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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Misa T. Saros
Title: Sustainability Coordinator
Date survey submitted: July 28, 2009
ADMINISTRATION
SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES
1) Does your school have its own formal sustainability policy?
[X ] No, but it is currently under development
[ ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
2) Has the president of your institution signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. If completed, please provide the date the GHG Report was submitted to the ACUPCC: September 15, 2008
3) Has your institution signed the Talloires Declaration?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes
4) Is there a sustainability component in your institution's master plan and/or strategic plan (check all that apply)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes, in the master plan. Please describe and provide URL, if available: The campus master plan commits to incorporating principles of sustainability to minimize any adverse environmental impacts. http://www.umaine.edu/campusplanning/masterplan.htm
[ ] Yes, in the strategic plan. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
ADVISORY COUNCIL
5) Does your school have a council or committee that advises on and/or implements policies and programs related to sustainability?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes
If you answered "No" to question 5, please proceed directly to question 11.
6) Please provide the name of the committee and list the number of meetings held since August 2008.
Name: The University of Maine Sustainability Council
Number of meetings: Meetings occur monthly during the academic year.
7) Please provide number of stakeholder representatives on the committee.
[# 6 ] Administrators
[# 6 ] Faculty
[# 4 ] Staff
[# 6 ] Students
[# ] Other. Please describe:
8) Please provide the name of the chair(s) of the committee for the 2009-2010 academic year, and indicate which stakeholder group the chair(s) represents.
If 2009-2010 academic year information is not yet available, please provide information for 2008-2009 instead.
Name of chair(s): Misa T. Saros
Position(s) (e.g., administrator, faculty, staff, student): Administrator
9) To whom does the committee report (e.g., president, vice president)? Vice President
10) Please list key issues/programs that the committee has addressed or implemented since August 2008.
Key issues/programs that the group has addressed/implemented since August 2008:Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory, Campus Climate Action Plan (CAP), Green Loan Fund
Progress made on each of these issues since August 2008: GHG Emissions Inventory Completed and Submitted to ACUPCC, Green Loan Fund Agreement Formalized, Campus CAP under development
SUSTAINABILITY STAFF
11) Does your school employ sustainability staff (excluding student employees and interns)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide titles and number of sustainability staff.
[#1 ] Number of full-time staff (in FTE). Titles: [ Sustainability Coordinator ]
[# ] Number of part-time staff (in FTE). Titles: [ ]
12) Does the head of the sustainability staff report directly to the president or another high-level administrator (e.g., vice president, vice chancellor)?
[ ] N/A
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: Reports directly to both the Vice President for Administration and Finance and the Executive Director of Facilities, Real Estate, and Planning
OFFICE OR DEPARTMENT
13) Does your school have an office or department specifically dedicated to furthering sustainability on campus?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe (including name of office or department and year created): Office of Sustainability
WEBSITE
14) Does your school have a website detailing its sustainability initiatives?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide URL: http://www.sustainability.umaine.edu/, currently undergoing significant redesign
GREEN PURCHASING
15) Does your school have a formal green purchasing policy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe policy and provide URL to full policy, if available: The university has adopted the policy of purchasing ENERGY STAR rated appliances whenever available. http://acupcc.aashe.org/ghg-report.php?id=219
16) Does your school purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ x ] All
17) Does your school purchase environmentally preferable paper products (e.g., 100 percent post-consumer recycled content, certified by the Forest Stewardship Council)?
[ ] No
[X ] Some. Please describe: Napkins in the dining halls and most paper towels in campus restrooms.
[ ] All. Please describe:
18) Does your school purchase Green Seal, Environmental Choice certified, or biorenewable cleaning products?
[ ] No
[X ] Some. Please describe: Campus custodial services are currently using a wide variety of Green Seal cleaners. Hand soap in restrooms is Green Seal certified as well. Overall, about 75% of cleaning products used on campus are Green Seal certified. The Student Recreation and Fitness Center uses all Green Seal Cleaning products.
[ ] All. Please describe:
19) Are your school's computer/electronics purchase decisions made in accordance with standards such as the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ ] All
20) Does your school use only pesticides that meet the standards for organic crop production set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or Canadian Organic Standards (excluding on-campus farms)?
