Princeton University Office of Sustainability

MEETING HISTORY/RECORDS

• SunPower’s Princeton employee solar discount : Rebate of up to $0.30/W up to $1,500  http://www.princeton.edu/hr/working/discounts/solar

• Other incentives: Federal, state, local incentives for renewables and efficiency   http://www.dsireusa.org/

• University transportation incentives: 50% mass transit subsidy, van/carpooling, car sharing  http://www.princeton.edu/transportation/tdm.html

• Car comparison shopping: Cost calculators and incentives http://fueleconomy.gov/

• Office supplies: OfficeMax Marketplace, click on “recycled/environmentally preferable products”    https://princeton.orgsupply.net/index.php

• Appliances: Look for EnergyGuide, Energy STAR, WaterSense labels

• Food:

• Other: Green Design in downtown Princeton sells an assortment of sustainably produced, recycled products http://www.greendesigncorp.com/

• Princeton’s Recycling Guidelines http://www.princeton.edu/recycling

• Consignment shopping/selling: Local shops in Princeton with branches elsewhere http://greenestreetconsignment.com/   http://www.janeconsignment.com/site/

• Green Tours
  • Watch for sign-up email in April

PowerPoint Presentation:

I.  Welcome & Introductions

We had two visitors who joined us for the meeting, Dr. Mary Evelyn Tucker and Divya Farias ’15.

 II.   Journey of the Universe

Kristi introduced Mary Evelyn Tucker, Historian of Religions at Yale University and currently a visiting faculty member at the Princeton Environmental Institute. She is also the executive producer and co-writer of the Emmy Award-Winning film, J ourney of the Universe, which the group watched. The film is described as “a tapestry that draws together scientific discoveries in astronomy, geology, biology, ecology, and biodiversity with humanistic insights. From the Big Bang to the impact humans have on the planet today, the film depicts the epic of evolution as the broadest context for considering environmental problems”. 

III.  Questions/Answers

After the screening, Mary Evelyn answered questions about the filming of Journey of the Universe and future plans for showing. For more information about this film, you can visit http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/.

 Next meeting : Spring semester 2013

                                                                                                                                                                              ATTENDEES:  

I. Welcome & Introductions

November 28, 2011 Meeting

• Welcome and Introductions 
• Sustainability announcements
• 2011 Sustainability Report highlights
• Recap of spring '11 survey results
• 2011-2012 Ambassador Program outline
• Next steps 

Announcements  

• The 3rd annual Sustainability Report was published online in November, 2011
  
• The Office of Sustainability will soon be submitting University data to STARS, a new Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System overseen by AASHE.   
  
• Sustainability Kiosk coming soon located at Frist 100 Level adjacent to central staircase; at our next meeting we will present kiosk model and plan.

• Our new office is now located at: 106 Alexander Street

Sustainability Report:  2011 Highlights 

• Progress reported in 3 priority areas:

•  Nearly 20 goals and more than 60 strategies
  
  To learn about the 2011 updates, see PowerPoint below, or visit http://www.princeton.edu/sustainability

2011 - 2012 Ambassador Plan

Working goal: ‘Advance sustainable practices at Princeton through personal and professional actions’

2 main avenues:    

1) Raising awareness (e.g. sustainability ‘lunch & learn’ sessions, tours)

2) Engagement (e.g. hybrid voluntary/appointed model, ‘what you can do’ living online resource)

Next Steps

•  Follow-up about program participation and goal
•  Online resource notification 
•  Guest speaker poll
•  Next meeting Jan/Feb timeframe

 ATTENDANCE:

Justine Hausheer (O of S)
Shana Weber (O of S)
Holly Welles (PEI)
Cole Maloney (GBM)
Scott Sepsy (Facilities Engineering)
Laura Cerrito (Real Estate Development)
Sandy Sussman (Graduate School)
Amy Spears (Development)
Joanna Santoro (FPO)
Craig Piotrowski (ODC)
Anthony L. Pezzicola (GBM)

Agenda

• Welcome & Introductions
• Year in Review; Survey Results; Potential Next Steps (see PowerPoint below)

New ideas proposed:

• The question was asked whether it is better to have ambassadors appointed or have volunteers. Perhaps it should be a mix between mandatory and volunteer model. Get department heads / upper level management to buy-in and require that someone volunteer from their department, office, etc. This will make sure that sustainability is a part of an Ambassador’s actual job, so that they are allowed to designate time toward their efforts. Buy-in from upper level management will also help Ambassadors push project ideas through.
   
