University of Virginia
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

There are four primary pan-University sustainability committees at UVA, plus dozens of working groups and task forces - the University Committee on Sustainability, the Environmental Stewardship Subcommittee, the Civic Engagement Subcommittee, and the Teaching and Research Subcommittee. Working Groups include groups by topic area - such as the Water and Stormwater Working Group, Green Dining Working Group, Green Labs Working Group, etc. The University Committee on Sustainability, with is comprised of 30-40 appointed members from across the University, advises the Executive Vice Presidents on all matters related to the University’s commitment to sustainability and how those impact the future of the University including interrelated environmental, financial, teaching, research, and social aspects. In carrying out this charge, the Committee is engaged in the following: • Fostering the development and dissemination of sustainability knowledge through research and teaching. • Promoting the highest-standards of sustainable practice on Grounds. • Engaging the civic and academic communities in topics associated with sustainability. • Contributing to and reporting on progress in achieving the University’s sustainability goals. https://sustainability.virginia.edu/about/committee/index.html The Civic Engagement Subcommittee (CES) is a subcommittee of the University Committee on Sustainability that works to expand and deepen awareness and involvement into the UVA community, both on and off of Grounds. This subcommittee seeks to promote, engage, and advocate for policies and practices that build an inclusive, safe, healthy, and equitable community aligned with environmental principles to advance the well-being of this and future generations to come. The Environmental Stewardship Subcommittee (ESS), a subcommittee of the University Committee on Sustainability, promotes and enables environmental stewardship via student, staff, and faculty engagement and direct action on Grounds. There are currently 13 working groups and five task forces within the subcommittee. The Teaching and Research Subcommittee, a subcommittee of the University Committee on Sustainability, seeks to develop opportunities for interdisciplinary curriculum development and research. The subcommittee supports a University-wide living learning laboratory approach and serves as a resource for faculty engaged in promoting sustainability literacy through teaching and research.

Allen, Dirron - Director of Business Services Bauman, Jason - Associate Athletics Director for Facilities and Operations Camp, Reba - Administrator, Environment of Care Cannon, Jon - Faculty Charles, Matt - Deputy Spokesperson Coleman, Rebecca - Research Librarian for Architecture Crisman, Phoebe - Faculty Culver, Teresa - Associate Professor, Assistant Chair of Undergraduate Studies DiBenedetto, Rachel - Undergraduate Student, Third Year ex officio: Schroeder, Dana - Outreach and Engagement Coordinator Farmer, Tessa - Faculty Fox, Kevin - Administrator, Facilities Planning & Capital Development, Freedman, Paul - Faculty Galloway, James - Faculty Gomez, Cheryl - Director of Operations Grove, Kathy - Senior Architect Henshaw, Berkley - Fitness & Instruction Program Coordinator Herz, Erika - Director of Intellectual Capital, Batten Institute Hutchins, Ronald - Vice President for Information Technology Julien, Christie - Associate Director, Career Center Kiliany, Rachel - Program Coordinator for Prevention, Staff Senate Representative Lawrence, Deborah - Faculty Miller, Bryanna - Undergraduate Student - Fourth Year Missel, Frederick - Director of Capital Planning Monteith, Julia - Senior Land Use/Community Planner Morgan, Kristin - Director, University & Community Relations and Development Morris, Nina - Outreach and Engagement Program Manager, Orebaugh, Angela - Assistant Professor, Director of Cybersecurity and IT Programs Oreska, Matthew - Graduate Student Shimshack, Jay - Faculty Shobe, Bill - Research Director Smythe, Matt - Dining Director Stroud, Mike - Director of Facilities Stuart, Wynne - Associate Provost for Academic Support and Classroom Mgmt Sundgren, Donald - Associate Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer Trimble, Andrea - Sustainability Director Weitzman, Jacob - Undergraduate Student, Fourth Year White, Becca - Director White, Timothy - Manager Immigration Consultant Over 100 additional students, faculty, and staff participate in the subcommittees, working groups, and task forces.