[ ] No
[ X ] Some. Please describe: Although there is no formal policy on the books, UMaine currently uses no herbicides or pesticides in its routine grounds maintenance.
[ ] All
CLIMATE CHANGE & ENERGY
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS INVENTORY
21) Has your school completed a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory?
Please check all that apply.
[ ] No.
[ ] In progress. Please describe status and provide estimated completion date:
[ x ] Yes. Please provide total annual GHG emissions (in metric tons of CO2e). Also, include the start date for each year as well as the URL to each inventory, if available online, or attach the document.
2008:
2007: Total = 71,134. July 1, 2007. http://acupcc.aashe.org/ghg-report.php?id=219
2006:
2005: Total = 80,000. July 1, 2005.
COMMITMENT TO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTION
The purchase of carbon offsets does not count toward greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions for this indicator. They are counted in a subsequent indicator.
22) Has your school made a commitment to reducing GHG emissions by a specific amount?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list details.
Reduction level: Carbon Neutrality (according to the terms of the ACUPCC)
Baseline year: 2007
Target date: 2040
If you answered only "No" or "In progress" to question 21, please now skip to question 27.
REALIZED GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS
23) Has your school achieved a reduction in GHG emissions?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list details. Reductions to date have been achieved through a combination of fuel switching (burning natural gas in place of fuel oil), efficiency upgrades, and conservation efforts.
Percentage reduced: 10% (as of Fiscal Year 2009), which meets our target under the terms of State of Maine Governor’s Carbon Challenge (http:www.maine.gov/dep/innovation/gcc/universityofmainegcc.htm)
Baseline year: 2005
Date achieved: July 1, 2009
24) Please provide the total heating and cooling degree days averaged over the past three years.
Data on total degree heating and cooling days is available at: http://www.degreedays.net/. This information will be used to help reduce bias between schools in different climates.
Cooling degree days average over the past three years: 530 per year
Heating degree days average over the past three years: 8033 per year
25) Please provide GHG emissions figures on a per-thousand-square-foot basis for the past three years.
Per-Thousand-Square-Foot Emissions = Total CO2e in metric tons / Total maintained building space in thousands of square feet.
2008:
2007: 16.4
2006:
26) Please provide GHG emissions figures on a per-full-time-student basis for the past three years.
Per-Student Emissions = Total CO2e in metric tons / Total number of full-time enrolled students.
2008:
2007: 6.1
2006:
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
27) What programs or technologies has your school implemented to improve energy efficiency (e.g., cogeneration plant, retrocommissioning of HVAC systems, performing system tune-ups, temperature setbacks)?
UMaine is currently working on an Advanced Heat Recovery Project that will recover wasted energy at the Engineering Science and Research Building. UMaine has a Green Loan Fund which funds cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable energy investments. Facilities Management has also undertaken a campus-wide fume hood management program to optimize the operation of fume hoods and ventilation systems across campus. FM has performed energy audits of a variety of energy-intensive buildings on campus, including our forestry building (Nutting Hall) and a variety of athletics facilities. We also work with Cimetrics to conduct continuous commissioning of the 10 most energy-intensive buildings on campus. Last winter, FM performed extensive weatherization of numerous buildings on campus, and will continue this project in the future. Finally, FM is now completing installation of a 600kW backpressure turbine at the central heating plant which will produce about 3.5 million kWh of electricity per year from heat that was previously being wasted at the steam plant. This is the first step in a larger project to add significant cogeneration capacity to the campus energy infrastructure. UMaine is currently working with Vanderweil Engineering to perform a comprehensive technical study of the campus energy infrastructure and will use the results of this study (which will be completed in late August, 2009) to guide our planning and decision making in the near future. This study will also explicitly consider the possibility of using a variety of alternative fuels at the central heating plant, including biomass and landfill gas.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
28) Do you facilitate programs that encourage members of the campus community to reduce energy use (e.g., cash incentives, signs reminding individuals to turn off lights and appliances)?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: Signs encouraging conservation of water, electricity, and heat are widely distributed on campus. The sustainability office also conducts an ongoing communication program (usually via email) to encourage extra conservation during breaks and times of peak energy demand.
RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION
29) Does your school generate renewable electricity?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. Please specify percentage of overall electricity generated from each of the following sources and describe details below.
[ %] B100 biodiesel
[ %] Clean biomass
[ %] Concentrating solar power (CSP)
[ %] Geothermal
[ %] Low-impact hydropower
[ %] Solar photovoltaics. The university is currently designing a solar technology system on the roof of Wells Commons. Two small (residential-scale) solar thermal systems are in place on Nutting Hall and Sebec House. UMaine is currently investigating the possibility of installing a substantial photovoltaic array on campus as part of a Power-Purchase-Agreement (PPA) with an interested partner. The LEED-Silver Student Recreation and Fitness Center has a large, flat roof and is a leading candidate for such an array.
[ %] Wind. UMaine is currently measuring wind speeds at several promising locations on campus and is investigating the possibility of doing a wind PPA.
[ %] Other
Description:
30) Does your school have solar hot water systems?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please specify number of systems and total BTUs generated annually, if available: See above.
RENEWABLE ENERGY PURCHASE
31) Has your school purchased electric energy from renewable sources or renewable energy credits (RECs)?
RECs and electricity from renewable sources must be Green-e certified or meet the requirements of the Green-e standard.
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe. UMaine purchases all its electricity from Bangor Hydro, which obtains 30% of its supply from renewable sources (as part of the State of Maine’s Renewable Portfolio Standard).
Date of most recent contract:
Quantity (kWh): About 13.5 million kWh (of our campus total of 45 million kWh)
Percentage of your total electric energy use that it represents: 30%
32) Has your school purchased non-electric energy from renewable sources?
[X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Date of most recent contract:
Quantity (BTUs):
Percentage of your total non-electric energy use that it represents:
ON-SITE COMBUSTION
33) Please provide total BTUs of energy for heating and cooling from on-site combustion:
550,000 MMBTU
34) Please list each fuel source (e.g., coal, natural gas, oil) and the percent of overall BTUs derived from that source: Natural Gas (64%), Oil (34%), Propane (2%)
35) Is any on-site combustion for heating and cooling derived from renewable sources?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe.
Percentage on-site combustion derived from renewable sources: [ %]
Total BTUs of energy generated from renewable sources: [# ]
Description of renewable energy sources used for on-site combustion for heating and cooling:
FOOD & RECYCLING
The food portion of this category is covered in a separate dining survey.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
36) Please indicate which traditional materials your institution recycles (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ x ] Aluminum
[ x ] Cardboard
[ x] Glass
[ x ] Paper
[ ] Plastics (all)
[ x ] Plastics (some)
[ X ] Other. Please list: Construction and Demolition Waste
37) Diversion rate: [ 50%]
RECYCLING OF ELECTRONIC WASTE
38) Does your institution have an electronics recycling program?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes. If available, please indicate the total annual weight or volume of each material collected for recycling or reuse.
[ ] Batteries
[ ] Cell phones
[ ] Computers
[ ] Lightbulbs
[ ] Printer cartridges
[ ] Other E-waste. Please list:
COMPOSTING (ASIDE FROM DINING FACILITIES)
39) What percentage of your campus's landscaping waste is composted or mulched?
[ 100%]
40) Do you provide composting receptacles around campus in locations other than dining halls (e.g., in residence halls, offices, academic buildings)?
[ X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
SOURCE REDUCTION
41) Do you have any source-reduction initiatives (e.g., end-of-semester furniture or clothing swaps and collections)?
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: Unwanted items (furniture, electronics, clothing, etc.) are collected at the end of the academic year and sold in a large (and very popular) “yard sale” that is open to the general public. Auxiliary Services and the Green Campus Initiative (GCI) coordinate this event.
GREEN BUILDING
GREEN BUILDING POLICY
42) Does your school have a formal green building policy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe policy and provide URL to the full policy, if available: All new campus construction will satisfy LEED Silver requirements at the minimum. http://acupcc.aashe.org/report.php?id=1906
GREEN BUILDING STANDARDS
43) Please indicate LEED-certified buildings.
[# 5 ] Total number of LEED-certified buildings.
[20,000 sq ft] Certified-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names: AEWC Center
[130,000 sq ft] Silver-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names: William C. Wells Dining Center, Student Recreation and Fitness Center, Foster Student Innovation Center, and Wells Commons Convention Center.
