Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.75
Liaison Cindy Shea
Submission Date July 24, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Beau Jimmerson
Executive Director Strategic Sourcing
Procurement Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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

A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
---

The policies, guidelines or directives:

North Carolina state agencies have an environmental and legislative responsibility to purchase environmentally preferable products and services. Executive Order 156 and General Statutes 143 require agencies to buy recycled content and environmentally preferable products and services. Additional statutes and policies provide guidance on hiring historically underutilized businesses.


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 as a matter of policy and standard practice when evaluating all energy- and water-using products, systems and building components

A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:

Electrical and mechanical engineers conduct a life cycle cost analysis when specifying products to use in energy and water efficiency upgrade projects, renovation projects, and capital projects.


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)?:
Yes

A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:

Housekeeping purchases green cleaning products and Facilities Services purchases no or low VOC paints, solvents, and adhesives to comply with LEED for Existing Building performance levels. A multi-departmental team from within Facilities Services - including grounds, housekeeping, and sustainability - sought and obtained approval for these internally published maintenance and purchasing guidelines.

.


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:

University Design Guidelines support the University’s goal of minimum LEED Silver performance levels for all capital 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)?:
Yes

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

State of NC requirement, as included in the University’s standard terms and conditions, is:
Energy Star Compliance: All Products constituting electronic office equipment, including but not limited to, computers, monitors, printers, scanners, photocopy machines, and facsimile machines, shall be Energy Star compliant. If any of the Products do not satisfy Energy Star requirements, Vendor shall provide a justification statement explaining why the Products are not Energy Star compliant.


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating food services (i.e. franchises, vending services, concessions, convenience stores)?:
Yes

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

Carolina Dining Services requests that the dining contractor (Aramark) demonstrates "environmental and energy awareness and responsibility by minimizing waste in any form and to participate in University environmental projects as mutually agreed." These standards are applied to franchises as well.


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating garments and linens?:
No

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)?:
Yes

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

Facilities Planning incorporates sustainability criteria when recruiting and selecting architects and engineers. This is articulated in advertisements for services.


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)?:
Yes

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

State Incentives
Alternative Fuel and Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Fund

The North Carolina State Energy Office administers the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) Credit Banking and Selling Program, which enables the state to generate funds from the sale of EPAct 1992 credits. The funds that EPAct credit sales generate are deposited into the Alternative Fuel Revolving Fund (Fund) for state agencies to offset the incremental costs of purchasing biodiesel blends of at least 20% (B20) or ethanol blends of at least 85% (E85), developing alternative fueling infrastructure, and purchasing AFVs and hybrid electric vehicles. Funds are distributed to state departments, institutions, and agencies in proportion to the number of EPAct credits generated by each. For the purposes of this program, alternative fuels include 100% biodiesel (B100), biodiesel blends of at least B20, ethanol blends of at least E85, compressed natural gas, propane, and electricity. The Fund also covers additional projects approved by the Energy Policy Council. (Reference North Carolina General Statutes 143-58.4, 143-58.5, 143-341, and 136-28.13) UNC policy is to ensure that at least 75% of the vehicles purchased by UNC run on alternative fuels. To support flex fuel, biodiesel, and electric vehicles, the University has installed E85 and biodiesel pumps as well as electric charging stations.


Does the institution have published sustainability criteria to be applied when evaluating wood and paper products?:
Yes

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

Staples "is committed to providing customers with top-quality products at a reasonable price that are also manufactured responsibly. Staples expects all workers, with an emphasis on those who make Staples® Bbrand products, to be treated fairly and with dignity and respect, and the products themselves are made in an environmentally sustainable manner."
UNC Purchasing Services requires that Staples go beyond that commitment to sell UNC customers a minimum of 30% recycled content paper. When customers select virgin content print and copy paper, the UNC/Staples purchasing portal informs them that the order will be defaulted to 30% recycled content paper. The paper sold by Staples to UNC customers is also FSC certified.


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:
---

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.