| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.07 |
| Liaison | John Alejandro |
| Submission Date | Oct. 22, 2024 |
University of San Diego
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Milena
LaBarbiera Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability |
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
1st campaign
A brief description of the campaign:
The Office of Sustainability has been partnering with Residential Life to sponsor a project that measures the energy usage of all apartments in Palomar Hall, a residential building in the Alcala Vistas Apartments, which houses second-year students. Each apartment in Palomar Hall is individually metered and a student assistant from the Office of Sustainability reads each meter each week that school is in session and records the information. This information is then passed along to the Hall residents, identifying each apartment by a code known only to its residents. Thus, while not being able to identify which room is which, other than their own, students can be informed as to how their energy usage compares to their peers. The weekly readings are displayed along with previous reading and are color-coded to demonstrate whether their usage increased or decreased from the previous week. Students in this residence hall also receive information on how to conserve energy in their dorm room (and beyond). Tips include limiting phantom power, using power strips, utilizing natural light, turning off fans and lights when leaving the room, hang drying clothing, etc.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
Energy usage and tips are emailed to the student residents monthly, showing their week-to-week energy usage. This project has helped to educate students regarding energy efficiency and encourages them to conserve and reduce their energy usage. This campaign has also increased student interest of energy usage in the participating hall, as per their feedback.
The Palomar Energy Project data has shown trends toward student residents decreasing their energy usage. A measurable outcome of reduced energy consumption of 15.6% decrease was seen in these apartments in the 2022-23 academic year. This initiative has been well received by the participating students- along with encouragement to replicate the program to other areas of campus.
if reporting an additional campaign, provide:
2nd campaign
A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):
The USD Green Office Certification Program is designed to help offices on USD’s campus become more sustainable in their daily actions. The Green Office Certification Program consists of completing a questionnaire that targets waste minimization, energy reduction, and resource reduction. At the end of the questionnaire, offices receive a level (Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum) and personalized tips to increase their sustainability habits. By participating in this program, offices help USD lower its ecological footprint and set a positive example for other offices at USD, as a model of leadership, initiative, and sustainable thinking.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
During the 2022-2023 academic year, 56 offices participated in the Green Office Certification program. These meetings consist of a student assistant from the Office of Sustainability visiting the office and guiding an employee representative(s) through the scoring questionnaire. After receiving the score, the office has the opportunity to schedule a follow-up presentation with the Sustainability Office to present the findings to the entire office.
Of the 56 offices certified, 53 had previously received a score from the program. From this group, 47% of offices increased their score to the next level demonstrating an increase in sustainability habits.
https://www.sandiego.edu/sustainability/get-involved/green-office-program.php
Optional Fields
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.