facilities management environmental report fy15
TRANSCRIPT
Environmental Report
FY15
In 2015, CSU Achieved Its 1st LEED Platinum Certi�cationThe Pavilion at Laurel Village
Postsecondary Sustainability Award
In 2015 CSU was honored with one of the �rst Green
Ribbon Schools Postsecondary Sustainability Awards by the U.S.
Department of Education
CSU has become the �rst university to achieve Platinum status – the highest possible – under the STARS rating system, an independent
program that measures comprehensive sustainability e�orts at more than 700 universities across the globe.
STARS Platinum Rating for Sustainability
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Colorado State University is now home to20 LEED-Certi�ed Green Buildings
Sustainability Highlights - FY15
1.2 Megawatts of Solar Energy Installed in FY15
Living Wall in The Pavilion
ContentsFacilities Management at CSU Overview................................
STARS (Sustainability Tracking and Rating System).............
Annual Progress Report.............................................................
Climate Action Plan....................................................................
Greenhouse Gas Footprint.........................................................
Building Design and Construction...........................................
Energy Reserve Fund..................................................................
Water and Energy.........................................................................
Integrated Solid Waste...............................................................
Transportation.............................................................................
Milestones....................................................................................
Partnerships, Memberships, and Special Initiatives.............
Resources......................................................................................
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“Facilities Management is committed to the conservation of natural resources while providing the optimal environment for research, public service, and education at the university.” - Steve Hultin, Director of Facilities Management
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Facilities Management at Colorado State University
Mission Statement
The Facilities Management Department is committed to quality competitive service. Our mission is to anticipate and provide the physical environment, which enables Colorado State University to achieve its objectives in instruction, research, and public service.
Vision
Facilities Management is an organization where continuous improvement in service is the standard. We will be recognized by the community as the service provider of choice. We will do this by delivering excellent service, by being a partner in addressing our customers’ needs, by fulfilling our stewardship role, and by being an innovative leader. Because FM employees are the most important part of realizing our vision, we are committed to ensuring that Facilities Management is a valued and energizing place to work where everyone has the opportunity to contribute, learn, and grow.
Values
We are Good Stewards: We are responsible in planning and managing university resources.We are Caring: We look after and provide for the needs of our employees and the campus community.We are Collaborative: We work with others to arrive at mutually beneficial outcomes.We are Progressive: We advocate and implement innovative, industry-leading solutions.We are Experts: We bring expert skill and knowledge in our respective fields.
Environmental Report OverviewAt $20.4 million, Colorado State University’s annual utility bill represents a significant operating expense; 2% of the entire University budget. Facilities Management has responsibility for all physical aspects of the campus, including: long-range planning, design, remodeling, construction, roads, grounds, parking, buildings, and all associated mechanical systems, including heating, cooling, etc. Each of these presents the opportunity to minimize our environmental impact.
Facilities Management is committed to conserving energy and water in order to provide a healthier and more sustainable campus and community. The following environmental report offers a glimpse of the features and initiatives accomplished by Facilities Management in FY15 regarding sustainable practices.
This environmental report also provides Facilities Management a measurement of progress towards a more sustainable institution while recognizing the efforts from the past year.
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A view from inside Oscar, the in-vessel composter located at Foothills Campus
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STARS
In FY15 CSU became the first and only campus to achieve platinum status – the highest possible – under STARS (Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System), an independent program that measures sustainability efforts at more than 700 universities across the globe. It is considered the most comprehensive and well-respected sustainability metric.
“This STARS rating reaffirms that CSU is a national leader in building a sustainable, environmentally responsible campus community,” President Tony Frank said. “That commitment to sustainability is woven through Colorado State’s academics, research, student engagement, operations, planning, and administration by the conscious efforts of our students, faculty and staff. There is no one office in charge of sustainability at Colorado State – it’s a collective effort of the entire community, and we’ve made progress because of the vision, hard work and tireless dedication of many, many people.”
Academics/ Research32%
Engagement23%
O perations23%
Planning/ Admin17%
Innovation5%
STARS Percent Score by Category
STARS 2.0 Report Summary
Category Score Points Possible
Academics 54.92 58Engagement 40.55 41Operations 39.09 70
Planning & Administration 28.83 32Innovation 4.00 4
STARS reporting is divided into five categories: academics and research; operations; engagement; planning and administration; and innovation. Schools submit the information and are awarded a rating of Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum – based on their score.
For a Platinum submittal, AASHE personnel conduct a comprehensive review of all credits before the institution’s report is approved to ensure that content is consistent with STARS credit criteria and meets the intent of the STARS credit. All potential inconsistencies identified during the review required follow-up, no matter how minor.
