The 2013 Campus Sustainability Report was presented to Chancellor Folt and the UNC community on November 15th, at the Campus Sustainability and America Recycles Day event. This comprehensive assessment of sustainable policies, practices, curricula, and behaviors highlights Carolina’s adoption of sustainability as a core value and strategic planning tool. Key findings include:
- Energy saving measures resulted in a 33% reduction in energy use per square foot since 2003.
- Investments in reclaimed water, harvested rainwater, and water efficiency have reduced Carolina’s potable water use by 60% per square foot since 2000.
- Two new laboratory buildings- the Koury Oral Health Sciences Building and the Genome Sciences Building- are certified LEED Gold.
- Over 330 undergraduate and graduate courses offer sustainability-related content.
- Expanded recycling and composting programs and a growing number of “Carolina Green Certified” events are reducing the campus waste stream.
- The first pan-campus theme, a three-year focus on “Water In Our World,” encourages collaboration and engagement to address the many dimensions of water in our lives.
- $778 million in research funding provides more opportunities for students and faculty to address the greatest challenges of our times.
- 25% of food purchased by Carolina Dining Services (CDS) is obtained within 250 miles of campus or is third party certified.
The full 2013 Campus Sustainability Report is available online through the Sustainability Office website. Please email the Sustainability Office if you would like to receive a hard copy of the report.
