| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.71 |
| Liaison | Greg Kozak |
| Submission Date | March 6, 2020 |
Northwestern University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Sarah
Tulga Sustainability Program Coordinator Facilities |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Northwestern was the first university in more than a decade to be acknowledged with the prestigious ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Award in 2018 and the only to receive it for two years consecutively the following year. In 2020, the EPA is awarding the University with the Sustained Excellence designation. This award is reserved for ENERGY STAR partners demonstrating outstanding leadership, year over year.
ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year is given to those demonstrating exemplary commitment and dedication to leadership in energy efficiency and the ENERGY STAR program. Northwestern had been recognized for its success reducing campus energy consumption and educating students, faculty, staff and the broader community about energy efficiency. The University tracks energy use of its entire building portfolio in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager platform. Portfolio Manager allows for scoring and benchmarking building energy performance. sustainNU leverages the ENEGY STAR partnership to engage our campus community in greater awareness of their impact and opportunities to conserve energy.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Buildings
Energy
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Founded at the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN), the Program on Plastics, Ecosystems, and Public Health (PEPH) is a multidisciplinary team science initiative that examines the product lifecycle of everyday plastics, exploring the implications for environmental and human well-being, as well as novel and scalable solutions to mitigate those impacts. PEPH Program priorities include research on associated ecosystem and public health impacts and the discovery of substitute materials that are economical and environmentally benign or restorative.
In its effort to address the diverse challenges related to the global use and accumulation of plastics, ISEN is bringing together experts from across Northwestern as well as collaborators from academic, civic, NGO, and industrial partner institutions.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Public Engagement
Air & Climate
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
Northwestern’s student government, ASG, has had a Sustainability Committee since 2013. The Committee functions as a connection between students and administrators regarding sustainability issues at Northwestern. This active group helps the student body understand opportunities to reduce their environmental impact on campus and learn about sustainability projects they can support. Current projects by the group include an audit and proposal for a lighting upgrade in a campus building, a zero-waste plan for our football stadium, granting funds for sustainability projects proposed by students, and student organization training for greater sustainability within their group. This vibrant group continues to engage in new ways and keep sustainability at the forefront for our student leadership and community.
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Coordination & Planning
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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.