Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 41.01
Liaison Chad Carwein
Submission Date Feb. 14, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

East Carolina University
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Chad Carwein
University Sustainability Manager
HSC Facilities Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have at least one sustainability committee?:
Yes

The charter or mission statement of the committee(s) or a brief description of each committee's purview and activities:

Our Mission

The ECU Sustainability Committee will serve as a resource and offer guidance to assure that the university community is engaged, responsible, and environmentally literate in the campus-wide development of a fully articulate vision for sustainability in research, curriculum, campus operations, and community. Our environmental stewardship will build on existing initiatives and strengths that align with the university strategic plan, as well as foster regional sustainability.

1. The Integration Subcommittee shall facilitate the systematic incorporation of sustainability throughout the institution by integrating the policy goals into the institution’s processes, administration, teaching, research, and engagement. This subcommittee shall have the overall responsibility for producing the University’s Annual Sustainability Report. This report shall be available for publication in January of each year for activities related to the previous calendar year.

2. The Communications Subcommittee shall be responsible for the following:
- Keeping the campus community up-to-date on the University’s energy conservation measures and climate action efforts.
- Developing and implementing plans to involve the community as much as possible in both the planning process and in the actions that reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions. This subcommittee shall manage the content and maintenance of the Committee’s website, SharePoint site, and all other means of communication to the University.

3. The Design and Construction Subcommittee shall monitor and report on integration of sustainability principles related to infrastructure, natural resources, site development, and community impact included in the University Master Plan. This subcommittee will work with Facilities Engineering & Architectural Services on capital project planning and construction processes. They will work to ensure buildings meet statutory energy and water efficiency requirements. They will assist with determining that planning and processes deliver energy, water, and materials efficient buildings and grounds that minimize the impact on and/or enhance the site and provide good indoor environmental quality for occupants. This subcommittee shall provide pertinent information about all projects to the Communications Subcommittee for publication.

4. The Operations and Maintenance Subcommittee shall partner with Facilities Services staff to facilitate, document, and report on energy conservation measures; to ensure that the operation and maintenance of buildings and grounds shall meet or exceed statutory requirements to reduce energy and water use; provide excellent air quality and comfort; and to minimize materials use. This subcommittee shall be responsible for developing GHG emissions reduction strategies and projects. This subcommittee shall review and monitor all performance contracts or similar instruments for new construction or renovation projects intended to reduce the university’s energy consumption or GHG emissions. This Subcommittee shall receive all requests for exemptions to the University’s energy conservation measures. They will investigate each request to verify the legitimacy and feasibility of the requested exemption, and then this subcommittee shall make recommendations to the Committee for the appropriate action (approve or deny).

5. The Recycling and Waste Management Subcommittee shall work individually and cooperatively with the University community to develop policies, programs, and procedures that work toward achieving zero waste. This subcommittee will monitor and report on all activities in support of this measure.

6. The Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Subcommittee shall work with Materials Management and other university departments involved with procurement, in ensuring any purchasing shall, to the extent practicable, improve the environmental performance of ECU’s supply chain. Consideration will be given to toxicity, recycled content, energy and water efficiency, rapidly renewable resources, and local production.

7. The Climate Change Mitigation Subcommittee shall provide leadership in developing a plan to become carbon neutral as soon as practicable and by 2050 at the latest, with an ultimate goal of climate neutrality. This subcommittee shall be involved in creating, interpreting, and periodically updating the university GHG inventory. They shall develop a plan for the implementation of the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment. They shall have responsibility and oversight for compliance with the reporting requirements contained in the Commitment. They shall work with University entities to develop and implement a comprehensive, multimodal transportation plan designed to reduce carbon emissions and dependency on single occupant vehicles.


