Sustainability Progress Report 2014 - University of Maryland - umd
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University of Maryland
Sustainability Progress Report 2014
umd terps leave small footprints
sustainability.umd.edu
ReportOverview
umd
University of Maryland fulfills its promise to be a national
model of a Green University by measuring and publicly
reporting its annual sustainability performance. This year’s
Sustainability Progress Report is comprised of a series of fact
sheets that can be read individually or as a full set.
In 2013 the culture of sustainability
at UMD was alive and thriving. Examples of leadership and
engagement in are evident all over
campus. Here are some major findings and turning points
highlighted this year:
• Students, faculty and staff submitted more projects than
ever before to the University Sustainability Fund
showing that excitement and ideas for enhancing campus
sustainability are at an all-time high.
• Many campus departments now actively participate in the
Green Office Program and the number of certified
green offices continues to grow steadily each year.
• The campus population showed strong interest in locally-
sourced food from the Green Tidings Food Truck and
the Farmers’ Market at Maryland through increased spending at both venues.
• More than half of incoming freshmen received an introductory lesson on sustainability in one of
their first-year courses.
Change can be challenging andrewarding. In order to meet upcoming sustainability
goals we will need to plan carefully, collaborate, and find new ways to double down our efforts to conserve
natural resources through energy use, water use and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Here are some
findings that sound the call for deeper progress:
• Carbon emissions increased slightly compared to 2012 but they remain 18% below 2005
levels. An additional 7% reduction from baseline emissions will be needed to meet the 2015
Climate Action Plan target. In all, a 32% reduction will be needed between 2013 and 2020.
• Energy and water consumption have stayed relatively flat in recent years despite
campus growth. In order to meet 2020 targets, more aggressive conservation strategies will have
to be implemented in facilities all over campus.
This report aims to provide the University Sustainability Council and other interested stakeholders
information that can help them contribute to and improve upon strategies for solving campus sustainability
challenges. The Office of Sustainability hopes the information provided inspires continued creativity,
dedication and progress toward a more sustainable UMD.
sustainability.umd.edu
ProgressSummary
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The following table presents a snapshot of the indicators that were used to create this report.
The column farthest to the right provides a quick view of how each indicator trended over the
past four years.
= progressing toward sustainability
= no significant progress
= trending in the wrong direction
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SUSTAINABILITY METRICS
Indicator Units 2010 2011 2012 2013 FY/CY Trend
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
Campus-wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions MT-CO2e 239,239 283,616 275,130 279,188 CY
Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Capita MT-CO2e/FTE person 5.7 6.7 6.4 6.5 CY
Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Area kg-CO2e/sq. ft. 10.6 13.3 13.1 12.8 CY
Steam Production MLbs 681,480 673,573 696,150 759,450 CY
Electricity Consumption MWh 259,097 268,244 269,455 268,104 CY
FM Energy Conservation Projects MWh savings 3,277 9,295 9,647 11,311 FY
Renewable Energy Generation MWh 5 1,142 13,462 13,358 CY
Water Consumption kgal 511,635 509,750 482,987 475,302 CY
SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION
First Year Sustainability Education percent of students 22% 43% 48% 54% FY
Sustainability Studies Minor Students count N/A N/A 213 252
Chesapeake Project Impact
and Participation count 57 81 115 151 FY
GREEN PROCUREMENT
Office Paper Purchasing reams 127,361 132,448 119,617 109,194 FY
Green Cleaning percent of budget metrics tracked for four separate departments FY
Sustainable Food in Dining Halls percent of budget 11% 10% 13% 15% FY
SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIORS
Campus-wide Recycling percent of solid waste 63% 64% 76% 78% CY
Solid Waste Generation tons 14,229 12,806 17,096 17,952 CY
Composted Food Waste tons 138 431 509 647 CY
Certified Green Offices count N/A 17 67 106 FY
TRANSPORTATION
Student Commuter Parking Purchases percent of students 29.8% 24.3% 23.0% 22.4% CY
Faculty and Staff Commuter
Parking Purchases percent of employees 85.9% 71.9% 73.0% 75.5% CY
Campus Vehicle Fleet Fuel Use MT-CO2e 6,965 6,957 7,056 7,954 CY
Air Travel MT-CO2e 38,016 47,292 49,159 50,983 FY
Shuttle-UM Ridership rides 2,686,717 2,967,164 3,416,277 3,504,492 FY
Registered Bikes on Campus count 1,549 2,137 2,242 3,250 FY
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Undergraduate Students Living
on and Near Campus percent of students 44% 46% 47% 47% FY
The Farmers Market at Maryland revenue to sellers ($) N/A N/A $128,714 $191,933 FY
Smart & Sustainable
Campuses Conference count of participants Metric added in 2012 320 302 FY
sustainability.umd.edu
Culture&Behaviors
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2013 HIGHLIGHTS
Availability and popularity of sustainable food on campus is increasing.
