| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.17 |
| Liaison | Emily Vollmer |
| Submission Date | May 16, 2024 |
Virginia Tech
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.25 / 3.00 |
Mary
Helmick Director of Procurement Procurement |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1. Institution-wide sustainable procurement policies
Yes
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
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The policies, guidelines or directives:
Sustainable Procurement Policy: https://www.procurement.vt.edu/content/dam/procurement_vt_edu/VT%20Sustainable%20Procurem
ent%20Policy%20(Draft)%20April%202020.pdf
VT Sustainable Procurement Policy (linked) states that "the Procurement Department recognizes that the types of products and services procured have inherent social, health, environmental, and economic impacts, and that the Department should make procurement decisions that embody the university's commitment to sustainability whenever possible." University Policy 5505 overviews (1) Efficiency and Conservation, (2) Buildings and Construction, (3) Waste Reduction, and (4) Energy and Sustainability Committee (https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5505.pdf)
Virginia Tech Design and Construction Standards Manual
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
ent%20Policy%20(Draft)%20April%202020.pdf
VT Sustainable Procurement Policy (linked) states that "the Procurement Department recognizes that the types of products and services procured have inherent social, health, environmental, and economic impacts, and that the Department should make procurement decisions that embody the university's commitment to sustainability whenever possible." University Policy 5505 overviews (1) Efficiency and Conservation, (2) Buildings and Construction, (3) Waste Reduction, and (4) Energy and Sustainability Committee (https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5505.pdf)
Virginia Tech Design and Construction Standards Manual
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
Part 2. Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Yes
Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
Institution employs LCCA less comprehensively, e.g. for certain types of systems or projects and not others
A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
Virginia Tech does employ LCCA for certain types of systems of products including lighting, air conditioning, pumps and motors. See the following policies to support the use of LCCA:
- Campus Energy, Waste and Waste Reduction Policy 5505, Revision 4, September 2022, as a reference. https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5505.pdf
- Five Year Energy Action Plan: https://www.facilities.vt.edu/energy-utilities/energy-reduction-efforts/five-year-energy-action-plan.html
- On-Going Energy Projects: https://www.facilities.vt.edu/energy-utilities/energy-reduction-efforts/demand-side-management.html
- LEED Certification and Green Building Initiatives:
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/sustainability-programs/leed-certification-and-green-building-initiatives.html
- Campus Energy, Waste and Waste Reduction Policy 5505, Revision 4, September 2022, as a reference. https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5505.pdf
- Five Year Energy Action Plan: https://www.facilities.vt.edu/energy-utilities/energy-reduction-efforts/five-year-energy-action-plan.html
- On-Going Energy Projects: https://www.facilities.vt.edu/energy-utilities/energy-reduction-efforts/demand-side-management.html
- LEED Certification and Green Building Initiatives:
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/sustainability-programs/leed-certification-and-green-building-initiatives.html
Part 3. Product-specific sustainability criteria
To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products and/or services in each category, e.g. by requiring or giving preference to multi-criteria sustainability standards, certifications and labels appropriate to the category. Broader, institution-wide policies should be reported in Part 1, above.
Chemically intensive products and services
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
Housekeeping Services is primarily outsourced on campus. As part of the university awarded services contract for building maintenance, the following guidelines are as follows, “The Contractor shall furnish all supplies, materials, and equipment including consumables for the performance of the work as described herein. All products and equipment will be “green” certified through a certifying agency such as (but not limited to): Green Seal Inc., Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Choice, and Carpet and Rug Institute”.
Consumable office products
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
Reference the University Policy 5505, “Campus Energy, Water and Waste Reduction Policy”, Section 3.5 https://policies.vt.edu/assets/5505
Paper (page 4, Policy): “Purchase only recycled paper except where equipment limitations or the nature of the document preclude the use of recycled paper. Reduce the consumption of paper and other office supplies, and encourage the use of electronic transactions and publications. New copier, faxes, printers, and other such office equipment purchased or leased that use paper shall be recycled-paper compatible”.
Paper (page 4, Policy): “Purchase only recycled paper except where equipment limitations or the nature of the document preclude the use of recycled paper. Reduce the consumption of paper and other office supplies, and encourage the use of electronic transactions and publications. New copier, faxes, printers, and other such office equipment purchased or leased that use paper shall be recycled-paper compatible”.
Furniture and furnishings
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
Virginia Tech Design and Construction Standards, Page 326-327 (Section 5.16.1.10) states:
"Furniture and upholstery selections shall include the following design strategies wherever possible:
(a) Post-consumer and/or post-industrial recycled content.
(b) Products with a minimum 10-year warranty; greater than 15 years is preferred.
(c) Materials that have been extracted locally or regionally. Furniture selections shall be high quality,
durable items that are manufactured within a 500-mile radius of the project site, with a preference for
manufacturers with established environmental policies in place.
(d) Certified wood products or sustainable species from abundant, local sources.