As the first Platinum submittee, a strict review protocol was followed to set a very high standard for future submissions. CSU became the pilot for AASHE’s platinum review process. To benefit other institutions pursuing STARS Platinum, the review results were shared transparently and publicly on the AASHE website.
Overview
STARS Score by Category
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“Today we celebrate a milestone in our sustainability efforts here at CSU. I want to thank all of you that have worked hard to help us be the first university to achieve a Platinum STARS score. While this score is representatives of all areas on campus (academics, research, engagement, administration & operations), our department is key to many of the points in the operations category. So whether you are recycling, building & designing green buildings, helping reduce energy & water use on campus, or helping to manage the landscape you all help to make CSU a better place for us and the environment.” - Steve Hultin, Director of Facilities Management
As Colorado State University completed STARS 1.2 in late 2013, the score was very near the Platinum threshold. The STARS application team reviewed the 2.0 criteria and identified several initiatives that would further campus sustainability while simultaneously moving the university towards a potential Platinum rating. A STARS 2.0 team was formed to develop a “Path to Platinum” plan in partnership with the President’s Sustainability Committee (PSC), a newly reorganized committee with representation from all colleges and divisions on campus.
Path to Platinum
The STARS 2.0 team was comprised of a core team with at least one member from each of the following: President’s Office, Facilities Management, Student Affairs, Housing & Dining Services, and School of Global Environmental Sustainability (SoGES). The larger PSC membership provided invaluable support to this team.
The “Path to Platinum” plan had many pieces but there were three primary goals/strategies that were implemented:
1. Develop a more robust sustainability course incentive program through the School of Global Environmental Sustainability.
Outcome:Developed a mini grant application open to any faculty member on campus interested in integrating sustainability curriculum into an existing or new course.
2. Enhance the Campus Sustainability Literacy Assessment. Outcome:A College of Health and Human Sciences PhD student overhauled the survey and ran statistical analysis as her dissertation project. Best practices for Sustainability Literacy Assessments were reviewed from other campuses and implemented as part of both the survey tool and the analysis of survey data .
3. Identify investment disclosure best practices and work with the CSU Foundation to implement.
Outcome:The President of the CSU Foundation and the CSU Chief Financial Officer worked closely with our STARS 2.0 Team and AASHE staff to identify best practices and interpretation of the investment disclosure credit.
The plan was implemented throughout 2014 with the STARS submission and AASHE collaborative review process commencing in December 2014. The Platinum rating was officially announced in March 2015.
The full STARS reports can be found at: https://stars.aashe.org/institutions/colorado-state-university-co/report/
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Progress Report
Below is FM’s FY15 Progress Report, where areas of environmental impact from facilities operations, both negative and positive, are highlighted.
Ratings are based on whether a smaller or larger ecological footprint was generated compared to FY14 with three leaves indicating a positive trend towards a more sustainable campus, two leaves is a lack of
change, and one leaf indicates a negative trend.
Positive trend towards a more sustainable campus:
Lack of change or inadequate data:
A negative trend towards a more sustainable campus:
Bu ildings and T ransportation W ater and E nergy Use W aste and E missions
O perations and M aintenance
W ater Use
W aste G eneration
Achievements: Energy Reserve Fund has decreased total energy use per square foot by 13% and water use by 5% since 2012.
Achievements: Water use is down on Foothills Campus (up on Main and South campuses).
Achievements: Amount landfilled per student decreased by 15% since FY14.
Goals:Increase preventative maintenance and retro-commissioning efforts.
Goals: Continue autoclave water conservation kit installs. Pursue additional water conservation projects.
Goals: Work with Procurement to further reduce wasteful packaging.
Design and Constru ction
E nergy Use
Recycling and Composting
Achievements: 1st LEED Platinum Building – The Pavilion.
Achievements: Electricity use is higher than FY14, but decreasing when adjusted for campus growth.
Achievements: Award from EPA for food waste diversion.
Goals:Continue striving to build high performance buildings.
Goals: Inspire increased conservation practices around campus.
Goals: Expand on-site composting and campus-wide collection.
T ransportation
E nergy Sou rces
G H G E missions
Achievements: “Around the Horn” campus shuttle and free Transfort transit passes for staff.
Achievements: 1,200 kW of new solar PV arrays in collaboration with the City of Fort Collins.
Achievements: Down ~3.5% since FY14 and aligned with Climate Action Plan.
Goals: Increase percentage of FM employees that use alternative transportation at least 2 times per week.
Goals: Additional solar, renewable ready buildings, and utility-scale wind power.
Goals: Carbon neutral by 2050 and a 75% reduction by 2030.
