Georgia Institute of Technology
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Serve-Learn-Sustain is a campus-wide academic initiative working with all six colleges to offer students opportunities inside and outside the classroom to collaborate with diverse partners – across the community, non-profit, government, academic, and business sectors – on key sustainability challenges. Through SLS, students use the knowledge and skills they are acquiring at GT to help “create sustainable communities.” The following goals and learning outcomes are established under Serve Learn Sustain Quality Enhancement Plan.



QEP GOAL 1: Build Student Awareness of Issues and Opportunities

QEP GOAL 2: Develop Knowledge and Skills

Student Learning Outcome 1. Students will be able to identify relationships among ecological, social, and economic systems. Student Learning Outcome 2. Students will be able to describe how sustainability and community engagement relate to their civic lives and values, and how their actions impact issues of sustainability. Student Learning Outcome 3. Students will develop the skills necessary to work in a community different from their own, in cooperative and diverse teams, with appreciation for varied cultural and life circumstances. Student Learning Outcome 4. Students will be able to analyze the impact of choices on different constituencies, entities, and at different scales, including communities and the planet.

QEP GOAL 3: Connect to Practice

Student Learning Outcome 5. Students will be able to describe how sustainability relates to their professional practice. Student Learning Outcome 6. Students will be able to describe the social and cultural impact of their professional practice.

QEP GOAL 4: Structure Deep Learning Experiences

Student Learning Outcome 7. Students will be able to create and evaluate approaches to sustainability challenges in the context of community-level needs. Student Learning Outcome 8. Students will be able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences around issues in creating sustainable communities and approaches to address them.

QEP GOAL 5: Build Long-Lasting Values and Beliefs

Student Learning Outcome 9. Students will develop and manifest personal values and beliefs consistent with their roles as responsible members of local, national, international, and/or professional communities.

QEP GOAL 6: Create Supporting Institutional Infrastructure



https://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/documents/final-qep-document.pdf

Serve-Learn-Sustain is a campus-wide academic initiative working with all six colleges to offer students opportunities inside and outside the classroom to collaborate with diverse partners – across the community, non-profit, government, academic, and business sectors – on key sustainability challenges. Through SLS, students use the knowledge and skills they are acquiring at GT to help “create sustainable communities.” The following goals and learning outcomes are established under Serve Learn Sustain Quality Enhancement Plan.



QEP GOAL 1: Build Student Awareness of Issues and Opportunities

QEP GOAL 2: Develop Knowledge and Skills

Student Learning Outcome 1. Students will be able to identify relationships among ecological, social, and economic systems. Student Learning Outcome 2. Students will be able to describe how sustainability and community engagement relate to their civic lives and values, and how their actions impact issues of sustainability. Student Learning Outcome 3. Students will develop the skills necessary to work in a community different from their own, in cooperative and diverse teams, with appreciation for varied cultural and life circumstances. Student Learning Outcome 4. Students will be able to analyze the impact of choices on different constituencies, entities, and at different scales, including communities and the planet.

QEP GOAL 3: Connect to Practice

Student Learning Outcome 5. Students will be able to describe how sustainability relates to their professional practice. Student Learning Outcome 6. Students will be able to describe the social and cultural impact of their professional practice.

QEP GOAL 4: Structure Deep Learning Experiences

Student Learning Outcome 7. Students will be able to create and evaluate approaches to sustainability challenges in the context of community-level needs. Student Learning Outcome 8. Students will be able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences around issues in creating sustainable communities and approaches to address them.

QEP GOAL 5: Build Long-Lasting Values and Beliefs

Student Learning Outcome 9. Students will develop and manifest personal values and beliefs consistent with their roles as responsible members of local, national, international, and/or professional communities.

QEP GOAL 6: Create Supporting Institutional Infrastructure


https://serve-learn-sustain.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/documents/final-qep-document.pdf

Georgia Tech intends to be a leader in sustainable issues and to promote action and awareness through education, research, and business practice. Georgia Tech’s 2020 – 2030 Strategic Plan for Sustainable Practice is a 10 year roadmap to create a sustainable campus. The plan was developed by an interdisciplinary campus cohort facilitated by the Office of Campus Sustainability and nominated by executive leadership.

Sample Goals & Objectives

Scope: This category includes any campus operational practice that uses energy and emits airborne emissions.

Building energy consumption

Utility plant-level energy generation

Fleet vehicle fuel consumption

Employee and student daily commuting to campus

Campus-related air travel

Vision: The Institute seeks to reduce its dependency of finite fossil fuels for operational practices and promotes energy and transportation options that support human health and contribute to a carbon neutral campus.

Goals & Objectives

Achieve a 15% reduction in emissions created directly by Institute activities (Scope 1 emissions) (2007 baseline).

Develop a plan to optimize high efficiency heating equipment on campus by 2026.

75% of campus fleet to utilize alternative fuel options (non-fossil fuel vehicles) by 2030.

Reduce total gasoline and diesel fuel consumption for campus equipment by 20% by 2030.

Develop enforceable idling policy for campus fleet and vendor vehicles by 2023.

Reduce total energy consumption in campus buildings by 30% BTU per square foot (2007 baseline).

Set a sustainable thermal set-point standard for campus buildings by 2025.

Implement energy efficiency standards and programs within the building and infrastructure design and operational process by 2030.

Offset 5% of all energy consumed by campus facilities through renewable energy generation (2007 baseline).

Create an energy resiliency plan to evaluate campus growth, explore low carbon energy sources, and identify needs, costs, and supply and management strategies by 2025.

Incentivize the Georgia Tech community to use sustainable and/or active commuting options such as carpooling, public transit, biking, and walking.

Review and expand upon the sustainable commuting incentives program with feedback from the campus community by 2025.

Achieve Platinum Bicycle Friendly Campus recognition by 2030.

50% of staff use alternative and active transportation options as a primary commute mode by 2030.

Develop carbon offset program for work-related travel by 2030.

Full Plan - http://sustain.gatech.edu/strategic-plan-sustainable-practice-0

GOAL 1: Promote an Inclusive, Welcoming, and Supportive Campus Community and Climate. The Georgia Tech Strategic Plan states: “We aspire to be an Institute that pursues excellence and embraces and leverages diversity in all of its forms.” In the years ahead, we must continue to enhance a culture of collegiality, close collaboration, global perspectives, intercultural sensitivity and respect, and thoughtful interactions among a diverse community of scholars that includes all our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Strategy 1: Lead and support diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts at Georgia Tech. Supporting Initiatives: • Establish an Institute-level coordinating body, led by the vice president for Institute Diversity, to review, assess, and evaluate Georgia Tech’s progress toward achieving its vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to recommend appropriate actions that would enhance our efforts. • Benchmark peer institutions to assess Georgia Tech’s current position and to develop strategies for establishing the Institute’s role as a leader in higher education diversity, equity, and inclusion. • Develop and implement a strategic blueprint for directing Georgia Tech’s aspirational diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. • Conduct periodic climate assessments.

https://diversity.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/images/institute_diversity_strategic_plan-no_crops.pdf

Georgia Tech is a signatory of the ACUPCC and reports our progress toward carbon neutrality annually.