Dining Services is on track to meet its goal that 20% of food served will be
sustainable by 2020.
350% more food waste was
Almost
composted in dining halls than five years ago.
The improvement is a result of new infrastructure,
consistent signage, outreach and strong participation.
25% more offices on campus have joined the Green Office
Program than at the end of the 2012-2013 academic year. Several
departments have set goals for all offices to achieve certification.
64 water bottle refill stations were installed across campus through Terps
Heart the Tap—a university project funded by the University Sustainability Fund.
So far these refill stations have been used to fill the equivalent of over 623,000
plastic water bottles. Not only did Terps reduce waste and save money by refilling
bottles with tap water, they also conserved almost 39,000 gallons of water that
would have been used in disposable bottle manufacturing.
Over 1,000 more bicyclists registered their bikes
than in 2012 showing that interest and engagement in the
bikeUMD culture continues to grow.
UMD Departments purchased 10,423 fewer reams of general use paper in 2013 than they did
in 2012. This reduction saved 625 trees (assuming all of the avoided purchases would have been
paper with no recycled content.)
What Can YOU Do?
• Find ways that fit with your lifestyle to
A record number of people are engaged participate in UMD’s growing culture of
with UMD’s online sustainability presence: sustainability. The following pages in the 2013
• The Office of Sustainability Facebook page’s Sustainability Progress Report will give you
number of likes doubled over 2013 and it some ideas. You can also be creative, network
with partners on campus and come up with
receives 3 times as many views per day as it
ideas of your own.
did in 2012.
• Join your fellow Terps and take the Small
Like us at facebook.com/SustainableUMD Footprint Pledge. Learn more at ter.ps/pledge
• Over 3,000 people follow the Office of • Talk with your peers about ideas to reduce
Sustainability’s Twitter account to learn about the campus’ environmental footprint. Put your
campus-wide events and the latest news in ideas into action by applying for a University
Sustainability Fund grant to start a new
sustainability.
project. Learn more by searching for “Fund” at
Follow us at twitter.com/SustainableUMD sustainability.umd.edu
sustainability.umd.edu
GreenOffices
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106 certified green offices have demonstrated to the Office of Sustainability that they
employ environmental best practices and engage employees in sustainable living.
4 Gold 32 Silver 70 Bronze
140 offices participate in the Green Office program although not all are certified.
1,498 people work in Certified Green Offices. They reduce their offices’ environmental impacts
through various actions like purchasing local or fair trade products, shrinking their energy
consumption, and recycling and composting their waste when possible.
90% of people in certified Green Offices drink from a reusable water bottle or mug at work.
75% of people working in certified Green Offices reduce waste by using reusable dishware,
cutlery, and cups to eat meals in the office.
The Office of Sustainability has trained 18 student interns to provide outreach, support and
auditing to the campus Green Office network.
What Can You Do to Spread the Green Office Culture at UMD?
You don’t have to work in a Green Office to them with CFL or LED bulbs which use
make a difference. Try incorporating these significantly less energy than incandescent
sustainable habits into your routine: bulbs.
• Reduce paper use by sharing documents • Bring a reusable water bottle and refill at
electronically and purchase 100% post- the tap. You’ll save money and reduce your
consumer recycled content paper for environmental footprint.
general use as specified in the university’s
Your office can join the Green Office program
Policies and Procedures for Environmentally
for free and receive ongoing support from the
Preferable Procurement.
Office of Sustainability to continue reducing
• Unplug chargers and electronics when you’re your environmental footprint. You can make
not using them. These devices consume a difference on your own but why not make it
electricity whenever they are plugged in. simpler by joining the Green Office Program?
