University of Denver
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Challenge:
Sustainability inherently requires an interdisciplinary approach across the University of Denver. This requires that our community dedicate time,
financing, and policies to integrate departments in an innovative and effective manner. In recognizing that responsibility lies in the hands of all members and departments, the University must facilitate
opportunities for sustainability to have a central role in all levels of educational and research endeavors.
Opportunity:
The classroom and research setting at the University of Denver offers working sustainability objectives for the entire spectrum of disciplines. Even without a specific mandate to do so, many courses engage nationally defined principles of sustainability in their course outcomes. As research interests and educational opportunities emerge, interconnected academic programs and policies create pathways that inspire collaboration and community. The expansion of the Sustainability Minor to more intentionally include Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
departments is just one of the many examples of the University of Denver capitalizing on linked academic interests. Further departmental integration focused specifically on sustainability provides a valuable flagship for accomplishing interdisciplinary learning: one of the six strategic priorities for the Renew DU campaign.

1. Identify clear learning objectives for sustainability that are applicable across disciplines at the undergraduate level by developing Curriculum and Sustainability Framework guidelines by 2015.
2. Measure sustainability literacy through entrance and exit
surveys of all DU students.
3. Develop annual faculty training workshops, in conjunction with the Office of Teaching and Learning, to build multi-disciplinary faculty collaborations focused on integrating
sustainability issues into the classroom.
4. Offer at least one course focused on or related to sustainability in every undergraduate major and graduate-level department on campus.
5. Realize a 10% increase in course offerings that are focused on or related to sustainability by 2017 over a 2014 baseline.
6. Increase enrollment in the Sustainability Minor program for students pursuing any undergraduate degree by broadening opportunities in cross-disciplinary education.
7. Develop a proposal for one new interdisciplinary program in sustainability, i.e. a major at the undergraduate level or certificate at the graduate level, which has an emphasis on sustainability.

Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Sustainability Council, all academic units, Institutional Research, Office of Teaching and Learning

Challenge:
Sustainability inherently requires an interdisciplinary approach across the University of Denver. This requires that our community dedicate time,
financing, and policies to integrate departments in an innovative and effective manner. In recognizing that responsibility lies in the hands of all members and departments, the University must facilitate
opportunities for sustainability to have a central role in all levels of educational and research endeavors.
Opportunity:
The classroom and research setting at the University of Denver offers working sustainability objectives for the entire spectrum of disciplines. Even without a specific mandate to do so, many courses engage nationally defined principles of sustainability in their course outcomes. As research interests and educational opportunities emerge, interconnected academic programs and policies create pathways that inspire collaboration and community. The expansion of the Sustainability Minor to more intentionally include Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
departments is just one of the many examples of the University of Denver capitalizing on linked academic interests. Further departmental integration focused specifically on sustainability provides a valuable flagship for accomplishing interdisciplinary learning: one of the six strategic priorities for the Renew DU campaign.

Explore opportunities for a targeted internal funding program to support sustainability focused research activities.

Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Sustainability council, Sustainability Committee of Undergraduate Student Government, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Challenge:
Every day, each individual in the University of Denver community is an active participant in campus sustainability. In this living and learning environment, action might be as simple as diverting recycling waste or as proactive as piloting a community food-share program. These endeavors reflect diversity in scale and function, but also the difficulty in balancing sustainability objectives with varying levels of interest in our community. All contributions are meaningful, but when they go unrecognized, their impact is reduced and potential support diminishes. We invite all members of the University of Denver to make a commitment to sustainability, but effective outcomes require a coordinated and visible framework.
Opportunity:
The creation of the Center for Sustainability in 2012 represented a large step forward for the strategic planning of programs and policies related to sustainability. In partnership with the Sustainability Council (the governing body for campus sustainability), a multitude of opportunities have surfaced. The exponential increase in the number of clubs, programs, educational opportunities, and events in the DU network is a welcome development. Today, the University of Denver focuses on emulating successful models, such as that of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL), to maximize efficiency and durability for programmatic engagement on campus. By integrating individuals and organizations within our own campus, we also strengthen invaluable connections with people in the city of Denver and the community at large. Greater awareness of DU sustainability efforts will increase faculty, student, and staff satisfaction, encourage interdisciplinary research and projects, and continue to attract excellent new passion and talent.

