University of Notre Dame
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

This plan was developed with input from the Energy and Environmental Issues Committee, the University oversight board for sustainability. Students, staff, and faculty were all given the opportunity to provide input.

Notre Dame’s Sustainability Strategy is centered around three strategic goals: 1. Reduce Emissions: Reduce the University’s carbon and other energy related emissions through conservation, efficiency, technology and optimization of fuel utilization and energy sources. Target: Reduce carbon footprint from 2005 levels by 50% per gross square foot by 2030. 2. Conserve Resources: Optimize resource utilization on campus with a focus on overall waste reduction and increasing reuse and recycling. Target: Increase landfill diversion rate to 50% of total waste by 2016 and 67% by 2030. 3. Increase Awareness: Expand sustainability knowledge and understanding at Notre Dame through communication and outreach, with a particular focus on the connection between sustainability, Catholic Social Teaching and the Common Good. Target: Continually increase understanding of and engagement in campus sustainability initiatives among students, staff, and faculty each year.

1. Conservation: Conservation is a critical component of reducing carbon emissions, and it requires the participation of the entire campus community. Conservation includes turning off lights, adjusting thermostats appropriately, and turning off unneeded equipment. Efficiency: Notre Dame has thus far invested over $10 million in efficiency measures such T5 and T8 fluorescent lighting, LED lighting, variable speed ventilation fans, and premium efficiency pumps. Technology: Motion sensor-controlled lighting, heating, and cooling and daylight-sensing outdoor lights reduce energy use as well. Optimization of energy sources: Utilization of a greater percentage of gas versus coal in recent years has contributed significantly to reductions in carbon emissions. Notre Dame has also installed several renewable energy pilot programs. 2. Waste reduction has two aspects: reducing resource use and diverting waste from landfill. Reducing resource use by avoiding unnecessary disposable products is the first choice. “Landfill diversion” means finding a better destination for anything that would otherwise end up in the trash: it includes recycling, composting, and donating. Notre Dame will continue to expand on existing waste reduction strategies, including: -Improving access to single stream and specialty-item recycling -Converting administrative processes to paperless formats -Expanding opportunities for reuse and donation -Reducing the use of bottled water on campus 3. Notre Dame will continue to expand on its diverse education and outreach programming in a variety of ways, including: -Student events and competitions -The Green Ambassadors program -The greeNDiscovery laboratory efficiency program -Partnerships with Residence Hall Staff and Sustainability Commissioners