[ sq ft] Gold-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Platinum-level (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
44) Please indicate buildings that meet LEED certification criteria but are not certified.
[# ] Total number of buildings that meet LEED criteria
[ sq ft] Certified-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Silver-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Gold-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Platinum-level criteria met, but not certified (combined gross square footage). Please list building names:
45) Please indicate buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled.
[# ] Total number of ENERGY STAR buildings. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
RENOVATIONS AND RETROFITS
46) Please indicate LEED-EB certified buildings.
[# ] Total number of LEED-EB certified buildings. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
47) Please indicate buildings that meet LEED-EB certification criteria but are not certified.
[# ] Total number of buildings that meet LEED-EB criteria but are not certified. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
48) Please indicate renovated buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled.
[# ] Total number of renovated buildings that are ENERGY STAR labeled. Please list building names:
[ sq ft] Combined gross square footage.
49) What energy-efficiency technologies have you installed in existing buildings (e.g., HVAC systems, motion sensors, ambient light sensors, T5 lighting, LED lighting, timers, laundry technology)?
Detailed data were unavailable, but we can confidently report that FM routinely adds motion sensors and T5 lighting whenever buildings are upgraded or renovated. A major T5 lighting project was recently completed at the campus hockey arena (Alfond Arena), and the student union has a fairly sophisticated lighting system with ambient light sensors. The campus clean room facility in the Engineering Science and Research Building has undergone significant ventilation system optimization over the course of the past year, and the heat recovery system on a major biology laboratory facility (Hitchner Hall) was recently refurbished and updated. Window replacements are underway on a variety of very old campus buildings, and Auxiliary Services has replaced/updated thermostats in 90% of the rooms in the residence halls.
50) What water-conservation technologies have you installed in existing buildings (e.g., low-flow faucets, low-flow showerheads, waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets, gray water systems, laundry technology)?
Again, detailed data were unavailable, but we can report that Auxiliary services has replaced nearly all of the shower heads in the dormitories with new, low-flow (2.5 gallon per minute) models. Dual-flush toilets are used throughout the Student Recreation and Fitness Center, and both the AEWC Center and the Wells Commons Convention Center feature waterless urinals. Dining Services also uses a food waste pulper in place of a traditional garbage disposal at Hilltop Dining Commons. This pulper reduces water use by about 6000 gallons per day. Plans to install a second pulper in York Dining Hall are currently underway.
51) What percentage of your institution's non-hazardous construction and demolition waste is diverted from landfills?
[ 70 %]
STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES
52) Are there any sustainability-themed residential communities or housing options at your school?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide details below.
Name of program: The LongGreenHouse
Type of community (e.g., hall, building, house): House
Number of students involved:
Additional details:
NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
53) Does a portion of your new student orientation specifically cover sustainability?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe how sustainability is incorporated (e.g., information sessions, green tour): Informational sessions, educational brochures, discussion groups, coordination with student environmental groups, special theme-days and events.
INTERNSHIPS/OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES
54) Does your school offer on-campus office-based sustainability internships or jobs for students?
[X ] No
[ ] Yes. Please provide number of students and average number of hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Paid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Unpaid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
55) Does your school have residence hall Eco-Reps or other similar programs to promote behavioral change on campus?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please provide details below, and indicate URL if available: UMaine’s Green Campus Initiative (GCI), which is coordinated by Auxiliary Services, offers paid Eco-Rep positions to students each semester. Generally, there are 2 Eco-Reps assigned to each of the 19 residence halls on campus.
[# ] Paid positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Positions that award academic credit. Average hours worked weekly per student:
[# ] Uncompensated positions. Average hours worked weekly per student:
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
56) Does your school have active student-run organizations devoted to sustainability efforts on campus?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide total number of active organizations, names of organizations, a brief description of each, and URLs, if available: UMaine Green Team, Campus Health and Environment Network, University of Maine Sustainability Alliance, Society for Conservation Biology, Permaculture Club.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
57) Does your school organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please list details for all competitions.
Name of competition: Recylemania
Year initiated: 2006 (?)