1. Develop the University of Denver Sustainability Inventory to include past, present, and potential projects, classes, and internships that engage sustainability on campus and in the community.
2. Develop a mechanism through the Center for Sustainability to facilitate community partnerships, grant funding, and campus opportunities for authentic, project-based experiential learning.
3. Pilot the University of Denver Forum on Sustainability as a means for faculty, staff, and students to exchange research and experiences of multidisciplinary projects that directly address environmental challenges.
4. Create an external funding mechanism for University gifts and donations to support the action items in this plan.
5. Continue engagement of the University of Denver community in drafting the 2017 Sustainability Plan.
Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Sustainability Council, University Advancement

Challenge:
Every day, each individual in the University of Denver community is an active participant in campus sustainability. In this living and learning environment, action might be as simple as diverting recycling waste or as proactive as piloting a community food-share program. These endeavors reflect diversity in scale and function, but also the difficulty in balancing sustainability objectives with varying levels of interest in our community. All contributions are meaningful, but when they go unrecognized, their impact is reduced and potential support diminishes. We invite all members of the University of Denver to make a commitment to sustainability, but effective outcomes require a coordinated and visible framework.
Opportunity:
The creation of the Center for Sustainability in 2012 represented a large step forward for the strategic planning of programs and policies related to sustainability. In partnership with the Sustainability Council (the governing body for campus sustainability), a multitude of opportunities have surfaced. The exponential increase in the number of clubs, programs, educational opportunities, and events in the DU network is a welcome development. Today, the University of Denver focuses on emulating successful models, such as that of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (CCESL), to maximize efficiency and durability for programmatic engagement on campus. By integrating individuals and organizations within our own campus, we also strengthen invaluable connections with people in the city of Denver and the community at large. Greater awareness of DU sustainability efforts will increase faculty, student, and staff satisfaction, encourage interdisciplinary research and projects, and continue to attract excellent new passion and talent.

1. Develop the University of Denver Sustainability Inventory to include past, present, and potential projects, classes, and internships that engage sustainability on campus and in the community.
2. Develop a mechanism through the Center for Sustainability to facilitate community partnerships, grant funding, and campus opportunities for authentic, project-based experiential learning.
3. Pilot the University of Denver Forum on Sustainability as a means for faculty, staff, and students to exchange research and experiences of multidisciplinary projects that directly address environmental challenges.
Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Sustainability Council

Challenge:
The University of Denver owns and operates over 3.6 million square feet of diverse indoor living and learning spaces. Major renovations to the Anderson Academic Commons and many other educational spaces have reshaped buildings in a way that enhances the educational experience for campus users. As the University continues its physical expansion and renovations, it is
challenged to integrate cost-effective building practices and decreased environmental impact with the building needs of its departments.
Opportunity:
Over the past two decades, the University of Denver has committed to providing the highest level of learning and living campus environments. The 120-acre campus boasts iconic
structures ranging from century-old administrative buildings to state-of-the art performance spaces. Renovations and additions to 70% of our campus buildings have allowed us to
operate at higher energy-use efficiencies. A level of consistency felt in the style and approach of the collegiate architecture, however, must equally be matched by uniformity in resource efficiency and limiting environmental impacts. With three new buildings or expansions scheduled to be operational by 2017, the University is making a concerted effort to construct and maintain buildings that demonstrate ecological, educational, and socially just practices that benefit our community’s long-term health.

