University of Florida–Gainesville

President Machen signed the Presidents Climate Commitment. The president has also set a goal of zero waste by 2015. The Office of Sustainability is managed by a director and an outreach coordinator. The UF Green Team network was established in 2008 to develop strategies for campus-wide reduction of consumption and waste.

This year, UF will host the first carbon-neutral home football season. The annual Battle of the Halls energy competition lowered energy consumption in the residence halls by 24 percent during the spring 2008 competition. Energy efficiency improvements are being made through lighting, centralized chiller, window, water pump motor, and other retrofits.

UF purchases local dairy products and sources produce through two suppliers who, together, buy from 70 Florida farms. Organic, shade-grown coffee is purchased from a local roaster and dining services offers cage-free eggs and a variety of organic produce. Both dining halls use reusable china, and to-go containers are made from 100 percent sugarcane. UF initiated the Tail-gator recycling program for home game days in 2006.

The facilities planning and construction department requires that all new building attain LEED Silver certification, at a minimum. Two recent projects achieved LEED Gold certification: the newly renovated Library West, which includes access to daylight and low VOC materials, and the Rinker School of Building Construction. The university has initiated a 32-building LEED-EB portfolio project. The university recently completed the installation of a 2,600‐square‐foot green roof.

The Office of Sustainability employs ten interns each semester and summer. The office also funds two graduate students to work on sustainability-related projects. Gators for a Sustainable Campus, as well as the student sustainability committee, student senate, and student government are highly engaged in campus sustainability.

The student sustainability committee negotiated and funded B20 biodiesel in campus buses. Students, faculty, and staff ride the Regional Transit buses for free. The university will launch the One Less Car challenge in fall 2008, a pledge to take an alternative mode of transportation at least one day a month. UF has a car-sharing program and promotes carpooling with reduced-rate parking.

The university makes a list of endowment holdings and its proxy voting record available to trustees, senior administrators, and other select members of the school community. This information is available at the investment office.

The university aims to optimize investment return and is currently invested in renewable energy funds.

The university provides its investment managers with guidelines that determine its proxy votes.