| Overall Rating | Reporter |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | |
| Liaison | Megan Curtis-Murphy |
| Submission Date | May 28, 2021 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Northeastern University
EN-11: Inter-Campus Collaboration
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Carol
Rosskam Sustainability Program Manager Office of Sustainability, Facilities Mgmt. |
Is the institution an active member of a national or international sustainability network?:
The name of the national or international sustainability network(s):
Association of Energy Engineers; Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education; Second Nature; Society for Campus and University Planners; and the US Green Building Council. Additionally Northeastern University is a sponsor of Advanced Energy Group that brings together private and public entities to solve
Is the institution an active member of a regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network?:
The name of the regional, state/provincial or local sustainability network(s):
Green Ribbon Commission
NE Green Business Council
Boston Intercollegiate Government is a network giving voice to students in Boston. Northeastern has representation through its Student Government Association on a number of subcommittees including the Government Affairs Committee.
Additionally, Northeastern University is a sponsor of Advanced Energy Group that brings together private and public entities to solve regional challenges in the transformation of the energy sector.
Has the institution presented at a sustainability conference during the previous year? :
A list or brief description of the conference(s) and presentation(s):
AASHE, Tempe Arizona, 2020, Energy, Climate and Justice presentation.
Microgrids Conference, Maria Cimilluca, VP of Facilities Management, presented on Northeastern's microgrid initiative
Of note: during 2021, as a Signatory to AASHE's "Climate Action Pursuit" initiative, Northeastern will engage faculty/staff in four forums
Has the institution submitted a case study during the previous year to a sustainability awards program that is inclusive of multiple campuses? :
A list or brief description of the awards program(s) and submission(s):
Has the institution had staff, students or faculty 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):
In May 2020, the NU chapter of Engineers Without Borders was awarded the Global Influence Award at the 2020 Student Life Awards. The award is conferred annually by the Center for Student Involvement to an organization that “promotes global and/or cultural awareness through their educational programming and supports campus programming or experiential learning that places emphasis on global cultures, relations, or awareness.”
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:
In 2020, Northeastern's Sustainability Program Manager met a Kenyan Administrator at the annual Global Health Initiatives Conference convened at Northeastern University. As a result, Northeastern's Green Office Challenge Program is starting a mentorship program with that University in Nairobi, to help them develop their own Green Office Program and raise sustainability awareness throughout their University's office management systems and procedures.
Has the institution had staff, faculty, or students serving as peer reviewers of another institution’s sustainability data (e.g. GHG emissions or course inventory) and/or STARS submission during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the peer review activities:
Has the institution participated in other collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year, e.g. joint planning or resource sharing with other institutions? :
A brief description of other collaborative efforts around sustainability during the previous year:
Northeastern University belongs to the Massachusetts Higher Education Consortium which consists of procurement departments from University and local governments that leverage their individual university purchases into much larger bulk purchases to achieve greater economies of scale. During the Coronavirus Pandemic, the consortium purchased personal protective gear through a local Minority Enterprise Business that was made in the US in an effort to avoid extra shipping.
For example, in response to the pandemic in 2020, Northeastern University bought PPE in bulk from multiple local sources and had purchased custom hand sanitizer stations so there would be less plastic waste on campus. This was a change from convention which would have been to buy everyone an 8oz hand sanitizer bottle for their desks. Despite the many overseas alternatives that were presented to us, we still sourced PPE locally with a minority supplier, as we wanted to keep our bulk purchasing in the US as to avoid overseas shipping.
The University's Green Chemistry Program has been planning/organizing a fall 2021 Green Chemistry Conference that will include other universities, virtual attendees and practitioners who can help integrate and highlight the implementation of green chemistry principles in a working environment.
The University participates in numerous partnerships with the local community such as regular Red Cross blood drives, fall/winter coat and clothing drives, and other community volunteer services such as food preparation at local shelters.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.