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From the OEP Director

Fall 2018 SUSTAINABILITY NEWSLETTER

Through the second half of 2018, UConn continued to make strides toward a greener, more sustainable cam-pus. We started off the fall semester by learning that we were the Sierra Club’s #3 ranked “Cool School.” So with a nod to the Sierra Club’s good judgment, let’s begin 2019 with this quote:

“In every walk with nature, you receive far more than you seek.” John Muir, naturalist and founder of the Sierra Club.

This fall, UConn also joined the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) and received a $1.4 million grant from the Volkswagen diesel settlement to fund two electric buses, along with special charging stations. We expect these buses to be shuttling students around UConn’s campuses by 2020. Mean-while, the level of student initiative at UConn continues to impress. With the news that Susan Herbst is stepping down from her role as President at the end of this academic year, USG and student environmental leaders wrote a letter to the Presidential Search Committee urging consideration of only can-didates with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability in their previous positions. Kudos to these student leaders, and to the University Senate, which endorsed the letter during their October meeting, in which they also approved the 3-credit environmental literacy Gen Ed. requirement. Student and faculty support is crucial, but without campus-wide operational investment in the environment, achieving our 2020 Vision Plan goals would be impossible. Last semester, as reported in our 2017-18 Sustainability Pro-gress Report, UConn checked off two more of its 2020 goals. A big “thank you” to staff and managers across campus who were involved in these initia-tives – your continued leadership is essential. Our ambitious agenda for the coming year includes collaborating with multiple stakeholders to develop UConn’s sustainability goals for 2025, our next milestone year. Let’s “keep the petal to the metal” this year!

OEP Director, Rich Miller

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UConn Ranked #3 Coolest School By Sierra

Club Once again, UConn has achieved an impressive Gold rating in the AASHE STARS survey. UConn earned its highest score to date on the 2018 STARS survey, showing significant strengths in the Academic, Engagement, and Water categories. The information reported in the STARS survey was also used to determine the Sierra Club Cool Schools ranking, where UConn ranked #3 in 2018. This marks the sixth out of the last seven years in which UConn has ranked in the top ten of the Cool Schools survey—solidifying its place as a leader in campus sustainability.

Meet Patrick! Our New

Sustainability Manager

Patrick McKee has been hired by the OEP to serve as UConn’s Sustainability Program Manager. Patrick obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, PA, and received his Master of Science degree in environmental science and management from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Patrick brings with him six years of experience in the sustainability field in both the private and public sectors. Most recently, his three years as the first Sustainability Manager at Eastern Kentucky University resulted in the establishment of a dock-less bike share program, improvements to both recycling and energy management, and the University’s first AASHE Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) rating.

More Offices Go

Green This calendar year we moved several steps toward

achieving our Outreach & Engagement 2020 Vision

goals with the certification of 29 new offices under

the Green Office Certification Program! This brings

our grand total to 81 out of 100 total offices to be

certified as per our vision goals by the year 2020.

Bronze Allied Health Sciences

Student Affairs Information Technology CLAS Academic Services Center

Silver Office of the Registrar History Department

Office of the Dean, CLAS Presidents’ Office

Department of Physiology and Neurobiology School of Nursing

Office of the Provost Lodewick Visitors Center

PRLACC Employee Assistance Program Asian American Cultural Center

Gold Rainbow Center

Department of Statistics Child Development Labs

Greenhouse Studios Office of the Vice President for Research

Women's Center Recycling Bags Program Back after a three-year hiatus, the OEP has teamed up

with Residential Life (ResLife) and Facilities Operations

& Building Services (FOBS) to distribute reusable mixed

-recycling bags to students living on-campus. Printed on

the bags is instructions for proper recycling. The bags

make it easy for residents to transport their recyclables

to centralized waste areas in their residence halls. This

program takes aim at improving the University’s recy-

cling rates by educating students and making recycling

more convenient. UConn Greenhouse Studios proudly displays its

“Gold” Green Office certificate

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Campus Sustainability Month Photo Contest

The OEP introduced its first ever photo contest in

honor of Campus Sustainability Month in October.

Students from all of UConn's campuses submitted

photos for a chance to win the grand prize: a GoPro!

Winners were chosen by a combination of the public

and judges' votes. The submissions were impressive

and we look forward to hosting the contest again next

year.

