Our Plan

Strategy 1: Increase student involvement with high-impact, co-curricular experiences in sustainability.

A. Increase student engagement in sustainability-focused student trips.
Tactic: Define what qualifies as sustainability-focused student trip.
Tactic: Create an inventory of existing university-related trips that are sustainability-focused.
Tactic: Perform a needs assessment of existing sustainability-focused student trips.
B. Expand sustainability-related competitions for students.
Tactic: Continue offering Make-A-Thon as an annual student sustainability competition on campus.
C. Increase the diversity and number of student organizations engaged in sustainability initiatives, events, and programming.
Tactic: Establish criteria and language for what qualifies as a “sustainable student organization.”
Tactic: Define incentives that will encourage additional student organizations to become more sustainable.
Tactic: Work with Student Involvement to add “sustainability” as a category for student organizations to self-select.
Tactic: Utilize Student Government’s Sustainability Department to distribute information to student body.
D. Engage more students in sustainability-related service learning and community service.
E. Increase the resources and support available for sustainability-related student organizations.
Tactic: Establish connection with Union Activities Board (UAB) to encourage sustainable event planning.
Tactic: Create sustainability resources to be distributed to student organizations and staff/faculty advisors.
Tactic: Train students to support organizations pursuing sustainable events certification.
F. Develop a sustainability co-curriculum.
Tactic: Create a committee to design Student Sustainability Co-curricular Leadership recognition.

Strategy 2: Expand sustainability training and outreach for students.

A. Create a sustainability workshop series that contributes toward student leadership development.
Tactic: Student Sustainability Co-Curricular Leadership Award Committee will evaluate current leadership workshops that are available and decide on the topics that need to be created for workshops.
B. Include sustainability education in New Student Programs, University Housing, University and college ambassadors, and Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Tactic: Provide sustainability training to New Student Orientation Leaders.
Tactic: Encourage new students to continue using the reusable bags and bottles they receive at New Student Orientation.
Tactic: Promote programs/events that connect sustainability to the Common Reading Program.
Tactic: Certify Convocation events as sustainable.
Tactic: Provide sustainability information for RA’s to include in their hall meeting in August.
Tactic: Present sustainability information focused on residence halls to Inter-Residence Hall Council.
Tactic: Recognize the Most Sustainable Chapter award winner at Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Order of Omega Awards.
Tactic: Add sustainable event certification to Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Event Management Page.
Tactic: Include Sustainable Event Certification link on Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Event Management website.
Tactic: Increase sustainability efforts during Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Panhellenic and IFC recruitment.
Tactic: Provide sustainability training to Fraternity and Sorority Life’s tailgating committee/IFC.
Tactic: Edit Fraternity and Sorority Life’s Standards evaluation sheet to include a sustainability section.

Strategy 1: Enhance cohesion among academic programs that address sustainability.

A. Establish and support an administrative framework that coordinates academic sustainability programs.
Tactic: Establish the position of an academic sustainability coordinator to provide the needed leadership and coordination.
Tactic: Understand how the University Sustainability Office best supports progress in academic sustainability collaboration.

Strategy 2: Ensure that every NC State undergraduate student engages in coursework with critical and creative thinking and substantive learning outcomes focused on sustainability.

A. Develop a sustainability general education program (GEP) category or group of classes.
B. Develop a coordinated NC State annual sustainability theme to be incorporated into the curriculum.
Tactic: Explore how best to incorporate sustainability into the Common Reading program
Tactic: Coordinate with Housing and Living and Learning Villages to include sustainability-related academic activities into their schedule of events as well as connect with faculty engaged in sustainability-related scholarship.

Strategy 3: Facilitate opportunities for NC State students to participate in high-impact academic experiences in sustainability.

A. Provide students with sustainability-related professional development opportunities.
B. Better coordinate and communicate high-impact academic opportunities focused on sustainability.
Tactic: Identify and promote existing programs where there are sustainability engagement opportunities beyond the typical classroom experience.
C. Create team-taught courses or seminars focused on current sustainability issues.
Tactic: Develop criteria for identifying existing courses that would qualify as team-taught courses or seminars focused on current sustainability issues.
Tactic: Establish a process outline for co-teaching sustainability-related courses across colleges.
Tactic: Advocate for funding of team-taught, sustainability-related courses.