• When you change your light bulbs, replace For more information email atoews@umd.edu
sustainability.umd.edu
GreenDining
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15% of food served in the dining halls was
sustainable. This means it falls into one or more of
four categories:
• Fair Trade – meets international labor
standards
• Local – grown or made within 250 miles of UMD
• Humane – Free-range, cage-free
• Ecologically Sound – organic,
environmentally friendly
Reusable container use has
increased 190% in dining halls
since Dining Services introduced
the containers in 2012, keeping
almost 140,000 disposable
containers out of landfills.
The Green Tidings Food Truck has become
a campus favorite, serving 11,740 customers in
2013. Customers’ favorite dishes included Grilled
Herb Marinated Salad, Grilled Steak Sandwich, and
Gourmet Grilled Cheese.
People dining on campus composted almost 650 tons of food waste,
saving over $17,000 in waste transportation costs and preventing 250
tons of greenhouse gases from being released into the atmosphere.
The Food Recovery Network recovered almost 19 tons
of leftover food from dining halls last year and distributed it to local shelters
and soup kitchens.
What Can You Do to Join the Culture of Sustainable Food at UMD?
• Ask questions about your food and try to learn how and where it was produced. Choose local,
fair-trade, organically and/or humanely produced products when possible.
• Volunteer to help Food Recovery Network collect and transport leftover food from campus dining
halls, campus events and other local venues.
• Learn about Terp Farm, a new sustainable farm venture between Dining Services and the College
of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and other campus gardens that grow food. Join in during a
volunteer day.
sustainability.umd.edu
Waste&Recycling
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Terps sent 400,000 pounds less waste to landfills
than in 2012, saving over $5,000 in waste transportation costs.
UMD achieved an institutional recycling rate of 78% which is 3%
more than the Climate Action Plan waste diversion target for 2013,
and 21% more than five years ago.
Construction & Demolition waste
generation increased almost 180%
compared to 2012 due to major construction projects. All waste from
construction projects on campus is diverted from landfills and in
2013 this accounted for about half of UMD’s recycled material.
Almost 600 tons of furniture was
reused through Terrapin Trader which
is the university’s surplus property The average
distribution center. American generated
4.4 lbs of waste
Over 1.3 million pounds per day UMD generated
of landscaping waste from in 2011 (according 2.9 lbs of waste per
campus is composted to the US full-time student per
locally every year and EPA) day in 2013 (according to
returned to campus Facilities Management)
grounds as wood
mulch and soil
conditioner.
What Can You Do to Support
the Recycling Culture at UMD?
• Separate recyclables and place them in a blue single-stream recycling
container.
• If you’re planning an on-campus event, you can request recycling and
compost containers from Facilities Management. Email recycle@umd.edu
to make a request.
• Whether you are eating at a food provider on campus or packing your
lunch, you can reduce your landfilled waste to zero. Dine in or pack your
meal in a reusable container. Place leftover food in a compost collection
container, available in several campus locations.
sustainability.umd.edu
GreenProcurement
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COPY PAPER CONSUMPTION
300000 Sugar Cane 75%
100% PCC of paper
250000 50% PCC purchased
30% PCC
by campus
Reams of Paper
200000 departments
Virgin
for general
office use was manufactured
150000
from post-consumer recycled
content (PCC) or sugarcane-
100000
a rapidly renewable material.
50000
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
37% of offices
300000
that have joined the Green Office
Program purchase recycled or remanufactured printer
cartridges for office printing.
250000
90% of cleaning products used in residence halls
are certified 200000
as green or sustainable products.
Over 84%
of cleaning products used in
150000
classrooms, offices, and research labs are certified as green or sustainable products.
100000
50000 Sustainability Honors in Housekeeping
UMD’s cleaning practices are among the healthiest and most sustainable
0
in the industry. The Housekeeping Services Unit of Facilities Management
was one of the first university cleaning programs to achieve Green Seal
Certification, and Residential Facilities was the first university housekeeping
program to achieve the Cleaning Industry Management Standards Green
Buildings certification (also known as CIMS-GB) with Honors. These third-
party certifications demonstrate that UMD’s housekeeping staff is a leader in
the green cleaning field.
sustainability.umd.edu
Transportation
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Commuting by car to and from campus by students,
faculty, and staff is a large contributor to UMD’s carbon footprint, Commuter
comprising about 10% of total campus carbon emissions. Population
Each day when they drive to and from campus, • 35% of students live on
campus or in adjacent
Terps (on average) who purchase commuter parking
college-owned, operated
permits: of affiliated housing.
