WPI

1. Development of a Campus Sustainability Plan
John Orr
Chair, President’s Task Force on Sustainability
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Elizabeth Tomaszewski
WPI Sustainability Coordinator
April 24, 2013 1

2. The Need for a Plan
• Through our educational, research, and operational activities WPI
is now demonstrating major accomplishments in each of the three
aspects of sustainability: environmental preservation,
economic prosperity, and social equity.
• However, we do not have a Vision and a
set of Goals, or coordinated activities, for
the role of Sustainability at WPI
• We need a Plan!
2

3. A Two-Phase Process
• Phase One: Internal and External Benchmarking, Analysis of
strengths and opportunities, proposals for possible Goals and
Tasks
• Phase Two: Commit to specific Goals, develop detailed action plans
• Throughout: Involvement of the entire WPI community:
• Students, Faculty, Staff
• Alumni, Board of Trustees
3

4. Timeline
• 3/21/2012: Kickoff in Campus Center
• Spring, 2012: Working Group activities began
• Fall, 2102: Integration of Working Group output
• 9/17/2012: Draft Phase One report complete
• Oct, Nov, 2012: Community Input to Draft
• Dec, 2012: Final Phase One report complete
• Acad Yr 12-13: Development of Phase
Two report
• Acad Yr 13-14: Review and adoption by
WPI community (Students,
Faculty, Staff, Trustees)
4

5. Four Working Groups
Each with 2 co-chairs
• Campus Facilities and Operations
• Academic Program (Teaching and Research)
• Community Engagement
• Policies and Practices
Also, GreenerU is assisting us
5

6. Vision for Sustainability at WPI
We
at
WPI
will
demonstrate
our
commitment
to
the
preserva;on
of
the
planet
and
all
its
life
through
the
incorpora;on
of
the
principles
of
sustainability
throughout
the
ins;tu;on.
We
will
accomplish
this
goal
by
promo;ng
a
culture
of
sustainability
that
incorporates
the
beliefs
and
behaviors
supported
by
our
technical
strengths
and
by
our
heritage
of
the
applica;on
of
both
theory
and
prac;ce,
as
embodied
in
our
moBo
Lehr
und
Kunst,
to
the
solu;on
of
important
problems.
WPI
will
develop
a
bold
and
comprehensive
strategy
to
advance
the
three
broad
goals
of
sustainability:
ecological
stewardship,
social
jus;ce,
and
economic
security.

7. Task
Force
Working
Groups
WPI
Community
1. DraK
Vision
2. Planning
Process
3. Charge
Planning
Memo
Phase
One
Report
Outcomes:
1. Current
Status
2. Benchmarking
3. Poten;al
Goals
4. Strengths,
Weaknesses,
Opportuni;es
Phase One
President’s
Endorsement
7

8. Existing Conditions
• Areas
for
op;miza;on:
– Hea;ng
and
cooling
set
points
are
inconsistent
– Uncontrolled
occupancy
is
currently
not
conducive
to
energy
savings
– Recycling
efforts
are
low
and
not
very
user
friendly
– Other
opera;onal
areas
have
opportuni;es
too
Facilities

9. Existing Conditions
• Transporta;on
– 960
WPI
employees
drive
to
work
with
an
average
commute
distance
of
14
miles
– If
everyone
commutes
individually
it
equates
to
26,000
miles
per
day
Community

10. Please Join us to Discuss the Phase One Draft:
• Particularly for Students:
September 24, 5:00 pm, SL 115
• For Everyone: October 3,
4:00 pm, Salisbury 116 WPI
is
moving
from
a
period
of
growth
to
a
period
of
sustainability.
Dennis
Berkey
10

11. ATTENDEE INPUT
– Turn it on (PWR button at bottom)!
– Press the letter of your response.
– Press send
Clicker Instructions

12. 12
a
29%
b
31%
c
25%
d
15%
Importance
of
Goal
a)
All
of
WPI’s
graduates
will
leave
campus
with
the
desire
and
abilities
to
develop
sustainable
solutions.
All
WPI
students
(graduates
and
undergraduates)
will
have
the
opportunity
to
incorporate
aspects
of
sustainability
in
their
education.
b)
The
operation
of
WPI’s
campus
and
facilities
will
demonstrate
that
the
principles
of
sustainability
guide
our
actions
as
well
as
our
academic
and
research
programs.
c)
Through
our
research
and
scholarly
activities
WPI
will
make
signiAicant
contributions
to
the
technologies,
the
policies,
and
the
attitudes
that
will
help
assure
a
sustainable
world
for
humankind
as
well
as
for
all
of
nature.
d)
We
will
demonstrate
WPI’s
leadership
in
enhancing
the
current
and
future
welfare
of
our
communities:
on
campus,
in
Worcester,
for
our
nation,
and
globally.
a
14%
b
21%
c
17%
d
37%
e
11%
Academics:
Most
Important
Ac5on
a)
Some
type
of
degree
requirement
in
Sustainability
b)
That
the
Great
Problems
Seminars
will
continue
to
serve
as
a
focal
point
for
our
entering
students.
c)
Creation
of
some
type
of
coordination/leadership
function
to
guide
and
promote
our
academic
activities
in
Sustainability.
d)
Establishment
of
a
major
energy
project
center
incorporating
undergraduate
projects
as
well
as
graduate
and
faculty
research.
e)
Establishment
of
a
policy
center
focusing
on
human
issues
in
global
development
Community Input

13. Phase One Report
13

14. WPI’s
graduates
will
leave
campus
with
the
understanding
and
abili;es
to
develop
sustainable
solu;ons
to
the
world’s
problems.
All
WPI
students
(graduates
and
undergraduates)
will
have
the
opportunity
to
incorporate
and
cri;cally
evaluate
significant
aspects
of
sustainability
in
their
educa;on.
Draft Goal One

15. The
opera;on
of
WPI’s
campus
and
facili;es
will
demonstrate
that
the
principles
of
sustainability
guide
our
ac;ons
in
providing
a
produc;ve
living
and
learning
environment.
Draft Goal Two

16. Draft Goal Three
Through
our
research
and
scholarly
ac;vi;es
WPI
will
make
significant
contribu;ons
to
the
technologies,
the
policies,
and
the
abtudes
that
will
help
assure
a
sustainable
world.

17. Draft Goal Four
WPI’s
students,
faculty,
and
staff
will
be
ac;vely
engaged
in
promo;ng
a
culture
of
sustainability
to
enhance
the
current
and
future
welfare
of
our
communi;es:
on
campus,
in
Worcester,
for
our
na;on,
and
globally.

18. 18
Phase Two: the Harder Part
• What
are
we
really
going
to
do?
• How
will
we
accomplish
it?
• Are
our
goals
to
ambi;ous?
• Are
our
goals
too
modest?
• How
do
we
keep
people
engaged?
• How
will
we
pay
for
it?

19. World Café: Real Community Engagement
19

20. 20
Current Status
• Running
fast
to
finish
the
academic
year
• Working
groups
are
assembling
for
each
Goal:
– Objec;ves
– Tasks
– Metrics
– Resources
needed
– Lead
person
or
posi;on

21.
21
Development of a Campus
Sustainability Plan
Thank you!
John Orr
orr@wpi.edu