University of Virginia
PAE-4: Sustainability Plan

The 2011 UVA Sustainability Assessment engaged multiple stakeholder groups at three points: Summer 2010: 200 faculty, staff, and students were sent between 1 to 9 modules of the Sustainability Assessment Survey. The modules were organized by topic area: Governance and Culture, Academics and Learning, and seven Management Centers (Land Use, Built Environment, Transportation, Energy and Carbon, Waste and Recycling, Food, and Water). The survey sought information on recent accomplishments in sustainability, current performance, and best opportunities for continued advancement. Winter 2010-11: Faculty and staff experts representing each of the 9 modules were asked to review survey responses and compile results into a narrative section representing each module. Spring 2011: The Committee on Sustainability, consisting of 20 members representing faculty, administrators, staff, and students reviewed progressive drafts of the Sustainability Assessment before approving the Assessment in Summer 2011.

Each of the nine modules: Governance and Culture, Academics and Learning, and seven Management Centers (Land Use, Built Environment, Transportation, Energy and Carbon, Waste and Recycling, Food, and Water) identify opportunities for new or expanded sustainability initiatives along with a timeline for implementation (immediate, 1-2 years, 2-4 years). Each Management Center module also includes a report on the status of opportunities identified in the 2006 UVA Sustainability Assessment, judging each recommendation to be complete, in progress, or not completed. The 2006 Assessment did not identify opportunities in areas of Academics & Learning and Governance & Culture. The 2011 Sustainability Assessment does identify opportunities for these areas. A total of 62 opportunities were identified across the 9 modules. Additionally, 4 major actions were proposed to advance sustainability across all areas of the University and lay a foundation for the 62 identified opportunities.

The UVA Sustainability Assessment is repeated every 5 years, starting in 2006. Each successive Assessment reviews progress made in the previous five years and analyzes the status of recommendations made previously. With the 2011 UVA Sustainability Assessment, efforts were made to ensure that identified opportunities were measurable and unambiguous, assisting those preparing the 2016 UVA Sustainability Assessment in accurately gauging UVA's progress since 2011.