George Washington University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.00 / 3.00 |
Joshua
Lasky Director Office of Sustainability |
Is the institution currently a member of a national or international higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, The Climate Leadership Network, National Council for Science and the Environment, Planet Forward, Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Listening Post/Ivy+ Sustainability Consortium
Does the institution actively participate in a regional, state/provincial, or local higher education sustainability network?:
The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
DC College and University Sustainability Pledge (CUSP) Network, Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area
Has the institution presented at a higher education sustainability conference during the previous year?:
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
GW frequently hosts meetings, conferences, and symposia to foster inter-campus collaboration. GW hosted the 2022 Planet Forward Summit, a flagship event held on with experts in journalism, science, environmental policy, and other areas. GW also hosted the DC Gathering of the 2022 Worldwide Climate Justice Teach-In. The event brought together students, faculty, and staff from across the DC region to hear from speakers addressing an array of topics at the intersection of equity, energy, development, social justice, and climate.
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to an external higher education sustainability resource center or awards program?:
A list or brief description of the sustainability resource center or awards program and submission(s):
In 2022, GW submitted a proposal to present a case study at the IDEA Campus Conference focusing on a recently completed Water Optimization and Resiliency Diagnostic. GW was seeking to explore ways to revamp its water goals and enable improvements in water resiliency. The planning and implementationeffort involves a group of cross-functional experts in campus operations, finance, sustainability, and others, ensuring water initiatives account for distributed water infrastructure, space constraints inherent in an urban campus, and the interconnection of water and GHG emissions. A baseline assessment was conducted to develop a water balance, revealing that 39% of GW's potable water consumption was being directed toward non-potable functions, including irrigation, boilers, and chillers. An initial strategy is being developed in concert with pilot implementation work, emphasizing stormwater capture and reuse activities to offset municipal water demand while producing cost savings. In the coming months, GW will work to implement a pilot project and use learnings to refine a long-term water plan.
Has the institution had employees or students serving on a board or committee of a sustainability network or conference during the previous three years?:
A list or brief description of the board or committee appointment(s):
GW's Director of Sustainability currently serves as the co-chair of the DC College and University Sustainability Plege (CUSP) Network as well as the Second Nature Offsets Advisory Council.
Historically, Sustainable GW representatives have been involved in the planning committee of the Climate Leadership Summit, the Planet Foward board of directors, and the deans and directors committee of the National Council for Science and Environment.
Does the institution have an ongoing mentoring relationship with another institution through which it assists the institution with its sustainability reporting and/or the development of its sustainability program?:
A brief description of the mentoring relationship and activities:
As part of the Washington DC College and University Sustainability Network, GW has shared best practice on large scale renewable energy, stormwater management, measuring sustainability performance, among other things, with Howard University, Georgetown University, the University of the District of Columbia, and Gallaudet University.
Has the institution had employees or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
A brief description of other inter-campus collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year :
GW Planet Forward's year-round programming brings together almost 20 universities from across the country to promote, teach, and reward storytelling to show young people how they can be effective in communication on sustainability.
Emerging DC legislation related to organic waste diversion has led to a series of ongoing collaborative discussions between sustainability leaders at District-based institutions. These discussions offer a space for sharing of best practices and lessons learned through the ongoing implementation of composting initiatives, including vendor selection and management, branding and marketing, and community engagement strategies.
In addition, GW's progressive policy eliminating single-use plastics has positioned the university to mentor and advise other universities which are currently exploring the feasibility of a similar policy. GW staff have worked closely with a wide array of staff at other area colleges and universities to answer questions and provide first-hand insights.
Website URL where information about the institution’s inter-campus collaborations is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://secondnature.org/wp-content/uploads/Resilience-Planning-for-Washington-D.C.-Universities.pdf
https://www.planetforward.org/consortium
https://environmentamerica.org/sites/environment/files/Environment-America-Renewable-Campus-Scorecard-4_4_19.pdf
https://www.ncseglobal.org/board-directors
https://erb.umich.edu/our-advisory-boards/
http://www.sustainabledc.org/dc-mayors-college-and-university-sustainability-pledge/
http://www.sustainabledc.org/in-dc/sector-pledges/
https://sustainability.gwu.edu/commitments-and-awards
https://www.aashe.org/calendar/sustainability-professionals-retreat-2018/
https://drawdown.psu.edu/poster/clothes-are-not-trash-clothing-recovery-college-campus-nations-capital
https://drawdown.psu.edu/poster/powerful-thoughts-power-universities-thought-leaders-scaling-renewable-energy
https://secondnature.org/2019summit/
https://sustainability.gwu.edu/2019-dc-climathon
https://secondnature.org/wp-content/uploads/Resilience-Planning-for-Washington-D.C.-Universities.pdf
https://www.planetforward.org/consortium
https://environmentamerica.org/sites/environment/files/Environment-America-Renewable-Campus-Scorecard-4_4_19.pdf
https://www.ncseglobal.org/board-directors
https://erb.umich.edu/our-advisory-boards/
http://www.sustainabledc.org/dc-mayors-college-and-university-sustainability-pledge/
http://www.sustainabledc.org/in-dc/sector-pledges/
https://sustainability.gwu.edu/commitments-and-awards
https://www.aashe.org/calendar/sustainability-professionals-retreat-2018/
https://drawdown.psu.edu/poster/clothes-are-not-trash-clothing-recovery-college-campus-nations-capital
https://drawdown.psu.edu/poster/powerful-thoughts-power-universities-thought-leaders-scaling-renewable-energy
https://secondnature.org/2019summit/
https://sustainability.gwu.edu/2019-dc-climathon
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