Washington University in St. Louis
Strategic Plan for Environmentally Sustainable Operations
April 22, 2010
Buildings & Grounds
Chairs: Steve Rackers, Former Director, Danforth Campus Capital Projects & Records, and Steve Sobo,
Director, Medical School Design and Construction
Hunter Beckham
Matt Blum
John Brauer
Matt Conlon
Paul Duell
Joe Haberberger
Liz Kramer
Neal Schaeffer
Jordan Smith
Jim Stueber
Kent Theiling, Jr.
Dining Services
Chairs: Steve Hoffner, Assistant Vice Chancellor for
Operations, Danforth Campus, and Walt Davis,
Assistant Vice Chancellor/Assistant Dean for Facilities, School of Medicinee
Alex Christensen
Rosemary Girouard
Deborah Howard
Liz Kramer
Matt Malten
Dena McGeorge
Laura Ravenscraft
Barb Scheller
Paul Schimmele
Paul Schulze
Nadeem Siddiqui
Joey Stromberg
Rick Turner
Energy & Emissions
Chairs: Jim Stueber, Director, Medical School Physical Plant, and Ed Barry, Danforth Campus Utilities Operations
Bruce Backus
John Biggs
Robert Hall
Deborah Howard
Matt Malten
Materials Management & Purchasing
Chairs: Gregg Evans, formerly Director of Facilities Administration, School of Medicine, and Alan Kuebler, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Resource Management
Jeff Barlow
Robert Chalk
Chris Doyle
Will Fischer
Donna Hall
Curt Harres
Deborah Howard
Ivory Reed
Jan Schade
Transportation
Chairs: Steve Hoffner, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Operations, Danforth Campus, and John Ursch, Director of Protective Services, School of Medicine
Paul Bannister
Andrew Frangos
Liz Kramer
Matt Malten
Jan Muraski
Nick Stoff
Don Strom
I. Introduction
II. Aspirations
III. Achievements
IV. Challenges
V. Goals
VI. Achieving Our Goals
VII. Measurements of Our Success
In September 2008, Washington University in St. Louis began developing a plan to make our university a model of environmentally sustainable operations. Leadership for this effort was charged to the Sustainable Operations Leadership Council (SOLC). The Council worked through five subcommittees: Energy & Emissions, Buildings & Grounds, Dining Services, Materials Management & Purchasing, and Transportation.
The chairs as well as other members of these subcommittees met with students at two public forums in April 2009 to explain the issues they were exploring and their preliminary findings. The forums also provided an opportunity for students to share their issues and concerns. In January 2010, a community review draft of the report was released. The draft was shared with the community at over 15 public forums, and feedback was solicited at these forums, other presentations and meetings as well as through an online survey. Over 250 members of the community contributed feedback through these methods.
One common thread that emerged from our discussions was the importance of the impact of all our operations on greenhouse gas emissions. Global climate change, the most serious environmental challenge of our time, is primarily caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report, among many other sources, shows clear evidence that our climate system is changing at an increasing rate; that the changes are likely caused by man-made emissions of greenhouse gases; and that not reducing greenhouse gas emissions will result in significant economic, environmental and social harm.
Our impact on greenhouse gases was not the only concern of our committees, and this report addresses other sustainability issues as well. The theme of directly and indirectly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, however, is primary in this report
The SOLC believes Washington University must be a leader and act decisively to reduce our impact on climate change. This is a significant challenge because, as our 2009 greenhouse gas emissions inventory shows, the university’s increased greenhouse gas emissions are largely due to our physical growth. Since 1990, the square footage of buildings on the Washington University campuses has increased by 87%. During almost that same time period, our greenhouse gas emissions have grown by around 27%. We have and will continue to grow to meet our mission of being a preeminent institution of teaching, research and patient care. Therefore, as we move forward, significantly reducing the energy consumption and resulting greenhouse gas emissions of our existing and future buildings will be crucial and will require substantial investments.
In evaluating these investments, the university policy is to invest in buildings and operating systems for the long term. We believe in the principle of greater initial investments for long-term savings. Especially in this time of economic constraints, it is critical that the investments we make in reducing greenhouse gas emissions also result in long-term operational savings to the university through reduced energy cost.
Our aspirations are that Washington University will:
Washington University has made impressive progress toward becoming a model of sustainable operations in recent years.