Strategy 4: Increase the demographic and disciplinary diversity of the NC State community engaged in sustainability academics.

A. Create diversity through high school recruiting into sustainability-oriented academic programs, with a focus on attracting students from groups traditionally underrepresented in such programs.
B. Continue to develop courses and course modules in environmental justice and equity.
C. Partner with regional minority-serving institutions in student service and action research projects.
D. Foster the development of multidisciplinary scholarship and research by faculty focused on sustainability.
E. Support and reward faculty in developing and teaching multidisciplinary courses that address sustainability across departments and colleges.

Strategy 5: Establish NC State as an institution that develops sustainability stewards and leaders.

A. Engage faculty and students from across the university with real-world, community-identified projects to meet the partnering community’s sustainability priorities.
B. Develop a sustainability leadership certificate.

Strategy 6: Establish NC State as the first choice for prospective students committed to sustainability.

A. Engage with high school faculty/administration and students about sustainability education and programming at NC State.

Strategy 7: Engage external stakeholders in supporting NC State’s academics sustainability initiatives.

A. Bring external stakeholders to campus for sustainability activities and programs, such as presenting lectures and seminars, advising students and faculty engaged in sustainability projects, judging student presentations and posters in classes, and campus research events.

Strategy 8: Establish new sustainability student scholarships and fellowships.

A. Create a funding program to which student teams can apply for support for sustainability research.

Strategy 9: Increase the university’s profile in sustainability-related research.

A. Solicit external funds for research seed funding in sustainability.
Tactic: Solicit undergraduate student research funds focused on sustainability.
Tactic: Coordinate with the Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development on corporate, crowd-sourced or foundation development of sustainability-related research.
Tactic: Explore with Poole College of Management whether there is an opportunity for coordination across campus to engage with the Business Sustainability Collaborative.

Strategy 1: Reduce NC State’s total greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from the 2008 baseline.

Tactic: Complete the next Greenhouse Gas Inventory based on the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
Tactic: Implement Combined Heat and Power project on Centennial Campus to produce electricity and steam on campus from natural gas.

Strategy 2: Reduce existing building annual energy use per square foot by 40 percent from the 2002 baseline.

Tactic: Revise the Energy Management Action Plan to prioritize activities toward this goal over the next five years.
A. Optimize building energy usage through retro-commissioning, continuous commissioning, and occupant education.
Tactic: Set Energy Use Intensity (EUI) target for all new capital projects in Project Scope Statement.
Tactic: Require Building Envelope Commissioning in new capital projects (should be budgeted during planning and prior to request for funds).
Tactic: Implement predictive maintenance program for research buildings (oil analysis, vibration analysis, laser alignment for pumps, motors, etc. for critical equipment).
Tactic: Require new direct digital control (DDC) controls for buildings that have obsolete DDC controls for more efficient existing buildings. New drives for pumps and air handlers in existing buildings
Tactic: Use a phased approach to switching air handler unit (AHU) filter media to new technology to reduce energy, labor and filter media waste.
B. Explore and develop best practices for intelligent infrastructure and energy generation use in campus buildings.
C. Reduce energy use within the five Central Utility Plants by 5 percent from the 2015 baseline.

Strategy 3: Expand the amount of renewable energy used to meet NC State’s needs.

Tactic: Research large scale renewable energy options available within NC utility regulations.

Strategy 4: Reduce campus water consumption by 65 percent from the 2001 baseline.

A. Expand the use of reuse (reclaimed or non-potable) water on campus.
B. Reduce water use in campus buildings.
Tactic: Replace restroom cleaning solutions with a type that does not require rinsing in Kaivac restroom cleaning machines
C. Implement landscaping that reduces potable water consumption.

Strategy 5: Enhance and coordinate stormwater efforts to ensure water quality for the university’s growing campus.

