Over the past four years, UCSF has built significant momentum toward tackling formal sustainability goals in response to UC Regents’ policies. The Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) has taken a leadership role in developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy and implementing measures that will help the campus and medical center become leaders in promoting a healthy environment and a sustainable future.
This Annual Report highlights the key accomplishments, activities and challenges of UCSF’s Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Sustainability (CACS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012-2013, as well as plans and goals for the FY 2013-2014.
We have identified metrics of interest to the UCSF community and provide them at this link. Instead of publishing an annual printed report we have opted to provide this electronic version thus reducing printing, paper use and waste. In this format, we will continually update this data to show our progress over time. We have also summarized the work of each of our work groups to show our progress for the past year and will update this annually. Using a GHG software solution to track, monitor, model and report all emission sources from electricity, natural gas, commute, business travel, fleet, water, waste, refrigerants and medical gases, we will continue to track our progress over time. In spite of our increasing square footage with new construction projects, we continue to seek efficiencies and reduce our resource consumption as much as possible.
Some of the key accomplishments and challenges over the past year are highlighted in a detailed summary from each work group.
Academic Senate Sustainability Committee
The Academic Senate Sustainability Steering Committee was officially approved by the Academic Senate to be a standing committee beginning September 2013. Prior to being approved, the Task Force developed and had approved a resolution on the Non-Therapeutic Use of Antibiotics in Agriculture by the academic senate and the Executive Committee at the Medical Center.
The Sustainability Steering Committee
The SSC consists of co-chairs of Ten Work Groups (WGs) who are responsible for driving and coordinating sustainability initiatives at UCSF.
Their main focus for the 2012-2013 FY has been the development of the Sustainability Action Plan (SAP 2.0) for 2014-2020. Most groups have adopted a consistent methodology in five steps:
1. Definition of goals and strategies,
2. Identification of potential tactics (from WG members’ inputs, previous SAP, peer institutions, sustainability guides),
3. Development of a tool to guide the prioritization process of these tactics in a consistent manner through four filters:
health impact,
environmental impact,
economic impact and
feasibility,
4. Tactics evaluation (7 groups have used this tool to conduct the tactics evaluation process),
5. Prioritization and development of a 2014-2020 timeline.
Climate Change Work Group
Goal: 1990 emissions levels by 2020
2012-2013 accomplishments:
Reported emissions to CARB, US EPA, and TCR
Verified CARB for 2011-12
8 EV charging station, 18 City Car Share pods, new bike cage, GPS in shuttles, 35 priority parking for fuel efficient vehicles
Help develop process for Sustainability Action Plan 2014-2020
13 strategic areas: Planning and report, renewable energies, transportation, energy efficiency equipment, lightning, HVAC, MBCx, IT, incentives/penalties, leased facilities, operational efficiency, MB central plant, Parnassus central plan
.
90-100 potential tactics identified
Step 4 - 60% of the tactics already evaluated with the evaluation tool
Step 5 - Timeline under development
2013-2014 Goals:
TCR and CARB Verification for 12-13
Completed SAP 2.0
Water Conservation Work Group
Goal: 20% water use reduction by 2020
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Pilot Water Saving Project at PSSRB – 30% reduction, $150,000/yr savings
Pilot housing Toilet replacement project completed
First Draft Water Action Plan completed and submitted to UCOP
Campus-wide Water Audit completed
Step 4 - Tactics under evaluation
2013-2014 Goals:
Complete the Water Action Plan
Autoclaves Water Savings Program
Implement Project from the Water Audit
Set up a collaborative effort with the SFPUC
Zero Waste Work Group
Goal: Zero Waste by 2020.
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Two main strategies: “Increase recycling, compost and re-use options and make these services easily accessible throughout campus” & “Reduce over-all landfill tonnage through education & outreach and operational efficiencies.”
18 key tactics have been identified to reach the 2020 goals; some of them are already in progress
Plan to pilot Lab Waste Reduction protocol during 2013/2014 FY to include: paper towel composting; solutions for recycling very-small-but-very-voluminous plastic lab items; solutions for reducing use of polystyrene packaging
Plan to continuing offering Bulky Item Collection Days in UCSF buildings, prioritizing the most cluttered buildings first
Communication with Procurement Dept. staff to redirect Bear Buy users to choose environmentally preferable products when ordering on-line
Idea development for assisting departments on hosting No Waste meetings, conferences, and other catered events
Tallying of one-time use plastics used annually in campus eateries (disposable cutlery, dishware, beverage containers, lids, etc.) as the first step in working toward reducing plastic pollution at UCSF (in collaboration with the Product Stewardship Institute of Boston)
2013-2014 Goals:
Strategy 1: Increase recycling, compost and re-use options and make these services easily accessible throughout campus.