Travel Consume Spend • Approximately 70%
Students 32 miles 1.3 gallons of gasoline $4.56 of students and 81%
of faculty and staff
Staff 30 miles 1.3 gallons of gasoline $4.56
commute to campus by
Faculty 28 miles 1.2 gallons of gasoline $4.20 car some of the time.
• 22% of students and
This driving can add up. Student drivers spent an average of $730
75% of faculty and staff
each on gasoline in 2013 to commute to campus, staff drivers spent drive to campus often
almost $1,000 each and faculty drivers spent around $875 each. enough to purchase
Together these drivers produced more than 28,000 metric tons of a commuter parking
greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to burning 377 tanker trucks permit.
full of gasoline. • Each fall, for the past
five years, students
Air Travel for conferences, research and other university have been buying fewer
commuter parking
business, athletics, and education abroad is an even larger contributor
permits than they did in
to UMD’s carbon footprint, comprising about 18% of total campus the previous year.
greenhouse gas emissions.
Air travel miles have increased 49% in the last five years. The graph
below shows recent growth. Air travel carbon emissions increased What can you do?
53% since the Climate Action Plan was released in 2009. The dark The Sustainable
blue line below shows emissions. Transportation page
in this report shows
AIR TRAVEL DISTANCE AND CLIMATE IMPACT ways that Terps are
choosing to travel
80
Education Abroad
60,000 more sustainably.
70 Athletics
UMD Business 50,000
Millions of Passenger Miles
60 GHG Emissions
50 40,000
MT-CO2e
40
30,000
30
20,000
20
10 10,000
0
0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
sustainability.umd.edu
80
SustainableTransportation
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Although UMD’s population continues to grow,
students, staff, and faculty are making more effort
than ever to travel sustainably.
Terps relied on Shuttle-UM for over 3.5 million
rides, an increase of more than 50% compared
to 2008.
DOTS’ Electric Vehicle charging stations provided
28,630 kWh of electricity to Terps and community members who own electric vehicles (EVs),
saving EV owners a total of approximately $3,470 in electricity costs.
46% of people working in certified Green Offices have
changed their personal commuting habits to include more
sustainable options, including walking, cycling, carpooling and
public transportation at least one day per week.
Terps registered over 3,000
bikes, twice as many as in 2010,
showing that bike riding continues to
grow in popularity on campus.
What Can You Do to
bikeUMD — A DOTS Program
support the sustainable
Supporting the Culture of Biking
transportation culture at
on Campus
UMD?
The university has made significant efforts to
expand the biking infrastructure on campus in • Try to incorporate alternatives to driving
the last year. The Department of Transportation alone to campus into your personal
commuting habits if possible.
Services (DOTS) painted 86 “sharrows” on
campus roads — arrows indicating that cars • Provide encouragement to co-workers
must share the lanes with bikers. Furthermore, and classmates who are working to
688 new bike parking spaces were created on make their commute more sustainable.
campus through the installation of 344 new bike • Consider purchasing a hybrid or electric
racks, each with two parking spaces. In addition vehicle, or just upgrading to a more
to making riding safer on campus and bike fuel-efficient vehicle.
parking easier, DOTS has installed seven bike • Be mindful and respectful of bikers
repair stations across campus. These stations when you are sharing the road with
provide the tools for basic repairs and an air them.
pump to fill up soft tires. Expanding the bicycle • Join UMD Zimride to find carpool
infrastructure is imperative to encourage faculty, partners and offer or request rides for
staff and students to green their commutes by commutes, road trips, and events. Go to
choosing to bike to campus. zimride.umd.edu
sustainability.umd.eduCarbonFootprint
umd
UMD is committed to working toward zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Since the Climate Action Plan (CAP) was launched five years
ago, UMD has achieved an average reduction of 6,395 tons of
greenhouse gases each year. However, UMD’s carbon footprint
increased 1.5% in 2013 due mainly to transportation.
