| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.35 |
| Liaison | Megan Litke |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
American University
EN-9: Community Partnerships
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Megan
Litke Sustainability Manager Office of Sustainability |
Does the institution have at least one formal sustainability partnership with the local community that meets the criteria as “supportive”?:
A brief description of the institution’s supportive sustainability partnership(s) with the local community:
On February, 29, 2012, nine university presidents representing some of the nation’s most prestigious higher education institutions joined Mayor Vincent C. Gray at American University’s LEED-Gold certified School of International Service Building to sign the District of Columbia Mayor’s College and University Sustainability Pledge (CUSP).
This university-based collaborative approach to sustainability is the first of its kind in the nation. DC is the first city in the U.S. to form such a compact between its entire higher education sector and its local government to advance sustainability. Working together in this public/private partnership, the signatories will work to make the District of Columbia the ‘Greenest College Town in America.’
The pledge is an agreement by the schools to pursue a range of sustainability measures related to energy use and buildings, green education, transportation, waste reduction, grounds maintenance, purchasing, and the monitoring and reporting of progress.
As a sector, universities in the District are already leading in the area of sustainability. LEED-certified buildings, solar panels and green roofs grace campuses throughout the city, universities are already using renewable energy, and several have already announced carbon neutral plans to greatly reduce their carbon footprint.
Does the institution have at least one formal sustainability partnership with the local community that meets the criteria as “collaborative”?:
A brief description of the institution's collaborative sustainability partnership(s):
Does the institution have at least one formal sustainability partnership with the local community that meets the criteria as “transformative”?:
A brief description of the institution's transformative sustainability partnership(s) with the local community:
The university hosted the District's Department of Energy and the Environment Tree Summit and is partnering with the city and local organizations to plant 3000 trees across the district in 2016. The partnership's goal is to improve local communities by expanding the tree canopy across the city and incorporates community engagement and education. By connecting communities with organizations involved in expanding tree canopies, we hope to change the perception of trees as a negative addition.
A brief description of the institution’s sustainability partnerships with distant (i.e. non-local) communities:
The website URL where information about sustainability partnerships is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Read more about the Washington DC Mayor's College and University Sustainability Pledge:
http://sustainable.dc.gov/page/district-columbia-mayor%E2%80%99s-college-and-university-sustainability-pledge
Canopy 3000: http://ddot.dc.gov/service/canopy-3000
Read more about the Washington DC Mayor's College and University Sustainability Pledge:
http://sustainable.dc.gov/page/district-columbia-mayor%E2%80%99s-college-and-university-sustainability-pledge
Canopy 3000: http://ddot.dc.gov/service/canopy-3000
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.