A. Develop a master plan for providing watershed-based regional stormwater treatment for new and future development and retrofits.
B. Improve the stormwater control measure program by providing feedback on devices under construction and involving students in ongoing water quality monitoring.
Tactic: Implement a Grounds staff inspection for construction of Stormwater Control Measures (evaluate if this could be added to Capital Project Management procedures).
Tactic: Evaluate implementing a student volunteer monitoring program within the Stormwater Program.

Strategy 6: Reduce single-occupancy vehicles on campus by 5 percent for employees and 7 percent for students from the 2015 baseline.

A. Renew NC State’s designation as a Bicycle Friendly University.
B. Enhance Wolfline bus system service delivery in order to build annual ridership to 3.5 million by 2022.
Tactic: Implement reverse route for Wolfline route 7.
Tactic: Construct Wolf Village transit hub to increase bus rider safety and convenience.
Tactic: Reroute Wolfline route 3 to have a more direct and frequent service to Engineering and Oval Buildings.
C. Increase and enhance campus walkability by realizing a 2.5 percent increase in intra-campus walking travelers from the 2015 baseline.
Tactic: Implement pedestrian infrastructure improvement along Morril Dr.
D. Increase student and employee use of carpooling by 3 percent over the 2015 baseline.
Tactic: Implement a more aggressive and widespread carpool advertising campaign.
E. Promote alternative fuel usage for commuting by aiming for 0.5 percent of permitted vehicles to hold an electric vehicle (EV) permit by 2022.
Tactic: Replace remaining old PEP electric vehicle charging stations with new Charge Point stations to enable better performance metric reporting capabilities.
Tactic: Implement updates to the Transportation Master Plan.
F. Work with community partners to make data-driven decisions about alternate transportation modes.

Strategy 7: Reduce the consumption of and demand for petroleum products in the university fleet.

A. Create a baseline for university-wide fleet metrics.
Tactic: Gain support/authority for administrative consolidation of university fleet.

Strategy 8: Achieve a 70 percent landfill diversion rate from the 2006 baseline toward zero waste.

A. Complete and communicate a Zero Waste Management Plan that will guide the vision for zero waste management practices, define meaningful targets, and address education and research needs.
Tactic: Identify key campus and industry partners that have direct impact on Zero Waste Management strategies.
Tactic: Develop a draft zero waste plan (ZWP) for campus input
Tactic: Finalize plan, publish, communicate, and get support for a Zero Waste Plan.
Tactic: Update and streamline Reuse, Recycling, and Hazardous Waste section of Design & Construction Guidelines.
B. Utilize the 2015 Waste Characterization Study to develop focused educational and training plans that will reduce the amount of recyclable material from entering the campus waste stream.
Tactic: Develop a Zero Waste Training Module for each department that handles waste that is introduced to all operational staff.
C. Develop a robust campus-wide, on-site composting program that creates a closed-loop system for food waste generated on campus.
Tactic: Expand paper towel composting as a simple and effective way to introduce people to composting.
Tactic: Expand Zero Waste Workplace program.
D. Develop a comprehensive reuse program to capture constuction, office, departmental supplies, and donations from the campus.
Tactic: Work with NC State Surplus and State Surplus to identify materials currently being sent to the landfill that can be diverted through either of these Surplus entities.
Tactic: Develop a legal agreement between the University and multiple non-profit organizations to allow the disposition of University material that is bound for the landfill.

Strategy 9: Implement source reduction and environmentally-preferable purchasing initiatives to decrease waste before it occurs.

A. Create a sustainable purchasing initiative with experts to guide waste diversion and sustainable sourcing.
B. Instill the values of total cost of ownership and total life cycle cost in purchasing and decision-making.
C. Develop a system to track and quantify sustainable purchases from MarketPlace, the university’s material management and purchasing system and in large bids and contracts.
Tactic: Highlight sustainable items on the Marketplace purchasing system.
D. Develop incentives for making environmentally sound purchases for externally-funded research projects.

Strategy 10: Exemplify a sustainable food system from origin to plate by adding capacity to grow food on campus land for campus dining facilities.