Carbon footprint:
• 279,188 Metric Tons of Carbon (MT-CO2E) in 2013
• Burning 3,700 tanker trucks of gasoline would produce a
similar footprint If you could see 1 metric
ton of carbon dioxide, you
Carbon reduction:
would be looking at a 33 ft.
• 18% below the 2005 baseline year wide bubble of gas. This is
• An additional 32% reduction is needed by 2020 to meet our more than 3 times the width
CAP target of the M in the circle on
Campus Drive.
UMD CARBON EMISSIONS BY SOURCE
Renewable Energy Certificate
emissions reduction in 2010
2013 Highlights
from student fees
• Emissions from purchased
Total Emissions (MT-CO2e)
Power &
Operations electricity decreased 15%
Air Travel due to more efficient use
Commuting of the campus combined
Refrigerants heat and power plant and
& Chemicals integration of energy from
Agriculture wind and solar projects.
Solid Waste
• Emissions from the
UMD Fleet
natural-gas fired
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 combined heat and power
plant increased 6%.
Our most recent campus carbon footprint was 4,058 MT-CO2e • Emissions from air travel
greater than the previous year’s carbon footprint. The same increase increased 4% in the last
in atmospheric carbon would have resulted from sending 208
year and 46% in the last
garbage trucks full of waste to landfills instead of recycling. Air travel,
five years.
commuting, the campus vehicle fleet and agriculture contributed to
350000
the increase this year. Emissions from power and operations alone were
0.7% less than the previous year. For information on reducing emissions
300000
from energy use see the Energy Consumption page in this report. What can you do?
250000
Yearly Emissions per Terp Look for this symbol for
6.53 Metric tons of carbon, 1.4% more than last
200000
year ideas on other pages of
Yearly Emissions per 1,000 sq. ft. this report.
150000
12.77 Metric tons of carbon, 2.1% less than last year
100000
sustainability.umd.edu
50000EnergyConsumption
umd
In spring 2014, President Loh announced the President’s Energy
Initiatives to encourage Facilities Management and campus partners 2013 Highlights
to prioritize electric efficiency and transition to more clean, • The average Terp consumed 17.2
renewable power. The initiatives set three major goals: kWh each day. All together the
1
campus consumed over 268
million kWh of electricity in 2013.
We will reduce electricity use on campus by 20% by
• Terps also used 759,450 pounds
2020 via energy efficiency upgrades.
of steam, 9% more than last year.
PAST AND PROJECTED • Electricity and steam power
combined equates to about
AVERAGE ELECTRICAL USE 1.3 million kWh per day. It
800000 Trend to Date Future Goal would take approximately
18,800 typical residences in
700000
the Chesapeake Bay region to
600000 consume the same amount of
kwh/Day
500000 power.
400000 • Administration has invested
300000 over $25 million into energy
200000
conservation for campus
buildings since 2008.
100000
0
‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20
Calendar Year What Can You Do to Help
Manage Energy at UMD?
2 We will off-set new greenhouse gas emissions from
our new construction by designing new buildings to
strict energy-efficiency standards and using energy from
Individuals can:
• Turn off and unplug
computers and other
renewable sources.
3
electronics when not in use.
We will eliminate carbon emissions from purchased • Purchase and use ENERGY STAR
electricity by 2020 by purchasing only from renewable Qualified or EPEAT-registered
sources. computer equipment.
• Turn lights off in unoccupied rooms
PAST AND PROJECTED and rely on daylight for illumination
PURCHASED ELECTRICITY when possible.
100
Trend to Date Future Goal Campus Departments
and Units can:
% Renewable (rounded)
80
• Propose projects to reduce energy
60 consumption and work with
campus partners to implement.
40
• Participate in the Green Office
20 Program.
• Show support for implementing
0
campus wide energy conservation
‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20
Calendar Year
and renewable energy strategies.
sustainability.umd.eduWaterConsumption
umd
UMD aims to conserve potable water and has set a goal to
reduce purchases of potable water from around 500 million 2013 Highlights
gallons a year to 400 million gallons a year by 2020. That is a
• UMD consumed almost 2%
reduction of over 150 Olympic-size swimming pools. Potable
less potable water in 2013
water meets drinking water standards as provided by the than in 2012 and over 7% less
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and does not include than five years ago.
stormwater, recycled water or groundwater from campus. • Working with an energy
services company,
POTABLE WATER USE ON CAMPUS Intercollegiate Athletics
600 and Facilities Management
Trend to Date Future Goal
millions of gallons
installed water-conserving
500
fixtures to improve efficiency
400 of toilets, urinals, showers
and faucets in 7 athletic
300
facilities across campus.