• Provide info on how each department/ambassador can contribute to larger Sustainability Plan; balance subcommittee work, targets, tangible, mission statement. Focus should be more on what the goals are and how to achieve them. It would be helpful to have a series of smaller goals to help build consistency across the group.
• Develop a mission statement. ‘Allourideas.org’ could be used to help change the ethos.
   
• Uniting theme or project that all Ambassadors could work toward (e.g. United Way model). Shana suggested “zero waste” as a theme. Or perhaps work on next “Open House”.
   
• Perhaps sub-committees ambassadors could sign up for, and each subcommittee runs a meeting.
   
• Some see Ambassadors as a venue for idea sharing across campus departments.
   
• Ambassadors want a bit more help in finding a way to get hands-on.
   
• Like Cornell, could we build sustainability into all job descriptions?
   
• Perhaps model SPIN meetings, where different departments host each meeting. Contact is Liz Patton.
   
• Requested a forum where they could receive input from students about what it is like to live on campus / sustainability efforts by students. Joint kickoff meeting between Ambassadors and PEN. (*mentioned new presentation venue)
   
• Ambassadors could increase involvement within their departments by interdepartmental competitions? Would help overall awareness.
   
• General approval of and support of a Green Office Certification Program, with various levels.
   
• Earth Day: Have Ambassadors offer office hours.

In attendance: Shana Weber, Justine Hausheer, Kristi Wiedemann, Joanna Santoro, Jessica Hoppe Dagci, Holly Welles, Bob Van Schaick, Cindy Keith, Sarah Bavuso, Cole Maloney, Scott Sepsy, Tony Pezzicola

2. News & Announcements:

• The Princeton Environmental Network (PEN) is hosting an Earth Day Celebration
• Afternoon of April 22^nd, in Frist
• We will follow up with details closer to the event

• The Campus Farmer’s Market will re-open this spring
• Tuesdays from 11:00-3:00 pm at the Firestone Plaza
• Begins Tuesday April 12^th and ends Tuesday May 17th

• During the winter, the EcoReps worked with Jon Baer to update the Recycling Guidelines for the campus.
• We’ d like to enlist your help to publicize the new guidelines around campus.
• Recycling guidelines can be found at this link.

• More than 60 retrofits / new installations planned for this summer
• This will double the number of existing hydration stations
• Office has conducted surveys of existing water fountains, and identified high traffic areas
• First wave was residential buildings, this summer focus is academic / staff buildings.

3. Ambassador Presentation – Sustainable Building materials & Products (Tony Pezzicola, GBM)

Examples of Sustainable Materials

• Steel studs can be designed to use 12% less steel, thus saving money and resources. Steel can also be recycled.
• Polystyrene panels can be used instead of drywall made of gypsum. This saves a natural resource and helps prevent mold damage.
• Marmoleum flooring surfaces are a good alternative to tile, and are made from wood dust and adhesives, instead of vinyl.
• Plywood-like products can be made from materials like corn husks.
• There are alternatives to granite countertops made from a composite of different materials. One option takes recycled cement and glass to make a countertop, another takes quartz pieces. Both products are good granite alternatives, but currently are very expensive. These products were used in Frick Chemistry, and for the countertops in Café Vivan.
• Toilet partitions in bathrooms can be made from a wood composite material that is 70% recycled paper, combined with adhesives.
•  All indoor adhesives that Princeton uses on and in products are certified NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde).

