Success: It’s All In the NumbersSteve TolleyAssistant Director; Grounds, Building Services, SustainabilityAlex DavisCoordinator, Sustainability Office

Overview• Why are numbers important?• How do I get numbers?• Sustainable Outdoor Signs• Printing Reduction• Residence Hall Energy Conservation

Why are numbers important?• Before a project:– Help everyone to understand the scale– Provide a self-check for passionate sustainability

professionals and students

• During/After a project: – Prove the value of your project over time.– Add credibility for future projects

How do I get numbers?• Measurement opportunities:– Direct measures• Materials savings from avoided consumption

– Indirect measures• Unrecognized labor savings

– Hidden counters• Set up a tracking system in advance!– Baseline– Progress

Foam-core Signs

• Babson spent over $10,000 per year on single-use foam-core outdoor directional signs

Re-Usable Signs Examples

Created by: Dunbar Signs eventsigns.biz

Solid Waste: Sustainable Signs• Re-useable sign metrics– Clear financial savings• $25/sign vs .$0.15/paper• Saved $10,000 per year vs. $6000 initial investment

– 400 foam board signs avoided per year

– Hidden benefits• Facilities staff save time setting up• Improves campus aesthetics

• Basic cost comparison = prove the point

Purchasing: Printing Services• Worked with Purchasing to ensure that

sustainability was a key part of the RFP• Contract is service based vs. volume based– Vendor is now a partner in the savings– Second year-on-year savings ($20,000 savings)

Group Spring 2012 Pages Spring 2013 Pages % DifferenceUndergrad 1,502,749 1,307,591 -13%Graduate 425,823 342,178 -20%Faculty 403,738 389,522 -4%Staff 1,122,592 1,119,007 ~0%Total 3,454,902 3,158,298 -9%

Printing Metrics• Remove old machines that only print single sided• Installed multi-function devices that print double

sided by default• Engaged campus community to generate savings– Undergraduate dean reached out to heavy

printers– Email campaign partnership between IT,

Purchasing, and Sustainability

• Historically- significant energy waste during winter break shutdown (New England winter!)

• Unplugged program used engagement to encourage conservation efforts:– Unplug appliances- including refrigerator– Turn off lights– Turn down heat– Windows closed

Babson Unplugged

Babson Unplugged• Every room was inspected to correlate

personal action and savings– Heat turned down– Windows closed– Electronics unplugged– Lights off– Refrigerator unplugged

• Recording using technology

Babson Unplugged• Perfect Unplugged Floors: – 2010: 2– 2011: 12– 2012: 7 • New tracking tool• Near perfect floor count jumped drastically in FY12

• Numbers provide a corrective nudge:– Need to increase outreach in 2013 given decrease

in results from prior year

Thank You & Questions

Steve TolleyAssistant Director; Grounds, Building Services, Sustainabilitystolley@babson.edu781-239-4253

Alex DavisCoordinator, Sustainability Officeadavis@babson.edu614-353-6036