THE UNIVER SIT Y REPORT - Sustainability @ UNC · Students Pay Green to Go Green ... Galapagos...

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CAMPUSSUSTAINABILITYREPORT

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T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O R T H C A R O L I N A A T C H A P E L H I L L

A B O U T T H E S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y O F F I C E

The Sustainability Office catalyzes the development and implementation of policies, practices and curricula that support the triple bottom line of ecological integrity, economic prosperity and social equity. As part of UNC’s Facilities Services Division, the Sustainability Office works collaboratively with other offices, departments, and organizations across campus to promote sustainable options for all members of the University community.

The Sustainability Office serves both the campus community and all North Carolina citizens by maintaining a range of print and online materials that document how UNC Chapel Hill is a

“living laboratory” for sustainability. To learn more about the Sustainability Office and the many sustainability innovationsat UNC Chapel Hill, please visit http://sustainability.unc.edu.

O V E R V I E W

C O M M U N I T Y E N G A G E M E N T

B E H AV I O R A L C H A N G E

S P O T L I G H T

E N V I R O N M E N TA L L Y R E S P O N S I B L E P U R C H A S I N G

F I N A N C E

A K E Y T O R E A D I N G T H I S R E P O R T


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TABLE of CONTENTSLetter from the Chancellor ..............................................................2

Letter from the Director ..................................................................3

ENERGY AND CLIMATE ............................................................................................4Overview of Accomplishments and Major Programs .................4

Delta Energy Internships .......................................................5

Campus Lighting ..................................................................8

EPA National Champions ......................................................8

North Carolina Climate Fellows ..............................................8

Building Energy Dashboards .................................................9

Students Pay Green to Go Green ..........................................10

University Launches Green Revolving Fund ..........................10

EDUCATION AND RESEARCH ................................................................................11

Overview of Accomplishments and Major Programs ...............11

Campus Case Studies .........................................................11

Galapagos Initiative ............................................................11

New Course Development, Community Engaged Faculty ........12

Coal: A Love Story ..............................................................12

Public Service ....................................................................13

New Courses, Center for Sustainable Enterprise ....................13

Environmental Finance Center .............................................13

Creating Sustainable Enterprises .........................................13

Institute for the Environment Sustainable Triangle Field

Site, Extracurricular Learning and Peer-to-Peer Education .....14

Center for Law, Environment, Adaptation, and Resources,

Research in New Energy Technologies ..................................15

WATER MANAGEMENT ..........................................................................................16


Stormwater Education .........................................................19

Efficient Fixtures ...............................................................19

FOOD, HEALTH, AND WELLNESS...........................................................................20


Carolina Campus Community Garden ...................................20

Recreation Opportunities .....................................................20

FLO Food ...........................................................................21

Active Living by Design .......................................................21

Eating Animals, Piedmont Grown .........................................22

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Warren County ..22

BUILT ENVIRONMENT ...........................................................................................23


Genome Sciences Building, Imaging Research Building ........24

Build A Block .....................................................................25

Lenoir Dining Hall, Dental Sciences Building........................25

WASTE PREVENTION AND RECYCLING .................................................................26


Recycle-mania, University Mail Services,

Greek Sustainability Council ................................................27

Capstone Course: Multi-family Recycling ..............................27

Residential Green Games ....................................................27

Sustainability Pledge and Carolina Green Water Bottles .........27

Ionized Water .....................................................................28

EPEAT Computers ..............................................................28

Green Events, New Graduation Gowns ..................................28

Recycled Content Paper ......................................................28

Eliminating Volatile Organic Compounds ..............................29

Rameses Recycles, Nike Reuse A Shoe ................................29

Valuing Our Discards ...........................................................29

TRANSPORTATION ................................................................................................30


Zimride/Zipcar/CAP .............................................................30

Alternative Fuel Vehicles .....................................................30

Electric Vehicle Funding .....................................................31

Campus-to-Campus Connector .............................................31

ACCESSIBILITY, AFFORDABILITY, AND DIVERSITY ..............................................32


Carolina Covenant ...............................................................32

Carolina Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity ...............32

Carolina Student Transfer Program,

Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs ...........................33

Historically Underutilized Businesses ...................................33

Hope Garden ......................................................................33

Nourish International ..........................................................33

Weatherization of Low-Income Homes ..................................33

Community-Campus Partnership ..........................................34

Recruitment, The Center on Poverty, Work, and Opportunity,

Director Diversity Initiative ..................................................34

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT......................................................................................35

Recreational Activities at Carolina North ...............................35

Tree Replacement Fund ......................................................35

Carolina North, Greenways ..................................................36


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he importance of higher education in preparing the citizens of the future has never been more ev-ident. Carolina students must imagine and plan a world that is more prosperous and equitable than the one we now inhabit. Learning new ideas and applying them to University operations con-

tributes to our students’ education.

The sustainability initiatives underway at Carolina dem-onstrate many of the innovative strategies necessary to achieve a more just, healthy, and environmentally respon-sible future. The district energy and cogeneration system at UNC, for example, is twice as efficient as traditional en-ergy technologies. The new reclaimed water system and a range of rainwater harvesting techniques have reduced our potable water consumption by more than 40% during a time of continued expansion. When the next drought comes, Carolina and its neighboring communities will be more resilient as a result.

Reducing our environmental footprint hinges in large part on the type of energy we use and the level of our energy consumption. With a goal of climate neutrality by 2050, we have already reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 20% since 2008. After approving an Energy Policy in the summer of 2009, I have been delighted to watch the Energy Management Department engineer more than $10 million in avoided energy costs and win the EPA’s first “Working Off the Waste” competition. A portion of the student green energy fee, which has raised $1.4 million since 2004, was recently dedicated to a revolving fund in order to better leverage investments in energy efficiency.

When students demonstrated the potential returns asso-ciated with saving energy and asked me to allocate Univer-sity resources to the effort, I authorized an initial invest-ment of $500,000.

The first public LEED Platinum building in the state — at UNC’s North Carolina Botanical Garden — is projected to use 48% less energy than traditional buildings. Three laboratory buildings, where researchers will conduct cut-ting edge research on genomics, medical imaging, and dental sciences, will soon be completed and apply for LEED Silver certification.

Universities that foster innovation and entrepreneurship in their research, business practices, and educational of-ferings will be the sources of creative solutions to today’s greatest problems. I urge you to find out what Carolina is doing to advance sustainability, get engaged, and deter-mine how you can contribute to a better future.

H O L D E N T H O R PChancellor

LETTERfrom the CHANCELLOR


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LETTERfrom the DIRECTOR

comprehensive sustainability assessment com-pleted in 2011 revealed that both the academic and operations sides of UNC are adopting sustainability as a core value and strategic planning tool. More than 200 courses in 46 departments offer sustainability-related con-

tent. And 300 faculty in 151 departments conduct sus-tainability research. Case studies on the high-perfor-mance buildings, infrastructure, and business practices at Carolina will help faculty provide campus-specific ex-amples of sustainability concepts in the classroom.

Carolina’s aspiration to become a living laboratory for sustainability requires the involvement and awareness of people throughout the University. New outdoor signage about stormwater management strategies is one means of educating people during their daily commute or walk across campus. A new group of student EcoReps, who have been trained as sustainability educators, plans to cre-ate a speakers bureau to provide talks and tours on cutting edge projects. A video urging the campus to save energy is narrated by the Chancellor.

New energy dashboards that rolled out in fall 2011 enable the occupants of 157 buildings to view real-time energy consumption and the effects of behavioral and technical changes in their building. Electronic displays across cam-pus also alert diners to seasonal produce offerings. At the dining halls, 25% of the food now comes from within 150 miles of campus. Local food is labeled by farm, and elec-tronic signage provides nutritional and allergen informa-tion. The 2011 Summer Reading book — Eating Animals

by Jonathan Safran Foer — further educated the campus community about sustainable food choices.

A growing number of events at UNC are becoming zero waste, or significantly boosting recycling rates. The Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling offers train-ing for Green Certified Event Managers. And as a result of student capstone courses and collaborations with the Athletics Department, football tailgaters now routinely recycle their beverage containers. Recycling bins have also been introduced in the Dean Smith basketball center.

