As sustainability begins to take hold in all sectors of business, higher education institutions also face some unique challenges. Clean Energy Coalition’s experience in the field with Western Michigan University, the University of Michigan, and smaller community colleges has shown three key pressures that sustainability is placing on their campuses.
1. Impact on Admissions
For higher education, becoming more sustainable is not only a path for minimizing an institution’s environmental footprint or making the most of a limited budget; it can also play a key role in the recruitment and retention of a strong student body.
In 2008, a survey by researchers at the College of William and Mary, Campus Greening Efforts: What difference do they make?, found that “current freshmen are two times more likely to choose their school based on sustainability concerns than the entering freshman class just 3 years ago.” The trend has continued into 2014 and in order to attract these forward thinking students, institutions are pushed towards more sustainability initiatives on campus.
2. Achieving National Sustainability Certifications
In addition to pressure from incoming students, there is push from other institutions and outside, national organizations. Several certifications, including STARS (The Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System – a program of AASHE) and ACUPCC (The American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment), exist and are directed at higher education institutes with the intent of creating a more environmentally sustainable higher education system. The guidelines for these programs are often extensive and add to an institutions’ growing list of projects under a limited budget.
3. Collaboration among Facilities, Faculty, Administration, and the Larger Campus Community
Many higher education institutions are often just getting their foot in the door as far as sustainability is concerned. Many rely on facilities management directors to also wear the hat of sustainability director, rather than having a designated individual and/or department to address these new needs. The Nine Elements of a Sustainable Campus discusses the fact that these new positions often have “ambitious portfolios, and ask the individuals involved to do the work of a dozen people.”
Institutions that can afford the staff or personnel time to implement comprehensive sustainability initiatives have begun to realize individual buildings and energy systems on campus can be used as points of study – much like a mini-city, located directly on campus. As a result, sustainability directors are increasingly pressured to build relationships with faculty and the larger campus community as well as pilot successful projects on campus.
Source: Clean Energy Coalition
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