Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 52.15
Liaison Laura Young
Submission Date April 14, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.0

Michigan State University
PAE-5: Climate Plan

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Lynda Boomer
Former Engineer/Architect IV/S - Retired
IPF Energy and Environment
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a plan to mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions that meets the criteria for this credit?:
Yes

A brief summary of the climate plan’s long-term goals:

Energy is an important part of the conversation as Michigan State University addresses changes that will shape its future. As the academic enterprise continues to grow and demand more power, MSU’s power plant is expected to reach its current capacity for steam and electricity in 2023, and air quality and emissions legislation is quickly progressing, which will require capital expenditures and constrain fuel choices.

Transitioning to renewable energy sources is the long-term solution, but today’s technology is not sufficiently advanced to fully meet the needs of the university. The immediate answer is to create an energy transition plan that optimizes across variables such as:

* capacity
* cost
* reliability
* environment
* health

In addition, the university will explore potential partnerships with the public/private sector to implement the most efficient options for the transition.


A brief summary of the climate plan’s short-term goals:

The short term goals outlined by the Environmental Stewardship Systems team are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by 2015. Calendar year 2009 emissions were reduced by 6.5 percent over calendar year 2008 emission as reported to the Chicago Climate Exchange and verified by FINRA auditors.


Year the climate plan was formally adopted or approved:
2,010

The website URL where information about the climate plan is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The university will continue to engage faculty, staff, and students to further refine initial assumptions and goals using sophisticated models and getting public input. The process and its future updates are available on the website listed.


The university will continue to engage faculty, staff, and students to further refine initial assumptions and goals using sophisticated models and getting public input. The process and its future updates are available on the website listed.

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.