1. Achieve, on average, Silver LEED Standards on all new buildings (in alignment with the Board of Trustees directive).
2. Certify at least one staff member in architecture and planning, facilities, or sustainability staff as a LEED professional
3. Utilize building and event scheduling to limit and centralize building use in non-business hours.
4. Enhance behavioral change through the training of University of Denver Facilities Staff and Aramark Housekeeping Staff.
5. Leverage rebate gains from utility providers for infrastructure improvement.
Three year plan

Sustainability Council, Center for Sustainability, Office of the Architects, Facilities

Challenge:
Across campus there is growing interest in local food systems,
ecologically sound production methods, and socially just treatment of food producers. While Colorado is a major agricultural producer, many local farmers using ecologically sound practices are only able to sell at a premium directly to consumers, or are too small to ensure consistency and quantity while also covering liability required for campus dining services. These products commonly increase operating costs that are passed on to the consumer. At the scale of campus dining, large buying agreements may limit purchasing flexibility to buy from small, local food suppliers. The scale of the global food system complicates efforts to identify food sourcing and production practices, making goal setting, data collection, and progress reporting a challenging task.
Opportunity:
Colorado plays an integral role in the food profile of the country, with almost three-fourths of the state’s overall production devoted to livestock and livestock products. Colorado is also an important producer of potatoes and onions, and the production of beans,
apples, and peaches are is on the rise. All of these products are either in season or available during the academic year due to storage or harvest methods. Local food promotes wellness and community benefits. It can contain higher levels of nutrients, promote a stable food supply, reduce shipping miles, and increase revenue for local communities. Campus interest, a reported willingness to pay more for these products, and external marketing value provide impetus to explore local food options. We can capitalize on our region’s highly productive farms and ranches to source ecologically and fair food products, ensuring long-term viability of our food systems.

1. Increase the purchase of food that is either locally grown or produced (within 250 miles) and/or third-party certified to be ecologically sound, fair and/or humane, by 3% per year to achieve 10% of total purchases by 2017 (excluding products from Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, of minimal nutritional value, or processed food with non-local or non-sustainably certified ingredients).
2. Identify two new local products per year to emphasize in food service, with a focus on Colorado’s agricultural strengths in livestock, dairy, poultry, potatoes, onions, and apples.
3. Use food produced in campus gardens in campus food operations.
4. Certify all kitchens in alignment with best practices outlined by either Denver’s Certifiably Green or DU’s Green Kitchen certification.
5. Develop guidelines for distributing excess food to third-party vendors.
Three year plan

Sustainability Council, Center for Sustainability, Students for Sustainable Food, Sodexo

Challenge:
By 2013, the University of Denver reduced emissions 20% from 2006 levels. Such progress reflects a strong commitment to reducing our carbon contributions to climate change and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Still, significant improvements are needed to create an efficient and clean energy system that also supports diverse educational opportunities within a connected student body. Electricity consumption alone accounts for roughly 35,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and 50% of our carbon footprint. The University can do more to
promote changes in energy practices and overall electrical consumption.
Opportunity:
Infrastructure improvements to increase energy efficiency at the University of Denver can dually address long-term savings and decreased environmental impact. By capitalizing on possible gains from both minor and major renovations, the campus can showcase an integrated package of energy conservation and efficiency. Institutional investment in modern energy technology, behavioral change, and performance standards support our long-term vision of a resilient and diverse Denver economy.

1. Continue evaluation and installation of LED lighting infrastructure in parking garages and building lighting applications, with the goal of achieving an additional 2900 MTCDE in reductions by 2020 through Utility Reserve Fund investment in lighting, mechanical and controls efficiency upgrades.
2. Increase use of occupancy sensors to reduce lighting and equipment runtime.
3. Engage utility rebate programs that support renewable energy grid integration.
4. Implement real-time monitoring and dashboard deployment for 20 main academic buildings.
5. Progress toward a 24% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 from institutional baseline, recognizing the future increase in emissions from current construction.
Three Year plan