Carolina is widely recognized as a national and interna-tional leader in campus sustainability.

C I N D Y P O L L O C K S H E ADirector, Sustainability Office

SUSTAINABILITY RATINGS• AASHE STARS .......................................................... Silver• Sustainable Endowments Institute2011 College Sustainability Report Card ..........................A-

• Princeton Review’s Guide to 311 Green Colleges ........................................................95/100

• Sierra Club Cool Schools ...........................................Top 40• Universitas IndonesiaGreenMetric Ranking of World Universities ....................10th


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OVERVIEW OF ACCOMPLISHMENTSAND MAJOR PROGRAMS

Energy conservation and efficiency programs have con-tributed to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2008. Energy use per square foot has dropped 20% since 2003, saving the University $64 million.

EMISSIONSIn accordance with UNC’s responsibilities as a charter sig-natory of the American College and University Presidents’

Climate Commitment, the University developed a Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2009. The plan set attainable and mea-surable goals to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, at which time the University would produce no net greenhouse gas emissions. Specific recommendations aim to reduce emis-sions in each of seven areas — energy supply, engineering changes, behavioral changes, green development/build-ings, transportation, purchasing and recycling, and offsets.

UNC is well on its way to the first significant target —

INVESTMENTS IN CLEAN ENERGY AND EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS ARE POWERING CAROLINA TO CLIMATE NEUTRALITY BY 2050 AND REDUCING OPERATING COSTS.

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Behavioral Initiatives

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Landfill Gas 20% Coal Substitute

Figure 1 depicts the 17 near-term Climate Action Plan components. The width of each bar represents the achievable greenhouse gas emissions reduction. The height of each bar represents the amount of financial savings (if the bar extends below the $0 line) or additional costs (if the bar extends above the $0 line).

Figure 1. NEAR-TERM ABATEMENT OPPORTUNITIES


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reducing emissions to year 2000 levels by 2020, despite having expanded its square footage by 50% over the past decade. (See Graph 1.) The economic climate, more ac-curate reporting standards, and accelerated efforts to con-serve energy in existing buildings combined to produce this impressive outcome. The accuracy of the data is also increasing. Greenhouse gas emissions from the cogenera-tion plant are now monitored in real time by equipment installed in the exhaust stacks.

A range of near-term abatement opportunities exists, rang-ing from investments that would save money to those that would be cost effective if carbon was taxed up to $15 per ton. (See Figure 1.)

GENERATIONDriven by rising fuel costs, budget shortfalls, and the pursuit of emission reductions, UNC is boosting the efficiency of its energy supply network and diversifying its on-campus energy mix to include more sustainable energy solutions.

Energy is expensive — costing the University more than $85 million annually. (See Graph 2.) The Uni-versity produces all of its own ther-mal energy — chilled water and steam. The majority of the electric energy is purchased from Duke En-ergy. To manage costs and increase efficiencies, UNC also operates a 32 MW cogeneration plant that si-multaneously produces both steam — used for heating, humidification, domestic hot water, sterilization, and making distilled water in labora-2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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Phil Barner holds wood pellets tested in the boilers at the cogeneration facility.

Graph 1. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS


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tories — and up to one-third of the campus peak electric load. (See Figure 2.) Compared to standard power plants that produce 40% electricity and 60% waste heat rejected to the environment, UNC’s combined heat and power plant produces approximately 40% electricity, 40% steam, and 20% waste heat.

While extremely efficient, the combined heat and power plant is powered primarily by coal. The largest waste stream on campus is coal ash and the largest source of green-house gas emissions is coal combustion. In 2009, lower market prices made it pos-sible to burn more natural gas, which has approximately half the related emissions. (See Graph 3.) The result was a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2010, Chancellor Holden Thorp com-missioned an Energy Task Force to study energy issues on campus. The chancellor accepted all recommendations, includ-ing a commitment to end coal burning on campus by May 1, 2020. UNC En-ergy Services is testing biomass fuels,

such as wood pellets and torrefied wood, as potential coal substitutes. Successful trial burns of 20% wood pel-lets, co-fired with 80% coal, took place in fall 2010 and spring 2011. Attempts to procure torrefied wood, which is drier and provides more energy per pound, have been stymied by inadequate supplies in the marketplace.

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Figure 2. COMBINED HEAT AND POWER AND DISTRICT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM


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A landfill gas capture and destruction system, developed in partnership with the Orange County landfill, began flaring in 2011. A four-mile pipeline will bring the gas to the new Carolina North campus in 2012. A 1 MW gener-ator will convert the gas into electricity for new and exist-ing university buildings. Exhaust heat will be captured to warm the buildings planned at Carolina North. Methane is a greenhouse gas with 25 times the global warming po-tential of carbon dioxide, so keeping methane out of the atmosphere will generate significant carbon reduction credits for the University. The estimated 3.2 billion cubic feet of gas collected and combusted over the project’s life will prevent the release of 600,000 tons of CO2 equiva-lent to the atmosphere.

Students are also driving sustainable energy solutions by funding photovoltaic, solar thermal, geothermal, and biodiesel projects on campus via a $4 per semester green energy fee. These on-campus renewable energy sources represent less than 1% of the overall energy mix, but pro-vide valuable opportunities to test new technologies and educate the campus community.

CONSUMPTIONEnergy conservation and efficiency provide tremendous returns on investment — both financially and environ-mentally. Carolina’s first line of efficiency is its district heating and cooling system. By connecting most build-ings to centralized steam and chilled water systems, effi-

ciencies can be maximized in the production plants and distribution systems.

Carolina operates two steam plants, one of which can produce electricity, and 45 miles of distribution and con-densate piping. Upgrades to the steam distribution system have reduced thermal losses by 7%, worth approximately $1 million annually.

UNC’s chilled water system, one of the most sophisticat-ed in the world, pumps up to 100,000 gallons of chilled water per minute from five networked production plants to cool and dehumidify 165 campus buildings. The goal is to increase chiller efficiencies by one-third or more by introducing variable speed drives and plate and frame heat exchangers that would provide essentially free

cooling when outdoor tempera-tures are low. The Cobb Chiller Plant has already achieved a 33% increase in efficiency. The ther-mal energy storage system at the Tomkins Chiller Plant, which stores chilled water produced overnight when electric prices are low for distribution during the day when electric prices are high, saved $398,000 in FY 2011.

Building energy consumption ac-counts for 90% of campus green-house gas emissions so designing and constructing more efficient new buildings and managing ex-isting buildings better are keys to reducing Carolina’s carbon foot-print. Campus building square footage increased 50% over the

COAL51%

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Graph 3. FUEL MIX

(includes all fuel sources — used on campus and by Duke Energy, the University’s off-campus electricity provider)

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Graph 4. ENERGY CONSUMPTION PER GROSS SQUARE FOOT


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past decade. Yet energy consumption per square foot fell 17% since 2003 and 20% when normalized for the more extreme weather in recent years. (See Graph 4.)

In 2009, UNC launched an aggressive campaign against energy waste in all areas of campus. This effort, led by UNC Energy Management, involved the adoption of a formal University energy use policy and the implementa-tion of campus-wide energy conservation measures. By implementing low- and no-cost solutions such as regulat-ing building temperatures, instituting occupancy sched-ules, and making technical adjustments to both HVAC and building automation systems, the program has avoid-ed more than $10 million in costs.

Eight full-time employees worked in the program, in two-person teams. The total budget was not to exceed $200,000. Each team conducted a one-day walk through in each of the targeted buildings with the building man-ager and the HVAC maintenance mechanic. Team mem-bers evaluated HVAC systems to confirm that dampers, actuators, and major valves were in good working order. When an energy analysis suggested potential improve-ments, technicians reprogrammed building automation systems as necessary. The teams recorded details of the work performed in each building on a one-page data form. UNC’s district energy metering system proved in-valuable in this effort.