A. Increase production to more than 7,000 pounds per year at the Agroecology Education Farm in year one and a 10 percent increase in each subsequent year.
Tactic: Utilize the currently constructed Agroecology Farm high tunnel to promote season extension and create additional poundage of produce.
B. Introduce culinary gardens accessible to campus chefs for incorporating ingredients into meals.
C. Increase NC State’s use of North Carolina produce by 20 percent from the 2013 baseline.
Tactic: Work with US Foods to bring in produce from local farms in the month of June through September.
D. Further promote the availability and benefits of healthy food.
E.  Increase NC State’s Dining use of North Carolina local food from 27% to 30%.
Tactic: Define what NC State designates as local to a 300-mile radius to include most of South Carolina and Virginia.
Tactic: Identify local companies from which NC State can purchase that meet our local food perimeters.

Strategy 11: Continue to raise awareness for Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing.

A. Expand investment strategies as NC State’s SRI Fund assets continue to grow.
Tactic: Proactively research the due diligence on fund managers for the remaining Park Foundation donation.
Tactic: Identify the steps to achieve offering another option for philanthropic/impact fund to the university’s donors and constituent institution.
Tactic: Explore options to further fund sustainability through purchases made at NC State Bookstores.
B. Offer another option for philanthropic funds to the university’s alumni and for other donors.

Strategy 12: Utilize information technology to reduce resource use across campus.

A. Increase on-campus partnerships to help students, faculty, and staff reduce use of paper by increasing digitization.
Tactic: Extend OnBase Document Management System implementations for document retention, efficiency (workflow), storage savings and ease of document search/retrieval to: Human Resources, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Advancement Office and Dean’s Office, College of Management Dean’s Office, College of Psychology Dean’s Office, Foundations Accounting.
Tactic: Implement two PCard enhancements by integrating with the OnBase Document Management System to allow cardholders to directly upload receipts and monthly statements to reduce printing across campus.
Tactic: Implement Absence Management within the Human Resources System to eliminate the signed paper copies of leave records.
Tactic: Expand the required training system, REPORTER, to all units providing required training to minimize paper records and reduce record keeping duplication.
Tactic: Integrate the new electronic Research Administration (eRA) system with existing Financial and Human Resource Systems to eliminate paper used to support dual entry.
B. Increase use of virtual meetings to reduce travel and costs and increase efficiency.
C. Evaluate additional energy efficiency efforts with data centers, equipment purchases, and data storage options.

Strategy 1: University leadership will actively promote, encourage, and celebrate a culture of sustainability.

A. Encourage division and departmental ownership and action to make sustainability accessible to the entire campus community with the expectation that all programs and events incorporate sustainability.
Tactic: Certify Chancellor events as sustainable to set the example and create the baseline for future years.
Tactic: Certify signature Wolfpack Welcome Week events as sustainable.
Tactic: Certify campus departments as sustainable workplaces to create the baseline for future years.
B. Establish a coordinated NC State annual sustainability theme to promote awareness and action across all campus units and to be incorporated into the curriculum to brand the university as a sustainability champion.
C. Infuse an institutional commitment to sustainability in all aspects of campus and community life such as programming, event planning, transportation to meetings, everyday language, and orientation and hiring processes.
Tactic: Design and pilot training that encourages the campus community to lead by example in sustainable actions.
Tactic: Determine an instrument for measuring sustainability significance to faculty and alumni as counterparts to the incoming student and staff wellbeing surveys.
Tactic: Determine strategies to include sustainability into employee onboarding such as through a leadership video (coordinate with Communications).
D. Create incentives for all campus stakeholders to embrace and celebrate sustainability and to establish clear accountability methods and standards across departments and programs in order to ensure compliance.
Tactic: Establish the annual Celebration of NC State to include university leadership participation and expand the Green Brick Awards.
Tactic: Evaluate a sustainability award category for exsisting campus award programs.
E. Enhance and/or create campus traditions that encourage sustainable change through personal or team challenges.
Tactic: Certify Student Government traditions events as sustainable to create the baseline for future years.
F. Include sustainability as part of university campaign and top-level fundraising priorities and strategies so that funding is secured for student high-impact experiences, undergraduate research, awards, curriculum development, scholarships and grants, programming, immersion experiences, residence life, and research seed funding.
Tactic: Create relationship between the Sustainability Council and University Development.
G. Explore how to scale and replicate our work and lead across the University of North Carolina system and the state.
Tactic: Create relationships among Raleigh higher education institutions.
Tactic: Present best practices at sustainability conferences.