UConn Joins UC3 UConn has recently entered into the University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) and is joining a network of 18 leading public research universities committed to chan-neling their resources into accelerating and easing the transition to a low carbon future on local and regional levels. The multi-layer complexity of climate change makes it a particularly difficult issue to address, and solutions complicated to implement. UC3 recognizes the significant role universities play when it comes to stimulating action and looks forward to meeting their goals and spurring climate action across the country.

“UConn’s membership in UC3 will accelerate

progress by further broadening interdisciplinary

partnerships” — Jim O’Donnell, UConn CIRCA

First Overall: Quinne Murphy

First Runner-Up: Noah Freeman

Second Runner-Up: Brandon Patel

LED Desk Lamps During move in weekend, UConn partnered with Eversource and handed out 3,800 free LED desk lamps to students. LED bulbs are 90% more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, 40-50% more efficient than CFLs, and last up to 25 years, making them environmentally superior to other light bulbs. This year marks the fourth anniversary of the energy efficiency program and is part of UConn’s ongoing partnership with Eversource to promote sustainability across campus.

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EcoMadness

Congratulations to the winners of the 7th annual

EcoMadness competition! This collaboration with ResLife

and Facilities Operations & Building Services serves as a

platform to inspire energy and water conservation amongst

resident students. This year, students were encouraged to

try different methods and strategies for reducing their

footprint, with the chance to win an ice cream party for their

dorm for maximizing their efficiency! Designated

EcoCaptains in each hall played an active role by posting

posters, leading activities and creating discussions for this

month-long event related to environmental awareness,

sustainable life practices, and the implementation of eco-

friendly behaviors into students’ daily lives. Overall the

competition resulted in a 12.5% reduction in energy usage

and a 6.8% reduction in water consumption in the

participating halls—some of the greatest reductions we’ve

ever achieved!

Coming Soon… Electric Buses!

In 2016 the U.S. EPA sued Volkswagen (VW) for installing software in their vehicles that reported false emissions results. VW was found guilty of using these “defeat devices” and the case was settled for $14.7 billion. Of the settlement money, $2 billion was divided amongst the states for funding zero emissions vehicle programs.

A collaborative effort between the OEP, FOBS Utility Operations and Energy Management group, and Transportation Services resulted in UConn being awarded a $1,378,000 grant under the VW settlement program. This grant will see that UConn receives 65% percent of the funding required for the purchase of two new full electric New Flyer transit buses and required charging infrastructure. These buses will replace two diesel buses currently in use, reducing UConn’s emissions outputs.

2020 Vision for Campus Sustainability & Climate

Leadership

Making progress...

2 more 2020 Vision Goals

achieved in Fall 2018!

Formalized UConn@COP

as an annual program.

250,000 SF of surface

runoff diverted from

Eagleville Brook.

2,275 tons of

greenhouse gas

emissions reduced from

campus wide LED re-

lamping projects since

2015.

22% of electric or

hybrid vehicles in

UConn’s light duty

fleet.

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Second Runner-Up: Brandon Patel

Bicycle Friendly University

In fall 2017, the Town of Mansfield received recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Community from the League of

American Bicyclists. Building off of this momentum, UConn convened a working group of individuals

representing stakeholders from across the University, including the OEP, Student Health Services, Student

Recreation, and University Planning, Design, and Construction to evaluate the potential for achieving Bike

Friendly University (BFU) designation. The BFU program recognizes institutions of higher education for

promoting and providing a more bikeable campus for students, staff and visitors. It evaluates applicants’

efforts to promote bicycling in five primary areas: engineering, encouragement, education, enforcement and

evaluation/planning. Meetings and discussions about UConn’s ability to meet the BFU requirements will

continue in 2019.

Virtual Net

Metering

The utilization of renewable energy

resources is integral to meeting the

University’s 2050 goal of achieving

carbon neutrality. In 2018, the CT

Department of Energy & Environmental

Protection (DEEP) launched a program

to incentivize renewable energy

development through virtual net

metering (VNM). UConn prepared an

RFP for projects that qualified for the

VNM credits. Unfortunately, because

offsite generators failed to meet the

specs laid out in UConn’s RFP and

DEEP funding for state projects was

exhausted, progress was halted.

Despite this setback, pursuing the

project did clear several hurdles,

gaining board approval to move

forward. This positions the University

well for pursuing the next similar

program that DEEP develops in 2019-

2020.

