University of Kentucky
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Campus Master Plan: http://www.uky.edu/EVPFA/Facilities/MasterPlan/reports.html Campus Landscape Guidelines - https://www.uky.edu/EVPFA/Facilities/MasterPlan/reports.html Transportation Master Plan -http://www.uky.edu/evpfa/TMP Sustainability in Research and Instruction at the University of Kentucky:Challenges and Goals - http://www.uky.edu/sustainability/sites/www.uky.edu.sustainability/files/FacultySustainabilityCouncil_DraftReport.pdf Campus Landscape Guidelines: https://www.uky.edu/cpmd/323000s01-campus-landscape-guidelines Utilities Master Plan https://www.uky.edu/facilities/sites/www.uky.edu.facilities/files/documents/uem/UK%20Utilities%20Infrastructure%20Master%20Plan%20-%20Final%20Draft%20-%20January%202016%20-%20Exec%20Summary.pdf University of Kentucky Diversity Plan https://www.uky.edu/diversity/sites/www.uky.edu.diversity/files/pr3.pdf

Yes, the Sustainability in Research and Instruction at the University of Kentucky: Challenges and Goals Report includes these objectives: Goal 2: All UK Students Experience Sustainability in their Academic Careers Sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary, providing an opportunity to expose our students to broad cross-college collaborations and innovative pedagogical approaches. The Council process highlighted faculty energy and unmet demand among the faculty and students for sustainability curricular and instructional efforts. Short-Term Objectives - Support Efforts to Build Instructional Capacity for Sustainability Coursework. Sustainabilityoriented courses present unique challenges to instructors, including balancing the breadth and depth, potentially reaching beyond a faculty members disciplinary training, and others. A unique workshop, funded by a 2018 Sustainability Challenge Grant called “Teaching Sustainability, Teaching Sustainably” has provided support for instructors to generate new sustainability-oriented content and cohort building around these efforts. The Council recommends continued support for these efforts. - Facilitate Co-Branding and other Resource Sharing Among Existing Sustainability Curricula. Unifying promotional and recruitment efforts, would help prospective students interested in sustainability find the right major, communicate how students can engage in sustainabilityrelated coursework and strengthens faculty’s collective voice. Further, it would ensure we are not duplicating efforts and are fully leveraging opportunities for shared academic experiences such as capstone courses, experiential learning activities, etc. Medium-Term Objectives - Create a Graduate-level Sustainability Certificate, designed to be accessible to all of the Colleges. Elements would include introductory and capstone coursework that would engage students across colleges in real-world problem solving and experiential learning activities, as well as sustainability-themed coursework within the discipline area. - Examine the UK Core for Opportunities to Integrate Sustainability Learning Objectives for All Undergraduates – perhaps in the Community, Culture and Citizenship or Global Dynamics course opportunities in the current UK Core model. Long-Term Objectives - Establish a “School of Sustainability.” As stated in Goal 1, this would provide an institutional home that could provide administrative support and an instructional home for these efforts.

Yes, the Sustainability in Research and Instruction at the University of Kentucky: Challenges and Goals Report includes these objectives: Goal 1: Facilitate Interdisciplinary Research and Instructional Efforts UK is not alone in its struggle to break down disciplinary “silos” and address structural issues that create barriers to faculty efforts in sustainability and other interdisciplinary areas. Considering these impediments as well as the benchmarks created by other institutions leading in sustainability, the Council recommends that the university take steps to facilitate interdisciplinary research and teaching through the following: Short-Term Objectives - Reward faculty for interdisciplinary research and instructional efforts. Increasing opportunities for extramural funding, as well as growing demand for interdisciplinary curricula are drawing faculty towards critical growth areas, such as sustainability. Faculty, particularly junior-level, need assurances that their efforts in these areas are valued. This requires addressing administrative issues regarding effort and credit toward promotion and tenure, which require intentional effort and time to revise processes, administrative regulations, etc. As reviews of these issues are undertaken, we highly recommend listening to and nurturing faculty currently working in these areas, and creating a climate where successful teaching and research in interdisciplinary areas, such as sustainability, are seen as synergistic and supportive of the disciplinary expertise and home department. This might include mentoring a mentoring program for faculty as well as chairs as well as sustainability-focus development programs. - Hold “Town Hall” meetings to gain campus-wide dialogue and perspective on interdisciplinary barriers. Fall 2018 is an ideal time to host a series of facilitated listening sessions, as it would capture energy from synergistic efforts such as the Graduate School Blue Ribbon report. Provost-level organization and support of such an effort would inform all of these goals and objectives, and illuminate a path forward for interdisciplinary programs, using sustainabilityoriented programming as a first step in these efforts. Medium- Term Objectives - Administrative Changes in Promotion and Tenure and Merit Reviews Explicitly Valuing Interdisciplinary Efforts. These structural changes to how “statements of evidence” and 12 intellectual contributions are valued will benefit sustainability programming, as well as other interdisciplinary topical areas. Currently, faculty members are subject to unit-level support for these efforts. Uniform guidance at the Provost-level would institutionalize University-wide valuation of these efforts. Specific initiatives may include additional instructional credit (DOE percentage) for interdisciplinary, co-taught faculty efforts. Long-Term Objectives - Establish a “School of Sustainability.” The creation of an academic unit outside of the colleges would institutionalize support, administration, and provide ongoing oversight and assessment for sustainability efforts.