Each building is individually metered with access to dynamic, real time usage data for steam and chilled wa-ter. The teams were able to watch real time results while implementing each energy conservation measure. An im-portant benefit was the education of maintenance staff on the direct impact of each action taken.

In addition to operations and maintenance changes, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided funding for many energy infrastructure upgrades. A grant of $779,000 funded five lighting projects and four HVAC projects that reduced airflows in laboratory buildings.

A complete list of energy conservation and efficiency projects may be found in the Strategic Energy and Water Plan submitted annually to the State Energy Office.

EPA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSIn 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) launched its first annual Working Off the Waste

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ILED lamps replace sodium lamps outside Kerr Hall.


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Competition, a contest that pitted all types of build-ings throughout the country against one another in an attempt to reduce energy consumption, and therefore carbon footprint. When UNC’s 10-story Morrison Resi-dence Hall was selected out of 200 buildings as one of the 14 finalists to compete, a team of energy efficiency experts from UNC’s Energy Management department led the charge. The Watt Busters evaluated the dorm’s strengths and weaknesses and suggested improvements to the building’s energy systems.

The Watt Busters tuned up and improved the HVAC sys-tem and the solar hot water system, installed occupancy sensors in laundry rooms, retrofitted balcony light fixtures and connected them to photocells, installed LED lamps in the lobby and study areas, and involved residents in the effort to reduce energy use. An online energy dashboard, coupled with a touch screen in the lobby, enabled occu-pants to see the electricity usage on each floor and wing in the building. Heating and cooling use dropped too low to be picked up by the submetering equipment.

UNC won the competition, beating out an elementary school, a department store on New York’s Fifth Avenue, and closer to home — N.C. State’s Tucker residence hall, extending the intercollegiate rivalry to the realm of en-ergy conservation. Morrison’s energy use fell by 36%, and prevented 733 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, at a cost of less than $35,000. The savings were greater, and the costs lower, than the EPA had anticipated. Im-provements to the HVAC system accounted for most of the savings. Energy collected from the solar system in-creased 37% over the prior fiscal year.

NORTH CAROLINA CLIMATE FELLOWSThe UNC Institute for the Environment and the

North Carolina Department of Environment and Natu-ral Resources Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs received a NASA Global Climate Change Education grant to provide a long duration professional development experience for North Carolina’s high school science teachers on the topic of global climate change.

The North Carolina Climate Literacy: Integrating Mod-eling & Technology Experiences (CLIMATE) Fellows Program is an interdisciplinary teacher professional de-velopment opportunity serving 24 teachers annually. This year-long program exposes participants to global, regional, and NC specific data on climate change science

and impacts. NASA earth observation data and NASA earth system models are incorporated into interactive and hands-on programming designed to enable partici-pants to experience these tools first-hand in the context of current climate change science.

BUILDING ENERGY DASHBOARDS Steam and chilled water meters have measured

real time heating and cooling loads in campus buildings since 2007. As of 2011, campus electric load is also me-tered in real time. In order to make energy information available to building occupants, Energy Services and campus IT staff have developed a system to report this data virtually real time via an online web portal.

Building occupants with access to feedback about their energy use can more easily and effectively experiment to find the best consumption habits. The new dashboard system, tracking 157 buildings, enables users to moni-tor both current and historical energy use. Occupants, building managers, and energy technicians will be able to compare consumption from one day, week, month, and year to the previous time interval as they pursue new energy conservation opportunities. To better raise awareness, prominent touch screens will display this data in the lobby of the new Dental Sciences building.

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Chris Martin, Jr., right, director of UNC Energy Management reacts to

the announcement that Morrison Residence Hall won the first-ever EPA

National Building Competition.


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Project $ Budgeted

Geothermal Wells for the NC Botanical Garden Education Center 210,000

Solar Hot Water System for Morrison Residence Hall 185,000

Air System Adjustments at the Frank Porter Graham Student Union Renovation 163,000

Feasibility Study & Solar Hot Water System for Fetzer Gym (pending roof replacement) 160,000

Photovoltaic Array on Bell Tower Parking Deck 150,000

Energy Efficient Theatrical Lighting for Playmakers Theater 67,500

Matching Funds for DELTA Energy Internships 60,000

LED Lights and Energy Star Appliances for Lenoir Dining Hall (revolving fund) 50,000

Outdoor LED Lighting for Walkway from Student Academic Services Building to Hill Alumni 36,100

LED Lights for Baity Hill and Ram Village 35,000

Building Optimization and Awareness Campaign for EPA National Building Contest 35,000

Morrison Residence Hall Conservation Project 30,000

Lab Airflow Reductions in Thurston Bowles and Hooker Labs 26,960

LED Bulb Installations in Elevators 20,000

Feasibility Study of Solar Thermal Panels on Cobb Parking Deck 18,000

Lighting Motion Sensors and LED Lighting for Artwork in McColl 11,300

Daylight Sensors for Baity Hill Garage 3,600

135 LED Stairway Lights in MBRB 3,300

Motion Sensors and Energy Awareness Campaign in Residence Hall Laundry Rooms 2,860

LED Lights in Graham Memorial Hall Chandeliers, Wall Sconces, Lamps 2,500

Bio-diesel in the Point-2-Point Bus Fleet 1,685

Student Intern Stipends for Launch of UNC EcoRep Program 1,500

LED Elevator Lights in Caudill Hall 1,000

“Shut the Sash” Campaign in Lab Buildings 800

Total 1,275,105

Project $ Budgeted

STUDENTS PAY GREEN TO GO GREEN The Renewable Energy Special Projects Commit-

tee (RESPC) is a student-led organization, appointed by student government. The committee appropriates the approximately $200,000 raised annually via the $4, self-assessed energy fee that all students pay each semester. The committee, composed of voting and non-voting stu-dents, solicits project suggestions from its staff advisory team, other student groups, and university departments. See Table 1 for an inventory of the more than $1 million worth of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy conservation and awareness raising projects funded by RESPC since its inception in 2004.

In 2011 RESPC implemented a program to increase the effectiveness of its funds on campus. The committee now offers funding to receipt-supported entities, such as hous-ing and dining, with the expectation that up to 90% of

the money will be repaid through avoided energy costs. This revolving fund concept was first used to install LED lights and Energy Star cooking equipment and applianc-es in the Lenoir Dining Hall renovation. This financing mechanism enables RESPC to fund more projects while buying down the cost of the investments for campus de-partments. For the Student Union renovation, RESPC will finance upgrades to the HVAC system.

UNIVERSITY LAUNCHES GREENREVOLVING FUND

Convinced of the merits of a green revolving fund, UNC’s Student Government requested that the University allo-cate its money to a revolving energy fund. The Chancellor allocated $500,000 in fall 2011 and praised the students’ innovative thinking, especially in a time of shrinking fi-nancial resources.

Table 1. RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIAL PROJECTS COMMITTEE PROJECTS


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COURSE WORK, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, AND RESEARCH LEAD TO IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF SUSTAINABILITY. AS STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY EXPLORE HOW TO SOLVE THE WORLD’S GREATEST PROBLEMS, THEY DEVELOP INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR SUPPLYING ENERGY, PREVENTING AND TREATING DISEASE, AND PLANNING COMMUNITIES. VIABLE SOLUTIONS WILL REDUCE COSTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND SERVE THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE.


An inventory of sustainability-related courses at UNC identified more than 200 undergraduate and gradu-ate offerings in 46 departments. Classes are primarily in the College of Arts and Sciences. Several graduate and professional schools, including Business, Gov-ernment, Journalism and Mass Communication, Law, Public Health, and Social Work have also introduced

sustainability into their curricula. A new sustainabil-ity minor, introduced in 2008, offers courses in envi-ronmental science, business, public policy, and plan-ning. Other departments with multiple sustainability options include anthropology, communication stud-ies, geography, geology, nutrition, and philosophy.

External research funding at Carolina reached a re-cord $803 million in 2010, triple the amount 14 years ago. Medical research on AIDS, cancer, diabe-tes, obesity, and new drug delivery systems accounts for the majority. Research on energy, water, materials, food, and community resiliency to natural disasters is also increasing. Almost 300 faculty members, repre-senting 151 departments, are engaged in some type of sustainability research.

