Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 66.40
Liaison Austin Sutherland
Submission Date Feb. 21, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Pennsylvania
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.75 / 4.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a published strategic plan or equivalent guiding document that includes sustainability at a high level? :
Yes

A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:

The Penn Compact 2020: In her inaugural address in 2006, Penn President Amy Gutmann outlined the Penn Compact, a vision for Penn that focused on increased access for students, the integration of knowledge from the arts and sciences into Penn's professional schools, and leadership locally, regionally, and globally. In 2016, President Gutmann renewed the priorities of the University by publishing the Penn Compact 2020, which strengthens and enhances the University's commitment to the principals cited by Dr. Gutmann in 2006: Increase Access, Integrate Knowledge, and Engagement Locally, Nationally, and Globally. The Penn Compact 2020 principles are summed up in three values that Dr. Gutmann says make Penn unique—inclusion, innovation, and impact.
INCLUSION: In 2007, Penn introduced an all-grant, no-loan aid package that eliminated loans for financially eligible students from the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In addition, the Compact 2020 expands the Penn World Scholars program, which brings outstanding international undergraduate students to campus. The Action Plan for Faculty Diversity and Excellence commits Penn to recruiting, retaining, and mentoring diverse faculty members. Open Learning at Penn will continue to expand with online education initiatives that highlight some of the University’s most compelling courses. By ensuring that Penn's student body and faculty remain diverse and the campus remains and inclusive environment, Penn supports the social equity goals of sustainability articulated in the Climate Action Plan 2.0.

INNOVATION: One of President Gutmann's signature initiatives has been the Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) program, which recruits faculty whose research and teaching exemplify interdisciplinary work. In the Penn Compact 2020, the PIK program continues, as does Penn’s long legacy of interdisciplinary classes and programs. As an outgrowth of the PIK program, Penn created a new Pennovation Center, an 23-acre incubator campus, where University discoveries are applied to social needs. As a trans-disciplinary program, Penn's commitment to environmental sustainability remains a primary focus of academics and scholarship at Penn.

IMPACT: Penn's primary impact locally, regionally, and globally is through the work of its students and faculty. Penn's sustainability impact is profound, through faculty sustainability scholarship and also the work of our students. Penn's Climate Action Plan research grants, Undergraduate Mentorship Research Grants, and Sustainability Internships provide students working in the field of sustainability to have an impact in Philadelphia, across our region, and around the world.

In a second aspects of engagement, the University is implementing its Penn Connects 2.0 master plan, to create an innovative and beautiful urban campus with vibrant living and learning spaces that make a positive impact on the local community. Building on President Gutmann’s original PennConnects plan, which added over half a million square feet of new space to campus since since 2009 while increasing open space by 25 percent, Penn Connects 2.0 reinforces the University’s sustainability objectives as outlined in its Climate Action Plan 2.0.

http://www.pennconnects.upenn.edu/
http://www.pennconnects.upenn.edu/
https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/our-commitment/our-plan
http://www.upenn.edu/almanac/volumes/v61/n19/pdf/sas-strategic-plan.pdf


A copy of the strategic plan:
---

The website URL where the strategic plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published sustainability plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the sustainability plan:
---

The website URL where the sustainability plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have a published climate action plan (apart from what is reported above)? :
Yes

A copy of the climate action plan:
---

The website URL where the climate action plan is publicly available:
Does the institution have other published plans that address sustainability or include measurable sustainability objectives (e.g. campus master plan, physical campus plan, diversity plan, human resources plan)? :
Yes

A list of other published plans that address sustainability, including public website URLs (if available):

Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan - this plan is in final draft form. When released, it can be found on the Penn Sustainability website.

Stormwater Master Plan http://www.facilities.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Stormwater%20Master%20Plan%20for%20the%20%20University%20of%20Pennsylvania_March%202013_web.pdf
Penn Compact 2020: https://president.upenn.edu/penn-compact/penn-compact-landing

Penn Connects 2.0
As outlined above, Penn Connects 2.0 is the campus master plan, to create an innovative and beautiful urban campus with vibrant living and learning spaces that make a positive impact on the local community.
https://www.pennconnects.upenn.edu/growing_greener/penn_connects_2.0.php


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Curriculum and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The Penn Climate Action Plan and Climate Action Plan 2.0 (CAP 2.0) address Academics and Curriculum one of its seven initiatives. The mission of Academics within CAP 2.0 aims to expand opportunities for teaching, learning, and researching sustainability among students, staff, and faculty. Examples related to curriculum include:
• Create a Faculty Working Group on Sustainability to provide outreach and support
to faculty interested in researching and teaching sustainability.
• Promote existing sustainability programs and classes to Penn’s undergraduate and graduate student body.
• Create a Speaker Series / Symposium dedicated to sustainability.
• make climate change and sustainability part of the curriculum and educational experience available to all students;
• support faculty teaching, learning, and research into the impact of principles of sustainability on all fields of knowledge; and
• inform the entire University community of the principles of sustainability and its three key constituent pillars: environmental protection, economic prosperity, and equitable distribution of resources.

