duke will also emphasize

communication of these efforts through educational labeling of products and incorporating

sustainable food into coursework and research on campus.

Supporting and enhancing this institutional focus on sustainable food is the Duke

Campus Farm (DCF) with a mission to inspire and empower the Duke community to

catalyze positive change in the food system. What started as a student feasibility study four

years ago has grown into a vibrant working farm offering programs, services, events and

activities that educate and inspire the Duke community about sustainable food systems,

environmental stewardship and access to good food for all.

Duke also continues to implement the campus Climate Action Plan (CAP) to reach carbon

neutrality by 2024. The FY14 greenhouse gas inventory shows significant progress towards

this goal with a 21% reduction of overall GHG emissions from a 2007 baseline. While the

these achievements are laudable, it is important to note that Duke is increasingly reliant on

individual behavior change to continue to meet institutional sustainability goals. Creating

opportunities to engage the campus community and showcasing institutional leadership

around sustainability priorities will be imperative to maintain this success moving forward.

338,828 MTCO2e*2007

2014 268,307 MTCO2e* (21% reduction from 2007 baseline)

Emissions & Carbon Offsets

338,828

268,307

Total Emissions

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Completed transition off

coal in campus steam plants.

* Metric Tons Carbon Dioxide Equivalent

Emissions & Carbon Offsets

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Goals● Aggressively pursue on-campus efforts to reach established milestones for emission reductions for carbon neutrality

by 2024. Duke expects to be at 45% reduction on campus by 2024 and will fulfill the remainder of the emissions reduction with local offsets.

● Identify high-integrity local carbon offsets through partnerships, purchases, and the development of innovative projects in fulfillment of Duke’s 2024 carbon neutrality commitment and current demand from the internal Duke community.

Progress● Reduced overall GHG emissions by 21% from a 2007

baseline. Energy emissions are down 32%, while transportation emissions, including air travel and employee commuting, have proved harder to impact, increasing 20% compared to baseline.

● Created a five-year retrospective report on the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative (DCOI) and recommendations for moving forward. With 10 years left before 2024, continued exploration of local offset opportunities, financial planning for these projects and leveraging of Duke’s ability to influence local carbon offsets development is essential.

● DCOI completed evaluation of a pre-pilot energy efficiency program and found that participating houses reduced energy use by an average of 13%. Pre-pilot experience has informed a new Employee Energy Efficiency Pilot program that will assist employees in completing energy saving retrofits on their homes and assess the offset potential of these efforts.

● DCOI continued to collaborate with the City and County of Durham to develop an Urban Forest Carbon Offsets Program where Duke would fund local planting projects through the purchase of carbon offsets.

Looking Forward● Continue implementation of the on-campus reduction strategies of the CAP with a focus on changing the trend

in transportation emissions.

● Create a system for analyzing offset quality, prioritizing co-benefits, and recommending acquisitions that will provide flexibility in the future.

● Increase existing engagement with faculty and students by participating in additional academic research projects on greenhouse gas reduction related topics. Opportunities include: Bass Connections, group Master’s projects, in-class research projects, and more.

The Loyd Ray Farms Innovative Waste Management System, one of Duke’s first local offset projects, allows this N.C. hog farm to meet stringent environmental performance requirements in addition to generating renewable energy and carbon offsets.

Infrastructure

0

10

20

30

40

50

FY06

47.9

27.229.0

34.232.332.8

26.530.1

45.6

FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14

Gal

lon

s/G

SF

Normalized Campus Potable Water Use

49 water bottle

refilling stations in non-residential campus buildings

393,543plastic bottles saved through use of refilling stations

590,314gallons of water saved by not manufacturing these plastic water bottles

43% reduction from 2006-2014

INFRASTRUCTURE

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Goals● Achieve a 15% reduction in energy in existing buildings

by 2030.

● Ensure all new construction and major renovations are certified with a goal of LEEDTM Silver and meet Duke’s green building guidelines for energy and water efficiency.

● Focus water-reduction strategies on the top 20 buildings that account for 70% of the water use at Duke.

● Ensure that buildings, landscapes and natural areas are developed and sustained to create a campus community that conserves natural resources, restores environmental quality and protects biodiversity.

Looking Forward● Continue to think creatively about opportunities to reduce the University's reliance on Duke Energy's electricity

emission factor through feasibility assessments of on-campus renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

● Create a framework for evaluating relative health and importance of all campus landscapes, prioritizing landscape and hardscape improvements, and planning future development that ensures Duke maintains its “campus in the forest.”

ProgressEnergy:

● Overall energy greenhouse gas emissions are down 32% from a 2007 baseline. Existing building energy use is down 8% from 2007, and Duke continues to increase campus energy efficiency through projects such as replacing outdoor site lighting and athletic facilities with LED technology.

● Implemented School of Medicine energy efficiency measures such as reduction of building air changes, fume hood velocity and LED lighting upgrades. These conservation measures produced $2 million in savings in FY14.

● Continued building retro-commissioning projects in several key lab buildings at Duke.

Buildings:

● Finalized a Duke green building guideline that focuses on energy and water efficiency. The intent of this program is to guide design and construction teams in the development of new buildings that operate more

efficiently than the existing building stock, and to exceed the current code requirements.

● Duke currently has 29 LEED™ certified buildings and 9 buildings registered for future certification; this represents 27% of Duke University’s total square footage.

Water:

● Overall 43% reduction in potable water usage since 2006.

● Water efficiency retrofits have been completed in 15 campus buildings over the past two years. For both phases of the project, Duke expects savings to total 15 million gallons per year.

● Construction continued on the campus water reclamation pond, scheduled to be completed in early 2015. In addition to helping reduce Duke’s reliance on potable water by 100 million gallons, the 5.5 acre pond will provide important new habitat areas to the campus and improve water quality downstream.

