| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 57.22 |
| Liaison | Rebecca Walker |
| Submission Date | June 30, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Southern Oregon University
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 3.00 |
Roxane
Beigel-Coryell Sustainability & Recycling Coordinator Facilities Management & Planning |
Does the institution have written policies, guidelines or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across commodity categories institution-wide?:
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
The policies, guidelines or directives:
Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating chemically intensive products and services (e.g. building and facilities maintenance, cleaning and sanitizing, landscaping and grounds maintenance)?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
3. Toxins and Pollutants
a. Cleaning solvents shall be biodegradable, phosphate-free, and citrus-based where their use will not compromise
quality of service.
b. Industrial and institutional cleaning products that meet Green Seal certification standards shall be utilized by
custodial staff and outside custodial contractors.
c. All surfactants and detergents shall be readily biodegradable and shall not contain phosphates.
d. Vacuum cleaners shall meet the requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute “Green Label” Testing Program.
e. Products and equipment shall not contain lead or mercury. For products that contain lead or mercury, preference
shall be given to those products with lower quantities of these metals and to vendors with established lead and
mercury recovery programs.
f. When maintaining buildings and landscapes, Facilities shall manage pest problems through prevention and the use
of environmentally-friendly products. Facilities shall adopt and implement an Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
policy and practices using the least toxic pest control as a last resort.
From the Green Building clause of the Green Purchasing Policy:
c. When purchasing materials such as paint, carpeting, adhesives, furniture and casework for building maintenance,
products with the lowest amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the highest recycled content, and low or no
formaldehyde shall be used. Paint used on the campus shall meet the Green Seal GS-11 Standard for Low VOC
content.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating construction and renovation products (e.g. furnishings and building materials)?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for construction and renovation products:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for construction and renovation products detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
8. Green Building
a. Green building concepts shall be integrated into architectural designs, construction documents, and the construction of and renovations to all SOU buildings.
b. All new buildings and major renovation projects shall achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Silver Certification, at a minimum. New buildings shall target LEED Gold or Platinum Certification.
c. When purchasing materials such as paint, carpeting, adhesives, furniture and casework for building maintenance, products with the lowest amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the highest recycled content, and low or no formaldehyde shall be used. Paint used on the campus shall meet the Green Seal GS-11 Standard for Low VOC content.
d. The distributors and/or manufacturers of all carpet installed at SOU shall have a carpet recycling plan.
e. The use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and halon-containing refrigerants, solvents, and other products shall be phased out. New purchases of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, refrigeration, insulation, and fire suppression systems shall not contain these chemicals.
From the Recycling clause of the policy:
c. Recycled, reusable, or reground materials shall be used for parking or road construction projects.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) products and services (e.g. computers, imaging equipment, mobile phones, data centers and cloud services)?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for IT products and services:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for IT products detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
a. All new purchases of desktop computers, notebooks and monitors must meet, at a minimum, all Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) environmental criteria designated as “required” (bronze registration) or higher as contained in the IEEE 1680 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. Exceptions shall be approved by Information Technology (IT).
b. Additional consideration shall be provided for electronic products that have achieved EPEAT silver or EPEAT
gold registration. The registration criteria and a list of all registered equipment are provided at: http://www.epeat.net
c. All copiers and printers purchased or leased shall be capable of double-sided copying/printing.
d. Copiers and printers shall be compatible with the use of recycled content products.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food services (i.e. franchises, vending services, concessions, convenience stores)?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food services:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for Food services detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
10. Food
a. When purchasing agricultural products, all food contractors shall purchase Oregon-grown products if the products
are available and if the vendor can meet the applicable quality standards and pricing requirements.
b. All food contractors shall work with their food distributors to purchase a minimum of 15% locally grown products and shall purchase as much local produce and product as possible.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional services (e.g. architectural, engineering, public relations, financial)?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional services:
Southern Oregon University requires business partners on all capital projects to comply with BOLI wages for their employees and to meet certain environmental standards, aligned with USGBC LEED guidelines. SOU also prioritizes minority, women, and emerging small businesses in all contracts and subcontracts.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating transportation and fuels (e.g. travel, vehicles, delivery services, long haul transport, generator fuels, steam plants)?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels as detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
Under the Energy clause:
i. University purchasing units replacing vehicles shall consider less-polluting alternatives to gas and diesel such as compressed natural gas, bio-based fuels, hybrids, electric batteries, and fuel cells, as available.
Under the Bio-Based Products clause:
c. Vehicle fuels made from non-wood, plant-based contents such as vegetable oils shall be encouraged.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating wood and paper products?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for wood and paper products:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for wood and paper products as detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
5. Forest Conservation
a. Ensure that all wood and wood contained in products purchased by SOU is certified to be substantially harvested by a comprehensive, performance-based certification system. The certification system shall include independent third party audits, with standards equivalent to, or stricter than, those of the Forest Stewardship Council certification.
b. Purchase or use of previously used or salvaged wood and wood products is encouraged.
6. Recycling
a. Purchase recycled paper with 30% post-consumer waste composition for all applications.
Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating products and services in other commodity categories that the institution has determined to have significant sustainability impacts?:
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for other commodity categories:
SOU has published sustainability criteria for appliances and lighting as detailed in the Green Purchasing Policy, as presented below:
Within the Energy clause of the policy:
g. All energy-using appliances purchased by the University shall meet the U. S. EPA Energy Star certification when available. When Energy Star labels are not available, all purchasing units shall choose energy products that are in the upper 25% of energy efficiency as designated by the Federal Energy Management Program.
h. Energy-efficient equipment shall be purchased with the most up-to-date energy efficiency functions. This includes, but is not limited to, heating and cooling systems.
j. Facilities shall phase out inefficient interior lighting (incandescent and T-12 fluorescent light sources) and replace with energy-efficient equipment. Halogen torchiere lamps shall not be allowed.
k. Facilities shall phase out inefficient exterior lighting and replace with energy-efficient equipment. Exterior lighting shall be minimized where possible while providing adequate illumination for safety and accessibility.
Within the Water clause of the policy:
a. Purchase only the most water-efficient appliances available, including, but not limited to, high-efficiency toilets, low-flow faucets and aerators, and upgraded irrigation systems.
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.