In addition to the goals of the CAP 2.0, the Penn’s Schools – including in particular Arts and Sciences, Design, Engineering and Applied Science, and Wharton – are committed to advancing strategic academic planning around sustainability and energy research.
A centerpiece of Penn’s sustainability scholarship is advancing innovative, interdisciplinary research. The intent is to foster interdisciplinary research that will act as a campus-wide catalyst for efforts that link innovation to impact, support multidisciplinary research projects, and attract distinguished visiting faculty and post-doctoral researchers. This process will foster a continual dialogue between natural science and social science researchers exploring the drivers for decisions on energy use and environmental policy, in close concert and coordination with other Penn academic centers such as the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and the Penn Institute for Urban Research (PIUR) in the School of Design, and the Wharton School’s Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL).
The Vagelos Institute will have a key role to play as a central point of contact to ensure that students benefit from the research opportunities and vast array of curricular options offered on these topics. The latter include a rapidly expanding number of academic programs, including the dual degree Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (SAS and SEAS); a University-wide Minor in Sustainability and Environmental Management; a SEAS Minor in Energy and Sustainability; and an array of master’s degree programs, including the Masters of Environmental Building Design in the School of Design, and the SAS Masters of Environmental Studies and Masters of Organizational Dynamics with a concentration in Sustainable Development.
In support of these integrative goals, Penn has committed to building and honing faculty strengths in sustainability and environmental scholarship. The University is committed to significant investments in faculty hires to lead in energy-related and environmental research. The School of Engineering and Applied Science is advancing “Water, Energy and Food” as among its focal themes for interdisciplinary hiring, and will collaborate closely with SAS in building capabilities in energy capture, storage and conversion. SAS is working to create linkages among natural science departments around the areas of evolution, ecology, and physiology; is focusing hiring in the social sciences around historical and contemporary policy and the ethics of energy production and environmental issues; and is building strengths in the humanities around a nascent core in eco-criticism and the Penn Program in Environmental Humanities in SAS.
The University is also firmly committed to developing new educational programs by establishing curricula, coordinated across disciplines, to educate the next generation of responsible citizens and leaders. As befits an institution dedicated to the close integration of leading-edge research and teaching, Penn’s new research initiatives are designed to benefit our students – undergraduates and graduate students alike – through opportunities for focused, project-based learning and through new courses that cross disciplinary boundaries.
Some examples of recent initiatives promoting sustainability scholarship and curriculum development include:
• The Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research, established in 2012, a dual undergraduate degree in SAS and SEAS, which in 2017 graduated its largest class yet. Participating students began conducting individualized research in the summer of their first year and continued doing so until graduation. See https://www.viper.upenn.edu/
• Perry World House, Penn’s center for global scholarship, collaborates with Penn’s Schools and academic Centers in identification and recruitment of scholars who bring expertise in sustainable development to global issues. The Penn Institute for Urban Research organized several events with Perry World House about sustainable urban development around the world and sent a Penn delegation to the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador. See http://penniur.upenn.edu/
• Penn’s School of Design is one of four partners in a five-year, $7.5 million grant from the US Department of Transportation – Cooperative Mobility for Competitive Mega-regions – that aims to advance research, education, and technology-transfer initiatives to improve the mobility of people and goods in urban and rural communities of mega-regions. See https://www.design.upenn.edu/city-regional-planning/graduate/work/cooperative-mobility-competitive-megaregions
• The Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership, based in Wharton, hosted the annual international conference on The Future of Education in Business Sustainability, part of its mission to bring together interdisciplinary research with business practices to address pressing environmental challenges around the world. See https://whartonigel.wordpress.com/2017/05/03/wharton-igel-10th-anniversary-dinner-conference-the-future-of-education-in-business-sustainability/. In April 2018, IGEL will host a conference examining the consequences of extreme climatic disruption for business and democracy. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-consequences-of-extreme-climatic-disruption-for-business-and-democracy-tickets-41141484287?aff=escb&utm-source=cp&utm-term=listing&utm-campaign=social&utm-medium=discovery&utm-content=attendeeshare
Building and honing faculty strengths. Please note that this section applies to 2017 hires.
• The School of Engineering and Applied Science appointed five new professors with specialties in research in energy and sustainability, especially using nanotechnology to advance sustainable energy storage and energy conversion, who join more than a dozen existing faculty members with strong research programs in these areas.
• The Energy Science cluster in the School of Arts and Sciences hired three new faculty members, who work across the Departments of Chemistry; Earth and Environmental Science; and Physics and Astronomy.
• In Penn’s School of Design, Prof. Richard Weller, Chair of Landscape Architecture, published the widely read and reviewed Atlas for the End of the World, a four-year research project using maps and essays to examine the intersection of urban growth and endangered biodiversity around the world, and is now working with the UN Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity to help achieve 2020 global conservation targets.
Additional examples of Penn’s work to develop new educational programs include:
• The new Penn Program in Environmental Humanities received a multi-million dollar grant in 2017 from the Mellon Foundation and began to implement a new Environmental Humanities undergraduate minor and graduate certificate, as well as a cluster hire in Environmental Humanities that will work across seven School of Arts and Sciences departments.
• Penn’s School of Engineering and Applied Science introduced six new or substantially updated courses in energy and sustainability, along with its vibrant Energy and Sustainability minor and undergraduate specialization in Energy Conversion and Storage.
• Wharton offers a significant range of options to meet student demands for sustainability curriculum in business studies, including an undergraduate concentration in Environmental Policy and Management, an MBA major in Environmental and Risk Management, and a dual MBA/Master of Environmental Studies degree.
• The School of Design updated the existing Masters of Environmental Building Design program, renaming the program the Master of Science in Design (MSD) with a concentration in Environmental Building Design.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Research and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The Penn Climate Action Plan 2.0 (CAP 2.0) address Academics and Curriculum one of its seven initiatives. The mission of Academics within CAP 2.0 aims to expand opportunities for teaching, learning, and researching sustainability among students, staff, and faculty. Examples related to research include:
• Create a Faculty Working Group on Sustainability to provide outreach and support
to faculty interested in researching and teaching sustainability.
• Promote existing sustainability programs and classes to Penn’s undergraduate and graduate student body.
• Create a Speaker Series / Symposium dedicated to sustainability.
• Make climate change and sustainability part of the curriculum and educational experience available to all students;
• support faculty teaching, learning, and research into the impact of principles of sustainability on all fields of knowledge