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Climate Action Plan
In 2010, Colorado State University released its first Climate Action Plan (CAP). The CAP outlines strategies to guide the university to carbon neutrality by the year 2050. Colorado State University is a signatory of the Carbon Commitment (formerly known as the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment). To track our progress, Colorado State also completes an annual greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. This 2015 update provides an opportunity to demonstrate progress made toward the original goals and explain updates to the original plan.
The Climate Action Plan establishes a series of short-term, medium-term and long-term strategies for reduction and mitigation of CSU’s net greenhouse gas emissions. CSU and the other Carbon Commitment signatory schools are helping to show the rest of the society how to work toward climate neutrality. Actions taken here at CSU and all across the country will move us toward climate neutrality. These actions will also dramatically reduce operating costs, train workers for clean energy jobs, and spur innovation in energy efficiency, transportation, and renewable power.
The CAP mitigation strategies are projected to reduce CSU’s net greenhouse gas emissions to climate neutrality by 2050. As an intermediate goal along this trajectory, CSU aims to achieve reduction in emissions of 75% over FY10 emissions by FY30. With the strong commitment of students, faculty, staff, and the broader Fort Collins community, CSU is working to implement this plan and realize the local and global benefits of setting a trajectory for climate neutrality.
CSU’s Climate Action Plan
July 2015 Update
CAP Mitigation StrategiesEnergy Use in Buildings Renewable Energy Other
High-Performance New Construction
Outreach, Smart Metering, & Behavioral Changes
Increase Waste DiversionCogeneration
Solar & Wind Energy
Ground Source Heat PumpBuilding Energy Efficiency & Re-commissioning
Reduce Fleet Fuel Consumption
Carbon Sequestration in Forests
Utility & State Policies Computer Power Management & Server Virtualization
Offset Airline Travel & Commuting
Business-As-Usual Forecast for CSU
Building energy efficiency
Renewable energy
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FY06 FY10 FY14 FY18 FY22 FY26 FY30 FY34 FY38 FY42 FY46 FY50
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Energy conservationUtility policiesTransportation
Solid waste diversionForest carbon sequestration
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Cogeneration/CCHPActual
GHG Reductions Wedge Diagram
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Electricity55%
Agriculture2%
Fleet Transportation2%
Natural Gas & Propane25%
Refrigerants1%
Airline Travel8%
Commuting7%
Solid Waste<1%
Greenhouse Gas Footprint
CSU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Sources - FY15
Target “Net Zero” Date: 2050
How are greenhouse gases measured?Colorado State’s GHG footprint is a measure of the emissions that result from humans, animals, buildings, and equipment. When calculating carbon footprints, greenhouse gases are converted to metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2E) by multiplying by their global warming potential. A greenhouse gas footprint is often called a carbon footprint because of this conversion.
What is carbon neutrality?According to the Carbon Commitment, carbon neutrality means that CSU will have no net GHG emissions, achieved by reducing current emissions as much as possible and using offsets or other means to negate remaining GHGs.
While CSU has compiled GHG emissions inventory’s since FY06, the FY10 GHG inventory serves as the baseline year for Carbon Commitment. The Climate Action Plan outlines how and when CSU will achieve climate neutrality.
In 2008, CSU became a signatory of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (now known as the Carbon Commitment). The goal of this effort is for university campuses to reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions to the point of carbon neutrality. In short, the commitment requires participating campuses to take the following steps in pursuit of climate neutrality:• Conduct an annual, comprehensive GHG inventory• Develop a comprehensive plan (a Climate Action Plan) to lay out the strategy to
achieve climate neutrality• Make the action plan, inventory, and periodic progress reports publicly available and
update them every 2 years.
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An emission factor is a representative value that relates the quantity of a pollutant released to the atmosphere with an activity associated with the release of that pollutant (EPA). The electric emissions factor is associated with the fuel mix used to produce the electricity used at CSU. FY14 was a drought year. This resulted in a smaller amount of hydroelectric power and a higher amount of coal was used. This had a direct impact on the CSU GHG footprint. In FY14, electricity use had actually gone down, but emissions related to that electricity went up.
Down 19% since FY10
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Building Design & Construction
The Design and Construction Services section of Facilities Management provides architectural, interior, and engineering design services; construction management; and project estimating. Any physical changes to property owned or leased by the University must be performed by or in cooperation with Facilities Management. Bidding or contracting work done by an outside contractor also requires prior Facilities Management review and approval.
Overview
LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) CertificationThe U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED green building rating system is a voluntary, market-driven national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. Based on well-founded scientific standards, LEED emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED recognizes achievements and promotes expertise in green building through a comprehensive system offering project certification, professional accreditation, training and practical resources. CSU has been a member of USGBC since 2002.
