Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 68.35
Liaison Jessica Bast
Submission Date Aug. 9, 2022

STARS v2.2

North Carolina State University
PRE-2: Points of Distinction

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete N/A Jessica Bast
Sustainability Program Coordinator
University Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name of the institution’s featured sustainability program, initiative, or accomplishment:
Green Seal Certification

A brief description of the institution’s featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
In 2020, NC State became the first university in North Carolina to earn Green Seal certification. To earn the certification, University Housekeeping met stringent requirements and passed an extensive performance review encompassing all aspects of its cleaning program. All requirements, which range from equipment and procedures to chemicals and employee training, were rigorously documented and verified through an on-site audit. University Housekeeping's sustainable cleaning program includes but is not limited to vacuums with HEPA filtration to improve air quality, floor scrubbers that use and convert water into an effective cleaning solution, Green Seal certified cleaning chemicals, and microfiber mops that help reduce water use by 95%.

Which of the following impact areas does the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Purchasing

Optional Fields

Website URL where more information about the accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
IN-17.

A photograph or document associated with the featured program, initiative, or accomplishment:
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Second Point of Distinction

Name of a second highlighted sustainability program/initiative/accomplishment:
NC State Compost Facility

A brief description of the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
NC State’s Compost Facility and Research Cooperative is permitted as a Large Type III facility by the NC Department of Environmental Quality and allows NC State to close the loop with organic waste management. The Compost Facility’s 3-acre site can process up to 1,200 tons of organic waste annually and currently collects materials across campus like the dining halls, residence halls, Talley Student Union, and special events. This organic waste is then processed using an Aerated Static Pile system to become a nutrient-rich soil amendment that is used in campus landscapes and at NC State’s Agroecology Education Farm, which grows food for campus dining. As compost collection expands on campus, additional processing capacity can be added to the facility.

Which impact areas does the second program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Food & Dining
Waste

Website URL where more information about the second program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the second program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
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A photograph or document associated with the second program/initiative/accomplishment:
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Third Point of Distinction

Name of a third highlighted program/initiative/accomplishment:
SDG Course Inventory

A brief description of the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
Beginning in 2020, a faculty member led a group of undergraduate students to develop an inventory of NC State courses relating to the global Sustainable Development Goals. In 2021, this project expanded to include graduate courses and was completed by students and staff in the University Sustainability Office. To complete the inventory, the team reviewed 4,500 undergraduate and graduate courses to identify their alignment with each of the SDGs. Now managed by the University Sustainability Office, the inventory allows students to identify which of the required courses for their respective degree may align with a specific SDG and supports the faculty promotion of SDG-aligned courses to attract students from various disciplines.

Which impact areas does the third program/initiative/accomplishment most closely relate to?:
Curriculum

Website URL where more information about the third program/initiative/accomplishment may be found:
STARS credit in which the third program/initiative/accomplishment is reported (if applicable):
AC-1.

A photograph or document associated with the third program/initiative/accomplishment:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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