An example of this mission is the ISAC program. Initiated in 2012, the Integrating Sustainability Across the Curriculum program (ISAC) is an eight-week summer program teaming undergraduates with faculty to refine an existing course or develop a new course that incorporates sustainability as an academic theme. A key component of ISAC is a faculty workshop held at the beginning of the program.

This workshop engages faculty participants in an exercise examining the concepts of environmental sustainability in a variety of disciplines. Resource experts are invited to discuss how sustainability has been incorporated into their field and daily work. The collaboration between faculty members and students is one of the strongest features of this program. Each research assistant is paired with two faculty members and works over the course of eight weeks to help them integrate sustainability into their existing or new courses.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Campus Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The mission of outreach and engagement in the Climate Action Plan 2.0 at Penn is to build a culture of sustainability that informs all constituents of University life. The goals surrounding Outreach and Engagement include:
• Work with School and Center senior leadership to encourage and expand Sustainability Coordinator roles within all Schools and Centers at Penn.
• Sustain a vibrant Student Eco-Reps program that fosters a culture of sustainability among students on campus.
• Maintain a dynamic Faculty/Staff Eco-Rep program as an active and accurate source of sustainability information.

The Penn Sustainability Office achieves this goal through structured and measurable initiatives which include the following programs:
the Staff/Faculty Eco-reps program;
the Student Eco-reps program;
the support and development of Sustainability Coordinators within Schools and Centers;
reward and recognition programs, including Green Office Certification, Green Living at Penn, and Green Labs programs;
Programs and campaigns during the year, including move-in/out programs for campus residents, social media activity, several awareness and engagement campaigns including those focused on energy conservation, nature and outdoor engagement, waste minimization, and healthy living.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Public Engagement and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As part of the Climate Action Plan Academics Initiatives, Penn is focusing on a long-term goal of influencing public policy and corporate/professional/ nonprofit leadership as an ongoing initiative through the following steps:
a. Promote faculty leadership among peer institutions, government, and the general public.
b. Look for opportunities to feature Penn faculty expertise at public fora, symposia, and conferences.
c. Position Penn as a regional/international leader and resource in sustainability.
d. Provide opportunities for Penn faculty and students to take active roles in sustainability-oriented organizations.
e. Create an alumni sustainability network and develop a mechanism to report on the achievements and influence of Penn alumni in this field.
Some examples of measurable sustainability outcomes that address Public Engagement are listed below.

Penn's student Eco-Reps engage in year-long sustainability projects, many of which are oriented toward public outreach and engagement. 2016 projects are published on the Penn Sustainability website ( https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/sustainability-impact-projects ), and included partnerships with a local community-based farm, the City of Philadelphia Recycling Office, the School District of Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department, and area environmental non-profits.

In addition, the Penn Sustainability Office has partnered with academic departments to place over a dozen university students in sustainability research positions with regional non-profits, academic centers, and city agencies, including the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society (working on community gardens, urban tree canopies, and community greening), Bartram’s Farm, a non-profit urban farm working on community health food sovereignty, the City of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department (working on recycling in parks and at recreation centers), the City of Philadelphia Sustainability Office, the City of Philadelphia Energy Office, and the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission. The intent of these sustainability fellowships is to improve regional environmental performance while providing real-world learning experiences to graduate and undergraduate students at Penn interested in sustainability issues.

Penn’s Sustainability Office has also worked with the School District of Philadelphia to place students working on sustainability issues in local K-12 classrooms, assisting teachers and school administrators in bringing sustainability education to some of Philadelphia’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Air & Climate and the published plans in which each objective is included:

Penn's commitment to create and maintain a sustainable campus is demonstrated by multiple objectives, in areas including but not limited to: increased ecologically-managed green space, decreased building energy consumption, increased education and awareness, waste management, purchasing, and promotion of sustainable transportation initiatives. As part of CAP 2.0, the Utilities and Operations mission is to promote and adopt best practices in energy management, design, and maintenance to improve efficiency and reduce Penn’s carbon footprint. Goals surrounding Air and Climate include:
• Achieve Total Carbon Reduction in Buildings (absolute)
o 7% reduction by 2019 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
o 18% reduction by 2042 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
• Achieve Energy Reduction in Buildings (absolute)
o 10% reduction by 2019 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
o 27% by 2042 in comparison to the FY14 baseline