There are four levels of certification: • LEED Platinum• LEED Gold• LEED Silver• LEED Certified
• Guggenheim (Silver, 2005)• Transit Center (Gold, 2007)• Academic Training Center (Gold, 2010)• Aspen Hall (Gold, 2010)• Human Performance Clinical Research Lab (Gold, 2010)• Rockwell West (Gold, 2010)• Behavioral Sciences Building (Gold, 2011)• Indoor Practice Facility (Gold, 2011)• Research Innovation Center (Gold, 2011)• CSFS Fire Management (Certified, 2012)• Lake St. Parking Garage (Gold, 2012)• Rec Center Expansion (Gold, 2012)• Morgan Library Cube (Silver, 2013)• Scott Bioengineering Building (Gold, 2013)• Lory Student Center Theatre (Gold, 2013)• Durrell Center (Gold, 2014)• Summit Hall (Gold, 2014)• Alpine Hall (Gold, 2015)• Pinon Hall (Gold, 2015)• Laurel Village Pavilion (Platinum, 2015)
Current LEED-Certified Buildings on CampusThe Office of the State
Architect has established that LEED Gold is the targeted performance
level for new and significantly remodeled
state buildings.
In 2015 Colorado State University students
through ASCSU resolved that new construction and major renovations
on campus were encouraged to seek
LEED Gold certification, or higher. Since 2005, CSU has constructed or renovated 20 LEED certified buildings, with several more pending
approval.
Best Practices
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Solar array being installed on Braiden Hall
CSU Campus Building Growth
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Laurel Village
The Pavilion at Laurel Village is the outcome of successful design collaboration with the intent of building a creative and environmentally-friendly space for the student community. The design includes many innovative features, local and recycled materials, and office space for the Eco-Leaders, who are students in the residence halls that encourage sustainable behavior and raise awareness about environmental responsibility. Thanks to the leadership and vision of Housing and Dining Services, the Pavilion became CSU’s first LEED Platinum building in 2015.
The Pavilion provides lounge and meeting spaces for students. The Pavilion also includes space to showcase student and faculty work as part of the annual Art & Science Exhibition as well as a projector wall for community movie nights. It is also home to The Spoke, the University’s bicycle maintenance and education workshop. 80% of the students at CSU have registered a bike and can take advantage of the free bike repair education. If students assist with the repair, there is no charge for labor, only parts.
Other innovative sustainability features include: • Living Interior Wall - Biophilic Design• Living Slope - Reduces Heat Island Effect• Katabatic Cooling Tower - Passive Cooling• Trombe Wall - Passive Heating and Cooling • Reclaimed/Repurposed Materials• Agora Bi-Fold Garage Doors• Over 93% of the material from the deconstruction
of the Lory Apartments was recycled, repurposed, reused, or otherwise diverted from the landfill.
Passive heating and cooling from the Katabatic Cooling Tower, Trombe Wall, and operable bay doors
Living slope connects the top �oor to the outdoor green space and reduces the heat island e�ect.
The Pavilion
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Pinon and Alpine HallThe two, 200,000-square-foot residence halls provide 615 beds in 408 resident units, 400 in the College of Natural Science learning community and over 215 for second year students. They also provide classroom and study areas for the College of Natural Sciences academic program. The residence halls are a wood frame, concrete podium structure with a brick, stone, stucco, metal panel, and glazing exterior.
Alpine and Pinon Hall align with the intentions of community interaction, support, and learning that Laurel Village was designed around. With 20,000 sq. ft. of academic program space, students can utilize the two fully-equipped science classrooms, the outdoor amphitheatre and classroom, the academic commons found in all three buildings, and the academic support coordinators that have offices in the village.
The residence halls received LEED Gold certification and host a number of green construction features, which include:
• Access to public transportation• Maximized open space• Water use reduction• Optimized energy performance• Use of regional and low-emitting materials• Green housekeeping program• Environmentally preferable purchasing policy• Public sustainability education program• Use of daylight in over 75% of occupied spaces
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Lory Student Center RevitalizationSince 1962, the Lory Student Center (LSC) has been the community center for all members of the Colorado State University campus including students, faculty, staff, and visitors. In October of 2011, The Board of Governors approved the revitalization of the Lory Student Center to meet the needs of the growing campus community. The Lory Student Center identified the following five goals in the Lory Student Center master plan:
1. Renovate the Theatre to make it a flexible, multipurpose auditorium venue.
2. Expand the Ballroom by 6,000 square feet to accommodate a growing campus population. In doing so, capitalize on the increased space on the upper level of the building by expanding the food court on the main level.
3. Co-locate the offices of Student Diversity Programs and Services (formerly known as the Advocacy offices).
4. Integrate the Lory Student Center with exterior program spaces to support campus and community events. This includes the lagoon, west lawn, amphitheater, and sculpture garden.