Complete campus compost program set up - % of buildings with complete compost program
Improve Recycling availability for labs - % labs with adequate access to recycling
Continue to offer Bulky Item Clean out Days for buildings in conjunction with Distribution + Storage (D+S) and potentially in partnership with Goodwill Industries - # of buildings completed & tons of material collected
Strategy 2: Reduce over-all landfill tonnage through education & outreach and operational efficiencies
Work with vendors and event planners to promote waste reduction and environmentally preferable purchasing - % of zero waste events on campus
Partner with Living Green team and Sustainability to reach a broader audience throughout UCSF – Metric # of certified labs, offices, and events
Train faculty, students and staff through the use of the “Right Bin” video and emphasize the importance of recycling and waste reduction
changing the social culture of waste disposal habits. - Metric - # of UCSF population trained
Implement consolidation and source segregation procedures to reduce landfill tons
- Metric - # of tons reduced
MC Waste/Procurement Work Group
Goal: To define a realistic waste reduction goal through waste diversion and procurement
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Development of the Sustainability Action Plan 2014-2020
8 strategies: Develop the capacity to have a powerful plan and reliable metrics, Expand recycling efforts, Expand composting efforts, Expand reuse efforts, Reduce use/procurement of disposable products and wasteful packaging, Reduce consumption, wasteful habits, Ensure a proper segregation, Share material/services between several units to prevent multi-buy
Step 4 - 15% of the tactics already evaluated with the evaluation tool
Saved ~$749,000 through purchase of reprocessed medical devices
2013-14 Goals:
Complete SAP2.0
Sustainable Food Work Group
Goal: 2020 UCOP goals have already been achieved; new internal goals are under development; Put health, sustainability and flavor on the menu.
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Protein report
Development of the “rolls and bowls” concept (vegetarian stand at the Cafeteria)
Introduction of new organic items (e.g. seasonal, organic butternut squash)
Launching of a program to track wasted food (pre and post consumption waste)
Visit and promote farms that supply UCSF
2013-14 Goals
Complete SAP 2.0
Toxics Reduction WG
Goal: To incorporate best practices in reducing the use of Chemicals of Concern for human health excluding those managed by EH&S in operations and activities at UCSF facilities.
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Development of the Sustainability Action Plan 2014-2020
The strategies has been defined as categories of specific interest for toxics reduction (Management, EPP General, Cleaning agents, Medical devices, Pharmaceuticals, Laboratories, Building materials and design, Furniture, Textiles, Electronics, Combustion/Transportation, Water contamination, Communication programs for patients, Collaborations)
Organization of subgroups for the tactics evaluation
2013-14 Goals:
Complete SAP 2.0
Culture Shift Work Group
Goal: Encourage the UCSF community to act more sustainably.
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Promotion of employee green benefits: solar panels (94 registrations, 11 installations, 42715 watts generated) and 5 electric vehicle purchases
May 9 Living Green Fair/Bike to Work Day (1500 attendees, 79 vendors) and Sustainability Awards(7 recipients)
Development and launch poster campaign to support energy, water, and waste reduction activities
Development and launch of LivingGreen Certification program for labs and events
Development of the Sustainability Action Plan 2014-2020
7 strategies (Develop a communication plan, Educate, Organize and promote events, Develop certification and recognition, Promote personal commitment and develop employee green benefits, Metrics and tools to follow-up, Support communication efforts for other WGs)
Organization of subgroups for the tactics evaluation
2013-14 Goals:
Launch and implement office/lab/unit certification competition between control points
LivingGreen Fair/Bike to Work Day, Award ceremony for control point recipient, sustainability awards, certificates
Complete SAP 2.0
Procurement Work Group
Goal: To incorporate best and economically viable, environmentally preferable purchasing practices.