In 2017, Penn's main West Philadelphia campus received accreditation as an Arboretum through the ArbNET accreditation program: See https://news.upenn.edu/news/university-pennsylvania-campus-accredited-arboretum
Also in 2017, Penn was honored by two different organizations for its work towards minimizing emissions from commuting: the Clean Air Council awarded Penn the Clean Commute Award (see http://cleanair.org/clean-air-commute-awards-2017/) and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission awarded Penn its Air Quality Award (see https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/news/air-quality-award-penn-dvrpc)


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Buildings and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As part of CAP 2.0, the Utilities and Operations mission is to promote and adopt best practices in energy management, design, and maintenance to improve efficiency and reduce Penn’s carbon footprint. Goals surrounding Buildings include:
• Achieve Total Carbon Reduction in Buildings (absolute)
o 7% reduction by 2019 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
o 18% reduction by 2042 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
• Achieve Energy Reduction in Buildings (absolute)
o 10% reduction by 2019 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
o 27% by 2042 in comparison to the FY14 baseline
• Recommission the top 20% of the buildings that have the highest energy use every five years and complete a deep energy retrofit by 2042. The remaining 80% of buildings will be recommissioned on a ten year basis.
• Develop an energy reduction plan for all building renovation projects, including basic energy benchmarking for all buildings and energy modeling & analysis of alternatives for major renovations.

The Penn Climate Action Plan 2.0 identifies a number of building related sustainability items. Since the launch of the 2009 Climate Action Plan, Penn initiated and completed a comprehensive steam and chilled water metering initiative on campus to understand building energy use and better allocate costs, installing approximately 400 steam and chilled water meters over four years a cost of roughly $5M.

Penn's Operations Control Center (OCC) monitors the energy performance of all 180+ buildings on campus, saving more than $5-million annually in energy costs through state-of the-art central monitoring and control of utilities. From the OCC, Penn engineers control campus-wide chilled water and steam utilities, and air-handling systems in buildings across the campus. Through sophisticated temperature/time optimization, temperature setback, and demand management techniques, Penn is able to avoid costly peak utility charges and conserve energy year-round. For example, on extremely hot summer "red days" when the electricity demands are high, the OCC shuts non-essential equipment down and increases space temperatures. (see https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/initiatives/conserving-energy).

To achieve the campus energy reduction, Penn performs recommissioning and through the Century Bond program, deep energy retrofits on buildings, spending over $200M on energy retrofits since 2013 in order to reduce utility use and carbon emissions.
All of Penn's new buildings and major renovations are LEED Certified to a minimum of Silver level. As of 2017, over 20 of Penn's building meet this standard.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Energy and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The Climate Action Plan 2.0 targets a reduction of energy usage by 10 percent from the 2014 baseline by 2019. Strategies to meet this goal include:
* Penn's Century Bond program, which will spend over $200M on deep energy retrofits by 2019;
* building recommissioning projects (averaging over 18 retro-commissioning projects annually); and
* behavior change and awareness programs, which aim to educate and inform the campus community about how they can help conserve energy.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Food & Dining and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As part of the waste minimization section of the Climate Action Plan 2.0, Penn addresses Food and Dining. The mission is to improve Penn’s environmental performance by minimizing solid waste through community education, strategic purchasing, appropriate infrastructure, and proper disposal, strengthened by relevant and accurate metrics. Goals include:
• Implement the Solid Waste Management Plan, including the creation and implementation of a data reporting tool to track waste diversion metrics and improve composting operations on campus.
• Increase the number of zero waste events and expand composting on campus.

Under the plan, both pre- and post-consumer composting was introduced in dining halls. In 2012, Penn Dining introduced a reusable take-out container for residential dining halls to eliminate the use of disposable, single-use take out clamshell containers. Each month in FY2016 and 2017, approximately 11 tons of food waste was diverted from landfills through composting.

Penn's dining vendor, Bon Appetit, promotes sustainable dining through a variety of programs, including sourcing food from local and small farms, and promoting low-carbon and local dining through specific student awareness campaigns through the year. Penn has been a member of Bon Appetit's Farm to Fork program for several years. See http://www.bamco.com/sourcing/


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Grounds and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The Climate Action Plan 2.0, details the adoption of sustainable landscape practices across campus. One significant goal of the plan is to develop an Ecological Landscape Stewardship Plan that through pilot projects examines how to minimize chemical use, promote biological diversity, and incorporates best practices from the Sustainable SITES pilot on Shoemaker Green

These practices have had a number of significant impacts:
eliminating chemical fertilizers used on campus;
eliminating the use of herbicides and pesticides except to treat spot outbreaks;
adoption of enhanced native species planting standards; and
the reduced use of grass as a groundcover.

Penn’s Urban Parks maintenance teams now treat campus meadows, grass, turf, and plants with “compost tea,” an all-natural amendment that improves soil and vegetation health and discourages weed growth and pest infestation. Penn landscape staff regularly consults with the Morris Arboretums tree specialists to ensure that the 6000+ tree population remains healthy and thriving.

