Denison University
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

The Campus Sustainability Committee (CSC) had primary responsibility for developing the Campus Sustainability Plan. This group is made up of students, faculty, staff, and administrators. In addition, the CSC formed four advisory groups made up of campus stakeholder groups that developed goals and actions steps, as well as, advised the CSC during the process of writing the Campus Sustainability Plan.

Energy & Climate Goal 1 – Collect and disseminate data and information on campus energy use to enable better assessment and increase awareness in the campus community.   Goal 2 – Reduce energy consumption by establishing policies and educating the community about standards that encourage behavior change.   Goal 3 – Maintain established indoor environmental quality (IEQ) standards and operate existing buildings in an energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable manner.   Goal 4 – Design, construct and renovate buildings to a rigorous, innovative sustainability standard.   Goal 5 – Be carbon neutral by 2030. Teaching, Education and Research Goal 1 – Develop resources to support the inclusion of sustainability themes in the curriculum and sustainability research. Goal 2 – Enhance the curriculum with sustainability-related courses. Goal 3 – Encourage and track sustainability-related research. Goal 4 – Maintain the Denison University Biological Reserve as a functional ecological landscape that provides habitat for native species and serves as a resource for sustainability-related research and education.   Co-curricular and Community Goal 1 – Increase communication and collaboration among campus groups. Goal 2 – Educate the entire Denison community on sustainability issues and encourage sustainable living. Dining Goal 1 – Move food purchases from unsustainable choices toward more sustainable choices.   Goal 2 – Strategically invest in our dining facilities. Goal 3 – Facilitate greater community education and involvement in sustainable dining initiatives.   Transportation Goal 1 – Move toward a more efficient and better managed University fleet. Goal 2 – Reduce driving on campus while encouraging alternatives like ride-sharing, biking, and walking. Goal 3 – Evaluate and reduce the environmental impact of air travel by students, staff and faculty.   Purchasing Goal 1 – Continue to assess purchasing practices on campus and define target areas where sustainability of purchasing could most effectively be improved. Goal 2 – Increase awareness of the Sustainable Purchasing Policy and to provide resources to support individuals in complying with the policy. Water Goal 1 – Reduce the use of water and the energy used to heat, transport, and treat water.   Grounds Goal 1 – Reduce the impact of Denison’s campus landscape through the use of appropriate technology and maintenance practices. Goal 2 – Engage the campus in a discussion to determine a balanced strategy that preserves the utility and overall aesthetics of the campus grounds while reducing resource use and impact of surface water runoff. Waste Goal 1 – Reduce waste and increase campus recycling and composting through a combination of policies, procedures and increased community outreach.

The Office of Sustainability and the Campus Sustainability Committee collect data on an annual basis with respect to sustainability and the Campus Sustainability Plan. Much of this data is collected through STARS and all of it is disseminated through an annual Report on Campus Sustainability