GALAPAGOS INITIATIVEThe United Nations recently designated the Gala-

pagos Islands of Ecuador “at risk” from the negative ef-fects of population growth and economic development. UNC and the Universidad San Francisco de Quito have partnered to foster research, education, and outreach programs in the archipelago to address these challenges. Coordinated through the Center for Galapagos Studies, this initiative seeks to advance conservation efforts and promote a better understanding of ecologically sensitive


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and protected areas worldwide. The newly constructed Galapagos Science Center, an 11,000-square-foot facility located on Isla San Cristobal, serves as the physical home for these efforts. The center contains four laboratories focused on terrestrial ecology, marine ecology, geospatial technologies, and microbiology. The building also has space for offices, visiting scientists, community outreach events, and salt water experiment tanks.

Faculty and students from North Carolina and Ecuador recently produced an in-depth interdisciplinary, mul-timedia project examining the impact of humans in the Galapagos Islands. Called “Living Galapagos,” the web-site features stories, facts, photographs, and videos show-casing the natural beauty and welcoming culture of the islands and profiling the delicate balancing act that exists between humans and nature in Ecuador.

COAL: A LOVE STORYA provocative and interactive video about the

nation’s heavy reliance on coal as an energy source was UNC’s 2011 submission to the News21 project. Spon-sored by the Carnegie Corporation and the Knight Foun-dation, News21 provides students at 12 of the country’s top journalism schools the opportunity to conduct in-depth and investigative reporting on ways America is changing. The energy theme Powering a Nation has fu-eled UNC students’ projects for three years running. The tagline for Coal: A Love Story is “It’s not just a rock. It’s power. It’s people. It’s a relationship.” Through compel-ling video, graphics, and maps, student reporters bring the coal-mining communities of West Virginia to life and document the sacrifices those communities make for a country dependent on coal.

In Coal: A Love Story, one of the videos produced by UNC’s students, coal queen pageant

contestant Arianna Bailey competes for a crown to represent her family’s way of life.


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PUBLIC SERVICECarolina’s mission of teaching and discovery,

conducting life-changing research, and helping others through public service is embraced by the entire UNC community. During the 2009-2010 school year, Caro-lina students contributed 1,148,966 community service hours, more than at any other research campus. Com-munity Service hours at UNC are tracked by the Caro-lina Center for Public Service, established in 1999. The Center engages and supports faculty, students, and staff in meeting the needs of North Carolina and beyond.

The Public Service Scholars program, established in 2003, provides development opportunities and recogni-tion for students who contribute more than 300 hours of service, take a service learning course, and participate in leadership development workshops. 194 Public Service Scholars were graduated in 2011. They contributed more

than 87,000 hours of service, or an average of more than 450 hours each. Ten students reported more than 1,000 hours each, and one student recorded more than 2,000. The top service focus areas are children and youth, health, education, social justice, and hunger and homelessness/poverty. More than 2,200 students at Carolina currently participate in the Public Service Scholars Program and they represent 92% of all majors.

ENVIRONMENTAL FINANCE CENTERThe Environmental Finance Center in the School

of Government develops tools that help communities evaluate their options for financing environmental infra-structure. Communities interested in establishing revolv-ing funds, comparing loan and grant terms, or launching watershed protection funds can download templates to assist in decision analysis. Local governments can also compare their water and wastewater utility rates to other communities in a four state region and view model storm-water ordinances. Dashboard tools are offered on rate structures, capital improvement planning, and determin-ing the optimal cash reserve to loan ratio for project fi-nancing. The center conducts training workshops for mu-nicipal officials across the Southeast. As part of a current partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the cen-ter interviewed key stakeholders from multiple sectors on ways to accelerate the financing of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

CREATING SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISESThe School of Social Work hosted a semester

long public engagement series on Creating Sustainable Enterprises in spring 2011. Speakers discussed the his-tory and evolution of the sustainability movement, social entrepreneurship and the rise of the fourth sector, and

they represent 92% of all majors. they represent 92% of all majors. they represent 92% of all majors. they represent 92% of all majors. they represent 92% of all majors. they represent 92% of all majors.


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how community institutions and major employers are responding to sustainability. The Green Plus assessment tool for small- and medium-sized businesses, developed by the Institute for Sustainable Development and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, was both presented and used to evaluate the sustainability practic-es in place at the School of Social Work.

CURRICULUM IN APPLIED SCIENCESAND ENGINEERINGA new initiative in the College of Arts and Sciences known as CASE, the Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering, fosters interdisciplinary research and education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. The curriculum offers undergraduate tracks in biomedi-cal engineering, materials science, and computer engi-neering with plans to add programs in biological phys-ics and energy sciences. The graduate program focuses

heavily on research and advanced technical expertise in the materials sciences, drawing on faculty from Physics & Astronomy, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environ-mental Sciences and Engineering, and Biochemistry and Biophysics. Both graduate and undergraduate students

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are educated to address pressing technical problems con-fronting the world in areas such as alternative energy, nanomedicine, environmental preservation, and cyber security. The interdisciplinary nature of this program is intended to foster research and collaboration among the natural sciences in order to spur innovation.

CURRICULUM IN ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGYThe Curriculum in Environment and Ecology is a multi-

disciplinary degree program, administered by the College of Arts and Sciences, that brings together faculty and stu-dents from many departments to consider solutions to en-vironmental problems. Included in the Curriculum are a graduate ecology program, undergraduate degrees (major and minor) in environmental sciences and environmental studies, and an undergraduate minor in sustainability. Dr. Jaye Cable, faculty member in Marine Sciences, assumes the director position in January 2012.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE MINORThe Social and Economic Justice minor, offered by the sociology department, helps students think analytically about pressing socio-economic problems. Students are required to take four courses focused on human rights, equality, economic justice, democratic participation, sustainable development, diversity, or peace in order to prepare them for roles in nonprofit organizations, local communities, or governmental organizations. A service learning course is also required.


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INVESTMENTS IN RECLAIMED WATER, HARVESTED RAINWATER, AND WATER EFFICIENCY HAVE REDUCED CAROLINA’S POTABLE WATER USE BY 40% SINCE 2003. BOTH THE CAMPUS AND UNC HOSPITALS ARE MORE RESILIENT TO DROUGHT AND SUPPLY DISRUPTIONS AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY BENEFITS.


The introduction of a reclaimed water system in 2009 virtually eliminated the use of potable water at UNC’s main campus cooling towers which are by far the largest water users on campus. During the sum-mer reclaimed water use often exceeds one million gallons per day. As the largest customer of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority (OWASA), UNC represents approximately 30% of the utility’s total demand. So when UNC saves water, more water is available to the rest of the community. Innovative stormwater management and potable water conservation also en-hance the quality and quantity of the community’s water resources. Since 2003, UNC’s water conserva-tion and efficiency efforts have saved the University $7.5 million.

STORMWATER Guided by local development agreements, state regula-tions, and the new Jordan Lake rules, Carolina is decreas-ing the volume, rate, and pollutant load of stormwater runoff even as the building footprint of the campus in-creases. UNC employs a variety of stormwater manage-ment strategies.

Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination: UNC’s Environment Health and Safety department system-atically looks for pollution (illicit discharges) entering surface water. This is accomplished by water quality test-ing and visual inspection of outfalls, inlets, loading docks, dumpsters, and other possible pollution sources.

Public Involvement: UNC’s Environment Health and Safety department manages a number of public educa-tion and outreach programs to further stormwater edu-cation and provides educational materials to students, faculty, and staff. Some of these programs include drain- marking sessions with students, volunteer stream clean up days, and educational seminars open to the entire UNC community. Outdoor signage at several prominent stormwater features was installed in 2011. The signage is a key element of turning the campus into a “living labora-tory” for sustainability and making those efforts visible to the campus.

