Vanderbilt University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and Sustainability |
Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
On Earth Day 2019, Vanderbilt University unveiled a comprehensive long-term strategy to significantly reduce its environmental footprint in part by powering its campus entirely through renewable energy, with the goal to be carbon neutral by 2050. In 2021, Vanderbilt University reached carbon neutrality, decades ahead of its initial goal. A collaboration with the nonprofit organization Climate Vault allowed the university to address the full extent of its carbon footprint through offsets for FY19–20 and FY20–21.
In FY21–22, Vanderbilt University continued to offset its carbon footprint by investing in the development of solar energy projects that will expand access to clean energy in the Southeast with Clearloop, a Silicon Ranch company. Vanderbilt’s investment initially supports a solar farm in Panola County, Mississippi, in the town of Batesville—a community at the intersection of the Mississippi Delta and the Appalachian foothills. This solar farm will provide access to clean energy to approximately 1,000 Panola County homes. Two more solar farms are planned as part of Vanderbilt’s collaboration with Clearloop.
Beginning in FY22–23, a portfolio approach will enable Vanderbilt to continue its carbon neutrality. Vanderbilt’s total carbon footprint for FY22–23 is 113,823 MTCO2E. RECs from the Vanderbilt I Solar Farm offset 5,838 MTCO2E and carbon offsets from the Clearloop/Vanderbilt Panola County MS project apply to the remaining 107,985 MTCO2E, making Vanderbilt carbon neutral for FY22–23.
While the university continues to push action and innovations on several fronts to reduce emissions, the near-term opportunity to work with innovative organizations like Clearloop allows Vanderbilt to accelerate its impact now.
Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Energy
Diversity & Affordability
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:
Vanderbilt University entered into an agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Nashville Electric Service through TVA’s new Green Invest program to procure off-site large-scale renewable energy to help mitigate the campus’ greenhouse gas emissions. Through this partnership, Vanderbilt is tackling climate change head-on by working towards its goal of powering its campus entirely through renewable energy and committing to carbon neutrality.
Vanderbilt is the first customer to partner with a local power company on this type of agreement in the seven-state TVA region. The 20-year agreement will support Vanderbilt’s goal to power its campus entirely through renewable energy.
Vanderbilt’s initial partnership, announced in January 2020, will mitigate approximately 70 percent of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions starting with the opening of the Vanderbilt One solar farm in Bedford County opened in Spring 2023. The second Green Invest project planned for 2026 will supply enough renewable energy to offset the remaining 30 percent of the university’s annual indirect greenhouse gas emissions from purchased electricity when complete.
The agreement is the result of two years of intensive effort through the Large-Scale Renewable Energy Study by Vanderbilt to identify the best renewable energy strategy for the university on the basis of key criteria that include financial, social and environmental benefits and risk mitigation.
Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Energy
Coordination & Planning
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:
The Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Center, hosts multiple climate-focused programs which contribute to Vanderbilt’s to sustainability leadership and benefit the greater Nashville community.
The Climate Innovation Accelerator program is a 10-week program that engages minority-led/owned nonprofits and small businesses to identify innovative sustainability opportunities within their mission to equip entities to be more future-fit and climate-ready for those they serve. The inaugural cohort included five local small businesses and six nonprofits with a diverse set of missions, products and services to illustrate how innovation can work in different sectors to advance climate solutions, from reimagining packaging, services, stakeholder education, reporting frameworks and greening supply chains. https://www.vanderbilt.edu/the-wondry/climate-innovation-accelerator/
In addition, as part of the university’s sesquicentennial celebration, the Office of the Chancellor launched a grant program to support activities and projects that engage with the university’s history, look ahead to its future, and explore what makes Vanderbilt distinctive and unique. The Wond'ry was awarded one of these grants to produce an innovation challenge encompassing the theme of Sustainability, which led to the creation of the Commodore Cup. The Commodore Cup included two challenge tracks:
• TRANSPORTATION: How might Vanderbilt re-think and re-design the recruitment and onboarding of new employees to encourage the use of sustainable transportation modes while commuting and make daily parking the easiest choice when starting at Vanderbilt? Team EZ, made up of 3 undergraduate students, took first place in the transportation category with their proposal to ‘Change the Infrastructure Before the Options’, which would comprise of a mandatory Vanderbilt staff/faculty education module to be completed at onboarding and flexible arrival and departure times for the transportation arrangements.
• SUSTAINABILITY DASHBOARD: How might Vanderbilt encourage its many stakeholders to engage with the university’s commitment to climate action through an interactive dashboard? Out of the 21 ideas submitted, a total of 9 finalist teams presented to a panel of judges. Team Motivation to Direct Action, made up of 3 undergraduate students, took first place in the sustainability dashboard category for their interactive and colorful sustainability dashboard, which allows for clear breakdowns in any area the user might want to click and explore.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/the-wondry/commodore-cup-sustainability/
The Wond’ry is also home to the Climate, Health and Energy Equity Lab, co-founded and directed by Dr. Zdravka Tzankova (Vanderbilt University Climate Studies), Dr. Carol Ziegler (Vanderbilt University School of Nursing), and Dr. James Muchira (Vanderbilt University School of Nursing). The Lab combines research, practice, and teaching to advance just approaches to climate mitigation and renewable transitions. Lab members collaborate with Dr. Tzankova and Dr. Ziegler to map corporate and institutional awareness on the equity implications of climate mitigation pledges and actions; develop conceptual and strategic approaches for using climate mitigation to alleviate specific economic, environmental and health inequities; and, design strategies that simultaneously advance climate mitigation and health, energy, environmental, and economic equity. https://www.vanderbilt.edu/thewondry/programs/social-innovation/
Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Campus Engagement
Public Engagement
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:
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