Center for Sustainability, Facilities

Challenge:
Looking north from campus at the Denver skyline serves as a reminder of the University’s integration into the urban form and its physical contribution to the metropolitan area. Campus grounds are easily identifiable: clean, structured, and dynamic. Equally inseparable from the iconic Denver campus are the Rocky Mountains: an important reminder that management decisions do not exist in a microcosm separated from the natural ecosystem. Whether through water use or plant groupings, the University of Denver recognizes the complication of maintaining a traditional, comfortable, and visually appealing landscape while also emulating Colorado biomes in the maintenance and design of campus grounds.
Opportunity:
As a designated national arboretum, the University showcases the impressive ability to support a large spectrum of vegetation. Historically, a large focus of the campus ecosystem has been on the aesthetic benefits of land management. By establishing ecosystem-wide goals and guidelines for land use, we can support biodiversity and also save water, decrease inputs, and increase resource efficiency. As the University of Denver continues to change and improve its built environment, the next three years provide ample opportunity to institutionalize standards for the campus landscape.

1. Implement a plan to increase plantings of multiple species of trees and shrubs in groupings to reduce maintenance and water needs.
2. No increase in the number of exterior fountains or water features on campus.
3. Convert peripheral grass zones that are left dormant in summer months to xeriscaping show-casings.
4. Decrease campus area characterized by bluegrass lawns by 10%.
5. Reduce square footage of non-permeable pavements on campus.
6. Dedicate 5% of current landscaping to areas for harvestable and garden managed vegetation.
7. Switch to a 20% biodiesel blend for all gasoline-powered maintenance equipment.
8. Reduce the use of petroleum-based fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides applied on campus.
9. Create at least 1 full-time position for non-lawn landscape maintenance.
Three year time frame

Sustainability Council, Center for Sustainability, Facilities

Challenge:
Purchasing at the University of Denver has very few requirements, processes, or stipulations concerning the types and qualities of materials purchased.
Sustainable products are perceived as being more expensive than conventional products, complicating the purchasing of these products at a time of increased budget constraints.
Opportunity:
At a time when shared service opportunities are being explored across the university, we can improve efficiency through shared purchasing and consolidated contracts, and explore systematic methods of reducing material used as well as our environmental impact. Purchasing guidelines and recommendations for multiple purchasing agents, from student groups to academic departments, to administrative units, can serve as educational goals providing clear directions for best practices.

Recommended Action Items:
1. Develop visible University of Denver Sustainability Procurement Standards that employ life-cycle analysis for socially and environmentally responsible vendors and products.
2. Integrate a University of Denver Sustainability Purchasing Guide into existing training modules required for student groups, faculty, and staff.
3. Consolidate bidding and centralize purchasing for common products and processes such as paper and drink services through on-campus warehousing and timely delivery.
4. Reduce paper use through shared services and technological approaches.
5. Achieve a goal of 100% of printer paper purchases on campus having at least 30% recycled content.
6. Increase recycled content and eco-friendly products purchased through Staples by 10% of total expenditures over a 2014 baseline.
7. Develop guidelines and resources for responsibly disposing of old products when new items are purchased (especially with respect to furniture and technology).

Center for Sustainability, Sustainability Council, Purchasers across units, Purchasing, Shared Services

Challenge:
The University of Denver has huge unrealized potential to decrease its environmental impact through transportation choices, while also increasing the well-being of the campus community. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from University-sponsored air travel, campus user commuting, and miles driven by the campus fleet account for roughly one third of the GHG emissions of the University. Due to our location in a metropolitan area, as well as large programs for working professionals, the time our community spends on campus is largely transient. The 2013 Transportation Survey showed that 41.7% of campus users commute in single occupant vehicles. In the transition to a more sustainable transportation profile, the University of Denver is dedicated to expanding transportation infrastructure, increasing incentives, and educating our community for the use of alternative modes.
Opportunity:
A light rail station at the edge of campus, numerous bicycle routes toward a city core, and relatively dense living arrangements underline the transportation opportunities of the DU campus in an urban environment. Over the next three years, we will focus on the campus community living close enough to significantly diversify their modes of transportation. An opportunity exists to help those living within one mile of campus (11%) to walk more, those living within five miles (44%) to bike more, those living within 10 miles (68%) to take transit more often, and everyone to carpool. The campus is ready to engage: in a recent survey, approximately 85% of the campus community would like both increased availability of RTD passes and flexible parking fee structures. Building upon accomplishments such as the Bronze Bicycle Friendly University Award, we will continue to improve access to safe, alternative modes of transportation through investment in engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation and planning.

