Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.13
Liaison Bridget Flynn
Submission Date March 9, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Oberlin College
IN-3: Innovation 3

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Bridget Flynn
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Environmental Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Title or keywords related to the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Renewable Energy Purchase & Investment

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:

Oberlin College has a carbon neutrality goal of 2025, leading the City of Oberlin. The city and college share a joint commitment to climate positivity goal by 2050. The City and College work together to create a sustainable community. One way in which the City and College have worked together to achieve our shared goals is by the purchase of renewable electricity. Oberlin College purchases electricity from our municipal power source. Oberlin College is their largest customer and we have successfully worked with the City to secure largely renewable electricity. In order to encourage the City's procurement of renewable energy, the College pays a premium for RECs from the City. This purchase allows the city to procure renewable electricity for the entire city without a burdensome rate increase for all customers. This premium supported the creation of the the Sustainable Reserve Fund. This fund was created to fund energy efficiency projects within the City which reduces carbon and saves dwellers money on utility bills.


A brief description of any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation (if not reported above):

POWER (Providing Oberlin with Efficiency Responsibly) was created with funds from the Sustainable Reserve Fund.

The City and College work together in a variety of ways. At the end of 2015, the College signed Second Nature's Resilience Commitment and has been working even more closely with our surrounding community.


A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise:
Which of the following STARS subcategories does the innovation most closely relate to? (Select all that apply up to a maximum of five):
Yes or No
Curriculum No
Research No
Campus Engagement ---
Public Engagement Yes
Air & Climate Yes
Buildings Yes
Dining Services No
Energy Yes
Grounds No
Purchasing ---
Transportation No
Waste No
Water No
Coordination, Planning & Governance Yes
Diversity & Affordability No
Health, Wellbeing & Work ---
Investment ---

Other topic(s) that the innovation relates to that are not listed above:
renewable energy, power purchase, RECs

The website URL where information about the innovation is available:
---

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.