Construction Site Erosion and Sedimentation Con-trol: UNC’s Environment Health and Safety depart-ment maintains design guidelines for erosion and

Campus Sustainability Day 2009

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sediment control; reviews construction documents to evaluate planned erosion and sediment controls; works with the design team to obtain permits; visits construc-tion sites to educate contractors; and conducts periodic site inspections.

Post-construction Stormwater: UNC Energy Servic-es’ stormwater engineers maintain design guidelines for structural stormwater management practices; review the drawings and calculations for planned projects to ensure compliance with state and local regulations; conduct construction site inspection to ensure proper installa-tion; map the as-built information; conduct annual in-spections; identify retrofit possibilities for enhanced water quality treatment; and assist the Grounds Services depart-ment in determining needed preventive and one-time maintenance. The Uni-versity has over 180 post-construction structural stormwater management practices including green roofs, biore-tention, permeable pavement, cisterns, ponds, and wetlands.

Stormwater Maintenance System: UNC Grounds Services visits each in-let, manhole, and stormwater treatment practice a minimum of once per year. These visits are scheduled preventive maintenance work orders that are au-tomatically generated by work manage-ment software. Grounds maintenance may include hand removal or pumping out of accumulated sediment, trash, or

organic matter. Grounds Services also uses a regenerative air street sweeper to clean permeable pavement parking lots at least quarterly.

800,000,000

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Non-Potable Water UsePotable Water Use

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Graph 6. POTABLE WATER USE PER GROSS SQUARE FOOT

Total Gross Square Feet Potable Water Use Gallons/Gross Square Foot

Conor Keeney performs stormwater inspection on green roof at Rams Head Plaza.

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Stormwater System Condition Evaluations: UNC Energy Services is systematically evaluating the struc-tural stormwater system, including stormwater treat-ment practices, pipes, inlets, and outfalls to determine the condition and need for repairs or replacements. Like towns and cities across the country, the University is ad-dressing crumbled infrastructure originally installed in the 1940s-1960s.

Stormwater Retrofitting: UNC is identifying poten-tial sites to improve the water quality in the stormwater runoff from existing development. Retrofits include up-grades of existing practices and new stormwater treat-ment practices. Retrofits that reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus discharged to the impaired Jordan Lake are particularly important. A large number of projects have been identified as part of the Stormwater Master Plan, which is used to identify costs and seek funding.

The structural stormwater system incorporates over 180 stormwater best-management practices that capture, slow, and/or filter runoff. Permeable surfaces that absorb and filter rainwater come in many forms. Green, or vegetated, roofs are the most visible example on campus - found atop the Rams Head Plaza, FedEx Global Education Center, Carrington Hall, and the new Genome Sciences and Den-tal Sciences buildings. Permeable pavement and pavers are found throughout campus and at the North Carolina Botanical Garden, Estes Drive Extension parking lot, the Friday Center park and ride lot, the McCauley lot, and the Chatham County park and ride lot. Combined with the

strategic use of stormwater retentive plantings and a proactive preventive maintenance program, these features provide a substantial reduction in both the volume and nutrient load of runoff while reducing the need for additional drainage infrastructure.

To handle runoff from impermeable surfaces, UNC employs stormwater retention and detention strategies. Detention allows water to slowly percolate into the soil and recharge the groundwater supply or to be re-leased slowly into the stormwater sewer system. This strategy is dem-onstrated by the gravel infiltration beds underneath Ehringhaus and Hooker fields. The infiltration bed

under Hooker holds up to 500,000 gallons collected from nearby roofs. Some of that water is gravity-fed into a cis-tern and used for field irrigation.

Stormwater retention, capturing and holding the runoff, allows water to be reused for a variety of purposes. Cis-terns at Boshamer Stadium (80,000 gallons), Hanes Hall (60,000 gallons), Hooker Field (7,000 gallons), Rams Head Plaza (56,000 gallons), and the North Carolina Botanical Garden Education Center (54,400 gallons) provide stormwater for irrigation, while the 54,000 gal-lon cistern at the FedEx Global Education Center is used for toilet flushing. The newest and largest addition, part of the Bell Tower Development, combines 360,000-gallons of stormwater detention vaults that discharge water slow-ly downstream, surrounded by a 350,000-gallon stone-filled cistern for reuse. The cistern provides irrigation for

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OWASA reclaimed water facility

Stormwater signage at Hooker Field

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the Kenan Stadium football field and will provide toilet flushing in the new Genome Sciences Building.

RECLAIMED WATERWhen the University and OWASA began reclaimed water system operations in 2009, UNC became the first univer-sity in the country with a non-potable water utility. This innovative system draws on both highly treated wastewa-ter from the Mason Farm plant and harvested rainwater from a growing number of campus cisterns. During FY 2011, UNC used approximately 190 million gallons of reclaimed water in its chilled water plants’ cooling towers and at Kenan Stadium for irrigation. Carolina’s potable water consumption will continue to drop in this drought-prone and rapidly growing region as the reclaimed water system expands to include new uses across campus. (See Graphs 5 and 6.)

As the primary customer of the reclaimed water system, the University pays virtually all operating, maintenance, and administrative costs. The University’s total system investment to date is over $10 million, supplemented with start-up grants from the North Carolina Clean Wa-ter Management Trust Fund and the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency. Campus customers are metered and billed for non-potable water use. This provides both a revenue stream for maintenance of reclaimed water infra-structure and additional savings over time as OWASA’s potable water rate is projected to increase faster than that of reclaimed water. To ensure that the reclaimed water does not scale, pit, corrode or otherwise damage the University’s multimillion dollar utility infrastructure, operators in the chilled water control room monitor the chemistry of the reclaimed water online. When specified parameters are breached, the system switches automati-cally to potable water.

STORMWATER EDUCATION To educate and empower the campus community

to participate in sustainable stormwater management, UNC’s Department of Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) routinely hosts rain garden plantings and edu-cational exhibits at select campus events. New trainings launched in 2009 on the importance and implementa-tion of stormwater management have been attended by 950 UNC staff whose actions on the job influence water quality. This includes staff from Grounds Services, Ath-letics, Facilities Maintenance, Housekeeping Services, Energy Services, Public Safety, Construction Shops, and Housing Support. Prior to the training, less than 25% of illicit discharge reports came from outside of EHS. After the first round of training, more than 65% of illicit dis-charge reports come from outside of EHS.

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Green roof at FedEx Global Education Center


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Approximately 25% of the food purchased by Caroli-na Dining Services (CDS) is sourced from within 150 miles of campus. Half of that is purchased from 29 local farmers. At the two meal plan dining venues, local offerings are labeled with the name of the farm. Digital screens throughout campus display a weekly list of available local produce. All milk served in CDS dining locations is produced and processed in North Carolina. Grass-fed beef is served twice a week, and sushi is offered three days a week. All chefs adhere to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch guide-lines and procure only those species in the “best catch” category. The dining contractor is compen-sated in part on its success in procuring local food.

Every month CDS hosts a green-themed dinner in its residential dining halls, featuring visits from local farmers and highlighting specific facets of culinary sustainability. Carolina Dining Services’ retail dining locations also offer a wide variety of local and sustainable options. 1.5.0., located in Lenoir Mainstreet, and Greens, located in the Beach Café, are dedicated to purchasing and serving the best locally-sourced ingredients available.

The renovation of Lenoir Dining Hall in 2011 added 200 seats and doubled the size of the salad bar. Diners now watch the food preparation and can consult with a dietitian to compose non-meat, complete proteins. Electronic signage replaced daily menu printouts. The signs display food offerings at each station along with nutritional information and potential allergens. Diners can access this information on the CDS website prior

to arriving at the dining halls. Both Rams Head and Lenoir have stations dedicated to vegetarian and vegan nutritional needs.

The retail coffee shops operated by CDS promote and serve Fair Trade coffee.

CAROLINA CAMPUSCOMMUNITY GARDEN

In spring 2010, a team of eager volunteers broke ground on the Carolina Campus Community Garden on Wilson Street in Chapel Hill. The garden was founded “to pro-vide the space and support to grow vegetables and fruit so that all employees have access to fresh produce; and to foster a community among staff, students, faculty and the local residents.” During its first year, the 8,000-square-foot lot was transformed into a thriving garden that pro-duced 2,500 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables. All of

BUSINESS PRACTICES AND APPLIED RESEARCH AT UNC ENCOURAGE EATING HEALTHY FOOD AND DESIGNING COMMUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.