200 • The Water Use and
100 Watershed Protection Work
Group of the University
0 Sustainability Council
‘06 ‘07 ‘08 ‘09 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13 ‘14 ‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18 ‘19 ‘20 released a report detailing
Calendar Year 13 recommendations to
WHERE IS POTABLE WATER USED ON CAMPUS? improve water management
at UMD. To learn
more view the
12% report online at
Power 9% sustainaiblity.
Plant Golf Course,
umd.edu under
25% Fields and
Reports &
Residence Halls, 19% Irrigation
32% Dining, Recreation, Offices, Publications.
Heating and Cooling and other Classrooms and 3%
Equipment Student Buildings Research Buildings Other
What Can You Do to Help Manage Potable Water at UMD?
Individuals can: Campus Departments & Units can:
• Reduce unnecessary waste of water from • Propose projects to reduce potable water
sinks and showers. consumption and/or stormwater runoff to
• Learn about dual-flush toilets that have been Facilities Management and the University
installed in some locations around campus Sustainability Fund.
and use them appropriately. • Participate in the Green Office Program.
• Report leaky plumbing fixtures promptly to • Show support for implementing campus
facility managers and follow up to make sure wide water management strategies.
leaks are fixed quickly.
sustainability.umd.eduSustainabilityCurriculum
umd
As part of the University’s
commitment to improve
sustainability, UMD engages
students by adding more
courses each year that
focus on and incorporate
sustainability into its
curriculum.
151 courses have been
revised, across 63 different
disciplines, to include
material about sustainability.
252 students from 58 majors enrolled in the
Sustainability Studies Minor in its second academic
year of availability. It is the largest minor at UMD.
138 professors from all the university’s colleges
and schools have participated in the Chesapeake
Project Workshop, learning how to integrate
sustainability into their courses.
54% of incoming freshmen received a
sustainability lesson in the fall of 2013 through the
Student Sustainability Advisors program. A group
of trained juniors and seniors gave presentations to
introductory freshmen classes through this program.
2013-2014 Highlights
• The Education for Sustainability Work Group of the University Sustainability Council developed
a list of six aspirational learning outcomes for which the university should strive in its education
of undergraduate students. To learn more or request a list of the work group’s recommended
learning outcomes, contact the Office of Sustainability.
• The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences adopted its own Sustainability
Plan. This is the first plan of its kind at the college level at UMD. It includes
strategies to continue incorporating sustainability into the curriculum, as well as
strategies to reduce resource consumption. The plan was also designed to serve
as a guide for other colleges to set goals for improving the sustainability of the
campus and community.
sustainability.umd.eduSustainabilityResearch
umd
Maryland is a leader in research focused
on generating innovative solutions for a
sustainable future.
UMD hosts 15 research centers
which work to understand and solve
complex environmental and sustainability-
related problems.
Examples of Research Funded
by UMD
• Through collaboration between the
Council on the Environment, the Vice
President for Research, the Provost and
the Deans, the university provides
$180,000 in seed grants
each year to fund two multidisciplinary environmental research projects by faculty.
• The University Sustainability Fund-powered by an undergraduate student fee of $12 a
semester-awarded $24,000 in 2013-14 for student and faculty research that could
result in tools to help reduce UMD’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Examples of Research Collaborations
• Faculty in the School of Engineering received a Maryland
Offshore Wind Energy Challenge Grant of $215,398 to
conduct research that will help shape the state’s strategy for
establishing an offshore wind power industry in Maryland.
• UMD’s Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC)
manages a collaborative research effort of 20 institutions
for NOAA called the Cooperative Institute for Climate and
Satellites and is receiving $93 million in funding to lead this
program from 2014-2019.