• There is a common perception that sustainable products are all more expensive than conventional, but Tony estimates that 70% of the sustainable products he works with are equal or lesser cost than the conventional product.
• A question about whether it would be possible to save extra materials from projects in the Surplus inventory was raised.
• A question as to whether lifecycle costing analysis is always used on small projects was raised.

4. Sustainability at Princeton – FAQ’s Discussion

Key difference should be between FAQ for basic questions, and FAQ for Sustainability at Princeton (distilled report info). Also, see Jen Whiting’s and the Service Center FAQ page as an example

1. How does the CoGen Plant Work
2. How does the solar array work
3. Water usage
4. How does a green roof work
5. Recycling guidelines
6. Transportation
7. Gray water system
8. Geothermal energy (energy options on campus)
9. Suggested sustainability reading
10. How to compost kitchen waste (and other ‘how tos’)

5. Ambassador Pilot Program – Discussion

The group discussed different ways to build upon the current Ambassador pilot program to roll it out to the University and make it more effective, with the overall goal being to advance sustainability at Princeton. The OofS will also likely put together a survey, and send it out to the Ambassadors to capture the group’s responses/feedback.

1. Carrying out focus groups around the University, within different departments to gather feedback
2. Producing videos; better publicizing the ones that already exist
3. Using social media
4. Better publicizing sustainability practices/initiatives (e.g. the use of sustainable building products)
5. Segmenting the program to reach different populations
6. Publishing a sustainability newsletter; it was noted that the first edition is underway and will be published shortly; the intention would be to send it to all of Facilities and the Ambassadors, and encourage other members of the University community, and beyond, to sign up

ATTENDANCE:
Justine Hausheer (O of S)
Kristi Wiedemann (O of S)
Shana Weber (O of S)
Mariana Bogucki (Conference & Events)
Laura Cerrito (Real Estate Development)
Scott Sepsy (Facilities Engineering)
Bob Van Schaick (Housing & Real Estate)
Joanna Santoro (FPO)
Anthony Pezzicola (GBM)
Victor Li (O of S intern)
Jessica Hoppe Dagci
Holly Welles (PEI)
Sandy Sussman (Graduate School)
Cindy Keith (GBM)

Discussion Notes/Next Steps:

Addressing sustainability in Ambassador departments: Ambassadors were asked if they could suggest 2-3 ways in which sustainability could be addressed in their departments. One option is to the 2010 Report published on the Sustainability website as a guideline.

Purpose of Ambassador group and modules: Overall, the Ambassador group was envisioned as a way to channel information to and from the Office of Sustainability. As the program is still in pilot phase, the OofS is looking to the group to help shape the program, so Ambassadors are encouraged to share feedback as the program develops.  

Discussion Forum and Message Log: These tools were developed to help with information exchange among the Ambassadors, but we are open to modifying them as needed. A 'how-to' guide for the Forum will soon be posted in the "Meetings" section. If the Ambassadors are interested in posting questions in the Forum, the OofS could alert the group that questions are posted. Alternatively, the Ambassador listserv or another web-based tool could be used.  

FAQ page: It would be helpful for the Sustainability website to have an FAQ page. Perhaps the Ambassadors could help develop this.

Drink Local campaign/Bottle-filling stations: It would be good to communicate this program to the broader campus community. While most of the 'stations' are in dorms, they will be expanded to other buildings, Nassau Hall being one of them. Perhaps the SECN students could help by creating a video. 

Real-time progress on sustainability-related projects: It would be helpful to communicate the status of different sustainability-related projects on campus. For example, the installation of water-saving fixtures. Such information could be posted on the Sustainability website.

Additional minutes for this meeting can be found within the notes of the following power point presentation for Module 1 posted below:

ATTENDANCE:

Sandra Lam (PEI)
Jessica Hoppe Dagci (Marquand Library)
Scott Sepsy (Facilities Engineering)
Craig Piotrowski (ODC)
Cole Maloney (GBM)
Robert Van Schaick (Housing / Inspections)
Kristi Wiedemann (O of S)
Victor Li (O of S intern)
Justine Hausheer (O of S)
Shana Weber (O of S)
Joanna Santoro (FPO)
Tony Pezzicola (GBM)


Website Presentation, Victor Li
-    Ambassadors website now updated
-    Video tutorial given on website sections (e.g. About, Meetings, Discussion Forum, Message Log, Knowledge Modules, How-To Guides, External Resources)
-    Please visit the website, and also register for the private discussion forum.