Decrease overall single occupant vehicle
commuting by 15% by utilizing the following
approaches:
1. Increase bike commuting by 15%, transit use by 15%, carpooling by 10%, multiple modes by 10%, and walking by 5%.
2. Provide flexible parking to incentivize use of alternative modes by parking pass holders.
3. No net increase in parking spaces on campus.
4. Expand the number of graduate programs that participate in the RTD CollegePass program.
5. Educate all incoming students about alternative modes of transportation.
6. Obtain a Silver Rating for the Bicycle Friendly University Award.
7. Decrease number of first-year students bringing cars to campus by 10% as measured by parking pass sales.
Reduce GHG emissions related to air travel and the campus fleet:
8. Implement a voluntary offset program and carbon sequestration projects for University-financed travel by 2015.
9. Enroll 30% of study abroad participants and University-financed air travel in the voluntary offset program.
10. Phase out one gasoline powered vehicle per year and replace with an electric vehicle.
Three year plan

Sustainability Council, Center for Sustainability, Facilities, Transportation Solutions, Parking and Transportation, Campus Safety

Challenge:
As a campus that emphasizes a living and learning environment, the University of Denver community generates a substantial amount of waste. In fiscal year 2013, we created 1,481.6 tons of total waste (recycling,
compost, and landfill). We diverted only 23.6% of this total from the landfill to recycling and compost. With the rollout of recycling and composting programs to additional buildings, there are management barriers to tackle. Overlapping responsibilities for waste removal, knowledge gaps in waste practices, and inadequate bin and dumpster infrastructure are some of the many challenges facing an integrated and responsible waste program.
Opportunity:
The University has backed a variety of pilot programs to promote waste minimization and recycling. The Zero Waste Hockey program, for example, achieved an average diversion rate of 68.6% during the 2013-2014 season. There are substantial gains from innovative and context-specific programs. Through improved collection practices, disposal education & outreach, and trashcan parity, DU can realize a dramatic increase in diversion rates. A long-term goal of a Zero Waste campus by 2035 is challenging but obtainable given the infrastructure and size of our campus. Recycling and composting programs that progress toward the minimum 90% landfill diversion rate required for a Zero Waste campus designation indicate a strong
commitment to minimizing environmental impact.

1. Increase overall campus waste diversion rates to 30% in 2015, 35% in 2016, and 40% in 2017.
2. Reduce total waste production (landfill, recycling, and compost) by 5% over a fiscal year 2013 baseline.
3. Replace one existing landfill compactor on campus with a recycling compactor.
4. Provide orientation training to all undergraduate students and all new employees.
5. Implement complete recycling and landfill can parity in 10 buildings on campus while decreasing the total number of trashcans slated for landfill waste disposal.
6. Provide restroom composting in 10 of the buildings across campus.
7. Transition to “tiny trash cans” for desks and offices in 10 buildings on campus.
Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Sustainability Council, Sustainability Committee of Undergraduate Student Government, Facilities, Aramark, Building managers

Challenge:
There is little debate around the perverse cost mechanism surrounding water use and availability in the Denver metro area. Institutions on all levels face little cost incentive for conserving water in a pragmatic and eco-conscious manner. Trends of water use in the area point to greater demand and diminished supply: making today’s water use an issue of inter-temporal equity.
University water consumption has been decreasing over the last three years to 113,156,824 gallons in FY2013. By continuing to reduce our usage, we model best practices to our community. With proper attention to the context and place of this institution, water policy demands a forefront position in the University’s future impact on regional resource management and adaptation.
Opportunity:
By drawing upon renowned faculty and staff to address and showcase the multidimensional aspects of water use, the University of
Denver is in a unique position to inform education and research that positions our institution as a platform for best practices and a center for leadership. Our institution and our grounds can be integrated into the arid Colorado landscape in such a way that embodies our students’ passion for outdoor living.