Frequency of competition: Once per year
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
TRANSPORTATION
CAMPUS MOTOR FLEET
58) How many vehicles are in your institution's fleet?
[# ]
59) Please list the number of alternative-fuel vehicles in each class.
[# 11 ] Hybrid. Please list makes and models: Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander, Ford Escape
[# ] Electric. Please describe type of vehicles:
[# ] Biodiesel. Please describe type of vehicles and list biodiesel blend(s) used:
[# ] Other. Please describe:
60) What is the average GHG emission rate per passenger mile of your institution's motorized fleet?
[# ] pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per passenger mile traveled.
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES
61) Does your school offer incentives for carpooling?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe details of the program including the type of the incentive and eligible community members (e.g., faculty, staff, students): UMaine Faculty and Staff's Car Pooling Program is run through the carpooling website GoMaine.org. Participants receive a free parking permit and space.
62) Does your school offer public transportation subsidies?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe the program including the size of the discount (as a percent of full price) and eligible community members (e.g., faculty, staff, students): Students, staff, and faculty ride for free on the BAT Bus, the municipal public transit system. Starting in Fall of 2009, UMaine, the town of Orono, and Bangor Area Transit (BAT) will operate a free shuttle that will connect the UMaine campus and downtown Orono. The shuttle will run every half-hour from 7am until at least 7pm every day of the week.
63) Does your school provide free transportation around campus?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[X ] Yes. Please describe: See above.
64) Does your school operate a free transportation shuttle to local off-campus destinations?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: See above.
BICYCLE PROGRAM
65) Does your school offer a bicycle-sharing/rental program or bicycle repair services?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide details below.
Year created:
Number of bikes available:
Fees for participation:
Repair services provided: The Blue Bike program was started by a student environmental group and is now managed by Auxiliary Services/Green Campus Initiative. The program salvages abandoned bikes, refurbishes them, and makes them available to any student with a University of Maine ID. Students check out the bikes for several months at a time and use the bikes free of charge as long as they return them in good condition. This program replaces the older Green Bike program which operated with mixed results over the past several years.
CAR-SHARING PROGRAM
66) Does your school partner with a car-sharing program?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide details below.
Year created:
Total number of vehicles:
Number of hybrid vehicles:
Fee for membership:
PLANNING
67) Does your school have policies that support a pedestrian-friendly or bike-friendly campus (e.g., in the school's master plan, a policy prohibiting vehicles from the center of campus)?
[ ] N/A. Please explain:
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes. Please describe: UMaine’s master plan features pedestrian access as one of its central themes. Recently, UMaine has secured state funding to improve the primary bike trail that connects the campus core to a major, off-campus residential area (University Park), and to build a brand-new pedestrian thoroughfare (to be called the “Black Bear Way”) that will connect the primary residential part of campus with the Student Recreation and Fitness Center and the major athletics facilities on campus (where varsity sporting events take place).
68) What percentage of individuals commute to campus via environmentally preferable transportation (e.g., walking, bicycling, carpooling, using public transit)?
[ %]
STATISTICS
69) Campus setting:
[ X ] Rural
[ ] Suburban
[ ] Urban
[ ] Other. Please describe:
70) Total number of buildings: [# 253 ]
71) Combined gross square footage of all buildings: [# 4.3 million ]
72) Full-time enrollment (undergraduate and graduate): [# ]
73) Part-time enrollment (undergraduate and graduate): [# ] Total Enrollment (Fall ’08) 11,818
74) Part-time enrollment as a proportion to a full-time course load: [# ]
75) Percent of full-time students that live on campus: [ %]
Questions 76-87 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
OTHER AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT
Please mark an "X" next to each item that applies to your institution.
76) Outdoors club: [ X ]
77) Disposable water bottle ban: [ ]
78) Participation in Recyclemania: [ X ]
79) Student trustee position: [ ]
80) Environmental science/studies major: [ X]
81) Environmental science/studies minor or concentration: [ X ]
82) Graduate-level environmental program: [X ]
83) Student green fee: [ ]
84) Alumni green fund: [ ]
85) Revolving loan fund for sustainability projects: [ x ]
86) Campus garden or farm: [ X ]
87) Single-stream recycling: [ ]
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