As of 2017, Penn has been recognized as a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for eight straight years, affirming Penn’s commitment to campus tree management, fostering healthy urban forests, community outreach and the engagement of the student population in these endeavors.
In Spring 2017, Penn's main West Philadelphia campus received accreditation as a level I Arboretum through the ArbNET accreditation program. In the Fall of 2017, the University increased their certification level and was designated as Level II: https://news.upenn.edu/news/university-pennsylvania-campus-accredited-arboretum


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Purchasing and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As a result of strategic purchasing, outlined in the Climate Action Plan 2.0, the overall campus waste stream has been reduced dramatically. Goals around Purchasing include:
• Deliver Green Purchasing Solutions
o Utilizing Purchasing’s “playbook” approach, each purchasing category manager will identify green purchasing opportunities in his or her spend category, and require strategic suppliers to report on green initiatives and opportunities at each quarterly business review.
• Recognizing Green Purchasing Champions
o Develop a recognition program to identify and reward green purchasing among our University buyers.
• Modernizing Supplier Contracts
o Partner with the Office of General Counsel to update existing contract and Request for Proposal language to incorporate sustainability.
• Connect with Industry Leaders
o Continue to actively participate in the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council to share best practices with industry colleagues and identify those to be considered at Penn.

Penn Purchasing has had a very significant impact on this reduction, through multiple actions, such as:
* implementing a discount for office supply orders over $200 to encourage bulk shipping and to reduce trips to campus and thereby minimizing associated environmental impacts;
* eliminating the use of cardboard boxes in office supply deliveries by replacing them with reusable cartons, greatly reducing the resource use associated with shipping;
* mandatory use of refillable toner cartridges and purchase preferences for the use of recycled-content paper, thereby greening the campus supply chain.
More information on Penn's Sustainable Purchasing Initiatives are here: https://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/purchasing/sustainable-purchasing.html


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Transportation and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As part of CAP 2.0, the Transportation section has the following mission emphasize and plan a quality pedestrian campus environment, encourage use of bicycling and public transportation for commuting, and provide safe, efficient local transportation services for the University community. Goals include the following:
• Create a centralized online resource for bicyclers on campus, including bicycle rack maps, the University Bike Policy, bike lane maps, etc.
• Continue to replace older bicycle racks with University standard bike racks.
• Expand the number of bike repair stations on campus.

For more resources, use the following links:
The Penn Transit website at http://cms.business-services.upenn.edu/parking/sustainable-commuting/biking.html explains the University’s many clean commute options.

1 Bicycle Commuter Expense Reimbursement Program
Penn is offering qualified Faculty and Staff who commute to work more than 50% in an eligible month, and who do not receive any other commuter benefits, the opportunity to expense their eligible bicycle commuter costs up to $20.00 per month times the number of months eligible (max $240.00/year). Participation in this program requires submitting expense receipts and self-certification of eligibility, consistent with University guidelines and IRS tax policy. This program has sparked broad interest. Its announcement in the fall of 2016 was supported in several University publications and was showcased at various Open House information sessions. Participation in this program requires registering bicycles with the University of Pennsylvania Police Department (UPPD), thereby, contributing to the overall security and recoverability of stolen bicycles.

2. Commuter Transit Benefits
To encourage the use of mass transit, faculty and Staff are eligible to enroll in Penn’s Commuter Tax Benefit program, which allows payroll deduction of commuter costs (i.e. - the Southeast PA Transit Authority (SEPTA) and NJ Transit) at a discounted pre-tax rate (University discounts 5% and SEPTA discounts 5%).
Penn Students are eligible to enroll in Penn’s Student SEPTA pass program. This is also a discounted, pre-tax program. These passes are purchased for individual semesters, thereby ensuring students only pay for what they need.
• Faculty and Staff: 4,017 sustainable transit users
• Students: 1,478 Student SEPTA pass users
• Penn’s percentage of Sustainable Transit users continues to grow at a rate just over 2% a year. At the end of 2016, 48% of commuters were sustainable transit users.

3. Occasional Parking Program
To encourage Penn employees to become sustainable transit users, the Occasional Parking Program (OPP) offers the annual purchase of 10 parking passes at a discounted rate for those times when driving is necessary.
Almost 400 employees participate in this program. Discounting this occasional parking ($60.00 for 10 passes) encourages sustainable transit use by acknowledging there are times when driving to and from work may be necessary. By making this limited amount of parking so inexpensive, commuters are offered flexibility while they are enrolled in Penn’s sustainable transit commuter programs.

4. Ride Share
In partnership with Enterprise and ZipCar, the University has four convenient pick-up/park locations with a total of 12 vehicles to support community members who have the occasional need to use a motor vehicle. Having Ride Share options encourages community members from owning or bringing a car to campus while simultaneously supporting program participants’ intermittent need for a car.

5. Carpooling Permit parking is deeply discounted for carpools. There are 121 carpool participants on campus. Savings available for faculty and staff who carpool are:
• 2 people save 25% on a parking pass
• 3 people save 50% on a parking pass
• 4 people save 75%*

6. Van Pools
Working with VRide, the University supports van pools for both University and Hospital faculty and staff.
To encourage participation, parking for these vans is provided at a premium location at no charge, and parking for these vans is in designated, oversized spaces for both ease and convenience of the driver and passengers. There are three vans in the program, which support 16 passengers, each.

7. Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Penn has four electric vehicle charging stations conveniently located to support permit and transient parkers. Electricity is provided at near-cost prices through a third-party network

8. On and Off-Campus Transportation (Bus & Shuttle)
The University offers a broad range of transit services for safety and convenience, and as an alternative to car ownership. Penn Transit operates on and off campus routes and schedules including specific loops for community members at several locations on and adjacent to campus. Penn features an Integrated Transit Solution that moves its constituents to, from and around campus safely and efficiently within its designated service area. This free service is available to passengers with a valid PennCard, the University’s identification card for students, faculty and staff.
By participating in fairs, information sessions, advertising in the student newspaper (print and online options), and other marketing initiatives, Penn emphasizes its transportation partnership with nearby Drexel University (Drexel students can use Penn transit at no cost and Penn students can ride Drexel transit at no cost), the regional transportation authority (SEPTA), and SEPTA’s local University City Loop bus service (LUCY®).
In cooperation with SEPTA, a new SEPTA Travel Center @ Penn recently opened at the Penn bookstore. This first-of-its kind center is staffed daily with SEPTA personnel able to answer questions about all modes of transportation throughout the West Philadelphia area and regionally.

9. Alternate Fuel Vehicle Conversions
All new Penn Transit vehicles are environmentally friendly. Consistent with Pennsylvania law, all Penn Buses run on biodiesel fuel. Smaller shuttles are multi-fuel capable via a propane retrofit process that is performed immediately after a vehicle purchase. Penn operates 11 biodiesel buses, 15 multi-fuel shuttles and has its own 1,000 gallon propane refueling station.

10. University Bike Rack Program
The University has over 60 bicycle rack locations which collectively provide parking for over 6,200 bikes. Some of which are in covered locations throughout campus. These racks are managed by our Facilities and Real Estate Services (FRES) Division in cooperation with the Penn Police Department who ensure all bike storage is monitored by CCTV.
FRES also offers a convenient and easy-to- read bicycle map showing routes, parking, Indego stations, and bike repair stations throughout campus at http://www.facilities.upenn.edu/maps .

11. Bike Rack Installation on all University Buses
All Penn Transit buses are equipped with bike racks. Passengers riding Penn Buses may use the racks free of charge to store their bikes as they travel on the buses. During events such as Bike To Work Day, Penn’s Bicycle Committee sets up an information booth and offers demonstrations on to how to load and unload a bicycle from a rack, using a bus on site as its exhibit area.

12. Bike Repair Station Installation
Penn has three bike repair stations, all conveniently located at bicycle parking corrals. These stations are under CCTV observation and are free of charge. They consist of a holding rack, tools and air pump. Recognizing that using a bicycle to commute has to be convenient, the availability of these repair stations further encourages the use of bicycles on and around campus.

13. Partnership with Philadelphia’s Indego Bike Share Program
There are currently four Indego Bike Share stations on Penn’s campus and the adjacent hospital campus, with space for about 100 bicycles. At the adjacent Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Children's' Hospital of Philadelphia, there are three more stations, with about 50 more bicycle docks. Due to high traffic and frequency of use, one on-campus station has already doubled in size and all are in high demand. Coupled with an Indego station near 30th Street Station, on Drexel’s campus and at the hospital, Penn helps round-out the demand for convenient bicycle sharing in West Philadelphia.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Waste and the published plans in which each objective is included:

The Climate Action Plan sets a mission to improve Penn’s environmental performance by minimizing solid waste through community education, strategic purchasing, appropriate infrastructure, and proper disposal, strengthened by relevant and accurate metrics. Goals include:
Increase recycling rate, currently approximately 24%, to 30% by 2019, and continue to reduce overall municipal solid waste.
• Implement the Solid Waste Management Plan, including the creation and implementation of a data reporting tool to track waste diversion metrics and improve composting operations on campus.
• Increase participation in and awareness of sustainable purchasing options and recognize green purchasing champions.
• Increase the number of zero waste events and expand composting on campus.

Penn hopes to accomplish this through the following:
* improved community education through signage and outreach campaigns;
* strategic purchasing policies and practices that reduce packaging and consolidate deliveries;
* appropriate infrastructure in the campus landscape, on adjacent streets, at loading docks, and in buildings, and
* improved tracking of relevant metrics.


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Water?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Water and the published plans in which each objective is included:

Stormwater management is addressed in the physical environment section of the Climate Action Plan 2.0 as well as Penn's Stormwater Master Plan, published in 2013. Green roofs, cisterns, rain gardens, and selective planting reduce stormwater run-off and help manage rainwater on campus.
The campus-wide Stormwater Masterplan promotes ecologically-responsible stormwater management practices, including the following:
* Infiltration is a primary stormwater management strategy at Penn, with the use of permeable paving and sand bedding for unit pavers common.
* To minimize the use of potable water for irrigation, Penn has an extensive system of on-campus underground cisterns, including a 300,000 gallon cistern that captures and reuses all stormwater that falls on Penn Park, Penn's 24-acre public park and recreation/athletics center, and a 30,000 gallon cistern at Penn's Shoemaker Green. Water collected in these and many other cisterns is used for irrigation, and prior to storms is released at a controlled rate into the City's combined stormwater sewers to help manage stormwater surge.
* Penn's new landscapes incorporate soil moisture sensors to limit unnecessary irrigation during wet periods.

