Elizabeth KissACUPCC Steering Committee

September 26, 2013

Sustainability @ Agnes Scott:Changing Institutional

Behavior & Culture

Sustainability @ Agnes Scott:Changing Institutional

Behavior & Culture

Population• 922 students • 325 faculty/staff

Footprint• 29 buildings – 900,000 sq ft. • 100 acre campus • 2,000 trees

Agnes Scott College @ 125 yearsAgnes Scott College @ 125 years

NOT coherent or integrated

Lost Opportunities: The David Orr StoryFragile Efforts:Environmental Studies(Here Today, Gone Tomorrow)Lonely & Scattered Champions

Where We Were…Where We Were…

•College Mission:We educate women to think deeply, live honorably, and engage the intellectual and social challenges of their time. (Sustainability key to all 3 components)

•Strategic Plan:Engaging a Wider World(Sustainability key to Goal #4: Living Honorably)

AlignmentAlignment

•Director of SustainabilityReports to President with dotted line report to VP for Business & Finance•Sustainability Fellows (funded through grants, donations, and partnership with City of Decatur)•Sustainability Steering CommitteeIncludes Faculty, Staff, Students, Senior Administrators, Trustees, Alumnae•Green Team, Environmental Residents, ESS Committee, GRF Committee

Staffing & GovernanceStaffing & Governance

Charter Member of ACUPCC (American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment)

Charter Member of the Billion Dollar Green Challenge

Green purchasing & waste reduction policy

LEED building policy – Silver or higher

Temperature Set Point Policy

Institutional PoliciesInstitutional Policies

Waste ManagementSingle stream recyclingComposting Cartridge World RecyclingPrint management system

Waste ManagementWaste Management

WASTE Diversion

From 24% in 2008 to 75% in 2013

RECYCLEMANIA 2012

In Georgia: # 1 for Food Service Organics # 2 in Per Capita Classic

Nationally: # 5 Food Service Organics

# 73 Per Capita Classic

TransportationSupply used cooking oil for bio-diesel Purple Bike ProgramZip CarReduced MARTA passesClean Air Campaign partnershipNo idling policyFuture Plans: Electric car charging station

TransportationTransportation

Curriculum Environmental & Sustainability Studies Minor (first three graduates May 2012)Azalea Project for Faculty: Sustainability Across the Curriculum (Two faculty now certified trainers) Student internships

CurriculumCurriculum

Student LifeGreen TeamEnvironmental ResidentsEco-House$10 Student Green FeeGarden Project Beehive ProjectAnd Much More!!

Student LifeStudent Life

Energy & Climate

GHG Emissions Inventory (16% reduction to date)Climate Action Plan Building DashboardGreen Revolving FundEnergy Retrofit Projects in off-campus houses w/Oak Ridge Nat’l Labs & Southface52,000 sq ft Geothermal Building renovation – opening Fall 2014 Hopefully coming soon…..Solar Power!!

Energy & ClimateEnergy & Climate

• $1 million by 2015• $500,000 committed to date by individual

donors and foundations– First Project (Campus-Wide Lighting Retrofit) Completed and

Returning Income to Fund– $175,000 commitment toward

cost of Geothermal of Campbell Hall– GRF to be incorporated into fundraising

for next major renovation project

Case Study #1: Agnes Scott’s Green Revolving Fund (GRF)

Case Study #1: Agnes Scott’s Green Revolving Fund (GRF)

• Supports environmental & financial sustainability• Elegant vehicle for structuring (and highlighting)

institutional commitment to efficiency• Powerful interdisciplinary learning tool • Appeals to donors (even those who are not Tree-

Hugger types!)• Provided a chance for Agnes Scott to be a leader

– inspired leadership from CFO and others

GRF as a Catalyst for Institutional ChangeGRF as a Catalyst for Institutional Change

• May 2013: Agnes Scott approved for two 98 kW solar arrays through Georgia Power’s Advanced Solar Initiative, GPASI

• GA Power will contract with college to buy power for 13 cents per kW for 20 years

• Payback period of 7 years with tax incentives• Opportunity to be a solar leader & shape policy

conversation in our region• Now seeking investors/funding sources

Case Study #2: Solar PowerCase Study #2: Solar Power

Making Sustainability part of Agnes Scott’s Institutional DNA Looking Beyond a Single President, CFO, Faculty

Champion, Sustainability DirectorThe WWSD ExperimentKey Steps:

Institutional PositioningBoard GovernanceDedicated Staff & Faculty

The Challenge: Looking Toward 2139The Challenge: Looking Toward 2139