(e) Rapidly renewable material (such as straw, wheat, sunflower board).
(f) Energy efficient task lighting.
(g) Products/materials free of formaldehyde, halogen, heavy metals, polyvinyl chloride, chlorine,
plasticizers, antimony, harmful dyes, and topical treatments.
(h) Products/materials that are safely disposable, recyclable, or biodegradable.
(i) Fabric that are durable, minimum 80,000 double rubs, 100,000 preferred.
(j) Fabrics that are antibacterial and easy to clean.
(k) The basis of design to provide permanent stain protection for fabrics shall be NanoTex(TM) finish or
equal. Equivalent stain protection shall ensure that spills bead and roll off preventing stain from
absorbing into the fabric. The finish shall be applied at the molecular level, adhered to fibers of the
fabric and last the lifetime of the fabric.
(l) The use of leather should be avoided. If the use of leather is approved by the University, specify only
vegetable tanned leather."
The full Design and Construction Standards Manual is available here:
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
"Furniture and upholstery selections shall include the following design strategies wherever possible:
(a) Post-consumer and/or post-industrial recycled content.
(b) Products with a minimum 10-year warranty; greater than 15 years is preferred.
(c) Materials that have been extracted locally or regionally. Furniture selections shall be high quality,
durable items that are manufactured within a 500-mile radius of the project site, with a preference for
manufacturers with established environmental policies in place.
(d) Certified wood products or sustainable species from abundant, local sources.
(e) Rapidly renewable material (such as straw, wheat, sunflower board).
(f) Energy efficient task lighting.
(g) Products/materials free of formaldehyde, halogen, heavy metals, polyvinyl chloride, chlorine,
plasticizers, antimony, harmful dyes, and topical treatments.
(h) Products/materials that are safely disposable, recyclable, or biodegradable.
(i) Fabric that are durable, minimum 80,000 double rubs, 100,000 preferred.
(j) Fabrics that are antibacterial and easy to clean.
(k) The basis of design to provide permanent stain protection for fabrics shall be NanoTex(TM) finish or
equal. Equivalent stain protection shall ensure that spills bead and roll off preventing stain from
absorbing into the fabric. The finish shall be applied at the molecular level, adhered to fibers of the
fabric and last the lifetime of the fabric.
(l) The use of leather should be avoided. If the use of leather is approved by the University, specify only
vegetable tanned leather."
The full Design and Construction Standards Manual is available here:
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
Information Technology (IT) and equipment
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
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Food service providers
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
This is a work in progress for our Dining Services Sustainability Manager and Office of Sustainability Interns. Sustainable supply chain measures are “what’s cooking” in a brand-new collaborative project between the Virginia Tech Office of Sustainability and Virginia Tech Dining Services. This new project is an effort to create an internal database of locally sourced, sustainably or ethically sourced, plant-based, vegetarian/vegan, compostable, and recyclable items. This provides a learning out for students to learn more about sustainable sourcing practices.
Sustainable Dining: https://dining.vt.edu/sustainability.html
•Virginia Tech Dining Services strives to support local agriculture, and as much as possible, source
campus-raised ingredients produced by students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
We define “local” as products that are grown or raised within 250 miles of our Blacksburg campus or
within the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Our definition of local ingredients is adapted from the
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.) We also work to source certified Fair Trade and organic items when appropriate.”• Virginia Tech Dining also oversees a program called “Reusable To-Go” container usage. Information on this sustainable program can be found at: https://www.dining.vt.edu/about/Reusable_To_Go_Program.html
• Waste Reduction (page 4, Policy): “Encourage the procurement of alternatives to, with the intent to phase out, plastic individual-serving-sized containers for use during normal operations. Plastic
individual-serving-sized containers may be used in emergencies, or for safety or health reasons.”
For more information on local and sustainably sourced ingredients, see:
https://dining.vt.edu/sustainability/local_sustainability.html
Sustainable Dining: https://dining.vt.edu/sustainability.html
•Virginia Tech Dining Services strives to support local agriculture, and as much as possible, source
campus-raised ingredients produced by students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
We define “local” as products that are grown or raised within 250 miles of our Blacksburg campus or
within the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Our definition of local ingredients is adapted from the
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.) We also work to source certified Fair Trade and organic items when appropriate.”• Virginia Tech Dining also oversees a program called “Reusable To-Go” container usage. Information on this sustainable program can be found at: https://www.dining.vt.edu/about/Reusable_To_Go_Program.html
• Waste Reduction (page 4, Policy): “Encourage the procurement of alternatives to, with the intent to phase out, plastic individual-serving-sized containers for use during normal operations. Plastic
individual-serving-sized containers may be used in emergencies, or for safety or health reasons.”