Science Quad Environmental Impact Evaluation

UConn has prepared a final draft Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) of the planned NW Science

Quadrangle. The key features of this new science quad are a 193,600 sq.ft. STEM Research Center called

Science 1; a 53,600 sq. ft. Supplemental Utility Plant (SUP); the North Woodland Corridor, and a 180 space

parking area. Science 1 will incorporate best practices for sustainable design with a minimum goal of LEED

Gold certified. The SUP’s modern steam boiler will replace aging boilers at the central plant and two natural

gas, combined heat and power turbines. The North Woodland Corridor will serve as a natural pedestrian

connection and will provide the platform to implement green infrastructure to manage stormwater. The entire

project’s landscape will be certified under the USGBC’s Sustainable SITES program.

Despite campus growth, UConn continues to reduce

its energy & water consumption.

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Jonathan Recycles Video In light of a declining recycling rate at the university in

recent years, the OEP has rolled out a few programs

geared towards improving UConn’s recycling rates.

One of the more public efforts is a social media push

that began with the release of our new collaborative

PSA with UConn’s lovable mascot, Jonathan the

Husky! In the video, Jonathan teaches the importance

of recycling as he saves a rogue plastic bottle from

becoming litter by picking it up and placing it into a

recycling bin. The video has so far reached a total of

almost 9,000 views on Facebook and Instagram.

- Watch the video HERE!

Quantum Biopower This fall, UConn began sending the food waste from six of its eight dining halls to Quantum Biopower, a company located in Southington, CT. The transition marks a large step toward continued sustainable dining practices for UConn. Plans to send food waste from the remaining dining halls are expected to be completed during the 2018-2019 academic year. Quantum Biopower uses anaerobic digestion, a multi-stage digestion process that occurs in the absence of oxygen, to break down food waste and other organic material, like bio-based lubricants, agricultural waste, and wastewater sludge, into biogas. The biogas is then used to generate electricity or undergoed further processing into natural gas and transportation fuel. The co-product of anaerobic digestion is sold to local customers as livestock bedding, compost, and fertilizer so that no waste is generated by this process.

EcoHusky This semester, EcoHusky has focused on plastic

waste, resource conservation in residence halls,

and engaged discussion. Members actively

promoted proper recycling at events such as

Celebrate Mansfield, Green Game Day, the

Hartford Marathon, and held a campus litter clean-

up. EcoHusky welcomes anyone into the new

EcoHusky Facebook group for active discussion

with current and past EcoHuskies about topics

such as sustainability, conservation, and climate

change. In meetings featuring guest speakers

Brian Paganini, Vice President of Quantum

Biopower, and State Representative Greg Haddad,

members learned about careers, real-life

applications, and emerging technology in the

environmental sector.

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2017 - 2018 Environmental

Leadership Awards The Environmental Leadership Awards (ELAs) were

created as a way to recognize individuals who have

worked alone or with other groups to support UConn’s

environmental sustainability efforts on campus and in

the community. The nomination period ends on

February 1, 2019!

- Click HERE to nominate someone

Football Green Game Day The football Green Game Day saw a number of volunteers from EcoHusky and EcoHouse working diligently to collect recyclables around Rentschler Field on September 15th vs. URI. This year, 2.4 tons of recyclables were collected according to Windsor Sanitation, the most on record from any Green Game Day! Meanwhile, OEP staff and interns stationed at the Green Game Day tent quizzed young and old with environmental questions while playing our brand new Plink -O game for prizes.

Indigenous People’s Day In accordance with UConn’s efforts to raise

awareness about environmental justice issues,

the OEP partnered with Global House to host a

film screening and discussion about “Sacred

Water: Standing Rock, Part 2” on Wednesday,

October 3rd. As the kickoff event for Indigenous

Peoples’ Week, the compelling documentary

covered the protests against the Dakota Access

Pipeline in Standing Rock with the power of

indigenous peoples’ voices and connection to

earth. The film screening was then followed by a

thought-provoking dialogue, discussing important

takeaways and plans to continue these types of

social justice conversations

Follow us @UConnOEP

President Search

Committee Letter

Members of the student organizations EcoHusky,

ECOalition, and the Undergraduate Student

Government Governing Board drafted a letter to

UConn’s Presidential Search Committee urging them

to consider only candidates who have demonstrated a

sincere commitment to environmental sustainability

throughout their career. Highlighting numerous

milestones reached during the prior seven years under

the leadership of President Herbst, the letter has been

formally endorsed by the University Senate.