University of North Carolina, Charlotte
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

The UNC Sustainability Policy in 2009 identified a priority to "Systematically incorporate sustainability throughout the institution by integrating the policy goals into the institution’s processes, administration, teaching, research and engagement." The UNC Charlotte Sustainability Plan 2010 identified Curriculum and Research Goals that have been measurable. These include: “identify sustainability-focused and related courses” and “identify sustainability focused or related research” which were measured using STARS in 2016, 2019, and 2022; “development of curriculum materials and projects” and “develop incentives for faculty to develop sustainability courses” which is addressed through workshops with stipends for ca. 15 faculty per year.

The UNC Sustainability Policy in 2009 identified a priority to "Systematically incorporate sustainability throughout the institution by integrating the policy goals into the institution’s processes, administration, teaching, research and engagement." The UNC Charlotte Sustainability Plan 2010 identified Culture and Community Goals that have been measurable. These include: “promote and encourage campus wide sustainability based events and student groups” which led to institutionalizing celebrations of Campus Sustainability Week in October, Earth Month in April, and a Student Sustainability Summit every semester; and “Sustainability becomes a core element of the University Strategic Plan” which was accomplished in the current strategic plan that identified a Guiding Commitment to “Pursuing sustainability and environmental justice to protect the planet through education, research, stewardship of scarce resources”, Goal D1 to “ Foster a thriving culture based on integrity and respect that values all people and the planet” and Objective D1.2 to “Make the University a national leader in sustainability”. The metrics for latter include achieving a STARS Gold rating.

The UNC Sustainability Policy in 2009 identified multiple priorities in operations, including: master planning (infrastructure, natural resources, site development, and community impact); Design and Construction (energy, water and materials efficient buildings and grounds); Operations and Maintenance (energy and water use, air quality and comfort, minimize materials use); Transportation (multimodal, reduce carbon emissions and dependency on single occupant vehicles); Waste Management (achieving zero waste); and Purchasing (toxicity, recycled content, energy and water efficiency, rapidly renewable resources, local production, working conditions, and historically underutilized businesses). The UNC Charlotte Sustainability Plan 2010 identified Built Environment Goals that have been measurable, including: “establish sustainability criteria in design guidelines” that have been continuously improved in revisions of the university’s Design and Construction Manual. That Plan identified Energy and Water Management Goals that have been measurable, including: “implement comprehensive building energy audit programs” that have been established by a growing energy management team. That Plan identified Transport Goals that have been measurable, including: “establish a bike program offering subsidized or free bike rental” that have been established by Parking and Transportation Services.

The university is implementing a diversity, equity, and inclusion plan “Through Inquiry and Synergy”. The plan has five strategic priorities which include: strengthening pathways to institutional access and success, nurturing a positive campus climate and culture, promoting inclusive education and transformational scholarship, sustaining DEI progress through investment and infrastructure, and enhancing inclusive excellence through communication and shared language.