Achievements That Have Helped or Will Help Us Reduce Our Greenhouse Gas Emissions through Energy, Building and Transportation Measures
LEED Certified |
LEED Silver |
LEED Gold |
Living Building Challenge |
Living Learning Center at Tyson |
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Seigle Hall |
S40 House |
Genome Data Sequencing Center |
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Umrath House |
Brauer Hall |
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Busch Hall |
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Child Care Center |
Achievements That Have Lessened Our Impact on the Food System
Achievements That Have Lessened Our Impact on the Waste System
Achievements That Have Lessened Our Impact on the Natural Environment
Despite our achievements, the university faces many challenges in achieving our aspirations. Some of these are within our control, some are dictated by governmental policies, and others by issues of economics and the limits of technology. As we tackle our goals for sustainable operations, an awareness of these challenges is essential in our efforts to set realistic but aggressive goals. Key challenges include the need for campus growth to meet our mission, the lack of viable renewable energy sources, weaknesses in the regional public transportation system, limitations in food delivery systems and an inconsistent market for recycled materials.
Campus Growth
Since 1990, the university has grown from 5.7 million square feet to over 10.6 million square feet of space, an 87% increase. Meeting our core research mission requires that much of this ever-expanding space is dedicated to laboratories, which are inherently more energy-intensive than office or classroom space. On a per square foot basis, we have reduced energy utilization by 31.3% on the Danforth Campus and 51.0% on the Medical Campus (To see graphs illustrating our reduction in energy needs per square foot, visit: http://www.wustl.edu/initiatives/sustain/strategicplan-final/energyusesqft.htmll). Despite this increase in efficiency, our growth in square feet has led to a total increase in energy use of approximately 10.4% and in greenhouse gas emissions of 27.2% from 1990 to 2009. Our next challenge is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and our overall energy needs as we continue to grow. To achieve a reduction in energy usage, we must employ a combination of strategies, including the avoidance of new emissions, reduction of current usage, and exploration of cleaner energy sources.
Lack of Renewable Energy Sources
The Midwest region is highly dependent on fossil fuels for energy. Renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric, solar and wind are neither readily available nor as highly efficient in the St. Louis region, which ranks slightly below average among the nation’s largest 25 cities for the potential for utilization of solar energy, and it is in the lowest category for use of wind power. This makes rapid deployment of these technologies unlikely. Additionally, we live in an area where electricity produced by fossil fuels, especially coal and natural gas, is inexpensively available: Missouri has the seventh least expensive electricity in the country for commercial users. This low cost of energy makes it economically less advantageous to utilize renewable energy sources or to take certain energy-efficiency measures. The majority of our energy is also directly supplied by AmerenUE and the Laclede Gas Company, so we are dependent on their production methods.
Weaknesses in the St. Louis Regional Public Transportation System
Although our campuses are highly accessible by Metro, St. Louis’ regional public transit system, with five light-rail stops, a campus circulator and multiple nearby bus lines, the system faces challenges with infrastructure development and operations. In addition, St. Louis is a relatively low-density region, making higher utilization of public transportation challenging.
Limitations in our Food System
Although we live in a fertile agricultural region where 66% of the land in Missouri is dedicated to farms, we are dependent on national food suppliers to provide us with the majority of our food products. The current national food system is designed to provide all varieties of produce and food at all times of the year, importing crops from far away, regardless of the inputs necessary to produce and transport these products. Our regional growing season limits the options we have for locally produced food during much of the academic year. Our desire to serve more local, seasonal, fair and ecologically sound food is, therefore, challenged by a lack of availability of such food products from our major purveyors.
Weak Market for Recycled Materials
In dealing with our waste reduction and diversion, we face infrastructural challenges on campus as well as systemic market challenges beyond our control. Many of our buildings, designed without the intention of supporting comprehensive recycling, lack convenient locations for bins or docks for pick-up. In the current economy, reduced demand for recycled materials has impacted what we can recycle affordably.
The primary purpose of our strategic plan for sustainable operations is to create an infrastructure that leads to a significant reduction of our greenhouse gas emissions. We must do this by changing the way we do business and improving all aspects of our operations. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are emitted from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, which power normal university functions such as construction, transportation, and heating and cooling operations. Our consumption of food, water, and materials also contributes to the greenhouse gases that are released from landfills, agricultural and industrial processes. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases, we have also set goals that are crucial to Washington University’s sustainability vision in the areas of food, waste, and preservation of the natural environment.
A. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 greenhouse gas emissions level by 2020 without purchasing carbon offsets.
Global climate change is caused largely by the world’s increased emissions of greenhouse gases. Research suggests that global warming of 1°C over the global average temperature in the year 2000 is likely to be dangerous (pdf), potentially triggering the melting of Antarctic and Arctic sea ice, which could in turn lead to rapid and wild fluctuations in climate. Our goal requires that we manage our campus growth and increase energy efficiency in virtually every building on all of our campuses. We are also assuming that our third-party energy suppliers will use more renewable energy in accordance with a Missouri ballot initiative that was passed in 2008, an initiative that required that 15% of all energy produced by Missouri utilities be from renewable sources.
B. Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and build more sustainably by achieving standards equivalent to or exceeding LEED Silver for all new construction and major renovations of existing buildings, and pursuing LEED Gold or Platinum when appropriate.
One way to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while continuing to grow is by radically increasing the efficiency of our buildings. Since 1988, Washington University has more than doubled total square footage on and off-campus. To limit the impact of new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings, we already use LEED standards that establish a holistic set of criteria covering sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process. The LEED certification levels from lowest to highest are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.
C. Reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing solo-occupant automobiles coming to campus by 10% by the year 2012.
Another way we will reduce our carbon footprint is by discouraging solo-occupant commuting to campus. The United States Department of Transportation estimates that 28% of our country’s greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to transportation; 63% of those emissions come from passenger cars and small trucks. Increasing the use of walking, public transportation, and bicycling is not only environmentally preferable, but it also has economic benefits to the university. Underground parking is virtually the only option for expanding parking on the Danforth Campus. At an estimated initial cost of $45,000 per space, underground parking is an option we would like to avoid.
D. Reduce our impact on the food system by working with our dining service partners to develop a system for measuring and purchasing more food that is produced and distributed locally, humanely, fairly and in an ecologically sound manner.
A significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions throughout the world are caused by food and agriculture production, so changing the amount and types of food we purchase can contribute to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. We cannot feasibly limit our food purchasing selection to local food only, because in Missouri we would severely lack variety in options during the off-season, so we must focus on purchasing the most sustainable options and encouraging sustainable local production.
E. Lower our landfill impact by reducing our solid waste by 20% on the Medical Campus and 35% on the Danforth Campus by 2012. This can be achieved by decreasing waste before its arrival on campus and through increased diversion and recycling efforts across campuses.
Despite progress made in utilizing gases emitted from landfills, burying garbage still results in the release of more greenhouse gases than recycling and reduction of waste. In addition, landfills contaminate our groundwater. We must, therefore, not only recycle more but reduce the total waste we produce in the first place. We need to become more efficient in our purchasing and encourage our suppliers to reduce packaging. This goal requires cooperation with our suppliers of materials in a variety of areas, improved infrastructure as well as comprehensive campaigns to encourage our community to reduce, reuse and recycle in offices, labs and dorms.
F. Work toward a natural environment that recognizes the benefits of native plants and minimizes the need to use potable water and herbicides and pesticides on our campuses
We must continually examine whether new plantings on campus can be composed of native plants. Native plants are better able to handle the climate, soils and rainfalls of our region. They will not invade new habitats as alien plants tend to and should increase the biodiversity of our campus by attracting other native species. An economic benefit is that native plants often require significantly less maintenance than introduced species.
G. Foster a culture of responsible use of natural resources and environmental sustainability on campus among staff, faculty and students.
The following steps will be necessary in order to achieve our ambitions of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lessening our impact on the food and waste systems, and improving the quality of our environment.
Next steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy, building and transportation measures
A. Energy efficiency
Washington University will achieve the most dramatic reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions through energy-efficiency measures. Over the past six months, the university has conducted two detailed studies of energy efficiency using a sample of buildings on the Danforth and Medical campuses. The analysis identified approximately $46.6 million in energy efficiency projects, which will both reduce long-term cost to the university and reduce greenhouse gases. If fully implemented, this energy-efficiency program will result annually in a 23% reduction in energy costs, a 16% reduction in electricity use, a 33% reduction in fuel use, and a 27% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from our 2009 usage. A detailed analysis of this energy efficiency work may be requested by emailing sustainability@wustl.edu. Specific proposed steps on the campuses include the improvement of our lighting equipment and design, replacement or modification of our existing fume hoods and installation of heat recovery chillers.