The Sustainability Strategic Plan includes measurable sustainability objectives for campus and public engagement across several of the key areas of the plan, including Materials Management, Food and Dining Services, and Energy. Materials Management: 4. Increase education and outreach on waste diversion/reduction and procurement practices 4.1 Create comprehensive outreach and education plan using audit results 4.2 Conduct targeted education and outreach efforts 4.3 Improve and expand web pages for Recycling, Waste Management and Surplus Property 4.4 Target print publications and request that they are printed on recycled content paper, include statements of recycled content and encourage recycling of the publication Food and Dining Services 2. Improve stakeholder engagement and education 2.1 Increase student knowledge of food and dining sustainability year over year 2.2 Increase knowledge of dining and sustainability among non-student customers and staff year over year 2.3 Expand opportunities for stakeholder input on local and sustainable dining offerings and initiatives Energy 3. Increase energy awareness 3.1 Develop and distribute regular communications about energy awareness for the campus through a variety of channels 3.2 Develop and distribute key documents relative to campus energy awareness including energy policy, usage guidelines and an annual energy report 3.3 Organize and participate in campus outreach events focused on energy awareness 3.4 Develop and implement annual assessment instrument to track energy awareness among students and employees

The Sustainability Strategic Plan includes measurable sustainability objectives for campus and public engagement across several of the key areas of the plan, including Materials Management, Food and Dining Services, and Energy. Materials Management: 4. Increase education and outreach on waste diversion/reduction and procurement practices 4.1 Create comprehensive outreach and education plan using audit results 4.2 Conduct targeted education and outreach efforts 4.3 Improve and expand web pages for Recycling, Waste Management and Surplus Property 4.4 Target print publications and request that they are printed on recycled content paper, include statements of recycled content and encourage recycling of the publication Food and Dining Services 2. Improve stakeholder engagement and education 2.1 Increase student knowledge of food and dining sustainability year over year 2.2 Increase knowledge of dining and sustainability among non-student customers and staff year over year 2.3 Expand opportunities for stakeholder input on local and sustainable dining offerings and initiatives Energy 3. Increase energy awareness 3.1 Develop and distribute regular communications about energy awareness for the campus through a variety of channels 3.2 Develop and distribute key documents relative to campus energy awareness including energy policy, usage guidelines and an annual energy report 3.3 Organize and participate in campus outreach events focused on energy awareness 3.4 Develop and implement annual assessment instrument to track energy awareness among students and employees

Yes, the Emissions Reduction Plan includes this measurable objective: Reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2025 (2010 baseline).

From 2010 through 2018, the University, in compliance with a state statute, required LEED certification for all new construction. In the summer of 2018, the state statute became defunct and the University is currently evaluating the development of an internal standard in lieu of the state statute.

The Sustainability Strategic Plan and the Utilities Master Plan includes objectives that address energy, including: 1. Optimize, renovate and upgrade buildings for energy efficiency 1.1 Work with private partner to achieve contractual targets for optimizing buildings for energy efficiency 1.2 Determine energy consumption of buildings and list in accordance with potential for energy conservation and synergy with capital plan 1.3 Identify energy saving projects in up to 10 buildings; focus on heating, ventilation and cooling improvements 1.4 Obtain funding for 2019 projects, assign to project team and complete projects 1.5 Repeat actions 1.2 and 1.3 for 2020, 2021 and 2022 projects 2. Optimize electricity used for campus lighting 2.1 Update campus standards for indoor and outdoor lighting 2.2 Create inventory of indoor and outdoor lighting with metrics and list in accordance with potential for energy conservation and synergy with capital plan 2.3 Identify up to 10 opportunities for optimizing lighting and develop a scope of work for each 2.4 Obtain funding for 2020 projects, assign to project team, complete projects 2.5 Repeat actions 2.3 and 2.4 for 2021 and 2022 projects 3. Increase energy awareness 3.1 Develop and distribute regular communications about energy awareness for the campus through a variety of channels 3.2 Develop and distribute key documents relative to campus energy awareness including energy policy, usage guidelines and an annual energy report 3.3 Organize and participate in campus outreach events focused on energy awareness 3.4 Develop and implement annual assessment instrument to track energy awareness among students and employees 4. Optimize utility plants and distribution systems 4.1 Survey campus utility distribution systems and identify, prioritize and implement efficiency improvements, such as targeting 85 percent return rate on condensate systems 4.2 Optimize heat exchangers with poor performance (low differential between the chilled water supply and return or Delta-T); target a minimum Delta-T of 10 degrees system wide 4.3 Improve plant metering to increase operator awareness of energy consumption in order to increase plant production efficiency 4.4 Establish preventative maintenance programs in these areas to sustain savings/performance

