Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.58
Liaison Mary Ellen Mallia
Submission Date Jan. 15, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University at Albany
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.33 / 4.00 Mary Ellen Mallia
Director of Environmental Sustainability
Finance and Business
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have current and formal plans to advance sustainability in the following areas? Do the plans include measurable objectives?:
Current and Formal Plans (Yes or No) Measurable Objectives (Yes or No)
Curriculum No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
Research (or other scholarship) No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
Campus Engagement No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
Public Engagement No No
Air and Climate Yes Yes
Buildings Yes Yes
Dining Services/Food No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
Energy Yes Yes
Grounds Yes
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
Purchasing Yes
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
Transportation No
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016
No
Waste Yes Yes
Water Yes Yes
Diversity and Affordability Yes Yes
Health, Wellbeing and Work No No
Investment No No
Other --- ---

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Curriculum:

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Curriculum plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Curriculum plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Research (or other scholarship):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Research plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Research plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Campus Engagement around sustainability:

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Campus Engagement plan:

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Campus Engagement plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Public Engagement around sustainability:
---

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Public Engagement plan(s):
---

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Public Engagement plan(s):
---

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Air and Climate:

The University has developed a climate action plan, (http://rs.acupcc.org/site_media/uploads/cap/785-cap.pdf)
high performance building guidelines (http://www.albany.edu/facilities/energy/documents/UA-MinEESustainabilityGoals.pdf) and adheres to Executive Order 24 (http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/71394.html) in order to guide our carbon reduction efforts.

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Air and Climate plan(s):

Our annual greenhouse gas report on emissions and our climate action update reports submitted to Second Nature in conjunction with their Carbon Commitment serve as our measurable outcome.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Air and Climate plan(s):

Office of Energy Management
Office of Sustainability


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Buildings:

The university developed high performance building guidelines (http://www.albany.edu/facilities/energy/documents/UA-MinEESustainabilityGoals.pdf) which sets a standard of LEED Gold, among other efficiency and renewable standards.

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Buildings plan(s):

The achievement of LEED certification (with Gold as the target) for all new construction. The implementation of high impact projects as determined by our recent energy audit and the resulting decrease in energy consumption will serve as our objective. Executive Order 88 of NYS sets a target of a 20% reduction in source use intensity by 2020 (2010 baseline)


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Buildings plan(s):

Office of Facilities Management
Office of Energy Management
Office of Sustainability


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Dining Services/Food:

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Dining Services/Food plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Dining Services/Food plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Energy:

This is similar to our plans for air and climate and buildings. We follow our high performance building guidelines. The emphasis is placed on building energy efficient buildings, implementing efficiency projects in existing buildings, pursuing renewable and resilient strategies and strengthening energy conservation programs. We also follow Executive Order 88 which calls for a 20% EUI reduction by 2020. http://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-88-directing-state-agencies-and-authorities-improve-energy-efficiency-state-buildings

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Energy plan(s):

The university is most focused on meeting the goals of NYS Executive Order 88 which calls for a 20% reduction in energy source intensity by 2020 vis a vis 2010


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Energy plan(s):

Office of Energy Management
Office of Sustainability


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Grounds:
+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Grounds plan(s):
---

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Grounds plan(s):

Grounds Department
Office of Campus Planning

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Purchasing:

All state universities follow Executive Order 4 which includes green purchasing guidelines. http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/purchase/spg/pdfdocs/EO4.pdf Executive Order 18 prohibits the purchase of bottle water via state funds. http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/EO/18/Default.asp

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Purchasing plan(s):
---

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Purchasing plan(s):

Office of Purchasing and Contracts
Office of Sustainability

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Transportation:

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Transportation plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Transportation plan(s):

N/A

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Waste:

All state universities follow Executive Order 4 which establishes waste reduction reporting and goals as well as green purchasing guidelines. http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/purchase/spg/pdfdocs/EO4.pdf Executive Order 18 prohibits the purchase of bottle water via state funds. http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/EO/18/Default.asp

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Waste plan(s):

The university completes an annual report on our waste numbers via NYS Executive Order 4, these numbers are used to report on progress and create infographics for the campus community
Participation in EPA's Waste Wise and Food Recovery Challenge


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Waste plan(s):

Facilities Management
Grounds Department
University Auxiliary Services
Office of Sustainability


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Water:

Water conservation guidelines are included in our high performance building guidelines
http://www.albany.edu/facilities/energy/documents/UA-MinEESustainabilityGoals.pdf

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Water plan(s):

Over the next two years, data will be collected and analyzed in order to create a more comprehensive and targeted water education and efficiency plan


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Water plan(s):

Office of Energy Management
Office of Sustainability


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance Diversity and Affordability:

Diversity is embedded in our current strategic plan.http://www.albany.edu/strategicplan/files/Strategic%20Plan%20summary%2010-29-10.pdf
The diversity council has also issued an internal report making recommendations to the President on how to implement the goals embedded in our strategic plan. (available upon request)

+ Date Revised: Feb. 26, 2016

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):

The university will conduct another campus climate survey in the next couple of years to compare to past results. In addition, the faculty diversity ratio will continued to be examined to see if faculty from underrepresented groups can be hired and retained in larger numbers.


Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Diversity and Affordability plan(s):

Office of Diversity and Inclusion
Office of Sustainability
Diversity Council


A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Health, Wellbeing and Work:
---

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
---

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Health, Wellbeing and Work plan(s):
---

A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in Investment:
---

The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the Investment plan(s):
---

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the Investment plan(s):
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A brief description of the plan(s) to advance sustainability in other areas:
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The measurable objectives, strategies and timeframes included in the other plan(s):
---

Accountable parties, offices or departments for the other plan(s):
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The institution’s definition of sustainability:

The broadest definition of sustainability entails “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland 1987). At UAlbany this translates into creating a citizenry whose understanding of and commitment to environmental sustainability informs and shapes the choices they make in their everyday lives, in the communities in which they live and work, in their careers, and in the myriad other ways they serve as citizens in a democratic society.


Does the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document include sustainability at a high level?:
Yes

A brief description of how the institution’s strategic plan or equivalent guiding document addresses sustainability:

The university has sustainability guiding principles and also has sustainability elements embedded in its strategic plan.


The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainability planning is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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