Strategy 2: Embrace and demonstrate an expanded definition/ vision of sustainability that pursues improvement of the human condition, respect for all members of the community, social justice, diversity and inclusion, work-life balance, workplace and campus safety, and wellness.

A. Develop and implement a social and environmental justice narrative for NC State so that as, a campus community, we acknowledge and embrace a culture of inclusion.
Tactic: Research and document current campuswide efforts that include environmental and social justice.
Tactic: Include sustainability programming in Diversity Education Week.
Tactic: Provide programming for campus that illustrates a broader vision of sustainability.
B. Integrate concepts of entrepreneurship and social innovation into our understanding of sustainability and encourage areas of related research and practice.
Tactic: Integrate social/sustainability category into major entrepreneurship competitions.
Tactic: Align Well Wolfpack certified organizations and sustainable workplace certifications.
C. Collaborate with and support the efforts of the University Wellness Task Force to create and maintain a culture that supports and promotes the overall wellness of NC State students, faculty, and staff.

Strategy 3: Develop the connective tissue with our campus and Triangle community in order to bridge our collective vision to “think and do” as we address society’s grand challenges.

A. Develop a thriving network/community of external partners committed to advancing the university’s sustainability goals and vision.
Tactic: Expand NC State’s annual Earth Fair event by inviting new community partners.
Tactic: Increase sustainability awareness and education to alumni and community through sporting events.
Tactic: Collaborate on projects with the City of Raleigh and cross-promote sustainability events.
B. Facilitate communication and engagement with external stakeholders to leverage sustainability efforts for larger collective impact, such as intentionally sharing knowledge and resources.
Tactic: Create relationships with NC State Outreach and Engagement to provide sustainability knowledge and resources to communities.

Strategy 1: Raise awareness of sustainability at NC State among internal and external stakeholders.

A. Incorporate sustainability into the NC State brand.
Tactic: Review NC State brand platform and propose to NC State Executive Brand Committee ways to add sustainability into the university brand.
B. Gain national recognition for NC State’s sustainability successes.
Tactic: Identify sustainability-related award opportunities and ranking systems and strategize ways to boost NC State’s scores.
C. Promote awareness of NC State’s Sustainability Strategic Plan.
Tactic: Develop roll-out plan for Sustainability Strategic Plan to the university.
Tactic: Incorporate sustainability awareness into orientations for new members of the campus community, including undergraduate and graduate New Student Orientation and New Employee Orientation. (coordinate with Student Leadership and Culture and Community)

Strategy 2: Better integrate sustainability communications across campus to improve frequency and consistency of sustainability communications.

A. Develop a network of communications professionals across campus to encourage two-way communications about sustainability issues.

Strategy 3: Provide communications resources and tools to promote and support sustainability at NC State.

A. Develop a messaging strategy and framework for how to communicate about sustainability.
Tactic: Define sustainability concepts and messaging.
Tactic: Define target audiences. Analyze audiences to develop effective messaging strategies.
Tactic: Position and promote NC State’s sustainability website and e-newsletter as the centralized resource featuring all sustainability-related news content created university-wide. Execute a subscription campaign to boost subscribers to NC State’s sustainability e-newsletter.
B. Develop a toolkit for incorporating sustainability into communications.
Tactic: Develop a collection of downloadable sustainability icons specific to NC State.
Tactic: Develop billboard graphics/templates for recognizing sustainability contributions on campus.
Tactic: Integrate information visualization into communication about sustainability concepts and accomplishments.
Tactic: Create a repository and promote social media hashtags/handles/trending topics for NC State sustainability-related information and communications.
C. Develop a set of sustainable communications best practices for communicators.

Strategy 4: Make communications a key part of sustainability planning and execution.

A. Identify sustainability programs, projects, or progress that require outreach efforts and/or meet institutional qualifications for promotion to internal or external audiences.
Tactic: Embed a communicator on each Sustainability Council working group.