Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 61.91
Liaison Nathan King
Submission Date Aug. 2, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.1

Virginia Tech
PAE-5: Climate Action Plan

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Dennis Cochrane
Director, Office of Sustainability
Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure and Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a plan to mitigate its greenhouse gas emissions that meets the criteria for this credit?:
Yes

A brief summary of the climate plan’s long-term goals:

By its nature, the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment & Sustainability Plan (VTCAC&SP) has a long time horizon, perhaps 40‐50 years, since climate action and sustainability are long‐term issues that will not be solved overnight. The plan is divided into several sections. The plan presents the current status and action options for six topical areas: administrative structure and governance, facilities infrastructure, facilities operations, transportation, behavior and campus life, and academic programs. Finally, the plan presents future sustainability scenarios for Virginia Tech, the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment, and an assessment of plan measures to meet the commitment targets.

As stated in the Climate Action Commitment Resolution (resolution #3), Virginia Tech has established a long-term target for reduction of campus GHG emissions to 80% below 1990 emission level by 2050 (target emission amount of 38,000 tons).

Resolution #4 states that Virginia Tech will work toward emission reduction targets through improved energy efficiency, reduction of energy waste, replacement of high‐carbon fuels, and other measures identified in the VTCAC&SP.

To view the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution, please see: http://www.facilities.vt.edu/documents/sustainability/climateAction.pdf

To view the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment & Sustainability Plan, please see: http://www.facilities.vt.edu/documents/sustainability/sustPlan.pdf

To view the Blacksburg Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, please see: http://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/emissions.asp


A brief summary of the climate plan’s short-term goals:

The VTCAC&SP includes interim targets for GHG emissions. These target emission levels are from the 2006 emission level of 316,000 tons consistent with the Virginia Energy Plan, the Governor’s Commission on Climate Change, the Town of Blacksburg, and the federal administration.

For 2012, the target GHG emission level is 295,000 tons (on path to 2025 target). For 2025, the target GHG emission level is 255,000 tons (2000 emission level).


Year the climate plan was formally adopted or approved:
2,009

The website URL where information about the climate plan is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

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.