Oregon State University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

Oregon State University (OSU) has built a solid reputation as an institution that takes sustainability seriously, in part, through excellence and consistency in sustainability assessment. Listed in the "STARS of Data Accuracy" section of four different AASHE Sustainable Campus Index publications, the OSU Sustainability Office achieves a high level of quality in the assessment process.

In 2020, Oregon State became the first institution to submit ten STARS reports. Today, we maintain our leadership by having the most reports of any institution. The value we place on sustainability initiatives, and on STARS as a tool to advance our work, is clear. We pride ourselves in being among a small number of schools that complete a full STARS assessment each year, and routinely use the data to provide experiential learning opportunities to our students and to communicate our work to a broad community of stakeholders. We use STARS in our classrooms regularly and it plays a role in fulfilling OSU’s mission.

When the STARS Pilot began in 2008, the OSU team understood it could be a game changer in advancing sustainability within higher education. In the summer of 2010, the Sustainability Office began the data gathering process for OSU's first STARS submission. On January 31, 2011, OSU submitted its first report for Fiscal Year 2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010). OSU was the first and only school in Oregon to submit its STARS report on time, by the January 31 deadline for the first round of data submissions.

As an early adopter, OSU is a charter participant in STARS and is pleased to continue an assessment process that supports OSU's climate initiatives and Strategic Plan.

In June 2022, university leadership approved the OSU Path to Carbon Neutrality, an updated climate plan with nine actions that accelerate decarbonization of university activities. The top priority action in the Path is to increase existing building efficiency through heating and cooling system tune ups and calibration, known as retro- or re-commissioning. The goal is to complete at least two buildings each year.

This work began in summer 2022 and in its first year OSU has saved an estimated $140,000 in energy costs and moved closer to the goal of carbon neutrality.

Facilities Services and the Sustainability Office work together to identify buildings for recommissioning, fund the work from a revolving fund and accelerate implementation. Occupants and building operators are already seeing stabilized temperatures and extended equipment lifespans.

In one large research building, OSU's energy engineer discovered the ventilation system was unnecessarily operating constantly at maximum capacity. The problem was failed equipment and programming mistakes in the original building heating and cooling control system. With support from OSU’s electrical, maintenance and building controls shops, equipment was repaired and reprogrammed. The ventilation systems now operate at 60% of capacity and occupant comfort has been greatly improved. OSU saw around $75,000 in energy cost savings in this building in one year.