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the produce, valued at over $12,000 last year, is distributed to lower-paid UNC employees to help them and their families eat healthier and make ends meet during an especially diffi-cult economic period.

ACTIVE LIVINGBY DESIGN

Active Living By Design (ALBD) was launched in late 2001 as a national program of the Robert Wood John-

son Foundation (RWJF). As a program of the North Carolina Institute for Public Health at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, ALBD works with com-munity partnerships across the nation to increase rou-tine physical activity and healthy eating through changes in community design. ALBD provides technical assis-tance, training and coaching to communities through a team of project officers and a comprehensive learning network. Like the partnerships they support, ALBD staff members come from a variety of disciplines, including public health, health policy, city and regional planning, parks and recreation, nutrition, and communications.

In 2003, ALBD selected 25 diverse community partner-ships from a pool of 966 applicants to receive $200,000 each and technical assistance over five years (2003-2008). ALBD also established Healthy Eating by Design (HEbD), a pilot program that provided 12 of these part-nerships an additional $50,000 over 18 months to test ap-proaches to increase access to healthy foods for children in low-income neighborhoods. The ALBD and HEbD community partnerships were located throughout the United States, and project areas ranged in size from small urban neighborhoods to large rural regions.

In an effort to create more active community environ-ments throughout North Carolina, ALBD also provided technical assistance to and administered two active living initiatives in the state. From 2006 – 2009, ALBD operated the “Fit Together” program which focused on five rural North Carolina communities and was funded by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Since 2005, ALBD has spearheaded “Fit Community,” a designation and grant program that was originally funded by the North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund and is now funded by the NC Department of Health

The double-sided salad bar in renovated Lenoir Hall

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and Human Services’ Division of Public Health. Over the course of the past seven years, ALBD has provided technical assistance, coaching and training to a total of 38 Fit Community grantees throughout North Carolina.

In 2009, ALBD launched Healthy Kids, Healthy Com-munities (HKHC) a 5-year, $33 million national pro-gram funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

HKHC’s primary goal is to support healthier commu-nities for children and families across the United States. Special emphasis is placed on reaching children who are at highest risk for obesity on the basis of race/ethnic-ity, income and/or geographic location. It is one of the largest and most ambitious community-action programs ever supported by the foundation and a cornerstone of RWJF’s $500 million commitment to reverse the coun-try’s childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. The program funds and provides direct support to 50 community part-nerships across the country. Healthy Kids, Healthy Com-munities supports a comprehensive, community-based approach that focuses on strategies — especially policy and environmental changes — to advance active living and healthy eating among children and their families.

HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION IN WARREN COUNTY

The Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) is working with a wide range of community part-ners in Warren County, North Carolina, to implement and study a variety of sustainable agriculture programs. The Faith, Farming, and the Future project, funded by the National Institutes of Health, is working with four church-

es in rural Warren County to form youth action teams. Business leaders and youth empowerment experts are coaching these teams to develop innovative solutions to improve healthy food access and physical activity through entrepreneurial efforts. At the Harvest of Hope commu-nity garden, started by Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church and HPDP, researchers examined whether en-hanced gardening skills helped reduce health disparities and improve access to fresh foods for parishioners.

An Economic Innovation Grant from the North Caro-lina Rural Center enabled HPDP researchers to launch a program aimed at helping low-income consumers to purchase local fresh fruits and vegetables in this north-eastern county. Farmers there are prepackaging produce to make the shopping process easier. The packs are priced to correspond with the cash value of vouchers distributed by the USDA’s Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program. A branding and targeted marketing campaign helped launch the products at an independent grocery store and two corner stores for a 10-week pilot period.

Building on the AmeriCorps model, a new Food Corps program started with $2 million of seed funding in sum-mer 2011. HPDP researchers and partners secured six of the first 50 Food Corps positions nationwide to work in limited-resource counties in North Carolina. One of those leaders will live and work for a year in Warren County to deliver hands-on nutrition education, build and tend school gardens, and strategize about how best to bring high-quality local food into public school cafeterias.


HOME TO THE FIRST PUBLIC LEED PLATINUM BUILDING IN NORTH CAROLINA, UNC IS NOW CONSTRUCTING THREE LEED LABORATORY BUILDINGS. UNC IS COMMITTED TO REDUCING ENERGY AND WATER USE IN NEW BUILDINGS BY AT LEAST 30% RELATIVE TO TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS AND TO FOLLOWING GUIDELINES ISSUED BY THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL.


As the campus continues expanding to accommodate increased enrollment and research activities, the University remains committed to its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Building energy use accounts for approximately 90% of the campus’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant target of energy re-duction measures through renovations and retrofits. Better construction technologies and techniques, in conjunction with an increased awareness of and com-

mitment to sustainable design by the architectural and construction industries have allowed the Uni-versity to continue to construct spaces for education and research while maintaining the natural integrity of the campus.

In 2009 the North Carolina Botanical Garden Educa-tion Center became the first LEED Platinum public building in the state. All newly constructed Univer-sity buildings are designed to meet or exceed LEED silver standards.

LEED® FactsNorth Carolina Botanical GardenEducation Center

LEED NC 2.2

PLATINUM (2010) 52 Sustainable Sites 10/14

Water Efficiency 5/5

Energy & Atmosphere 15/17

Materials & Resources 6/13

Indoor Environmental Quality 12/15

Innovation & Design 4/5

Out of a possible 69 points

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View of the clerestory windows at the new Education Center at the North Botanical Garden


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BUILD A BLOCKIn September 2010, UNC students started rais-

ing funds to build ten Habitat for Humanity homes for University and UNC Health Care employees and their families. Over the next year, more than 1,400 Carolina students, faculty, and staff spent more than 7,052 hours constructing the homes in the Energy Star-certified, Phoenix Place subdivision in Chapel Hill. Build a Block Champion groups, individuals, and the UNC Habitat Club contributed $350,000 to help finance the project.

In September 2011, those ten homes were dedicated to ten deserving families in a ceremony that included the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Jonathan Reckford. The ambitious project led to Carolina’s selection as Habitat’s Campus Chapter of the Year.

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From left, Chancellor Holden Thorp stands with alumna Megan Jones, the Habitat

families, Patti Thorp, and Jonathan Reckford at the Build A Block dedication.


In FY 2010, UNC achieved a 45% recycling rate and kept 4,164 tons of materials out of the landfill. In FY

2011, UNC achieved a 41% diversion rate. A change in the way animal waste is managed — shifting from composting to landfilling — means that recycling rates for other materials actually increased in 2011.

Organics are still the largest share of the waste diverted (44%), followed by fiber (41%), in-house construction and demolition waste (7%), contain-ers (6%), and other (2%). (See Figure 3.) Other includes mattresses, tires, laboratory waste, printer cartridges, and electronic waste.

Some programs, such as residential move-out, seek to reuse materials. In May 2011, roughly 62 tons of materials were collect-ed by Habitat for Humanity, the Pittsboro PTA, and the Durham Rescue Mission for sale and redistribution to others.

Waste volumes continue to fall in campus dining halls. Durable dishware, staff train-ing on kitchen and dish line composting practices, and the elimination of trays in 2007 are all major contributors. Reus-able to-go containers introduced in 2009 avoid more than 76,000 Styrofoam con-tainers each semester. Most condiments are served from bulk dispensers and all straws in Rams Head and Top of Lenoir are compostable. Replacing printed menus with new electronic signage will reduce materials and labor costs by at least $10,000 annually. A food pulper was


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WASTE REDUCTION, RECYCLING, AND COMPOSTING DIVERT ALMOST HALF OF UNC DISCARDS FROM THE LANDFILL.

FIBER1656 / 41%

OTHER96 / 2% BOTTLES AND CANS

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added during the Lenoir renovation to facilitate offsite food waste composting.

