University of Richmond
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

The Climate Action Plan has been developed under the leadership of the University’s Sustainability Working Group, comprised of staff, faculty, and students, and the University’s Sustainability Coordinator. Within the Sustainability Working Group, Climate Action Plan subgroups were created to draft sections of the plan that established a time frame and goals associated with sustainability on campus. The first draft of the Climate Action Plan was published online and input from the entire University of Richmond community was sought and incorporated as appropriate into the final draft. The final plan was reviewed and approved by President and Board of Trustees in December of 2010. The plan is designed to be a working document that is reviewed and updated regularly with input from the University Community to incorporate changing technologies, different strategies, and new opportunities.

The University’s Climate Action Plan focuses on administration, transportation, materials management, and education in addition to energy. The goals within the administration section focus on increased communication and outreach to improve cooperation and involvement, campus policy that emphasizes a commitment to sustainability, and a financing plan that facilitates the creation of both long-term and short-term sustainability projects. The aims of the transportation section are to reduce single occupancy vehicles on campus for staff and students in commuting and travel through bicycling and pedestrian initiatives, car sharing, bike sharing, and public transportation. The materials management portion aims to both increase recycling rates, and reduce total waste output. These goals can be achieved by spreading information about recycling education and awareness, reducing source waste by buying environmentally sound products, and reusing larger and more valuable goods such as furniture. The education segment of the plan sets goals to continue to incorporate sustainability within the curriculum, promote co-curricular opportunities such as community involvement and students groups, and encourage faculty research within the field of sustainability.

The plans goals are measured through surveys, observations of recycling rates, participation in sustainability related courses, involvement in sustainability events, and through formal and informal focus groups with members of the University community.