Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.09
Liaison DeLayne Miller
Submission Date Dec. 18, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Tennessee Technological University
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 3.00 DeLayne Miller
Sustainability Manager
Facilities:Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1: Institution-Wide Policies 

Does the institution have written policies, guidelines or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across commodity categories institution-wide?:
No

A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
Tn_Tech_Procurement_Manual.pdf

The policies, guidelines or directives:
In the TN Tech Procurement Manual, the intent to support disadvantaged businesses such as minority-,small-,woman,and service-disabled-owned businesses is shown. Life-Cycle Costing for Purchases of Major Energy-Consuming Products is shown in this policy as well. From TN Procurement Manual(Page 18): "Minority-, Small-, Woman-, and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses The Purchasing and Contracts Office shall follow the requirements of the Tennessee Minority- Owned, Woman-Owned and Small Business Procurement and Contracting Act, T.C.A. § 12-3-1101 et seq."

Part 2: Life Cycle Cost Analysis 

Does the institution employ Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) when evaluating energy- and water-using products and systems?:
Yes

Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
Institution employs LCCA less comprehensively, e.g. for certain types of systems or projects and not others

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
The Life-Cycle Costing for Purchases of Major Energy-Consuming Products is stated in the TN Tech Procurement Manual (Page 17): "The Purchasing and Contracts Office may use life-cycle costing to evaluate purchases of major energy-consuming products, taking into consideration the acquisition cost of the product, the energy consumption and the projected energy cost of energy over the useful life of the product, and the anticipated resale or salvage value of the product to determine life cycle costs."

Part 3: Commodity-Specific Sustainability Criteria

To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products/services in each category, e.g. by requiring or giving preference to multi-criteria sustainability standards, certifications and labels appropriate to the category. Broader, institution-wide policies should be reported in Part 1, above. 

Chemically Intensive Products and Services

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)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
Service Solutions custodial services uses cleaning products that are Green Seal approved and environmentally friendly cleaning equipment such as microfiber mops and cloths, HEPA filtered vacuums, and the most advanced floor care tools offering reduced water and chemical usage. https://www.tntech.edu/facilities/custodial.php

Construction and Renovation 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating construction and renovation products (e.g. furnishings and building materials)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for construction and renovation products:
The Tennessee High Performance Building Requirements Manual (HPBr) is a mandatory design, construction, and operations tools for all TN State Building Commission projects, which is all projects on the TN Tech campus, including: new construction, additions, and renovation/maintenance. The link provided directs you to the Designer's Manual for Capital Projects and planning. There is a tab labeled "HPBr" which directs you to Office of the State Architect which shows manuals, requirements, and contractor specifications that every project must abide by. https://www.tntech.edu/capital-projects/sbc-capital/manual.php https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/osa/capital---real-estate/capital-projects/high-performance-building-requirements--hpbr-.html

Information Technology (IT) 

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)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for IT products and services:
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Food Services 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food services (i.e. franchises, vending services, concessions, convenience stores)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food services:
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Garments and Linens 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
The Professional Clothes Closet is fully stocked to help students dress for success. The closet serves students by providing clothing for presentations, interviews, and other professional business events. Through a one-on-one consultation with our staff, students can browse our suits, shirts, skirts, and accessories for FREE. Guidelines for donation are interview-appropriate clothing, dry cleaned and/or clean suits/clothing. https://cobstudentsuccess.com/professional-closet/ TN Tech purchases all graduation caps and gowns from Oak Hall, a member of the AASHE community. All caps and gowns are made from recycled material, and after use all unwanted gowns can be recycled. For every gown purchased a percentage of that money goes back into funding other sustainable projects on campus. Partnering with Oak Hall reduces carbon emissions, petroleum use, and the amount of water bottles in our landfills. https://oakhalli.com/product/greenweaver-college-cap-gown/https://reports.aashe.org/media/secure/903/7/720/6022/SustainableCapGown2.jpeg

Professional Services 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional services (e.g. architectural, engineering, public relations, financial)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional services:
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Transportation and Fuels 

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)?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
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Wood and Paper 

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating wood and paper products?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for wood and paper products:
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Other Commodity Categories 

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?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for other commodity categories:
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Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.