Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.44
Liaison Andrea Trimble
Submission Date March 4, 2021

STARS v2.2

University of Virginia
EN-4: Outreach Materials and Publications

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Lela Garner
Sustainability Coordinator
Office for Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Central sustainability website 

Does the institution have a central sustainability website that consolidates information about the institution’s sustainability efforts?:
Yes

Website URL for the central sustainability website:
https://sustainability.virginia.edu/

Sustainability newsletter or social media platform

Does the institution have a sustainability newsletter or social media platform that focuses specifically on campus sustainability?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability newsletter or social media platform:
UVA Office for Sustainability has a bi-weekly newsletter, the SustainaNewsletter, that offers information on upcoming events, engagement opportunities, or relevant news and research articles.

@SustainableUVA is also active on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Signage

Does the institution have signage that highlights sustainability features on campus?:
Yes

A brief description of the signage that highlights sustainability features on campus:
UVA's site-specific sustainability signage includes large descriptive panels near "the Dell" stormwater management site, the Ruffner Hall rooftop solar installation, and in many Dining Halls to highlight sustainable food sourcing commitments.

Reminder signage from the Sustainability Office can also be found throughout our Grounds, including reminders to "Hit the Lights", "Shut the Sash", "Earn Your Steps", and "Try Just One". Plus, a student/working-group collaboration resulted in the installation of multiple murals in 2019 drawing attention to storm drains and their direct connection to our local waterways.

In addition, the UVA Building Performance Energy and Water Tracker website also highlights sustainability features on campus by quantifying energy and water demand and consumption on Grounds in real time. The data is collected from the University’s extensive building automation and metering network. The intent of this tool is to encourage efficiency and conservation as well as increase transparency and awareness of energy and water use, via easily accessible real-time, historical and comparative usage.

Sustainability map or tour

Does the institution provide a sustainability walking map or tour?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability walking map or tour:
The UVA Green Guide is a map-based online tour of UVA's sustainability initiatives. The Guide provides more details on a variety of sustainability initiatives including food, student activities, energy, transportation, recycling and more. The Green Guide was created by the Office of the Architect as a way to increase awareness about the current and ongoing sustainability initiatives.

https://officearchitect.virginia.edu/greenguide/index.html

Green living guide 

Does the institution produce a guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience?:
Yes

A brief description of the guide for green living and/or incorporating sustainability into the residential experience:
Yes - the Green Living Guide provides an overview of sustainability best practices inside residence halls. Topics covered in the guide include recycling information, water and energy conservation tips, and ways to connect with sustainability groups around Grounds.

UVA's Office for Sustainability also oversees the Eco-leaders program, a collaboration between UVA Sustainability and the Housing & Residence Life team, where student ambassadors enable and empower their residence peers to live more sustainably and take advance of various sustainability-related resources. Eco-leaders are responsible for organizing numerous sustainability-focused events throughout the year and communicating opportunities for engagement.

https://sustainability.virginia.edu/programs/green-living

Optional Fields

A brief description of other comprehensive sustainability outreach materials and publications not covered above:
The UVA Sustainability From the Grounds Up blog features content from student interns in the office. Students cover a wide range of topics including: end-of-year program overviews, relevant seasonal sustainability practices (green gift giving, sustainable Thanksgiving), and alumni features.

https://sustainability.virginia.edu/blog

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
UVA also publishes quarterly sustainability updates and annual reports to help provide a comprehensive view of sustainability efforts at UVA: https://sustainability.virginia.edu/news/reports.html

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.