5. Address the aging HVAC and infrastructure needs associated with a 50-year-old building.
Courtesy of the University Historic Photograph Collection, Archives & Special Collections, Morgan Library, CSU.
Construction began in 2013, renovating 160,000 gsf of the existing Lory Student Center and adding approximately 69,600 gsf of new space. Rather than building a new student center, the revitalization allowed the University to preserve parts of its history and avoid some the carbon footprint of demolition. Additions to the interior and exterior improved both the visual quality and the energy performance of the building. The renovation also allowed for replacement of the 50-year-old mechanical systems with new, energy efficient systems.
The Lory Student Center Transit Center addition was the first campus project to receive a Gold LEED rating in 2007. In 2013, the LSC Theatre was renovated and received LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors. The revitalization of the rest of the Lory Student Center sought to surpass a Gold LEED rating and is awaiting certification.
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Energy Reserve Fund
The Energy Reserve Fund (ERF) is based on the idea that being green can be profitable (or more accurately; bring a return on investment). The fund was created to provide stable and predictable funding for energy and water efficiency projects at a time when budgeting for any projects was challenging. Colorado State has a long history of funding efficiency projects, but like many of our peer institutions, funding projects from year to year was difficult as Facilities Management competed with academic and other Facilities needs for limited dollars.
In 2012, the Vice President for University Operations, Amy Parsons, initiated the ERF. The structure was to take one time “seed money” of $500,000/year for 5 years. Additionally, the savings from the implemented projects would be returned to the fund. As a result of seeding the ERF for the first five years, the fund became self-sustaining – with savings from previous years’ projects continuing to fund new cost-saving initiatives.
Each year, Facilities staff and a subcommittee of the President’s Sustainability Committee review proposed projects and select next year’s projects based on potential savings and other benefits to the university (maintenance, safety, greenhouse gas reductions, etc). On average, the ERF funded projects have provided a return of nearly 20% to the university (i.e. for every $500,000 invested, the university saves $100,000/year).
Over the past four years, the Energy Reserve Fund has produced savings of over $600,000/year in energy costs. Since the ERF has been established, total energy use has decreased 13% when normalized for weather and building square footage, water use is down 5% and overall utility costs have remained stable despite increases in most utility rates.
Overview
ERF Financed Projects in FY15• Upgrade air handler in Chemistry Building
- The air handler in Chemistry was dated to 1971 and was in poor condition. Rebuilding the air handler (replacing coils, pumps, motors, etc.) provided significant energy savings and years of additional useful life.
• Free Cooling at the South Campus Chill Water Plant- The South Campus (including the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Diagnostic Medicine Center) is served by a central cooling plant. This project added a small air- cooled chiller, so in the wintertime when there are small process cooling loads, the large chiller and cooling tower can be turned off and the load can be met with the small chiller.
• Replacement/Repair/Refurbishment of Building Steam Traps (thousands on campus)- Steam Traps separate condensate from dry steam, essential for proper and efficient operation of steam systems.- A failed trap can leak dry steam, costing ~$8,000 per year, even for the smallest trap.- This project is jointly funded with Facilities Maintenance and provides substantial energy and maintenance savings.
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Water & Energy
Facilities Management has been making great strides to reduce water and energy consumption at Colorado State University despite large growth in campus size and student population. Since 2010, the campus building square footage has grown 14% with an increased student population of 7%. In the same time period electricity and water usage has only increased by 3% campus-wide and natural gas usage has decreased by 11%.
Regular maintenance, renovations, and re-commissioning programs optimize the energy performance of buildings on campus. Some of these projects are funded through FM’s Energy Reserve Fund. Efficient energy use reduces Colorado State’s total energy demand, decreases harmful emissions, and minimizes the cost of providing energy to the campus. Behavioral campaigns to change student and staff conservation behaviors have also proven to be effective. Contact Stacey Baumgarn, Campus Energy Coordinator to learn about the ways you can save energy, water, and resources at work and in your building: [email protected] (970-491-0328).
+ 14%
+ 7%
+ 3%
-11%
-7%
-15.0%
-10.0%
-5.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15
% C
hang
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Y10
Colorado State U niversity U tility U sage Compared to Growth
GSF Full Time StudentsWater (K gal) Electricity (Mwh)Gas (Dth) GHG Emissions (Tons CO 2e)
Overview
Advanced MeteringNew Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) gives Facility Management the ability to control loads,
facilitate conservation programs & competitions, and better understand loads to minimize cost and use of energy and water.
Other benefits include: reduced labor costs involved in reading traditional meters, replacement of inaccurate/unreliable meters, more accurate and timely data, enhanced data for educational outreach
and behavioral campaigns, and better data for verifying energy savings from completed projects.
