Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.48
Liaison Amy Brunvand
Submission Date Oct. 21, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Utah
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 4.00 Ginger Cannon
Active Transportation Manager
Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in curriculum and/or research?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to academics and the plan(s) in which they are published:

Sustainability Literacy for Every Student, University of Utah Sustainability Education Advisory Committee(SEAC),2018.

This plan describes actions and indicators for each of four categories:

Strategy 1. Curriculum
Strategy 2. Academic Programs & Certificates
Strategy 3. Faculty Support
Strategy 4. Program Support

Please see uploaded Sustainability Education Action Plan document below for specific measurable outcomes related to curriculum.


Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address student, employee, or community engagement for sustainability?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to engagement and the plan(s) in which they are published:

Energy and Environmental Stwardship: 2010 Climate Action Plan, Prepared by the Office of Sustainability, the President's Sustainabilty Advisory Committee, and the CAP Planning Team, 2010.
URL: https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=326792

All strategies in the Climate Action Plan are categorized in the following time frames:
On-going: current programs or strategies to be continued or expanded
Short-term: strategies to be initiated by 2015 (five years)
Mid-term: strategies to be initiated by 2020 (ten years)
Long-term: strategies to be initiated after 2020

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN [2010]
--Each year, the Office of Sustainability will host a Climate Action Summit centered on climate change awareness, education, and University efforts. At the summit, the Office of Sustainability will deliver progress reports and provide an opportunity for the campus community to ask questions and comment on the plan. [2010, p. 51]

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN [2008]
--Implementation, Sustainability: 1) Continue to build on current efforts led by the Office of Sustainability. 2) New developments to meet Architecture 2030 objectives 3) Undertake sustainability audit to establish baseline conditions. 4) Promote full participation in achieving a sustainable campus environment. [2008, p. 7-3]


Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address sustainability in operations?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to operations and the plan(s) in which they are published:

Note: All strategies in the Climate Action Plan are categorized in the following time frames:
On-going: current programs or strategies to be continued or expanded
Short-term: strategies to be initiated by 2015 (five years)
Mid-term: strategies to be initiated by 2020 (ten years)
Long-term: strategies to be initiated after 2020

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN [2010]
--By 2050, the University of Utah will source the majority of its energy from clean renewable sources such as solar, geothermal, and combined heat and power. [p. 30]
--Increase overall Renewable Energy Credit (REC) purchases by 5 % per year.
--Evaluate and expand the campus portfolio of certified renewable energy credits (RECs) and offsets. Within two years, develop a promotional campaign to increase participation and contributions by 10 percent. [P. 32]
--Create a campus standard for minimum percentage of renewable energy on all major capital development projects and tie to LEED Energy and Atmosphere credit 2 “On-Site Renewable Energy.”

--Create a pilot program and develop financing strategies with Commuter Services for a special parking permit to install PV parking structures

-Analyze Building 093 (HPER) pool heating opportunities and initiate project if the Life-cycle analysis and funding warrants action.

--Require all new capital development projects to investigate opportunities to use solar thermal and storage as a source for building heat.

Improving the Air We Breathe: Emission Mitigation Strategies for the University of Utah [2015]
--Reduce energy use on campus by 20% percent by 2020 through the Better Buildings Challenge (BBC) by 2020. [p. 43]
--Complete utility metering for all campus buildings to better collect and analyze building information [p. 14]
--Replacement of all inefficient and high-emitting boilers by 2017 [p. 46]
--Implement the campus energy standard to require all new capital improvement projects to provide a minimum of 40 percent savings beyond the required energy code. [ p. 27]
-- the University has committed to achieve a 20% reduction in our energy use intensity (EUI) by 2020 as compared with a 2010 baseline [p. 188]


Does the institution have a published plan or plans that include measurable sustainability objectives that address diversity, equity, and inclusion; sustainable investment/finance; or wellbeing?:
Yes

A list or sample of the measurable sustainability objectives related to administration and the plan(s) in which they are published:

University of Utah Strategy 2025: Goal 1: Promote Student Success to Transform Lives - measurable objective: Address the equity gap: increase completion rates for underrepresented populations.

https://strategy.utah.edu/


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

The institution’s highest guiding document (upload):
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Website URL where the institution’s highest guiding document is publicly available:
Which of the following best describes the inclusion of sustainability in the highest guiding document?:
Minor theme

The institution's sustainability plan (upload):
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Website URL where the institution's sustainability plan is publicly available:
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Does the institution have a formal statement in support of sustainability endorsed by its governing body?:
No

The formal statement in support of sustainability:
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The institution’s definition of sustainability:
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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 No
Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability No
SDG Accord No
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 No
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:

American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, signed 2008 and renewed 2019.

UC3, Signed 2019.

Better Buildings Challenge, signed 2011.
The University of Utah signed on to the Better Buildings Challenge in 2011 and committed our campus to achieving 20% energy efficiency by 2020.


Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

SOURCES

Sustainability Commitments
URL:https://sustainability.utah.edu/commitments

Sustainability Planning
URL: https://sustainability.utah.edu/planning

Commitment: Sustainability Literacy for Every Student (2018)
URL: https://sustainability.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/56/2018/10/ActionPlan_Final.pdf


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.