For more information on local and sustainably sourced ingredients, see:
https://dining.vt.edu/sustainability/local_sustainability.html
Garments and linens
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
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Professional service providers
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
Virginia Tech Design and Construction Standards, Page 7 (Section 1.2.5.1) states:
"In order to incorporate sustainable design solutions in new construction and renovation projects, Virginia Tech has joined the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and fully supports the principles of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Building Rating System. The pursuit of high-performance green buildings that are energy efficient and environmentally sensitive will help to lower operating and energy costs, improve employee productivity, promote improved learning, and enhance the health, and well-being of the students, faculty and staff at Virginia Tech. All projects shall address
sustainability as it relates to site issues, water, energy efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor air quality in accordance with the VT CAC.
In the early stages of design, the A/E shall strive to meet or exceed the minimum number of points needed for LEED certification under the rating system appropriate for the project in accordance with the VT CAC. The A/E shall determine the most cost-effective means of achieving these points, and shall take full credit for points achieved through compliance with other University standards that address sustainability issues, such as building commissioning. The A/E shall submit for the University's review and approval a LEED Project Checklist, identifying the specific measures proposed to be incorporated into the project to achieve the target number of points. The A/E should consider the ParkSmart certification for projects involving parking garages."
*Note – VT CAC = Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment
The full Design and Construction Standards Manual can be found here:
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
"In order to incorporate sustainable design solutions in new construction and renovation projects, Virginia Tech has joined the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and fully supports the principles of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Building Rating System. The pursuit of high-performance green buildings that are energy efficient and environmentally sensitive will help to lower operating and energy costs, improve employee productivity, promote improved learning, and enhance the health, and well-being of the students, faculty and staff at Virginia Tech. All projects shall address
sustainability as it relates to site issues, water, energy efficiency, materials and resources, and indoor air quality in accordance with the VT CAC.
In the early stages of design, the A/E shall strive to meet or exceed the minimum number of points needed for LEED certification under the rating system appropriate for the project in accordance with the VT CAC. The A/E shall determine the most cost-effective means of achieving these points, and shall take full credit for points achieved through compliance with other University standards that address sustainability issues, such as building commissioning. The A/E shall submit for the University's review and approval a LEED Project Checklist, identifying the specific measures proposed to be incorporated into the project to achieve the target number of points. The A/E should consider the ParkSmart certification for projects involving parking garages."
*Note – VT CAC = Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment
The full Design and Construction Standards Manual can be found here:
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
Transportation and fuels
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
University Policy 5505, "Campus Energy, Water, and Waste Reduction Policy" is available at this link: https://policies.vt.edu/5505.pdf
Section 3.4 Transportation and Travel states: "The university shall strive to increase fuel efficiency for transportation and reduce energy consumption for travel requirements." The section then provides 9 specific recommendations to achieve such goals (3.4.1 through 3.4.9). Examples of goals include:
3.4.3. Encourage the use of biofuel in state-owned vehicles.
3.4.7. Promote the use of video conferencing and conference calls in lieu of in-person meetings.
Section 3.4 Transportation and Travel states: "The university shall strive to increase fuel efficiency for transportation and reduce energy consumption for travel requirements." The section then provides 9 specific recommendations to achieve such goals (3.4.1 through 3.4.9). Examples of goals include:
3.4.3. Encourage the use of biofuel in state-owned vehicles.
3.4.7. Promote the use of video conferencing and conference calls in lieu of in-person meetings.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Additional website resources:
http://www.policies.vt.edu/5505.pdf
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
https://www.dining.vt.edu/about/Reusable_To_Go_Program.html
https://dining.vt.edu/sustainability.html
University Housekeeping Services Contract with UG2 LLC:
https://secure.hosting.vt.edu/www.apps.vpfin.vt.edu/contracts/documents/VTS-1757-2022.pdf
Virginia Tech Facilities, Liza Morris, Assistant Vice President for Planning and University Architect, lizamorris@vt.edu
Virginia Tech Dining, Emily Williams, Sustainability Manager, Dining Services and Housing & Residence Life, wemily93@vt.edu.
Virginia Tech Procurement, Mary Helmick, Director of Procurement, mhelmick@vt.edu
http://www.policies.vt.edu/5505.pdf
https://www.facilities.vt.edu/content/dam/facilities_vt_edu/design-and-construction-standards/vt-design-and-construction-standards-manual-2023.pdf
https://www.dining.vt.edu/about/Reusable_To_Go_Program.html
https://dining.vt.edu/sustainability.html
University Housekeeping Services Contract with UG2 LLC:
https://secure.hosting.vt.edu/www.apps.vpfin.vt.edu/contracts/documents/VTS-1757-2022.pdf
Virginia Tech Facilities, Liza Morris, Assistant Vice President for Planning and University Architect, lizamorris@vt.edu
Virginia Tech Dining, Emily Williams, Sustainability Manager, Dining Services and Housing & Residence Life, wemily93@vt.edu.
Virginia Tech Procurement, Mary Helmick, Director of Procurement, mhelmick@vt.edu
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.