In compliance with the Philadelphia Water Department's stormwater requirements, all of Penn's capital projects that disturb 15,000 sf or more are required to manage the first 1.5 inch of rain on-site, though a combination of cisterns, bio-swales, rain gardens, and green roofs. There are over a dozen large green roofs on Penn's campus, which provide visual and programmatic amenity, enhance biodiversity, and reduce urban heat island effect, in addition to managing stormwater.
See https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Stormwater%20Master%20Plan%20for%20the%20%20University%20of%20Pennsylvania_March%202013_web.pdf


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Diversity & Affordability and the published plans in which each objective is included:

Consistent with the Penn Compact 2020, which seeks to address diversity through inclusion and opportunity for under-represented populations, the Penn Climate Action Plan 2.0 addresses diversity primarily through the Academics Section. This section includes as one of its goals to "inform the entire University community of the principles of sustainability and its three key constituent pillars: environmental protection, economic prosperity, and equitable distribution of resources."

Improving Diversity and Equity at Penn for students, staff, and faculty is one of the three main goals of President Amy Gutmann's Penn Compact 2020. As part of this plan it sets forth the following goals related to Diversity and Affordability:
• Building a more diverse faculty whose composition reflects the pool of exceptional, qualified applicants nationally in all fields; and
• Creating a more inclusive campus community where all feel welcomed, supported, and have equal access to networks for mentoring and research.
• Each School will develop its own Diversity Action Plan to increase faculty diversity as described on page 7 of the Diversity Plan Brochure, and will provide resources to implement the plan.
• Penn will support up to ten term professorships at the junior and senior level for exceptional scholars who will contribute to faculty excellence and diversity.
• To encourage Schools to make greater use of the Faculty Opportunity Fund, Penn will extend to five years the time that a central subsidy can provide bridge funding.
• The Dual Career Program will be strengthened by permitting greater flexibility in the financial agreements between Schools that support the two hires and more actively publicizing its existence.
• Penn will maintain lists of Fontaine Fellows, Postdoctoral and Pre-doctoral Fellows, and their fields to support Schools and departments with information on local candidates for open positions.
• Diversifying the Penn faculty can also be done in partnership with other schools through collaborations of mutual benefit.
For more information, please visit http://provost.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/diversity-plan-brochure.original.pdf

A 2017 initiative to support first generation and students from low-income families provides services and support to these populations through Penn's cultural resource centers. Among the indicators of success in this effort are the following statistics from the incoming class of 2021:
* 47.9% self-identify as students of color
* 15.9% are international (by home address)
* 12.4% are first generation
See http://provost.upenn.edu/uploads/media_items/diversity-plan-brochure.original.pdf
https://www.vpul.upenn.edu/fgli
http://www.admissions.upenn.edu/apply/whatpennlooksfor/incoming-class-profile


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Investment & Finance and the published plans in which each objective is included:
---

Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work?:
No

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address Wellbeing & Work and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As part of the Climate Action Plan 2.0, for the first time the University of Pennsylvania Health System, New Bolton Large Animal Center, and the Morris Arboretum are included in sustainability planning activities. As per the CAP2.0 goals, a carbon inventory was completed for these entities and will be regularly updated going forward. As a follow up to this accomplishment, there are several new opportunities associated with this engagement:
1. Identify research and administrative centers within the University of Pennsylvania Health System (for example, the Center for Toxicology) that through their missions and in their ongoing work offer academic and outreach opportunities to educate the University community about the link between healthcare and environmental sustainability.
2. Evaluating the sustainability impacts of operations at New Bolton Center and the Morris Arboretum

As an initial project associated with this collaboration, Penn Sustainability Office partnered with Penn's Campus Health Office and the University Landscape Architect on a research project to investigate the occurrences of smoking on campus, and the impact of environmental clues in the landscape (such as signage and smoking urns) on smoking habits. In part due to the findings of this study, Penn is now a tobacco-free campus.
Such initiatives will provide measurable sustainability outcomes that impact the wellbeing and work environment of Penn's students, staff, and faculty.
There are a number of additional events, programs, and campaigns that support wellbeing and work at Penn, including free bio-metric screening, free flu shots, free counseling and mental health clinics, a variety of exercise and fitness programs, and others.
The Penn Sustainability Program manages the 30x30 Challenge, which recruits participants to spend 30 minutes each day outdoors for 30 days during the month of April. Over 150 people have signed up in each of the last three years.

https://www.hr.upenn.edu/policies-and-procedures/policy-manual/other-policies/tobacco-use-and-smoking-on-campus
https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/wellness-worklife
https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/participate/penn-community/30x30-challenge


Taken together, do the plan(s) reported above include measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas (e.g. arts and culture or technology)?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives that address other areas and the published plans in which each objective is included:

As part of the PennCompact 2020, three distinct areas are outlined: Inclusion, Innovation, and Impact. Inclusion is detailed above in the Diversity and Affordability section. Both Innovation and Impact have clear objectives which include, but are not limited to:
• The Presidents Innovation Prize which incentives students to devise and develop commercial projects with social impact. Penn President Dr. Gutmann established the annual prize to provide student teams with all the support necessary to put their Penn-generated knowledge, skills, and experiences into practice immediately upon graduating.
• The Penn Integrates Knowledge (PIK) professorships recruit faculty renowned for their groundbreaking, discipline-defying work. By providing each PIK professor with appointments in two or more Penn schools, this initiative leverages the extensive network of meaningful exchanges that take place among the University’s 12 schools.
• The Penn Connects 2.0 Campus Plan includes improvement of facilities and growth of green spaces on Penn’s contiguous university and medical campuses.
• Christopher H. Browne Center for International Politics, which focuses on issues of international relations, international security, and international political economy
• the Penn-Wharton Public Policy Initiative, which fosters better-informed policy-making on issues related to business and the economy

Through Outreach & Engagement and Communications, Penn works to accomplish their sustainability goals. Outreach & Engagement: Build a culture of sustainability that informs all constituents of University life. Communications: Create a campaign which communicates clear, concise and accurate public information that informs the broad internal Penn community and key external Penn stakeholders about Penn’s Climate Action Plan and its goals.


Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body (e.g. a mission statement that specifically includes sustainability and is endorsed by the Board of Trustees)? :
Yes

The formal statement in support of sustainability:

Penn President Amy Gutmann's signing of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007 charged Penn to develop a strategic plan outlining the University’s goals for carbon reduction. To carry out this mission the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee (ESAC) was formed. ESAC is a cross-campus collaboration representative of faculty, staff, and students, who advise the President on environmental sustainability issues. This committee is comprised of seven subcommittees: Academics, Physical Environment, Utilities & Operations, Waste Minimization, Transportation, and Outreach & Engagement. These subcommittees developed recommendations for short- and long-term actions to address the Commitment’s requirements. These recommendations were reviewed by the members of ESAC and now serve as the backbone of Penn’s Climate Action Plan of 2009, and its update, the Climate Action Plan 2.0, completed in 2014.

In 2015, Penn was among 318 institutions of higher education that signed the American Campuses Act on Climate Pledge in advance of the Paris Climate Accord (COP21), affirming the University's commitment to accelerate the global transition to low-carbon energy while enhancing sustainable and resilient practices on our campuses. In June 2017, Penn joined 11 other universities in reaffirming that commitment, recognizing that concerted action is needed at every level to slow, and ultimately prevent, the rise in the global average temperature and to facilitate the transition to a clean energy economy. Penn believes Universities have a critical role to play in reducing our own greenhouse gas emissions, continuing to advance evidence-based understanding of the causes and effects of climate change on the environment, the economy and public health, and developing solutions. Penn President Amy Gutmann's statement affirmed the clear scientific consensus that the climate is changing largely due to human activity, that the consequences of climate change are accelerating, that the imperative of a low carbon future is increasingly urgent, and that Penn remains committed to a broad-based global agreement on climate change.


The institution’s definition of sustainability (e.g. as included in a published statement or plan):

The Penn Sustainability website includes published a definition of sustainability in academics at Penn, written by Penn's Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee Subcommittee on Academics.
See: https://www.sustainability.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/Definition%20of%20Sustainability%20at%20Penn.pdf


Is the institution an endorser or signatory of the following?:
Yes or No
The Earth Charter No
The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) No
ISCN-GULF Sustainable Campus Charter Yes
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the ACUPCC), Resilience Commitment, and/or integrated Climate Commitment Yes
The Talloires Declaration (TD) No
UN Global Compact Yes
Other multi-dimensional sustainability commitments (please specify below) Yes

A brief description of the institution’s formal sustainability commitments, including the specific initiatives selected above:

In addition to the Climate Action Plan and sustainability initiatives listed above, Penn is a member of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) and participates in this body through presenting Penn's work in its annual conferences.

In addition, Penn President Amy Gutmann joined eleven other Ivy Universities in reaffirming commitment to climate change mitigation after the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.

Penn's Wharton School of Business is the signatory of the UN Global Compact.


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 University of Pennsylvania is a major research institution, with over 3000 degrees granted annually from twelve professional and academic schools at the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate levels. Penn is committed to creating a more sustainable campus as stated in the 2014 Climate Action Plan and Dr. Gutmann's Penn Compact 2020. This submission documents Penn's efforts during the FY17 year and compares them to the FY14 baseline year which corresponds with the University's Climate Action Plan. 2.0. The submission relies on information related to the main, academic, West Philadelphia campus, but to more fully document efforts across the Penn system, information related to the Morris Arboretum and New Bolton has also been referenced and noted as outside the boundary in descriptions. The information is used to enrich examples of University efforts and is not intended to be the primary justification for credits.


The University of Pennsylvania is a major research institution, with over 3000 degrees granted annually from twelve professional and academic schools at the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate levels. Penn is committed to creating a more sustainable campus as stated in the 2014 Climate Action Plan and Dr. Gutmann's Penn Compact 2020. This submission documents Penn's efforts during the FY17 year and compares them to the FY14 baseline year which corresponds with the University's Climate Action Plan. 2.0. The submission relies on information related to the main, academic, West Philadelphia campus, but to more fully document efforts across the Penn system, information related to the Morris Arboretum and New Bolton has also been referenced and noted as outside the boundary in descriptions. The information is used to enrich examples of University efforts and is not intended to be the primary justification for credits.

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.