Open House Volunteers, Kristi Wiedemann
-    Sustainability Open House 2010
-    November 16, Chancellor Green, 3pm – 7pm
-    Call for ambassadors to volunteer, either at the OofS/Ambassador’s table or at the general event welcome tables
-    Event will feature food, an art contest, and an electric vehicle display
-    Emphasis upon fair-like atmosphere
-    Contact Kristi with questions (kristiw@)
-    Kristi will email a poll out soon to indicate volunteer availability.


Bulletin Board, Kristi Wiedemann
-    OofS is planning an Ambassador’s bulletin board where we can feature photos of ambassadors, projects, and general sustainability interests; will potentially have an on-line feature as well
-    Will allow a way to connect with other ambassadors and campus public

Ambassador’s Projects Discussion
• Scott Sepsy : Scott noted that anything involving energy creations links with sustainability; he could function as a connection point to all of engineering.

• Tony P : Tony noted that construction recycling is important; he saw bike rental kiosks in Paris, suggested we look at that sort of program on campus as U-Bikes grows.

• Craig Piotrowski : Craig manages construction, especially construction for the sciences. He’s interested in starting a Science Surplus Program: as faculty rotates in and out of labs, a lot of expensive lab equipment ends up thrown away. We could potentially start a program where this is stored, and then sold or re-used on campus.

• Robert Van Schaick : Robert’s thinking about re-using and repairing furniture thrown out from the dorms. He’s also working to re-use existing furniture as Housing moves to New South.

• Jessica Hoppe Dagci : Jessica noted that small measures are taking place within the libraries (e.g. re-using “dirty paper” from one-sided printing, turning off table lights when not in use, also computer monitors).

• Joanna Santoro : Joanna attended Institute for Supply Management’s Sustainability Conference, focused on building sustainable practices into the supply chain.


Next Meeting will be mid-December
 

ATTENDANCE:
Jeffrey Domanski          (Office of Sustainability)
Kristi Wiedemann         (Office of Sustainability)
Shana Weber                 (Office of Sustainability)
Cynthia Kim                    (GBM)
Audry Rosenbloom       (HR)
Joanna Santoro             (FPO)
Amy Spears                    (Development)
Craig Piotrowski            (ODC)
Marianna Bogucki         (Conferences + Events)
Cole Maloney                 (GBM)
John Ziegler                   (Facilities Off-Campus Development)
Bill Sandford                  (Site Protection)
Bob Van Schaik             (Housing Inspections)

Discussion Notes/Next Steps:

Project implementation and funding:
-It was noted that it will be important to have various areas of Facilities expertise represented in the Ambassador group (e.g. someone with HVAC experience in addition to plumbing and electrical)
-Funding for Ambassador projects was highlighted as an important component of implementing new projects; the funding source will depend on the type of project (i.e. Facilities would potentially fund capital projects for which there is convincing data; High Meadows would potentially fund projects that aim to educate/raise awareness)
-It was also noted that some type of governance process would help us institutionalize sustainability; the PSC, which recommends changes in policy and practice to the upper administration, is a vehicle that can help us implement changes

Information sharing:
-Future departmental Ambassador presentations can feature projects that have had a direct impact on energy and/or water savings with concrete data
-A wiki was recommended as a possible information sharing tool

Next steps:
-OoS will be updating our website to include an Ambassador section, featuring a ‘Resources’ section, a new online story form, etc.
-OoS will create an email listserve of Ambassador group members
-SharePoint has a wiki application that can be further explored by the group
-Stay tuned for next meeting, and send any questions along in the meantime
-Let us know if you would like to distribute water bottles to your department!