Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.77
Liaison Alex Roman Gonzalez
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Cincinnati
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.25 / 3.00 Erin LeFever
Asst Sustainability Coordinator
Planning + Design + Construction
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Part 1. Institution-wide sustainable procurement policies

Does the institution have written policies, guidelines, or directives that seek to support sustainable purchasing across multiple commodity categories institution-wide?:
Yes

A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
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The policies, guidelines or directives:
In terms of supplier diversity and supporting minority-owned businesses, see UC's Supplier Diversity Position Statement at: http://www.uc.edu/af/purchasing/supplierdiversity.html.

In terms of overall sustainable purchasing, see:
http://www.uc.edu/af/pdc/sustainability/campus_initiatives/purchasing.html
https://www.uc.edu/af/purchasing/departments.html#Sustainability

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:
As part of UC's commitment to doing all new construction on campus LEED Silver or better, capital procurement of heating and water systems for campus buildings are analyzed according to both life-cycle cost and life-cycle environmental impact. he institution has a practice of continuously reviewing its use of energy and water to identify opportunities for improvement. UC built a cogeneration plant to improve its efficiency and to enable it to replace its old coal burning plant. UC has built underground water storage tanks to reduce the cost of cooling its chilled water. UC has also worked to recover and recycle water to reduce its overall water consumption and to reduce its waste water.

Part 3. Product-specific sustainability criteria

To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products and/or 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?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
See UC's Green Cleaning Policy, here:

http://www.uc.edu/content/dam/uc/af/pdc/sustainability/docs/Housekeeping%202009_02-05_Revision%202.pdf

Consumable office products

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating consumable office products?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
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Furniture and furnishings

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

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
Compatible with, at a minimum, LEED Silver, which is a requirement for all new construction projects at UC.

Information Technology (IT) and equipment

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating Information technology (IT) and equipment?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
UC Central Purchasing directs preference to environmentally friendly products whose quality, function, and cost are equal to or better than more traditional products. Sustainability - Suppliers are to identify their corporate sustainability reporting, provide ratings and rating entity information for various products offered and to identify ways they will assist the university in increasing its use of sustainable products.
https://www.uc.edu/af/purchasing/departments.html#Sustainability

Food service providers

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food service providers?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
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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:
UC directs individual departments to buy products with certification that sweat shop labor not be used. https://www.uc.edu/af/pdc/sustainability/campus_initiatives/purchasing.html
https://www.uc.edu/af/purchasing/departments.html#Sustainability

Professional service providers

Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating professional service providers?:
No

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
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Transportation and fuels

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

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
75% of light-duty vehicles acquired annually must be alternative fuel vehicles. This is part of UC's participation, as an Ohio state institution, in the State and Alternative Fuel Provider Fleet Program. Managed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office, the program is one of several that aim to reduce U.S. petroleum consumption by building a core market for alternative fuel vehicles.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable procurement program or initiatives is available:
https://www.uc.edu/af/purchasing/departments.html#Sustainability

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.