Duke Environment Hall, the new home of the Nicholas School of the Environment, opened spring 2014 with sustainable features ranging from rooftop solar panels and innovative water systems, to an organic orchard and sustainably designed landscaping.

Drive Alone70%

Campus OperationsCarpool

9%

Bus9%

Bike5%

Walk4%

Telecommute3%

Commuting Percent of University (including Schools of Medicine/Nursing) employees driving alone to work at Duke.*

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

85% 85% 85%77% 72% 69% 74% 70%72%73%69%

* Duke's 2024 carbon neutrality goal excludes health system GHG emissions, but TDM goals encompass the entire Duke system.

CAMPUS OPERATIONS

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Goals● Achieve a 5% reduction in single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips by all Duke

employees by 2018 from 2013 baseline. The University remains committed to the long-term mode share goal set in the CAP to decrease the campus drive alone rate to 45% by 2050.

● Create meaningful targets for waste diversion and reduce the overall campus waste stream.

● Finalize definition of sustainable food at Duke, assess baseline efforts and develop targets for sustainable food procurement in campus dining facilities.

● Revise Duke’s current environmentally preferable purchasing policy to make it more accessible and useful for campus purchasers while exploring opportunities to further green Duke’s supply chain.

Looking Forward● Initiate a transit planning study with local and regional partners to identify service gaps and opportunities to improve

level of service for Duke commuters. Improve targeted marketing and personal commute coaching to reach unique employee cohorts.

● Develop future roll-out options for expanding campus recycling and composting efforts. Expand Zero Waste efforts to campus athletic events.

● Develop targets for sustainable food procurement in campus dining facilities.

ProgressTransportation:

● Continued to reduce SOV trips by employees in the University (including Schools of Medicine/Nursing) by 4% since 2012. Although, an overall increase in employee population that is living farther away from campus has made it harder for Duke to meet GHG emissions targets for commuting.

● Created targeted transportation reports for individual schools at Duke to provide personalized outreach and alternative commute planning.

● Hired a part-time Transportation Demand Management Outreach Coordinator to assist with marketing and promotion of sustainable transportation programs at Duke.

Food & Dining:

● Developed a draft definition of sustainable food for Duke in six product categories through assessment of current internal efforts and best practices from peer institutions.

● Developed broad guidelines for “best practices” in setting and maintaining sustainable sourcing goals in dining services at Duke.

● While hosting over 2,000 volunteer hours and many campus engagement opportunities such as Project Build and Alternative Spring Break, the Duke Campus Farm developed a 5-year strategic plan encompassing visions and goals related to both production and education.

Waste & Recycling:

● The recycling rate for the University, School of Medicine and Health System increased 8.5% from the 2012 baseline to 37% in FY14.

● Continued to evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of several pilot waste reduction programs including post-consumer composting, mixed recycling, mini-trash bins and standardized waste stations in buildings.

Duke continues to pilot mixed recycling and post-consumer composting in several locations across campus to encourage smarter waste management by students and employees.

Education & Engagement

Total Sustainability Courses

144

180 180

143

215 211203

156

Fall 2010 Spring 2011 Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013 Spring 2014

Green Workplace:

64 certified

workspaces (1,450 staff)

Green Classroom:

94 certified courses

(2,100 students)

Green Labs: 49

certified labs

Green Event Certification: 29

certified events

(4,100 attendees)

EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT

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Goals● Incorporate sustainability into the depth and breadth of every student’s experience by including core concepts

of sustainability in every applicable field and research opportunity and by using the campus as a living laboratory for sustainability.

● Enhance understanding and foster changes in behavior among members of the Duke community that reduce greenhouse gas emissions at Duke.

Looking Forward● Offer 5th Trillium Workshop in January 2015 and deepen sustainability education in classes taught by current Fellows.

● Host the new Unpark Yourself Challenge alternative transportation competition for employees and graduate students in spring 2015.

● Expand the Learning & Organizational Development sustainability workshop series for employees to specialized topics such as alternative transportation and carbon offsets.

ProgressEducation:

● Continued development of an undergraduate, experiential certificate in Sustainability Engagement that includes 450 hours of experiential learning outside the classroom.

● Initiated pilot of an international Sustainability Literacy Test on campus to assess changes in undergraduate sustainability literacy and skill development at the beginning and end of their Duke careers.

● Over 400 courses with sustainability-related content were offered to students in academic year 2013-14.

● Continued to train faculty to integrate sustainability into their courses with the Trillium Program. As of FY14, 9 external participants and 54 Duke Trillium Fellows have completed the workshop.

Communication:

● Completed successful third year of the campus Green Devil Smackdown competition with 923 participants.

● The sustainability-focused, Battle of the Schools competition between Nicholas, Pratt and Trinity resulted in a 390% increase in certified green laboratories at Duke (from 10 to 49).

● Developed an updated Sustainability Communications Plan to build on previous success, make progress more visible and continue to influence positive behavior changes across campus.

Student and employee teams battled for the championship in the 2014 Green Devil Smackdown sustainability competition.

© Duke University

ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY

This document is available online at sustainability.duke.edu. Minimal copies were printed to reduce resource use. Please think before printing.

PRINT AVAILABILITY

150 copies of this document were printed for distribution throughout the university. This document was printed on 30% recycled mix paper and comes from sustainably managed forests.

Presented by Sustainable Duke, Office of the Executive Vice President

sustainability.duke.edu

The images on the front and back cover were provided by Shayan Asadi for an ad campaign called “Living Sustainably is Easier than You Think” created by Students for Sustainable Living, a student internship program dedicated to greening Duke’s campus culture through education and outreach with the ultimate goal of reducing the University’s environmental footprint.

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