| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.46 |
| Liaison | Paul Mathisen |
| Submission Date | May 22, 2020 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.50 / 3.00 |
Paul
Mathisen Dir. of Sustainability & Assoc. Prof Civil & Environmental Engineering |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1: Institution-Wide Policies
Yes
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
The policies, guidelines or directives:
The WPI Policy on sustainabile purchasing is attached. Also, agreements are in place with preferred vendors via GPO contracts and agreements which include sustainability criteria, goals and guidelines. Purchases from local vendors is also encouraged. WPI strives to enhance the economic opportunities and increase the level of participation by small, minority-owned, woman-owned, disadvantaged, veteran owned and local businesses in the University’s procurement process. The WPI community is encouraged to seek opportunities to obtain goods and services from qualified diversity suppliers that provide competitive quality and pricing. Many WPI preferred vendors have initiatives in place which incorporate sustainable business practices. Local state government websites, as well as purchasing cooperative consortiums of which WPI is a member, are resources for identifying diversity suppliers. WPI encourages contractors to solicit the participation of small businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities through partnerships, joint ventures, sub awards and other contractual opportunities.
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:
While we do not have a formal policy regarding LCCA, LCCA is employed across the operation of the campus in varying degrees. We do practice researching and choosing products that provide lower costs over their life. An example of this is the installation of LED light fixtures that have a much longer life span and reduce labor and energy use in the long term. Other recent examples include: use of low flow plumbing fixtures, selection of fuel efficient vehicles, installation of more efficient HVAC equipment, and implementation of energy reducing lab hood controls. A large energy management investment has been made in the past year to support these goals.
Part 3: Commodity-Specific Sustainability Criteria
To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products/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:
WPI requires the use of the following Environmental Cleaning Policy throughout the WPI campus by on-site custodial staff:
WPI’s Environmental Cleaning Program
Goal:
Building Services provides a clean and healthy environment by using the newest technology in floor care machinery, clean air equipment, and disinfection. Our goal is to provide the highest level of cleanliness by insisting on a safe and healthy environment for the WPI community. The success of this goal involves a continual process of reviewing buildings, products, techniques and staffing.
Practices:
Through the use of environmental friendly vacuum equipment, HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filtration systems eliminate particles as small as 0.30 microns (dust particles smaller than the eye can see). This equipment helps to reduce human discomfort from allergies and helps to improve air quality throughout WPI’s facilities. Also related to building environment is the proper use of disinfectants. Custodians are trained to use the right disinfectants to ensure that employee time lost due to common seasonal illnesses is minimized. A program has been instituted to replace the standard cleaning industry’s mist sprayers to foam sprayers in order to reduce the amount of airborne chemicals in WPI’s buildings. This provides a safer environment for the cleaning staff as well as the occupants of the buildings on campus.
Staff education on cleaning, cleaning products, and equipment is provided at least four times yearly by a number of sources including in-house supervisory staff, custodial supply companies, and manufacturers’ representatives. Training is provided on floor and carpet care, restroom cleaning/disinfecting, proper product usage, and disinfecting of common areas.
Safety:
The Environmental and Occupational Safety training provides a wide range of safe learning, living and working environment training. This is accomplished through technical support, information and training programs, consulting services and periodic auditing of health and safety practices and regulatory compliance in all campus facilities. Staff Safety Training includes lab safety, use of personal protective equipment, proper lifting/ergonomics, proper snow shoveling, fire extinguisher training, blood borne pathogen training, and MSDS training.
Products:
The primary daily cleaning products are dispensed from dilution control systems found in all campus buildings. This form of dispensing assures a safe dilution of all the major products used on campus. The dilution control system is manufactured by Genesan. The Genesan products are bio-based and biologically-engineered cleaning products developed with true sustainability in mind at all phases of the products life-cycle. Genesan products are certified or meet the standards established by organizations including Eco label, ECO Logo, Green Seal, EPA’s Design for the Environment, and the USDA's BioPreferred Program. WPI has implemented safer, more sustainable cleaning tools, such as microfiber, and trained all personnel on the benefits of sustainable cleaning programs and cleaning products.
Construction and Renovation
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for construction and renovation products:
WPI 's website on new construction specifies that all new construction will be LEED certifiable.
Information Technology (IT)
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for IT products and services:
Sustainability in Technology Management Acquisition: Energy Star and EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) ratings are a priority over initial investment costs when assessing options for acquiring technology. All purchases of computer and computer related equipment are managed through the Information Technology Department who ensures that the policy is followed. https://reports.aashe.org/media/secure/472/6/506/3784/WPI%20Information%20Technology%20-%20Sustainability%20in%20Technology%20Management.pdf https://er.educause.edu/articles/2009/10/sustainable-technology-at-wpi
Food Services
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food services:
Chartwells has a Sustainability Report Card that evaluates the following: sustainable seafood, rGHB free milk and yogurt, reduced antibiotic chicken, local produce, reduced antibiotic turkey, cage free eggs, eco-fair trade coffee. Chartwells basically covers all aspects of food service, including vending machines. As such, we reall ydon't have specific sustainability criteria for evaluating food that is separate from Chartwells.
Garments and Linens
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
All linen and garment purchases must meet state and federal quality guidelines.There are WPI preferred suppliers with catalogs featured in Workday. All WPI buyers are strongly encouraged to use WPI preferred suppliers. Procurement encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products and supplier diversity. WPI promotes local and regional small business participation, including women and minority-owned companies.There are WPI preferred suppliers with catalogs featured in Workday. All WPI buyers are strongly encouraged to use WPI preferred suppliers. Procurement encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products and supplier diversity. WPI promotes local and regional small business participation, including women and minority-owned companies. https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Offices/Procurement/WPI_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf. While WPI has general guidelines/criteria, these are not specified on a product by product bases (such that garments and linens are not separately addressed.)
Professional Services
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional services:
Yes All professional services must meet state and federal quality guidelines. There are WPI preferred suppliers with catalogs featured in Workday. All WPI buyers are strongly encouraged to use WPI preferred suppliers. Procurement encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products and supplier diversity. WPI promotes local and regional small business participation, including women and minority-owned companies.https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Offices/Procurement/WPI_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
Transportation and Fuels
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
All purchases of transportation and fuels must meet state and federal quality guidelines. There are WPI preferred suppliers with catalogs featured in Workday. All WPI buyers are strongly encouraged to use WPI preferred suppliers. Procurement encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products and supplier diversity. WPI promotes local and regional small business participation, including women and minority-owned companies.All vehicles must meet state inspection standards. https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Offices/Procurement/WPI_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
Wood and Paper
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for wood and paper products:
Yes All paper and wood purchases must meet state and federal quality guidelines.There are WPI preferred suppliers with catalogs featured in Workday. All WPI buyers are strongly encouraged to use WPI preferred suppliers. Procurement encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products and supplier diversity. WPI promotes local and regional small business participation, including women and minority-owned companies. https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Offices/Procurement/WPI_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
Other Commodity Categories
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for other commodity categories:
Yes All purchases must meet state and federal quality guidelines. There are WPI preferred suppliers with catalogs featured in Workday. All WPI buyers are strongly encouraged to use WPI preferred suppliers. Procurement encourages the purchase of environmentally friendly products and supplier diversity. WPI promotes local and regional small business participation, including women and minority-owned companies.https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Offices/Procurement/WPI_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.wpi.edu/offices/procurement/resources/suppliers
https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Offices/Procurement/WPI_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf
http://www.uscommunities.org/go-green-program/
https://www.wpi.edu/offices/procurement/resources/vendors
https://er.educause.edu/articles/2009/10/sustainable-technology-at-wpi
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.