The Sustainability Strategic Plan includes objectives that address Food and Dining, including: 1. Integrate sustainability metrics and targets in dining operations 1.1 Achieve annual increase in waste diversion rate 1.2 Pursue annual decrease in single use beverage cups and to go containers 1.3 Improve and track employee training related to sustainability 1.4 Minimize, with a goal of elimination, the use of polystyrene (foam) in all dining locations 1.5 Increase use of reusable containers by students and other customers 2. Improve stakeholder engagement and education 2.1 Increase student knowledge of food and dining sustainability year over year 2.2 Increase knowledge of dining and sustainability among non-student customers and staff year over year 2.3 Expand opportunities for stakeholder input on local and sustainable dining offerings and initiatives 3. Improve sustainability through purchasing goals 3.1 UK Dining shall increase the amount of its total Kentucky Farm and Food Business impact purchases year over year 3.2 Establish purchasing targets for the food and dining operations of UK HealthCare 3.3 Measure and increase the variety of sustainability certified food products offered on campus 3.4 Measure and increase the percentage of given products that fall under one or more sustainability certifications 4. Work with dining units, catering and UK HealthCare to further integrate sustainability in the campus dining experience 4.1 Promote and track dining and franchise participation in existing corporate social responsibility commitments 4.2 Improve vending product selection to include and market products with health and sustainability certifications 4.3 Develop and offer zero waste catering options 5. Expand programs that address food insecurity 5.1 Increase efforts to address food insecurity on campus and in the community 5.2 Collect data related to food insecurity from UK community

Every project that impacts campus landscapes must abide by the POLICY FOR PROMOTING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH THE CAMPUS LANDSCAPE which is contained within the Campus Landscape Guidelines. STEP 1 : PRE-PLANNING AND DESIGN Site plans should be developed with sustainability as a priority, and design teams should report to the University using the current SITES Rating System for Sustainable Land Design and Development™. All projects should be designed to address prerequisites and maximize the points from credits appropriate to the context of the project. Third party certification is not required. A summary scorecard should be presented during the schematic design phase to indicate targeted credits and should be updated and reviewed throughout design and construction phases to monitor progress and change. STEP 2 : DESIGN REVIEW A team composed of University personnel, including the Superintendent of Grounds, Project Manager, and the University Sustainability Coordinator, will review and approve compliance with this policy.

The Sustainability Strategic Plan includes the following objectives that address purchasing. 2. Develop and implement a sustainability purchasing protocol 2.1 Assemble team to draft the protocol 2.2 Present protocol to President’s Sustainability Advisory Committee for review 2.3 Present protocol to EVPFA for review and approval

The Sustainability Strategic Plan and the Transportation Master Plan include measurable sustainability objectives, including: 1. Improve access to transit options and increase ridership 1.1 Establish level of service standards for campus transit stops 1.2 Evaluate all transit stops on and adjacent to campus and develop a plan to bring all stops up to the newly established standards 1.3 Partner with Lextran to improve convenience and efficiency of public transit for campus commuters 1.4 Expand BluPass partnership with Lextran to provide free public transit to UK students and employees beyond 2019 with annual increases in ridership 2. Expand and enhance campus bicycle infrastructure 2.1 Add on-street facilities in strategic locations and enhance existing facilities 2.2 Increase quantity and quality of campus bike parking 2.3 Expand bicycle incentive programs, including the bike voucher program and Wildcat Wheels 3. Launch a commute club program to incentivize transportation options other than driving alone 3.1 Implement a "cash out" program to encourage former permit holders not to renew parking permits 3.2 Assess and implement ride sharing options for the campus 3.3 Create and promote a robust and convenient guaranteed ride home service 3.4 Implement a personalized commute planning program 3.5 Implement a car sharing program with incentives for club members 4. Implement parking strategies and technology to increase predictability, save time and reduce vehicle miles traveled 4.1 Evaluate and implement parking strategies that improve the predictability of locating available spaces 4.2 Add technology to provide real-time data on available spaces in structures