Food waste collected from four campus locations — Lenoir, Rams Head, the Beach, and the Friday Center — amounted to 578 tons in 2011. In addition, 150-200 pounds of food per week is donated to the Inter-Faith Council, which provides food and housing to the home-less. Almost 5,000 gallons of fryer oil annually is recycled into biodiesel fuel.

In laboratories, non-hazardous plastics are now collected in ten buildings. The initiative grew out of an Institute for the Environment capstone course led by the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling. Items collected include pipette tip boxes, plastic bottles, flasks, and cases.

CAPSTONE COURSE:MULTI-FAMILY RECYCLING

Students in a spring 2011 Environmental Studies cap-stone course partnered with the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department to try to boost recycling rates at six multi-family apartment complexes. Social marketing research suggested making it easy for residents to participate and providing incentives for engaging in desired behaviors. Improved signage at the recycling bins and enhanced communication with residents when they move in were identified as the most effective strategies for increasing recycling weights and decreasing contamina-tion. It was also suggested that recycling bins be co-locat-ed with garbage bins.

RESIDENTIAL GREEN GAMESResidential Green Games is an environmental

competition that allows each of the University’s 15 cam-pus housing communities to compete against each other

as they learn and practice habits for living sustainably. Communities earn points for hosting and attending events and lectures, creating informative bulletin boards, developing in-community programs such as movie nights or scavenger hunts, and participating in service projects. Green Games aims to instill both a short- and long-term interest in environmental issues among the 9,000 resi-dential students at UNC.

SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGE AND CAROLINA GREEN WATER BOTTLES

An online pledge developed by the Sustainability Of-fice was taken by more than 2,500 students, staff, faculty, and alumni during its inaugural year of FY 2011. Pledge categories include energy and water conservation, trans-portation and purchasing behaviors, waste management and investment practices, and community involvement.


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Scattered pledge tables on Campus Sustainability Day, a campus-wide email, and a pledge event with the UNC Marching Band alerted members of the campus com-munity to this opportunity. Pledge takers document their current practices and commit to do more to reduce their environmental footprint. A refillable Carolina Green wa-ter bottle enables pledge takers to advertise their support and eliminate the use of disposable water bottles.

IONIZED WATERIn one housekeeping zone, the staff is testing a

new cleaning technology that eliminates 99.9% of harm-ful germs, including H1N1 and E. coli, without the use of any harmful chemicals. The spray bottle, called an Ionator, contains only water in its reservoir. An electric charge is applied to the water as it exits the nozzle, and an electric charge is emitted onto the surface being sprayed. This creates a highly effective cleaning solution that per-forms better than conventional cleaning products. Elimi-nating chemical cleaning solutions has positive impacts across the board. Housekeepers and building occupants benefit, and the manufacture, transportation, purchase, and disposal of chemical products is avoided.

EPEAT COMPUTERSThe Environmental Protection Agency’s Electron-

ic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) program rates electronic equipment based on environ-mental criteria defined by industry standards. These envi-ronmental attributes cover the full life cycle of electronic products. Included are material selection, the reduction/elimination of environmentally sensitive materials, design for and management at end of life, energy conservation, corporate performance, and packaging. During FY 2010,

UNC spent $13,619,000 on desktop and laptop comput-ers and monitors. Almost 72% of computer equipment purchased was rated at the highest level — EPEAT Gold — and 7% was rated EPEAT Silver.

RECYCLED CONTENT PAPER Paper and paper products account for 35% of U.S.

municipal solid waste and 4% of global industrial ener-gy consumption. The EPA estimates that recycling one ton of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water and 3.3 cubic

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yards of landfill space, along with significant amounts of energy and wood. In FY 2010, UNC spent $1,770,000 on office and copy paper, a 17% reduction from the year before. Greater reliance on electronic systems, more double-sided printing, ongoing budget reductions, and limits on student printing accounts likely accounted for the decrease. Almost 54% of the office paper purchased contained 10-29% recycled content, much of it used by Printing Services. Approximately 36% contained 30-49% recycled content, 1% contained 50-69% recycled con-tent, and 2% contained 100% recycled content.

ELIMINATING VOLATILEORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Every day, staff members across the university purchase items for their offices and shops. Sometimes those pur-chasing decisions inadvertently result in the emission of indoor air pollutants that can damage human health. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that produce “new car,” “fresh paint,” and “clean” smells, or result in “white board marker highs,” are a common source of indoor air pollution. By specifying products low in VOCs, purchas-ing agents can contribute to improved indoor air quality for workers and building occupants.

As part of its 2011 Strategic Plan, the Facilities Services Division decided to focus on sustainable purchasing practices. A team was formed to evaluate items com-monly purchased and stocked as inventory in the materi-als warehouse. Some products, such as 95% of the paints purchased, were found to be in compliance with third party performance standards already, including those de-veloped by the U.S. Green Building Council, Green Seal, and the Environmental Choice EcoLogo program.

When products were identified that contained high lev-els of VOCs, such as adhesives, research was conducted to find substitute products that could provide the same functionality at a reduced environmental cost. These pi-lot products were tested in multiple locations on campus.

Once approved, the newly identified product replaced the high VOC item in the warehouse as long as the cost was not prohibitive. Materials purchases will be tracked to measure progress over time.

VALUING OUR DISCARDSSecondary materials have value in the market-

place. Waste paper sells for $100-150 a ton. Yet paper is the recyclable material most commonly found in campus garbage cans. Cardboard, which is discarded in dump-sters, earned the campus more than $55,000 in FY 2011.

On the flip side, Orange County assesses penalties for landfilling prohibited materials. The largest penalties as-sessed against UNC have been for cardboard, followed by clean wood waste, scrap metal, and construction debris. For the first time, UNC incurred zero landfill penalties in FY 2011, down from $16,225 in penalties in FY 2008.


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REDUCED RELIANCE ON SINGLE-OCCUPANT VEHICLES AND INCREASED USE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS DRIVE CAROLINA’S TRANSPORTATION STRATEGY.


The 2009 transportation survey revealed that 82% of students and 48% of employees arrive on campus via a means other than a single occupant vehicle. Fare-free buses, park and ride lots, ride sharing programs, and lots of outreach provide people with the infra-structure and information required to enable smart transportation choices. Fare-free buses provide more than 7 million rides annually and real-time, online bus locators reduce waiting time for riders.

More than one-third of the campus vehicle fleet runs on alternatives to fossil fuels. Flex-fuel vehicles (269) run on 85% ethanol fuel, some diesel vehicles (23/53) run on 20% biodiesel fuel, the campus operates 26 electric vehicles, and leases three hybrids. Some de-partments are starting to provide bicycles, scooters,

and Segways for their staff to navigate campus. The Chapel Hill Transit service operates 14 diesel-electric hybrid buses in its fleet of 99 fixed-route buses.

ZIMRIDE/ZIPCAR/CAPIn addition to partnerships with the Towns of

Chapel Hill and Carrboro to provide fare-free buses, and with Triangle Transit to provide free commuting across the Triangle region, the University offers a range of trans-portation options for students and employees. Zipcar is a subscription-based service that enables members to check-out eight cars parked on campus for an hourly rate, thereby increasing access to transportation without increasing car ownership. Zimride is a commercial, web-based ride sharing system made available by the Depart-ment of Public Safety that makes it easier for students to find rides home during school breaks and eases carpool-ing for commuters. The service, requested by student government, uses a route-matching algorithm to help us-

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ers offer or find rides. Menu selections even include mu-sic preferences.

The Department of Public Safety also manages the Com-muter Alternatives Program (CAP) to encourage biking, walking, ride sharing, busing, use of park and ride lots, and vanpooling as means of getting to campus. In addi-tion to the immediate avoided cost of $500 annually for not buying a University parking permit, program incen-tives include access to five UNC and four town park and ride lots, discounts at 47 local merchants, entry into ran-dom prize drawings, and emergency rides home. All of these programs aim to reduce the amount of traffic on the roads, the impact of that traffic, and the need to install new parking spaces on campus.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE FUNDINGIn 2010, Facilities Services was awarded a $55,510

grant from the Clean Fuel Advanced Technology Project, a one million dollar initiative of the N.C. Solar Center and the N.C. Department of Transportation, in order to re-place four combustion-powered vehicles in the campus fleet with electric vehicles. Two electric vans are now part of the University Mail Services fleet, and two electric ve-hicles are used by the Housing Support Department of Facilities Services to service the University’s three apart-ment complexes.