• The Center for Disaster Resilience in the Clark School of
Engineering is one of the newest collaborative research
centers at UMD. 90 participants from federal, state and
local governments, businesses and universities—including the
center—attended a symposium at UMD to identify regional needs
for building resilience to natural and human-caused disasters.
sustainability.umd.eduCommunityInvolvement
umd
UMD contributes in numerous ways to sustainability in local communities. Because this
involvement is difficult to quantify across all of UMD’s
programs, this page summarizes a few key examples.
In 2013 students, faculty, staff and community members
who visited the Farmer’s Market at Maryland, supported
local, sustainable food producers by spending over
$191,000, an increase of almost 50% compared to 2012.
An average of over 285 people visited the Market each
week of the Fall semester.
40 municipalities throughout the
state are setting and achieving goals to make their communities stronger, greener
and more resilient through the Sustainable Maryland Certified program of the
Environmental Finance Center at UMD.
302 participants (from 42 states and provinces in 3 countries) convened at the 2014
Smart & Sustainable Campuses Conference, which is hosted and staffed by the UMD Office
of Sustainability. Over the past five years, 350 colleges and universities have sent
representatives to this conference.
Community Gardening in Baltimore City
In response to growing, city-wide need for
long-term gardening support, University of
Maryland Extension (UME) partnered with
the Parks & People Foundation to establish
the Community Greening Resource Network
(CGRN): a membership program that assists
community gardens, urban farms, school
gardens and individual and family green spaces
throughout the city of Baltimore.
CGRN members have access to materials,
resources, education, and connections that
gardens need to have a successful and
sustainable green space. During its first five
years, CGRN has grown to include 175 member gardens throughout the city. Membership
benefits include workshops and education, volunteers and networking opportunities, tool
libraries, give-away days, newsletters, calendars and other resources. In 2013 CGRN hosted
9 give-away days during which they provided around $50,000 worth of trees, shrubs, soil
amendments, seedlings, seeds and other gardening supplies to member gardens.
sustainability.umd.eduAcknowledgements
umd
Thanks to all who submitted information this year for the annual Sustainability Progress Report, including:
Frank Allnutt, Director, Research & Education Centers (Central & Western Maryland; Lower Eastern Shore)
Brian Benhaim, Former Project Manager, Engineering and Energy
Jessica Best, Administrative Assistant, Transportation Services
Karen Breen, Director, Business Services
Susan Corry, Acting Energy Manager, Engineering and Energy
Michael Cron, IT Coordinator, Dining Services
Thomas Dobrosielski, Information Specialist, Institutional Research, Planning & Assessment
Robyn Dwyer, Program Coordinator, Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute
Sandy Dykes, Associate Director, Building and Landscape Services—General Services
P.J. Ellis, Director of Grounds, Inter-Collegiate Athletics
Anna Evans-Goldstein, Community Greening Resource Network Coordinator, Parks & People Foundation
Steve Gnadt, Associate Director, Stamp Student Union
Valerie Goubeau, Assistant Director, Transportation Services
Jim Johnson, Director of Facilities, Institute for Bioscience & Biotechnology Research
Robb Krehbiel, Academic Advisor to the Sustainability Studies Minor
Allison Lilly, Sustainability & Wellness Coordinator, Dining Services
George Long, Course Superintendent, University of Maryland Golf Course
Joel Manspeaker, Manager of Landscape Administration, Building & Landscape Services
Jeff McGee, Assistant Director, Residential Facilities—Building Services
Jessica Moore, Assistant Manager, Building & Landscape Services
Jimmy Pence, HVAC Zone Supervisor, Operations & Maintenance
Karen Petroff, Assistant Director, Arboretum/Horticultural Services
Sidney Salazar, Manager, Procurement & Supply
Hilary Sazama, Manager, Office of Extended Studies
Adrienne Small, Recycling Specialist, Building & Landscape Services
Don St. Armand, Fleet Manager, Transportation Services
Cathy Stephens, Director of Planning, Programs and Communications, Council on the Environment
Claire Valdivia, Applications Coordinator, Education Abroad
David Wallace, IT Systems Programmer, Transportation Services
Special thanks to Join Ian and
Ian Reichardt who worked as other fellow Terps
a Measurement & Assessment in taking the Small
Intern in the Office of Footprint Pledge to
Sustainability to help reduce the campus’
produce this report. environmental
footprint. Learn more
at ter.ps/pledge
sustainability.umd.eduYou can also read