The energy-efficiency measures we will undertake on the Danforth and Medical campuses are exemplified by a current garage lighting retrofit on the Danforth Campus, in which the labor is being performed in-house and the cost of materials reduced from $122,875 to $76,430 by an Ameren incentive rebate. This project will result in annual kilowatt savings of 928,888 kWHrs. At the current commercial rate for electricity, our cost savings will exceed our expenditures in less than two years.
Additional key steps are to continue to purchase whenever possible ENERGY STAR equipment and work towards reducing phantom loads from appliances and IT equipment.
B. Energy awareness
The energy-efficiency measures of the campuses will be greatly aided if our students, faculty and staff are actively engaged in energy-reduction efforts. Since March 2009, the Medical Campus has had an Energy Awareness Committee that is working to empower its community members to work on ways to reduce consumption of energy at the end-user level. The Danforth Campus started an Energy Awareness Committee in October 2009 largely for its faculty and staff and is exploring with student leaders how to best expand awareness throughout our student population.
Members of the committees have created subcommittees to address the particular concerns of labs, IT and public awareness. An initiative of the lab subcommittee is one that will have significant impact on energy usage. This subcommittee has conducted a detailed energy audit of a lab to calculate the effect of altering the timing of tests, the turning off of equipment, including fume hoods, when not in use, and eliminating unnecessary equipment. The intention of the lab subcommittee is to make other labs aware of these energy-efficiency measures.
Steps we can take as individuals:
C. Metering and economy incentives
Metering is a complex undertaking that measures the electric, water and gas consumption in buildings. Washington University currently has very limited metering of its utilities. Metering is essential to alert building managers as to when an energy device or the building is not operating properly and informs the users of a building’s energy usage. This information can then be used to track conservation efforts and charge users of energy by consumption. The university will over the next several years proceed with the metering of all our campuses as a means to not only increase awareness and the efficiency of the delivery of energy, but also so that we can move toward charging users for their actual energy consumption and thus encourage the undertaking of measures that avoid and reduce energy usage.
Steps we can take as individuals:
As new technologies develop, Washington University must seek economically feasible ways to utilize renewable energy. Preliminary evidence suggests that the best candidate for cost-effective use of renewable energy is the use of solar power for electricity and hot water in off-campus residential properties.
Steps we can take as individuals:
E. Improving our buildings and our campus design
Energy consumption is not the only sustainability issue with our buildings. We must address the materials that are used, the indoor air quality, water efficiency as well as the aesthetics of what we are building.
Steps we can take as individuals:
F. Improving our Transportation Choices
Washington University must encourage our community to come to our campuses through other means than solo-occupant cars and avoid unnecessary professional travel.
Steps we can take as individuals:
Next steps to lessen our impact on the food system and reduce greenhouse gases
We must work with local and national food providers so that the foods we eat are healthier for us and for the environment.
Steps we can take as individuals:
Next steps to reduce greenhouse gases and our impact on landfills by lessening our waste and purchasing more responsibly
Washington University must strive toward bringing fewer materials onto campus and recycling more of our waste.
Steps we can take as individuals:
Next steps to reduce impact on the natural environment
Washington University must landscape more sustainably.
Steps we can take as individuals:
Next steps to foster a culture of sustainability
Washington University will encourage a culture of sustainability throughout the campus community. Many of the ways that this will be addressed have already been identified in the previous goals, but a few examples are also provided here.
Washington University intends for this Strategic Plan for Environmentally Sustainable Operations to be a living document that facilitates continual investigation and improvement. The quality of this plan will ultimately be measured by our ability to improve the sustainability of our campus. In order to know that we are moving in the right direction, we must measure our improvement.
To keep this process vital, we must measure our progress and report it in a clear and effective way on our sustainability website (wustl.edu/initiatives/sustain/). We have listed examples of metrics that we will use in each of our areas of focus.
In 2013 and 2017, Washington University will also formally evaluate its progress in achieving the goals set forth in this strategic plan, and set new goals, when appropriate.
Measurements Indicating a Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions Relating to Energy Usage, Buildings and Transportation
Measurements Indicating Reduced Impact on Food System and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Measurements Indicating Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Impact on Landfills by Lessening Our Waste and Purchasing More Responsibly
Measurements Indicating Reduced Impact on the Ecosystem