1. Increase UK’s waste diversion rate to 50 percent The Sustainability Strategic Plan includes objectives that address waste, including: 1.1 Establish protocols for collecting, handling and tracking for these waste streams: surplus, recycling, organics, universal waste, Healthcare waste (nonregualated), and construction waste 1.2 Reduce production and increase diversion of organic waste, including food, pallets and other organics (i.e. limbs, leaves, tree stumps) 1.3 Increase waste diversion through the surplus program and other reuse programs 1.4 Increase recycling rate by 25 percent (vs. 2017) by expanding options and promoting participation 1.5 Increase waste diversion from construction and renovation projects and capture weight data for each project 1.6 Identify opportunities to increase waste diversion from UK HealthCare operations

The Sustainability Strategic Plan includes objectives that address water, including: 1. Maximize stormwater infiltration and evapotranspiration 1.1 Develop a Stormwater Master Plan for campus 1.2 Create standards for, and prioritize, low impact development and green infrastructure for stormwater management in support of the Campus Landscape Guidelines 1.3 Optimize the use of pervious hardscape by setting standards for construction and identifying priority areas for retrofit 1.4 Minimize unnecessary soil compaction and reestablish healthy soil profiles through remediation and construction standards 1.5 Support UK’s efforts to implement annual increases of campus tree canopy coverage 2. Minimize negative impacts to water quality across all operations 2.1 Develop and maintain a Stormwater Quality Management Plan that meets all regulatory requirements and fully expresses the stormwater usage and management aspirations of the University by engaging all of the interests, expertise and knowledge of its faculty, staff and students. This plan shall include a comprehensive section on stormwater procedures that contains all policies/procedures/ best management practices (BMPs) utilized to protect water quality and encompassing new initiatives such as an extensive preventative maintenance program, stormwater protection during emergency/unplanned events, and a new waterfowl management program 2.2 Optimize the use of riparian buffers and managed no-mow setbacks along streams and waterways where possible 2.3 Manage, track and optimize the application of lawn/turf chemicals and deicers/salts 2.4 Reduce sanitary sewer exfiltration through lining/ replacement projects 2.5 Eliminate the discharge of harmful substances into the storm and sanitary sewer systems 2.6 Make improvements to our construction project management to provide for better oversight and enforcement of stormwater requirements 2.7 Operate an effective illicit discharge detection and elimination program to reduce/eliminate nonstormwater discharges 3. Optimize the use of water in campus facilities 3.1 Set performance and construction standards for faucets, showers, fountains, irrigation, etc. 3.2 Set targets for water use as a function of indoor building space 3.3 Harvest condensate from cooling systems 3.4 Monitor and maintain delivery systems to minimize leaks and protect water quality 4. Optimize the use of water on campus grounds 4.1 Optimize irrigation systems usage 4.2 Utilize stormwater harvesting for irrigation/ reuse 4.3 Develop strategies and design standards for landscaping that optimizes water use 5. Conduct water-focused outreach and engagement on campus 5.1 Develop and maintain social media sites focused on stormwater 5.2 Develop and distribute education materials to UK’s faculty, staff, students, visitors, and the broader community, and focus efforts on pollutants impairing local waterways 5.3 Conduct annual staff training on stormwater impacts and illicit discharge detection and elimination 5.4. Routinely evaluate the stormwater program to determine its effectiveness 5.5 Develop a stormwater steward program 5.6 Host events to increase stormwater awareness 5.7 Involve students, faculty, and staff in stormwater activities including planning and operational efforts (drain marking, rain garden maintenance, stream restoration projects, etc) 5.8 Develop a consortium of stormwater professionals with a specific focus on college and university campuses

The University Diversity Plan includes 8 measurable objectives, all with connections to the social equity/justice side of campus sustainability. • Increase its percentage enrollment of undergraduate African American, Hispanic/Latino, and underrepresented minority students. • Increase its percentage enrollment of graduate underrepresented minority students. • Raise the first year retention rate of underrepresented minority and low-income students. • Raise the six-year graduation rate of underrepresented minority and low-income students. • Increase the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to underrepresented minority and lowincome students. • Increase the racial and ethnic diversity of its faculty and staff. • Promote equity and inclusion. • Produce culturally competent students, faculty, and staff

Sustainability implies that the activities of the University of Kentucky are ecologically sound, socially just, and economically viable, and that they will continue to be so for future generations. A sustainability focus also encourages the integration of these principles in curricula, research, and outreach. This principled approach to operational practices and intellectual pursuits prepares students and empowers the campus community to support sustainable development in the Commonwealth and beyond.