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Chrisman Field Engineering BuildingAcademic VillageBehavioral Sciences BuildingLake Street Parking GarageResearch Innovation CenterMorgan Library - �e CubePowerhouse Energy CampusBraiden HallStudent Recreation CenterParmelee HallUniversity Center for the ArtsVeterinary Teaching HospitalEdwards Hall
20092009200920102010201020122013201420152015201520152015
5,300 kW19 kW13 kW16 kW
133 kW54 kW
4 kW22 kW
100 kW545 kW139 kW
99 kW220 kW
92 kW
Location System Size Year Installed
Solar PV A collaboration between Colorado State University, Fort Collins Utilities and Namaste Solar (Boulder-based solar company) brought solar arrays to the roofs of the Student Recreation Center, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Braiden Hall, Parmalee Hall, Edwards Hall, and the University Center for the Arts. The buildings were chosen for having received new roofs in the past few years and optimal solar location. As of June 2015, CSU and Namaste Solar completed the installation of 1,200 kW of solar PV with the lease of six campus rooftops through the Solar Power Purchase Program (SP3).
Fort Collins Utilities’ SP3 pilot program purchases electricity from solar systems installed on business rooftops across the city through a 20-year contract. At CSU, the panels will provide 1,200 kilowatts of power to Fort Collins, enough to produce about 1.65 million kilowatt hours a year, powering about 180 average homes.
AutoclavesColorado State University has many laboratories and health facilities across campus that use steam autoclaves to sterilize laboratory equipment. Autoclaves sterilize objects by injecting steam into a chamber . When the steam comes in contact with the equipment it condenses to water. The condensate is then sent to the drain, but it is too hot to send down the drain without dilution. Traditionally, the condensate is then cooled down using continuously running cold water, resulting in a constant stream of water being sent down the drain.
Engineers at Colorado State analyzed campus water use and determined that laboratory buildings and the Veterinary Teaching Hospital were the largest water users on campus, requiring more water than all the other campus buildings combined. In an effort to reduce autoclave water use throughout campus, Colorado State installed water saver kits on the steam sterilizers that monitor the temperature of the drain line and only inject cold water when needed, saving great amounts of water.
Each kit individually saves almost 360,000 gallons per year. As a result of installing these kits, Colorado State saves an estimated $1,440 per device per year in water and sewer charges.
Campus Solar Arrays
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Composting Integrated Waste Management supports Housing and Dining to manage Oscar, the in-vessel composter on Foothills Campus. The system can process 2,000 lbs of
food waste and bulking material per day. After a 14-day composting cycle, the material cures for several weeks in open piles. Then, it is ready to be used as a nutrient
rich compost on various landscaping projects on CSU’s campuses. The remaining HDS food waste is sent to the Fort Collins Wastewater Treatment plant where it is used
to boost the methane production in their biodigester. That methane is then used to heat the plant.
Integrated Solid Waste
The Integrated Solid Waste (ISW) team has implemented many campus-wide programs and initiatives with the aim of embedding a culture of recycling for students, faculty, and staff. In 2015, the EPA recognized Sheela Backen, CSU’s Integrated Solid Waste Program Manager, for spearheading the campus’s food recovery and recycling program, which diverts waste from the landfill and provides food to local charities. The diversion of food waste greatly increased the total landfill diversion rate at CSU to 79.1% in FY15.
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10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
FY92
FY93
FY94
FY95
FY96
FY97
FY98
FY99
FY 00
FY 01
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FY 03
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FY 05
FY 06
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FY15
CUBIC
YARDS
Landfill vs Recycle vs Compost FY92 to FY15
Landfilled (c.y.) Recycled (c.y.) Compost (c.y.)
Overview
Note: Compost at agricultural campuses not counted before FY14
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CSU Waste Audit 2015
ISW plays a huge role each year during residence hall move-in and move-out. Each fall, new residents move into CSU’s residence halls and empty many cardboard boxes in the process. During FY15 residence hall move-in, cardboard “corrals” were set up throughout campus. In Fall of 2014, 19.8 tons of cardboard were recycled following Move-in. This program immediately engages students in the recycling efforts at CSU.
Moving out can also generate a lot of waste. In an effort to prevent perfectly good items from going to the landfill HDS and ISW implemented the “Leave It Behind” program. ISW provides locations at each resident hall to collect food, clothing, shoes, towels, dishes, lamps, desks, couches, coffee pots, plants, and more. All re-usable items are then sold in a community yard sale through Surplus Property – with the net proceeds used to support the Eco Leaders Program. In May 2015:
• 5,386 people attended the annual Surplus Property tent sale (the highest amount yet).
• 236 volunteer hours were donated by students, staff, faculty, and community members to sort, setup, and run the sale (up from 165 hours in FY14).