The UVA Office for Sustainability, supports university-wide collaborative governance, leadership, and implementation of sustainability across Grounds by partnering with students, faculty, administrators, and staff to infuse and develop a culture of environmental, economic, and social stewardship in alignment with the educational, research, health care and public service mission of the University. Roles Advocacy, Innovation, Leadership: Partner with University committees and stakeholders in collaborative sustainability strategic planning and implementation. Assist with recommendations on sustainability policy, commitments, goals, action plans, and measuring progress towards goals. Seek to promote stewardship of resources, reduce environmental footprint, and build UVa’s reputation as a leader by prioritizing cost-effective, impactful and replicable models and connecting initiatives and programs across Grounds. Academic and Research Integration: Support the integration of sustainability into curriculum to train current and future leaders, advance sustainability research, and help build capacity to use Grounds as a living laboratory for sustainability. Environmental Stewardship: Provide leadership for the integration of sustainability into buildings and operations to advance environmental stewardship while regularly measuring and analyzing progress towards goals. Outreach and Engagement: Foster a culture of sustainability through close collaboration, partnership-building, training and support of student, faculty, and staff sustainability interests and initiatives to build social and operational norms around sustainability. Technical Expertise: Act as subject matter experts and advocates for sustainability via proactive advocacy, implementation, review, and development of buildings and infrastructure. Communication and Knowledge Management: Advance sustainability knowledge, build identity, and enhance leadership by developing and sharing timely and robust news, best practices, lessons learned, benchmarking, data, educational resources, and tools in a clear and cohesive manner.

The Office for Sustainability, with a Sustainability Director and 13 additional full-time staff members, works pan-university is is actively engaged in developing and implementing a wide range of ongoing programs, events, projects, and campaigns across Grounds. Ongoing programs include: Greenhouse Gas and Nitrogen Footprint Tracking Data Analysis and Metric Tracking Sustainability Committee and Working Group Facilitation, Development, and Support Sustainable Buildings and Operations Existing Buildings and Operations Delta Force: The Delta Force program continues to show considerable financial savings and emissions reductions, with $7 million invested and over $15 million in avoided cost to date. The program takes a comprehensive look at a building’s systems and strategically identifies opportunities to increase efficiency. Sustainability/energy project implementation project management/support Alternative energy research and implementation support Demand response Annual steam trap surveys LEED EBOM+ alignment Renewable energy analysis New Construction and Renovations Owner’s sustainability representation Drawing and spec reviews LEED-NC and LEED-CI certification support Recycling Interior Recycling Outdoor Recycling Special Events Outreach, Engagement, and Communications Sustainability Advocates (students) Student Employees – recycling, promotions, water, energy, and student outreach teams (students) Green Workplace (staff) Sustainability Partners (staff and community) Sustainability Pledge and Green Challenge Annual Events (i.e. Earth Week, Campus Sustainability Day) Annual Competitions (i.e. Dorm Energy Challenge) Signage Communications programs Sustainability at UVa website Social media Sustainanewsletter Green Tips The University Committee on Sustainability advises the Executive Vice Presidents on Sustainability and meets monthly and maintains three active sub-committees: Teaching and Research, Environmental Stewardship, and Civic Engagement. The Environmental Stewardship Subcommittee includes 13 working groups and 5 task forces dedicated to engaging students, staff, and faculty in implementing sustainability projects on Grounds.

The Sustainability Director leads a team of Office for Sustainability staff responsible for partnering and collaborating with UVA’s eleven schools, units, and departments to engage UVA's community, steward resources, and discover ways to improve Grounds and beyond for generations to come. The position includes strategic planning, program management, training and communication, and supervision of sustainability staff.

This position manages the outreach, engagement and communications team for the Office for Sustainability and works collaboratively to foster a culture of sustainability within the UVA community. The Manager and team develop and implement sustainability engagement programs, outreach tools, embed sustainable practices in existing events, execute sustainability events and campaigns, and manage sustainability communications for the University. Major projects include the Sustainability Advocates program, zero waste athletic events, Earth Week, Dorm Energy Race, Chuck it for Charity, signage, the UVA Sustainability website, newsletter and social media.

This position is responsible for the University’s recycling, electric demand response and sustainable building programs. He leads a team of energy engineers who identify and implement energy efficiency and Delta Force retro-commissioning projects across Grounds.

https://sustainability.virginia.edu/about/committee/index.html https://sustainability.virginia.edu/about/office/staff.html