| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 75.28 |
| Liaison | Chris Frantsvog |
| Submission Date | Feb. 25, 2022 |
Luther College
OP-11: Sustainable Procurement
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.75 / 3.00 |
Chris
Frantsvog Sustainability Coordinator Center for Sustainable Communities |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1. Institution-wide sustainable procurement policies
No
A copy of the policies, guidelines or directives:
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The policies, guidelines or directives:
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Part 2. Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Yes
Which of the following best describes the institution’s use of LCCA?:
Institution employs LCCA less comprehensively, e.g. for certain types of systems or projects and not others
A brief description of the LCCA policy and/or practices:
We have begun to use LCCA in evaluating mechanical systems as a way to better understand the total cost of operation for our buildings. We ask our engineers and consultants to utilize this for major projects. While we have had no significant building projects to apply this to in the past five years, LCCA was used in preparing an "Energy Master Plan" to identify ways to heat and cool the campus while also achieving our goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. The report's final draft was reviewed in fall, 2020. A Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) was performed for all Master Plan options comparing the net present value of capital costs, utility costs, operations and maintenance expenses, a voluntary social cost of carbon fee ($75 MT CO2e), as well as the cost of carbon offsets ($15 MT CO2e) to achieve carbon neutrality over a 50-year study period.
Part 3. Product-specific sustainability criteria
To count, the criteria must address the specific sustainability challenges and impacts associated with products and/or services in each category, e.g. by requiring or giving preference to multi-criteria sustainability standards, certifications and labels appropriate to the category. Broader, institution-wide policies should be reported in Part 1, above.
Chemically intensive products and services
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for chemically intensive products and services:
Luther College has a Green Cleaning Policy.
https://www.luther.edu/policies/assets/Green_Cleaning_Policy.pdf
Description of the Green Cleaning Policy:
When procuring cleaning products, Luther College personnel and contractors will consult the list of Green Seal products, USGBC products, or products certified by other independent certifying bodies. In the absence of products certified as sustainable alternatives by independent organizations, Luther and its contractors will utilize the attached appendix of purchasing guidelines as a resource and purchase the products they deem as the most environmentally and socially responsible.
Luther College also has guidelines for herbicide use and application:
Our Herbicide Application Process policy outlines the prudent use of herbicides to provide well-maintained, visually attractive grounds for Luther students, employees and visitors and to control undesirable weeds on athletic fields. The College weed control methods use a holistic approach to turf management. The Luther College Policy for Herbicide Application is approved by the Cabinet.
Using a holistic approach to turf management, the procedures for the year are based on the premise to improve the overall quality and quantity of turf grass. This is accomplished by fertilization, aeration, overseeding, use of salt resistant grass seed adjacent to sidewalk edges, and irrigation. By improving the turf grass quality, weed growth will be inhibited and herbicide use can be decreased.
Luther College will investigate and test alternative methods and products for weed control. In conjunction with the Land Use Committee, alternative methods will be identified for investigation. Records of products used, areas treated, dates, times, and notes on effectiveness will be located at Facilities Services.
Facilities Services will maintain open communication with those testing alternative methods. This may include other lawn management practices such as replacing turf grass with native plantings.
Sustainability criteria and chemically intensive product application guidelines include:
Application of herbicides shall be applied at times when the campus population is low. The main campus turf grass areas will be sprayed the week following Commencement, early August, and/or fall break, weather permitting. If at all possible, herbicide applications shall be at times before and after normal work hours and on weekends.
Only persons trained and having proper certification by the State of Iowa may apply restricted use herbicides. For safety reasons, Luther grounds staff will annually obtain certification to apply herbicides whether restricted or general use.
Application will be done according to the product label and in compliance with the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which will be maintained for all products used.
In the application of spray herbicides, wind speeds will be checked and application of spray herbicide to be applied per product label. In no case will product be applied when the wind speed exceeds 10 mph.
Signage shall be in accordance with chemical requirements set by the herbicide label and in accordance with the State of Iowa.
o Notification will be in the Tuesday the week before the intent to spray.
o Notification will be in the Bulletin preceding the time period identified to spray.
o Notification on Residence Hall entrance doors at least one day prior to the spray period.
o Notification to Security and Information Desk at least one day prior to the spray period
The use of the herbicide 2-4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) shall not be used.
The policy can be accessed here:
https://www.luther.edu/policies/assets/Herbicide_Application_Process_2_2.pdf
https://www.luther.edu/policies/assets/Green_Cleaning_Policy.pdf
Description of the Green Cleaning Policy:
When procuring cleaning products, Luther College personnel and contractors will consult the list of Green Seal products, USGBC products, or products certified by other independent certifying bodies. In the absence of products certified as sustainable alternatives by independent organizations, Luther and its contractors will utilize the attached appendix of purchasing guidelines as a resource and purchase the products they deem as the most environmentally and socially responsible.
Luther College also has guidelines for herbicide use and application:
Our Herbicide Application Process policy outlines the prudent use of herbicides to provide well-maintained, visually attractive grounds for Luther students, employees and visitors and to control undesirable weeds on athletic fields. The College weed control methods use a holistic approach to turf management. The Luther College Policy for Herbicide Application is approved by the Cabinet.
Using a holistic approach to turf management, the procedures for the year are based on the premise to improve the overall quality and quantity of turf grass. This is accomplished by fertilization, aeration, overseeding, use of salt resistant grass seed adjacent to sidewalk edges, and irrigation. By improving the turf grass quality, weed growth will be inhibited and herbicide use can be decreased.