• 18 tons of reusable goods were donated to the program. • The sale earned over $7,000 in revenue for the Eco-
Leaders program.
RecycleMania
Since 2004, Colorado State University has participated in RecycleMania, a national collegiate recycling competition between more than 250 other colleges and universities. The primary goal of this event is to increase student, faculty and staff awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization.
CSU placed 27th in the Grand Champion category in 2015 with a 54.7% recycling rate.
Each year during RecycleMania, an audit of the waste stream is conducted to analyze the contents of the landfilled waste at the university. The 2015 Waste Audit sorted over 1,626 pounds of waste and revealed that 18% of what was thrown away could have been recycled, 23% could have been composted, and 59% was unrecyclable waste (true trash).
Move-In & Leave It Behind
The Waste Audit analyzes the discarded items placed in trash-cans during a 24-hour period at a CSU residence hall.
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Transportation
Main campus is currently home to 14 electric vehicle charging stations, contributing to the rapidly-growing EV infrastructure in Fort Collins, with plans to further expand capacity in 2015. The University is committed to greater adoption of electric vehicles throughout the region and is also an active participant in Drive Electric Northern Colorado.
In FY15, Colorado State University was one of four universities to receive four all-electric micro vehicles, the Innova Dash, from Internet2 and Innova UEV LLC. The cars will be used in two ongoing research projects funded by the Electric Power Research Institute and the Bohemian Foundation.
The Bicycle Master Plan was created in FY15. Led by Aaron Fodge of Parking and Transportation Services and the Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee (CBAC). The plan was developed through a collaborative process involving University staff from numerous departments, faculty, students, and the City of Fort Collins.
Bicycle Master Plan
The plan was designed to help the University increase bicycling on campus as a way to enhance campus sustainability and reduce demand for automobile travel and parking. The Plan provides clear vision and guidance to improve the bicycle environment on campus while also aligning with the City of Fort Collins Bicycle Master Plan (Fort Collins Bike Plan).
The full Bicycle Master Plan can be viewed here: https://www.fm.colostate.edu/files/forms/BikeMasterPlan_2014.pdf
Electric Vehicles
Campus ShuttleSponsored by ASCSU, Parking and Transportation Services, and University Administration, the university shuttle known as “Around the Horn” began operating in August of 2014. The service is operated by Transfort, the City of Fort Collins’ transit service.
With 14 stops that have a bus arriving every 10 minutes, the Horn is “fantastic for students to travel across campus quickly and safely,” said DeDe Kliewer, the coordinator for interpreting services at Resources for Disabled Students.
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Milestones
2001 – The Talloires Declaration was signed by CSU President Albert C. Yates.
2001 – National Wildlife Federation recognized Colorado State in the Campus Ecology Yearbook as a leading school in energy efficiency and recycling.
2003 – The University Greenhouse wetlands was completed to help filter sediments and pollutants from storm and waste water generated in the greenhouses.
2005 – Colorado State received the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce Environmental Leader award, recognizing environmental leadership in the areas of energy, water, transportation, recycling and materials.
2005 – Colorado State became the first University to be awarded LEED CI (commercial interior) Silver certification for the renovation of three classrooms in Guggenheim Hall.
2006 – The University published their first GHG inventory, using a tool provided by the Fort Collins ClimateWise program, in order to quantify the footprint of all campuses.
2007 – The Transit Center received the first LEED Gold certification for new construction.
2009 – The University installs the first PV system on main campus. At 18.9 kW, it was the largest system in Fort Collins at the time of installation.
2009 – A 2,000 kW solar plant was installed on the CSU Foothills Campus.
2010 – The University reaches Platinum status in the ClimateWise Program.
2010 – An expansion of the solar plant on Foothills Campus increases the size to a total of 5,300 kW. At the time it was the largest solar PV array on a university campus.
2010 – Two of CSU’s buildings, the Academic Training Center and Aspen Hall, received LEED Gold certification.
2011 – CSU received a Gold rating through STARS, submitting the highest score ever reported.
2014 – CSU achieved a STARS Gold rating of 83.48/100 and regained the highest score of any reporting University.
2015 – 1st university to achieve STARS Platinum with a score of 85.29/100.
2015 – The Pavilion at Laurel Village became CSU’s 1st LEED Platinum building.
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Partnerships, Memberships, and Special Initiatives
President’s Sustainability Committee
CSU collaborates with this organization to foster education and leadership regarding health, ethics and planetary stewardship. By participating in AASHE membership conferences and meetings, the university develops networking opportunities among other organizations focused on sustainability.
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
The President’s Sustainability Committee, (formerly Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Advisory Committee) has the important role of providing the President and Cabinet a variety of perspectives on sustainability, energy, and the environment from various parts of the campus community. Membership includes representatives across the entire campus community.
