Office of Sustainability

Virginia Tech is Going Green!

Virginia Tech is committed to sustainablity . Sustainability is commonly defined as "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

Sustainability Week 2009 to be held October 11-17

The green partnership of Virginia Tech, the Town of Blacksburg, and our local citizens group Sustainable Blacksburg, is pleased to announce the 3rd annual "Sustainability Week" program will be held from Sunday, October 11 through Saturday, October 17. This year's theme is "Celebrate, Educate, and Motivate." As in the past the program will consists of presentations, workshops, tours, a Campus Sustainability Fair on Thursday, and a Community Fair on Saturday. For a complete listing of events see: www.vt.edu/sustainability

To begin the program, Daniel Goleman, the author of Virginia Tech's common book for 2009-2010 Ecological Intelligence, will give a presentation on Sunday evening, October 11, in the Burruss Hall Auditorium beginning at 7:30pm. Daniel will give a presentation to be followed by a Q/A session and a book signing. Especially noteworthy is that the Town of Blacksburg has also embraced Daniel's book as its first-ever common book. This presentation is open to the public. For a bio about Daniel look here.

On Monday afternoon, October 12, Virginia Tech President Charles Steger, Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam, Sustainable Blacksburg's Executive Director Pat Bixler, and Daniel Goleman will participate in the Sustainability Week 2009 "Kickoff Ceremony" to be held at the Skelton Conference Center's Latham Ballroom B, beginning at 1:15pm. This event is also open to the public. At the beginning of the ceremony President Steger will present a signed copy of "The Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution" to Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Michael Coleman and Professor John Randolph. Michael serves as Chair of the Energy and Sustainability Committee and had the responsibility last year for overseeing the development of the climate action commitment and sustainability plan. John is a member of the Energy and Sustainability Committee and served last year as the Chair of the Subcommittee that developed the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment and Sustainability Plan. The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors unanimously approved the VTCAC Resolution on June 1, 2009 and a copy may be viewed at: http://www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability/climateAction.pdf

Virginia Tech Receives a "B" overall rating for the Campus Sustainability Report Card 2010

We are delighted to announce that the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI) released its Campus Sustainability Report Card 2010 on October 7, 2009, and Virginia Tech received an overall "B" rating. This is the second consecutive year that the university's overall score has increased. The approval of the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution by the Board of Visitors elevated ratings in two of the nine rated categories evaluated and directly resulted in our overall rating increasing from a "B-" to a "B." Virginia Tech received an "A" rating in the Administration, Student Involvement, Transportation, and Investment Priorities categories, and received a "B" rating in the Climate Change & Energy Category, Food and Recycling, and Green Building categories. Furthermore, SEI has recognized Virginia Tech as a "Campus Sustainability Leader." Virginia Tech's one-page summary rating may be viewed at: http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2010/schools/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-univ

Over 330 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada were rated. The top overall rating awarded was an A- and 26 schools earned that honor. Four surveys were used this year to include: campus survey, dining survey, endowment survey and new this year, a student survey. We had 12 students complete the student survey. Responses to all of our surveys are all available on the one-page summary.

Our B rating is the highest rating awarded to any institution in the Commonwealth of Virginia (Virginia Tech, William and Mary, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of Richmond). Overall ratings for institutions in the Atlantic Coast Conference were as follows: A- (University of North Carolina), B+ (Duke), B (Virginia Tech, Boston College, Clemson, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, and the University of Maryland), B- (University of Virginia, University of Miami, and Florida State), and a C (Wake Forest).

The entire SEI report may be viewed at: http://www.greenreportcard.org

The Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment and Sustainability Plan Receives Full Support from the Board of Visitors

On April 25, 2008, Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger charged the Committee on Energy and Sustainability to develop a draft climate commitment and sustainability plan that is specific to our university, and to utilize the university governance system to review and act on the commitment by the end of the 2009 Spring Semester. Professor John Randolph, Department of Urban Affairs and Planning and Chair of the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment and Sustainability Plan Subcommittee, spearheaded the effort to prepare the documentation, and to gain approval by the Committee on Energy and Sustainability and the Commission on University Support. The University Council recommended approval of the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution on April 22, 2009 (Earth Day). On June 1, 2009, the Board of Visitors unanimously approved The Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution and endorsed the accompanying Sustainability Plan. President Steger commended Professor Randolph and the many students, faculty and staff who championed this effort. The complete University Relations announcement may be viewed here.

Office of Sustainability Established

The Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution contains 14 points that outline clear, measurable and realistic goals. Point #5 is the establishment of an Office of Sustainability that will, among other things, coordinate programs for campus sustainability, oversee the implementation of the VTCAC Resolution and accompanying sustainability plan, monitor energy usage and GHG emissions, and manage a campus wide student internship and undergraduate research program. The Office of Sustainability has been established within Facilities Services and includes the Sustainability Program Manager, the Energy Manager, a Graduate Assistant, and a Sustainability Student Intern.

University's Board of Visitors Goes Paperless

The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors has taken steps to improve its sustainability quotient. The June 1, 2009 BOV meeting was the first paperless meeting for its members and administrative participants. Using laptops and drawing from documents in a new board of visitors "portal", administrators and board members shared and reviewed information without paper. Prior to this meeting, board members and administrators were equipped with three inch notebooks and myriad documents for review. For additional details see here.

Virginia Tech Receives the 2009 Governor's Environmental Excellence "Bronze" Award

Virginia Tech received the 2009 Governor's Environmental Excellence "Bronze Medal" in the Environmental Project (Government) category for hosting the Campus Tree Tour 2008 tree planting event in Blacksburg on October 21, 2008. The award was presented on April 1, 2009 during the 20th Annual Environment Virginia Symposium Banquet held on the campus of Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. The Honorable L. Preston Bryant Jr., the Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources, presented a total of 23 awards. Receiving the award for Virginia Tech was Mr. Michael Coleman, Associate Vice President for Facilities Services. (Click Image to Enlarge)

From left to right are Virginia's Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant, Jr., Virginia Tech Sustainability Program Manger Denny Cochrane, Virginia Tech's Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Mike Coleman, Virginia's Director of Environmental Quality David Paylor, and Virginia's Director of Conservation and Recreation Joe Maroon.

Campus Tree Tour 2008 a Huge Success!

Virginia Tech was chosen as one of nine universities in the nation to be a part of the Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota's Campus Tree Tour 2008. On Tuesday, October 21, during Sustainability Week 2008, a total of 100 trees were planted in various locations on Virginia Tech's campus. Over 200 volunteers participated to include students, faculty, staff, alums, Blacksburg residents, friends, and the Hokie Bird.

The tree-planting Kick-Off Ceremony was held near the southeast corner of The Inn at Virginia Tech, Skelton Conference Center and the Holtzman Alumni Center, overlooking the pond.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all those who came out and helped make this a huge success. Well done!

For more information about the Campus Tree Tour 2008 read the Virginia Tech Campus Tree Press Release
and visit: http://www.arborday.org/programs/treeCampusUSA/campusTrees.cfm

Sustainability and Energy Conservation

Michael Coleman, Associate Vice President for Facilities Services, provides an update to the Staff Senate on "Sustainability and Energy Conservation" and the results of the recent adjustments of campus thermostats.