SIXTH ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRESS REPORT

OFFICE OF SUSTAINABL E ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIA TIVES , FACILITIES MANAGEMEN T Prepared by Christopher Powell, Director

Fall 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Executive Summary ..................................................................................................... 3 II. Fiscal Year 2013 Highlights .................................................................................... 4 III. Sustainability Strategic Planning ........................................................................ 5 IV. Community Partners ................................................................................................ 7 V. Facilities Management: Energy & Emissions ................................................... 9 VI. Student Groups, Projects, and Initiatives...................................................... 24 VII. Campus Waste Management and Reduction Practices ......................... 34 VIII. Department Reporting....................................................................................... 39 IX. Research and Teaching ......................................................................................... 49 X. Awards .......................................................................................................................... 53 XI. Acknowledgments .................................................................................................. 55

2013 Sustainability Progress Report

Page 2

I. Executive Summary This report delineates the measures taken by Brown University to promote and maintain environmental sustainability both on campus and in the greater community. Through energy conservation, carbon emissions reduction, recycling, and other sustainable practices across various university departments, Brown continues to reduce its environmental footprint in order to preserve natural resources, promote environmental health and help mitigate global climate change. In the past six years, Brown University has reduced its energy-related carbon footprint by 30.6 percent below 2007 levels as part of an ambitious greenhouse gas reduction plan. This 30.6 percent reduction puts us significantly ahead of the 22 percent reduction goal in the original plan. This rapid reduction was accomplished by switching from carbon intensive Number 6 fuel oil to natural gas at our Central Heat Plant; and a major focus on energy efficiency investments initiated in fiscal year 2008 to help meet future fiscal year reduction targets. Facilities Management’s Planning Design & Construction office also implemented multiple projects under the high performance design goals for all new construction, major renovations, and acquired facilities, including a minimum certification of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Sliver and at least 25 percent better requirements than code in energy utilization. Under the energy efficiency investment program Facilities Management has 387 projects of various size and scope either completed, in progress, or under development. Over the life of the program we have invested approximately $18.6 million dollars for a total reduction of 22,366 metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCDE), or 30.6 percent below fiscal year 2007 levels in our existing buildings. To date, our efforts have resulted in a savings of approximately $3.3 million dollars in annual energy expense. It is important to note that this has been achieved even while we added substantially to the energy density of our existing buildings, such as the addition of a High Performance Computing Lab, Metcalf Complex expansion, and mass spectrometer at Geo-Chem to name a few. We have had to offset this increase in energy use by additional energy efficiency investments. Since the program’s inception in 2008, we have added systems equivalent to 6,000 MTCDE, or 8.2 percent of our 2007 baseline. Going forward, challenges remain to enable us to identify and implement additional pro