Luther College will investigate and test alternative methods and products for weed control. In conjunction with the Land Use Committee, alternative methods will be identified for investigation. Records of products used, areas treated, dates, times, and notes on effectiveness will be located at Facilities Services.
Facilities Services will maintain open communication with those testing alternative methods. This may include other lawn management practices such as replacing turf grass with native plantings.
Sustainability criteria and chemically intensive product application guidelines include:
Application of herbicides shall be applied at times when the campus population is low. The main campus turf grass areas will be sprayed the week following Commencement, early August, and/or fall break, weather permitting. If at all possible, herbicide applications shall be at times before and after normal work hours and on weekends.
Only persons trained and having proper certification by the State of Iowa may apply restricted use herbicides. For safety reasons, Luther grounds staff will annually obtain certification to apply herbicides whether restricted or general use.
Application will be done according to the product label and in compliance with the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), which will be maintained for all products used.
In the application of spray herbicides, wind speeds will be checked and application of spray herbicide to be applied per product label. In no case will product be applied when the wind speed exceeds 10 mph.
Signage shall be in accordance with chemical requirements set by the herbicide label and in accordance with the State of Iowa.
o Notification will be in the Tuesday the week before the intent to spray.
o Notification will be in the Bulletin preceding the time period identified to spray.
o Notification on Residence Hall entrance doors at least one day prior to the spray period.
o Notification to Security and Information Desk at least one day prior to the spray period
The use of the herbicide 2-4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) shall not be used.
The policy can be accessed here:
https://www.luther.edu/policies/assets/Herbicide_Application_Process_2_2.pdf
Consumable office products
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for consumable office products:
We have a policy for office paper purchasing. https://www.luther.edu/policies/assets/Paper_Purchasing.pdf
Luther College Document Center, Book Shop and all offices and departments shall purchase and use FSC-certified white, 8.5 x 11 inch, 20# copier paper made with at least 50% post-consumer fiber.
II. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to assist in achieving Luther’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2015, as stated in the five-year strategic plan. It is also a specific goal for Luther to switch to 8.5 x 11 inch, 20# copier paper with at least 50% post-consumer content.
III. Scope
This policy applies to all offices and departments of Luther College along with any contracted services operating on campus.
IV. Terms and Definition
● Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.
● Post-consumer content is the paper material that individuals routinely discard, that finds its way to a landfill. Paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer content contains more paper that has been used and recovered through the recycling process, and less raw material from forests.
Luther College Document Center, Book Shop and all offices and departments shall purchase and use FSC-certified white, 8.5 x 11 inch, 20# copier paper made with at least 50% post-consumer fiber.
II. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to assist in achieving Luther’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% by 2015, as stated in the five-year strategic plan. It is also a specific goal for Luther to switch to 8.5 x 11 inch, 20# copier paper with at least 50% post-consumer content.
III. Scope
This policy applies to all offices and departments of Luther College along with any contracted services operating on campus.
IV. Terms and Definition
● Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC certification provides a credible link between responsible production and consumption of forest products, enabling consumers and businesses to make purchasing decisions that benefit people and the environment as well as providing ongoing business value.
● Post-consumer content is the paper material that individuals routinely discard, that finds its way to a landfill. Paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer content contains more paper that has been used and recovered through the recycling process, and less raw material from forests.
Furniture and furnishings
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for furniture and furnishings:
As a result of signing the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Luther has committed to all new campus construction being built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED silver standard or equivalent. The policy states that Luther College will also use a LEED checklist during remodeling and repurposing projects, striving to incorporate as many LEED points as possible. The LEED checklist contains a section on indoor air quality, with a preference on low emitting materials–-Use interior building materials that are low emitting such as low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, adhesives, sealants, flooring, insulation, etc.
Luther’s Sampson-Hoffland Laboratories is a LEED Gold rated facility, constructed with low-VOC components. https://www.luther.edu/sustainability/energy-climate/green-buildings/
Luther’s Sampson-Hoffland Laboratories is a LEED Gold rated facility, constructed with low-VOC components. https://www.luther.edu/sustainability/energy-climate/green-buildings/
Information Technology (IT) and equipment
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for Information Technology (IT) and equipment:
Luther College, and vendors purchasing for Luther College, will purchase appliances, building products, electronics and other energy products that have Energy Star certification.
In regards to electronic equipment, Luther College and its contractors will purchase electronic equipment with computer components that meet EPEAT standards. Exceptions may be permitted, i.e., when products are unavailable, when it is documented to be financially prohibitive. In the absence of Energy Star or EPEAT certified products, purchasers will select products that are in the upper twenty-five percent of energy efficiency as designated by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).
In regards to electronic equipment, Luther College and its contractors will purchase electronic equipment with computer components that meet EPEAT standards. Exceptions may be permitted, i.e., when products are unavailable, when it is documented to be financially prohibitive. In the absence of Energy Star or EPEAT certified products, purchasers will select products that are in the upper twenty-five percent of energy efficiency as designated by the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP).
Food service providers
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for food service providers:
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Garments and linens
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for garments and linens:
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Professional service providers
Yes
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for professional service providers:
The Luther College bidding policy bidding policy indicates that steps should be taken to include Minority and Women Owned Businesses (MWOB) whenever possible. https://www.luther.edu/policies/assets/Bidding_Policy.pdf
Transportation and fuels
No
A brief description of the published sustainability criteria for transportation and fuels:
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Optional Fields
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.