Members of each committee, including affiliations and role (e.g. staff, student, or faculty):

ECU Sustainability Committee 2016 Membership

Integration Subcommittee:

Chad Carwein (Chair) - Staff
Craig Becker - Faculty
Tarek Abdel-Salam - Faculty
Bob Chin - Faculty
William Hill - Teaching Instructor

Communications Subcommittee:

Jeanne Hoover (Chair) - Staff
Jennifer Joyner - Staff
Mary Schiller Staff
Janis Steel - Staff
Jennifer Raby - Staff

Design and Construction Subcommittee:

Bill Chatfield (Subcommittee Chair) - Staff
Michael Talton - Staff
Robert Still - Staff
John Gill - Staff
Mike Row - Staff
Erich Connell - Faculty

Operations and Maintenance Subcommittee:

Ken Yarnell (Subcommittee Chair) - Staff
Michael Alexander - Staff
Ray Schmit - Staff
Les Hewlett - Staff
Tony Yamada - Staff

Recycling and Waste Management Subcommittee:

Terry Little (Subcommittee Chair) - Staff
Aaron Lucier - Staff
Eddie Johnson - Staff
Tim Kelley - Faculty
Carl Thorell - Staff

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Subcommittee:

Stacey Schley (Subcommittee Chair) - Staff
Frances Flowers - Staff
Melissa Eakes - Staff
Joyce Sealey - Staff
Brittany Powel - Staff

Climate Change Mitigation Subcommittee:

Paul Carlson (Subcommittee Chair) - Staff
Wood Davidson - Staff
Rosana Ferreira - Faculty
Debra Garfi - Staff
Griffin Avin - Staff

Administration Subcommittee:

Bill Bagnell (Subcommittee Chair) - Staff
Amanda Pantelidis - Staff
Josh Wilson - Staff
Bret Wilson - Staff
Jarah Fields - Staff
Robert Ables - Staff

Student Subcommittee

Daniel Hinnant (Subcommittee Chair) - Student
Nolan Wiltshire - Student
Mona Amin - Student
Rebecca Weidner - Student
Karsyn Tall - Student
Lilly Faulconer - Student
Anastasia Weeks - Student


Does the institution have at least one sustainability office that includes more than 1 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee?:
Yes

A brief description of each sustainability office:

The institution does not have a separate office for sustainability but currently does have two FTEs that are responsible for Sustainability. Additionally there are work study positions that also support the sustainability activities of the institution


Full-time equivalent (FTE) of people employed in the sustainability office(s):
2

Does the institution have at least one sustainability officer?:
Yes

Name and title of each sustainability officer:
Griffin Avin, Chief Sustainability Officer

Does the institution have a mechanism for broad sustainability coordination for the entire institution (e.g. a campus-wide committee or an officer/office responsible for the entire campus)?:
Yes

A brief description of the activities and substantive accomplishments of the institution-wide coordinating body or officer during the previous three years:

The ECU Sustainability Committee serves as a resource and offers guidance to assure that the university community is engaged, responsible, and environmentally literate in the campus-wide development of a fully articulate vision for sustainability in research, curriculum, campus operations, and community. Our environmental stewardship will build on existing initiatives and strengths that align with the university strategic plan, as well as foster regional sustainability.

The University Environment Committee's responsibilities include the following:

A. The committee recommends policies to preserve, improve and advance the general physical environment of the University.

B. The committee provides recommendations to mitigate the loss of habitat that includes repairing or replacing landscaping of the university that have been displaced owing to planned or unplanned actions.

C. The committee makes recommendations relating to traffic flow patterns, hardened sidewalk designs, speed limits, and parking facilities in and around the University campuses.

D. The committee indexes and recommends policies for maintenance of those trees of significant size and type, culturally historic landscape features, and ground covers possessing aesthetic, historic, and/or environmental value.

E. The committee reviews potential and actual effect of university projects upon water quality and quantity, runoff, and other physical impacts upon the community.

F. The committee shall be familiar with the current East Carolina University master plan and intended placement of buildings and other construction approved by the Board of Trustees. The Committee shall consult with planning officers regarding future land use, changes to the current master plan, and future campus development.

G. The committee promotes sustainability efforts on campus, which include energy and resource conservation, recycling, and the reduction of waste. H. The committee raises awareness of, and promotes, sustainability issues in the curriculum and in faculty research.


Job title of the sustainability officer position:
University Sustainability Manager

Job description for the sustainability officer position:
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Job title of the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
University Energy Manager

Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (2nd position):
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Job title of the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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Job description for the sustainability officer position (3rd position):
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.