| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.30 |
| Liaison | Andrea Trimble |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Virginia
IN-27: Innovation D
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Andrea
Trimble Director - Office for Sustainability Office for Sustainability |
Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:
UVA was/is the first institution in the world to document an indirect/virtual water footprint for an institution (i.e. the water impact of the paper we purchase, the clothing we buy, etc.), which Environmental Sciences published in August 2017 in Sustainability: The Journal of Record – “Virtual Water as a Metric for Institutional Sustainability.” (Natyzak, Castner, D’Odorico, Galloway) . This published work was noted by Sustainability: The Journal of Record as a 'high impact article.' The full article can be read here: http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/sus.2017.0004
Abstract, directly from the published work:
"Carbon and nitrogen footprints are increasingly common metrics used to consider the environmental impacts of activities and consumption by institutions; an institutional water footprint complements these assessments by providing a third metric: water use. This study calculated the water footprint of the University of Virginia (UVA) as a summation of direct water use and virtual water use. The latter was estimated using purchasing records for utilities, food, transportation, paper, research animals, and hospital purchases for calendar year 2014. The direct water use portion of the footprint was 1.7 million m3 water. The virtual water footprint was 15.2 million m3. The utilities sector is responsible for 46 percent of UVA's total water footprint, and food production 23 percent. The UVA Health System contributed 17 percent, and paper, transportation, and research animals each constituted less than 3 percent of the total footprint. The most water-intensive inputs were biofuels, hydroelectricity, and animal products. This water footprint assessment supports carbon and nitrogen footprint-reduction strategies, such as replacing coal with natural gas and reducing beef consumption. Water footprints also require explicitly considering the impacts of renewable energy sources, such as biofuels or hydropower. The water footprint of the University of Virginia provides an additional measure to address the environmental implications of the institution's resource demands and this approach is broadly applicable to other institutions."
Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Water
A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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.