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UNC Mail Services uses two electric vans.


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AT CAROLINA PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD ARE SUPPORTED AND ENCOURAGED REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUNDS.


In its 2011 Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) report, submitted to the Asso-ciation for the Advancement of Sustainability in High-er Education (AASHE), UNC earned all of the points in every category related to accessibility, affordability, and diversity. Many programs across multiple depart-ments encourage students from all backgrounds to enroll and succeed at Carolina.

CAROLINA COVENANTCreated in 2005, the Carolina Covenant program

allows undergraduates from low-income families to grad-uate from Carolina debt-free. Covenant students receive financial aid and advice, special programming, and work study positions. Faculty are trained to mentor Covenant Scholars during their first year at Carolina and to help the students discover and participate in campus life. The first

class of scholars graduated in 2009 and the program now has almost the same retention rate and an average GPA on par with the undergraduate student body at large. More than half the Covenant Scholars are the first in their families to attend college and all come from households that earn less than 200% of the federal poverty level based

White18,92065%

Black or African-American2,489 / 9%

American Indianor Alaskan Native167 / 1%

Nonresident Alien1,544 / 5%

Two or more races667 / 2%

Native Hawaiianor Pacific Islander122 / 0%

Race/EthnicityUnknown1,151 / 4%

Hispanic of any race2,142 / 7%

Asian1,935/7%

Other3,65113%

TotalEnrollment

29,137

Graph 8. TOTAL ENROLLMENT BY RACE/ETHNICITY, FALL 2011

CAROLINA POSTDOCTORAL PROGRAM FOR FACULTY DIVERSITY


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on family size. In total, about one-fifth of the UNC popu-lation is first-generation. The success of the Carolina Cov-enant program has spurred similar initiatives at universi-ties across the country.

HISTORICALLYUNDERUTILITIZED BUSINESSES

UNC’s Resource Center for Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) promotes government contracting

opportunities for minority- and female-owned business-es. The center houses project plans, specifications, and important contact information necessary for the timely preparation of bids and proposals. Training programs, workshops, and conferences both educate and facilitate interaction between minority and non-minority owned firms. The office and adjacent conference rooms can be used for meetings with designers, contractors, and capital project managers. Over the past decade, HUB contrac-tors have performed 16% (by value) of the $1.7 billion capital improvement program.

HOPE GARDENIn 2008, Homeless Outreach Poverty Eradication

(HOPE), a committee of the Campus Y, conceived a proj-ect aimed at helping members of Orange County’s home-less community out of poverty by providing transitional employment. The result is a 14-acre garden on Homestead Road that contains both an urban farm and plots for lease by community members. The urban farm is maintained by students, local schools, and the broader community. All participants share in the harvest, with surplus produce either sold or donated to Vimala’s Curryblossom Café. Vi-mala’s is a Chapel Hill restaurant guided by the philosophy that “everybody eats” regardless of their ability to pay. The garden cultivates food, skills, and relationships.

NOURISH INTERNATIONALNourish International is a nonprofit organization

that works with college students across the country on is-sues of global poverty. The organization was founded at Carolina in 2003 by Sindhura Citineni as the UNC student group “Hunger Lunch.” She and a committed team of stu-dents saw early successes and expanded Hunger Lunch into the Nourish International concept, winning 2nd place in the Carolina Challenge business competition for their plan. Since incorporating as a 501(c)3 non-profit in 2006, Nour-ish has grown into a national organization with chapters at 23 universities across the United States. To date, Nourish has sent over 80 students and $100,000 abroad to con-duct sustainable development projects in 14 communities.

WEATHERIZATION OFLOW-INCOME HOMES

Through their work with the Town of Chapel Hill’s Sustainability Committee, student members of UNC’s Environmental Law Project became concerned about the


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difficulties experienced by low-income households trying to keep up with their energy bills. As is often the case, renters with the lowest disposable income, tend to live in the least energy-efficient houses. The team of law students put together educational flyers for public housing residents, acquired donated weatherization kits from local utilities, and hosted two events for the tenants of public housing communities in order to distribute these materials.

COMMUNITY-CAMPUS PARTNERSHIPThe Community-Campus Partnership offers grants

ranging from $500 to $20,000 to full-time faculty, staff, or students of UNC-Chapel Hill to support projects that align with local priorities in economically dis-tressed Caswell and Lenoir counties. Projects must build local capacity, skills, or knowledge to address cur-rent and future challenges in the areas of community and economic development, education, infrastructure or public health; and improve the livability and viability of local communities. A $20,000 grant awarded in late 2010 will help bring UNC-Chapel Hill student mentors and specialized education programming to N.L. Dillard Middle School in Yanceyville.


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PROTECTING TREES AND WATERSHEDS MAINTAINS ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ON MAIN CAMPUS AND IS CENTRAL TO PLANNING THE NEW, MIXED-USE CAMPUS AT CAROLINA NORTH.

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIESAT CAROLINA NORTH

With miles of trails, Carolina North is a popular destina-tion for bikers, hikers, and dog walkers. Events held in the forest during 2010-2011 include Take a Kid Moun-tain Biking, Chapel Hill Adventure Race, Carrboro High School Cross Country Meet, the annual Pumpkin Run, the Philosopher’s Way Trail Run, and a 20-mile AIDS Walk. The property is also used for K-9 Officer Training and Technical Rescue Training. Native trees were plant-ed in an old materials laydown area both for aesthetic purposes and to formalize a meeting area for events.

Newly installed footbridges and log benches ease access for visitors of all ages. A one-acre wildflower meadow was cultivated and seeded at the chemical remediation site.

TREE REPLACEMENT FUNDTo maintain the revered tree canopy at Carolina

during a time of rapid growth, a historic tree replace-ment fund was launched in 2007. Trees identified for re-moval as part of a construction project are replaced inch for inch elsewhere on campus. A tree protection plan for each project maintains, and actively protects, as many trees as possible.

Since fiscal 2008, contributions to the historic tree re-placement fund have totaled $250,000. During 2010-2011, the fund paid for planting almost 200 trees and shrubs. These young oaks, cherries, maples, red buds, and hickories will be the historic campus trees for students several generations from now.

Rendering of the future Carolina North campus

Current airport runway at Carolina North

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Bridge over Bolin Creek

Log benches overlooking Crow Branch impoundmentJ

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Printed by Harperprints, Henderson, NC, FSC Certified since 2007 and committed tosustainability through recycling and effective resource management.

DESIGN BY UNC CREATIVE

trees water energy solid waste

greenhouse

gases

8

fully grown

3797

gallons

3.8

Million BTUs

241

pounds

842

pounds

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill saved the following resources by using New Leaf Reincarnation Matte paper,

made with 100% recycled fiber and 60% post-consumer waste, processed chlorine free, designated Ancient Forest FriendlyTM,

and manufactured with electricity that is offset with Green-e® certified renewable energy certificates.

This report was printed with vegetable-based inks on 60 percent post-consumer recycled paper, which was manufactured with electricty offset by Green-e® certified wind energy credits using a chlorine-free process.

Cover photographs by Dan Sears, Brandon Thomas, and Donn Young.Back cover photograph by Dan Sears.

U N C S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y O F F I C E R

Carolyn ElflandAssociate Vice Chancellor Campus Services

D I R E C T O R , S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y O F F I C E

Cindy Pollock Shea

UNC Sustainability OfficeFacilities Services103 Airport DriveUNC-Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC 27599-1800

P H O N E 919.843.5251E M A I L [email protected] E B S I T E sustainability.unc.edu

THE UNIVER SIT Y REPORT - Sustainability @ UNC · Students Pay Green to Go Green ... Galapagos...

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