1. Maintain a 40% reduction (for a three year average) from a 2011 baseline in annual water consumption for irrigation and other external use.
2. Realize a 30% decrease in total water use over a 2011 baseline.
3. Ensure all new construction includes the most water efficient fixtures.
4. By 2017, return 1% of our total water consumption to the Colorado River in stream flow through Bonneville Environmental Foundation water restoration certificates.
Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Office of the Architect, Student Life, Sustainability Committee of Undergraduate Student Government, Facilities (Grounds)

Our recent Status of Women and Status of Faculty and Staff of Color reports show that we have an opportunity to more fully embrace our commitment to Inclusive Excellence. While these reports explicitly focus on compositional diversity for racial and ethnic minorities and women, the Task Force’s recommendations address all groups relative to establishing a positive climate and creating respect and equity for all. These recommendations will benefit the entire DU community, and should be integrated into the work of the University at all levels.

Train all search committees and all hiring managers on diversity and inclusion issues as they relate to the search process
Expand diversity awareness into first-year experience for all students at the undergraduate and graduate level
Emphasize our core values and continue to develop a diverse and inclusive community

Human Resources, Vice Chancellor of Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence,

Administration
Sustainability is new to University of Denver administration. As of 2014, the Sustainability
Council and the Center for Sustainability are six and two years old, respectively.
Both the Council and the Center have evolved significantly as lead administrative
units for sustainability on campus, but we need to do a better job of ensuring work
accomplished in these respective organizations has the greatest impact. The Center
and the Council currently work well together. However, their roles are not clearly
defined to avoid overlap and potential conflict in the future. Collaborative efforts can
progress only so far without complete integration into the University administrative
system. The current isolation of sustainability in institutional governance puts into
question the University’s long-term commitment. Our community welcomed the
Center as a new venture for University practices to span facilities, administration,
curriculum, and community engagement. The mandate of the Center, alongside the
scope and scale of the initiatives in this plan, necessitate new institutional networks.
Opportunity:
Together, the Sustainability Council and Center for Sustainability have functioned as
a catalyst for an extraordinary range of sustainability efforts across and beyond the
DU campus. Along the way, the experiences of dedicated faculty, students, and staff
have identified both strengths and weaknesses in the structure of administration for
sustainability. We are prepared to structure the administration of sustainability at the
University of Denver in a way that will be both effective and efficient, allowing diverse
groups a position in idea-formation and decision-making. Further integration of the
Center as a leadership entity for other sustainability endeavors will help set a
precedent for cooperative efforts working on practical problems. Effective reporting
mechanisms, communication networks, and funding and organizational coordination
across the University of Denver will heighten best practices and measurable
outcomes.

1. Forge a reporting link between the Center
and University administration at the highest
level.
2. Establish quarterly meetings with the Provost
or Chancellor for the Center Director to
make the University aware of sustainability
initiatives in a way most likely to benefit the
University.
3. Clearly position the Center’s role in advising
administrative units at DU regarding the
sustainability impacts of their actions.
4. Develop an internal reporting mechanism
to ensure the Center receives accurate,
up-to-date information to facilitate advising
regarding sustainability impacts.
5. Repurpose the Sustainability Council as a
working body for faculty, staff, and student
leaders focused on idea generation,
information gathering, policy formulation, and
ongoing planning.
6. Develop communications strategies and
biannual administrative meetings to
coordinate the University sustainability efforts
and message.
7. Develop communications, data, and reporting
strategies to leverage AASHE STARS, the
Sustainability Plan, and future publications/
reports.
Three year plan

Center for Sustainability, Provost and Vice Chancellor of Business and Finance, Marketing and Communication, Sustainability Council

Sustainability is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.