| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.26 |
| Liaison | Caitlin McLennan |
| Submission Date | Oct. 10, 2022 |
Utah State University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
N/A |
Alexi
Lamm Sustainability Coordinator Facilities |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Over two years, USU lighting teams led by Kevin Van Dyke swapped old, high-energy bulbs with efficient LED bulbs across USU campuses statewide. With coordination from Zac Cook, facilities energy manager, the teams traded out more than 142,000 bulbs, moving the university one step closer toward the goal of net carbon neutrality by 2050. They replaced nearly all of the non-LEDs on all of USU's campuses statewide, drastically increasing efficiency.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Energy
Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
USU attained the prestigious Carnegie R1 classification in 2021. In the same year, the university established the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water and Air. The Institute furthers President Cockett's priority of developing and communicating USU's strength in land, water and air research. It also responds to Governor Cox's request to increase collaboration and partnership between the state of Utah and researchers on issues of natural resources. Many of these relate to sustainability.
Other research groups at USU are also focused on big challenges to sustainability. USU's Advancing Sustainability through Powered Infrastructure for Roadway Electrification (ASPIRE) brings together researchers from diverse fields to eliminate range and charging as barriers to electric vehicle use.
The Climate Adaptation Science for graduate students provides direct experience in actionable science through internships and research. Additionally, the Ecology Center supports and coordinates ecological research and graduate education, including research into biodiversity, climate change, microbes, animal migrations, deforestation, invasive species, etc. The research completed at the Ecology Center, explores the impact life-forms have on the environment, and how changes in the environment affect them.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Public Engagement
Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
USU began composting and participating in the Food Recovery Network in 2015. Since then, the university has added an electric vehicle and tub grinder to the compost system. Students have also started the USU Campus Kitchen and gleaning team to recover hot food and produce. These programs keep thousands of tons of food waste out of the landfill while providing record numbers of students with food in the Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC). Additionally, USU Extension has become involved, combining these initiatives and others into the Hunger Solutions Institute. "HSI works to disseminate the best practices among hunger-relief organizations, improve collaboration and cooperative efforts between public and private organizations, and unite higher education institutions and various academic disciplines in Utah to find solutions for state, federal, and world-wide food insecurity."
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Waste
Diversity & Affordability
Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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.