1. University of
Minnesota
Sustainability
May 2012
Amy Short
Sustainability Director
University of Minnesota

2. The Twin Cities campus is…
Urban Research Intensive
Older than the state of Minnesota
….more than 150 years old
Host to 80,000 people daily
Bisected by one of the world’s great rivers
and a national park
250+ buildings In a climate of extremes
Spending $45 Million per year on Energy

3. Sustainability Matters Because…
• Sustainability Unifies
• Sustainability Inspires and Transforms
• Sustainability Pays

4. Sustainability Matters to Students
69% of Students
Say a School's Commitment to the
Environment
Influences College Decisions
“College-bound students are increasingly interested in sustainability issues. Among 8,200 college
applicants who participated in our spring 2011 ‘College Hopes & Worries Survey,’ nearly 7 out of
10 (69%) told us that having information about a school’s commitment to the environment would
influence their decision to apply to or attend the school.” - Robert Franek, Princeton Review

5. Sustainability Matters to Faculty
2011 Twin Cities data reveals…
247 Faculty engaged in sustainability research
37 Academic departments involved in sustainability
73
Departments offer sustainability-related
undergraduate courses

6. Sustainability Matters ….
Internal Measures External Measures
• Climate Action Plans • President’s Climate
• Annual Reports Commitment (ACUPCC)
• Goals & Measures • Association for the
Advancement of
Sustainability in Higher
Education (AASHE
STARS)
• Surveys

7. Campus Sustainability
Measurement
• Administration and Planning
• Curriculum & Research
• Operations
• Energy – Use of, Source, Buildings
• Waste (recycle, water, food)
• Dining
• Residential Living
• Purchasing
• Transportation
• Student Involvement
• Social Concerns
• Carbon Footprint
Assn for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education – AASHE
http://www.aashe.org/index.php

8. Systemwide
Sustainability Goals
Reporting
• Framed by 2004 Regents Policy
• 35 Goals and 95 Measures
• Annual Reporting
Policy Guiding Principles
Leadership * Modeling * Operational Improvements * Energy * Research * Education and Outreach

9. Sustainability
Structure Systemwide Strategic
Sustainability Committee
Connect the dots:
Campus Sustainability
• goals
• measures Committees
• communications
Work Teams, Grass Roots,
and Subcommittees
Policy Guiding Principles
Leadership * Modeling * Operational Improvements * Energy * Research * Education and Outreach

10. Sustainability Unifies:
Workteams
 Energy

11. Sustainability Unifies:
Student Leaders
“This inspired me to think
about the U as a whole
system and I want to make
sure that if students on one
campus are working on a
campaign or project, others
could learn from them and
utilize their resources.”
– Emma Wright,
student employee & leader
2011 Student Engagement Leadership Workshop

12. Sustainability Transforms
Curriculum
and Research

13. Sustainability Transforms
Campus
Click photos for a virtual sustainability tours!

14. Sustainability Transforms
Transforming Campus
....a Living Laboratory
UMC Nature Nook
Nature Nook
Raingardens
Edible Landscape
Organic Gardens
UMM Three Sisters Garden
Renewable Energy Projects

15. Sustainability Pays

16. Climate Action Planning Process
Years 2011 - 2016
CO2 Reduction Goals
Strategy Est. Tons
700000
Description Reduced
Estimated
Computer 4,000 600000 Reduction by 2016
Reduction
Efficiency Goal from
CAP 1.1
500000
Lighting 5,400
Metric Tons of CO2e
-29%
Efficiency
400000
Building 48,000
Recomissioning -49%
300000
Projected
Sustainable 35,900 200000 Reduction
Building from
Strategies
Lab Efficiency 55,900 100000 TBD
Reduce Campus 11,000
0
Size
2008 2016 2021 2026 2031 2036 2041 2046 2050
Reduce Coal 27,300 Year
Use
ACUPCC - Climate Action Plans

17. Sustainability Pays

18. 6,600 Campus Residents
• Purchases: green
cleaners, sustainable
carpet, furniture, compostable
dining ware
• 162 energy efficient washers
• 200,000 loads! = 3.5 million gallons
water saved annually
http://www.housing.umn.edu/sustainability/

19. Sustainability Pays
Conservation
• Annually recycled 6 million pounds
and reduced costs by $180,000
Build Local Economies
• Food from local providers (2010)
– 183,000 pounds local produce
– 920,000 gallons local dairy
– 22,000 pounds local bakery
• $200,000 Corn Cob Contract for Biofuel

20. Sustainability Inspires and Transforms
http://www1.umn.edu/italladdsup/
Follow “It All Adds Up” on Facebook

21. Coffman Union
Garbage Dump and Sort:
Recycling and Reuse
Awareness Events
MN Team Recycle

22. 80,000 visitors to campus per day.
• Fleet 73 hybrid vehicles & 2 hybrid buses
• UPass discounted unlimited bus access
• Bike Share with city and
Nice Ride MN

23. Click images for more!
Step It Up!
ZAP Twin Cities!
Bicycle Commuters:
40 round trips = 50 points

24. It All Adds Up “Refresh” 2012:

25. President Kaler driving Centaurus II Solar Car Built by Students!
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