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Development of USEPA grant to promote/track the purchase of sustainable products using SciQuest
Achieved campus-wide 85% adoption rate for Aspen 30% PCW through Office Max auto-sub program
2013-2014 Goals:
Complete and implement the US EPA grant goals to identify EPP eco-labels and compliance certifications that will guide buyers on product selection and translate purchases into pollution reduction through BearBuy reporting
Establish lighting standards that meet 2014 Title 24 Code compliance requirements and reduce energy usage and future labor requirement for lamp replacement. Optimize use of PG&E rebates to reduce ROI recovery
Many of the other WGs at UCSF have a procurement connection. Last year we supported efforts of the Zero Waste WG. This coming year our goal is to provide support to at least three of the WGs
Establish target of 94% of standard office paper to have a minimum content of 30%PCW
Selectively eliminate environmentally damaging items where alternatives can be used
MC Sustainability Leadership Group
Goal: To enter and maintain membership in the Environmental Leadership Circle (highest recognition award by Practice GreenHealth)
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
None, Work group newly formed this year
2013-2014 Goals:
Development of the Sustainability Action Plan 2014-2020
Compilation of a list of potential tactics from UCLA, Practice GreenHealth, Healthier Hospital Initiative, members’ inputs and previous SAP
Include sustainability goals in members performance evaluations
Apply and achieve the Practice GreenHealth Environmental Leadership Award
Established a water baseline (average of FY00-03)
Achieved a 34% reduction between baseline year and FY12-13 through two major projects, an electric chilled water system and a medical gas upgrade saving over 4M gal/yr with an avoided energy cost of $1.3M/yr
Green Building Work Group
Goal: 2014 – Obtain best practice award at the CHESC conference for lighting retrofit project.
2012-2013 Accomplishments:
Aldea Community Center on Mount Sutro – LEED Gold
MSB 13 Anatomy Department Lab – LEED CI Silver
MSB 13 Anatomy Teaching Lab – LEED CI seeking Gold
Neurosciences 19A – LEED NC seeking Silve
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Construction Waste documentation is provided for all Capital Projects
Contract in place for development of sustainable design standards
Moffitt Ground Floor Chiller Replacement Project: Achieving over $800,000/yr in energy savings; Received more than $781,000 in PG&E Incentive Award
Moffitt/Long 4th Floor OR Lights Replacement – Phase 1: Use of energy efficient LED lights reducing heat load in OR suites
Moffitt/ Long Lighting retrofit: Use of more energy efficient fixtures with electronic ballasts. Received more than $70,000 in PG&E Incentive Award
Long Medical Air Upgrade: replaced very old water cooled equipment with a more energy efficient equipment that will also save about 1 million gallon of water per year
ACC4 Malignant Hematology Remodel: Expect to receive at least LEED Silver and possible LEED Gold rating. First use of energy-saving chilled beam HVAC technology in a Medical Center remodel project. Designed in FY 2013, construction expected to be completed in June 2014
Moffitt/Long Supply Fan Replacement: Energy saving equipment
Initiative to reduce electrical use at D&C Offices: Retrofit with LED lighting and increased focus on switching off lights when not needed – saves approximately 10% of electrical consumption
Updated standard specifications to include sustainability requirements
Developed Finish Standards that incorporate Sustainability
Developed Sustainability check-list templates based on LEED-CI and LEED-HC tailored to the Medical Center Parnassus projects
2013-14 Goals:
Clinical Sciences Building candidate for LEED Platinum
ACC Building, 5th floor, LEED silver
Capital Programs to integrated sustainability measures into Division 1 specifications as a standard
All new projects to integrate sustainability criteria into project specific specifications both Medical Center and Campus
Develop Best Practices application for CHESC submittal
Increase collaboration with UCSF Capital Programs to enhance sustainability in Medical Center project
Increase sustainability in the Medical Center remodel projects that don’t have currently mandated requirements – projects in acute care hospitals and non-acute care projects with project cost less than $5M
ACC5 Heart & Vascular Remodel: Expected LEED Silver – to be designed in FY 14 & constructed in FY 15
Increase sustainability awareness and education for the Design & Construction staff
Have more of the D&C/facilities staff LEED accredited – from current
Complete SAP 2.0
Sustainable Operations Work Group
Mission: To develop sustainable practices in the maintenance and operation of UCSF facilities
2012-13 Accomplishments:
Documentation of credits for submittal to Green Building Council of UCSF School of Nursing Building
Documentation of credits for submittal to Green Building Council of UCSF Kalmanovitz Library
Collaborated with Procurement Workgroup on UCSF needs from re-design of SciQuest Purchasing System, ensuring that the tracking needs of the LEED program are included
Established building-specific Purchasing Policy for use in LEED submittals
Established protocol and trained in-house staff to execute supply-fan and exhaust-fan assessments and testing to LEED requirements, to eliminate the need for hiring outside testing services
2013-14 Goals:
Finalize submittal of 2 Existing Buildings for LEED Certification
Submit Parnassus Campus for approval of Master Site credits that can be used towards future building certifications
Establish on-going, quarterly energy-assessments to track building energy use for all buildings over 50K gsf