Campus Bicycle Advisory CommitteeThe Campus Bicycle Advisory Committee (CBAC) promotes a safe and enjoyable bicycle experience on campus through awareness, planning, and education. They have encouraged the environmental benefits of riding a bicycle with the Bicycle Master Plan and by collaborating with the City of Fort Collins.
City of Fort Collins ClimateWise PartnerColorado State joined other local businesses in 2003 in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life in Fort Collins. CSU is currently a Platinum level partner.
Colorado Clean Energy ClusterThe Colorado Clean Energy Cluster (CCEC) is an ‘enterprise to attract, incubate and grow clean energy enterprises.’ This economic development organization strives to grow primary jobs in the clean energy section in Colorado through partnerships between clean energy companies, the public sector and higher education.
On-Campus
National/Regional
Drive Electric Northern ColoradoDrive Electric Northern Colorado (DENC) is a first-of-its-kind, community-wide initiative designed to achieve widespread deployment of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in the Northern Colorado Region. DENC is a partnership of the Electrification Coalition, the City of Fort Collins, the City of Loveland, and Colorado State University.
Rocky Mountain APPA: Leadership in Educational FacilitiesRocky Mountain APPA promotes the common interests of planning, maintenance and operation of facilities within the region’s educational institutions, supports and supplements the activities of APPA, and fosters a professional spirit among those engaged in this work.
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Talloires Declaration Signatory In 2001, the CSU President Albert Yates joined hundreds of other Universities in signing the Talloires Declaration. By signing this declaration, President Yates committed the University to comply with a ten-point action plan for incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy into its teaching, research, operations and outreach efforts.
U.S. Green Building Council MemberIn FY02, CSU Facilities Management joined the U.S. Green Building Council. Council members work together to develop LEED products and resources, the Greenbuild Annual International Conference and Expo, policy guidance, and educational and marketing tools that support the adoption of sustainable building.
EPA Green Power PartnerCSU is a EPA Green Power Partner. As a Green Power Partner, CSU has agreed to procure at least 3 percent of its electric usage from green sources.
Second Nature’s Carbon Commitment SignatoryIn FY08, CSU became a signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. In FY15 the name was changed to Second Nature’s Carbon commitment. The goal of this effort is for university campuses to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions to the point of climate neutrality. To reach this goal, CSU annually completes a report of GHG emissions. Also, a Climate Action Plan was published in September of 2010.
Rocky Mountain Sustainability and Science NetworkColorado State is the lead institution in the Rocky Mountain Sustainability and Science Network formed in 2010 and funded by a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant. The network brings together 15 universities and institutions in the inter-mountain West to interested undergraduate students in science, biology and global sustainability with experience-based learning opportunities.
Low Carbon IT Campaign Power Management PledgeColorado State University Facilities Management is proud to be an ENERGY STAR Low Carbon IT Campaign Participant, part of EPA’s ongoing efforts to help save energy and money. The ENERGY STAR Low Carbon IT Campaign is a nationwide effort to assist and recognize organizations for reducing the energy consumed by computers.
Fort ZEDFortZED is all about energy. FortZED connects the public, private and academic sectors so they can work together to experiment with new technology that saves money and energy and helps create jobs locally. When successful, FortZED can be copied in other communities around the globe.
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“In the end, we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.”
– Baba Dioum
Resources• AASHE: http://www.aashe.org
• Bicycle Traffic Education: http://bicycle.colostate.edu/
• Colorado Energy Office: http://www.colorado.gov/energy
• Colorado State Forest Service: http://www.csfs.colostate.edu
• CSU Facilities Management: http://www.fm.colostate.edu
• CSU Facilities Management Sustainability: http://www.fm.colostate.edu/sustain
• CSU Green Website: http://green.colostate.edu
• CSU Housing and Dining Sustainability: http://housing.colostate.edu/sustainability
• CSU School of Global Environmental Sustainability: http://soges.colostate.edu
• Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov
• Fort Collins Bike Library: http://www.fcbikelibrary.org
• Fort Collins ClimateWise Program: http://www.fcgov.com/climatewise
• Green Ribbon Schools: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools
• Recyclemania: http://www.recyclemaniacs.org
• RideShare: http://www.rideshare.colostate.edu
• Second Nature: http://www.secondnature.org
• STARS: https://stars.aashe.org/
• Transfort: http://www.ridetransfort.com
• U.S. Green Building Council: http://www.usgbc.org
• University Leaders for a Sustainable Future (USLF): http://www.ulsf.org
For more information, visit http://www.fm.colostate.edu/sustain
Utility Questions:
Carol Dollard970.491.0151
Media Contact:
Dell Rae Ciaravola970.491.6009