The University of Colorado at Boulder today filed its Conceptual Plan for Carbon Neutrality with the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, making public how the campus plans to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Work on the 145-page document was launched when CU-Boulder became an early signatory of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2007. To carry out the requirements of the commitment, a working group was formed within the Chancellor's Committee for Energy, Environment and Sustainability chaired by CU-Boulder Vice Chancellor for Administration Frank Bruno.
Faculty, staff, students and community partners have contributed to the working group's writing of the plan that is now available on both the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment Web site and the CU-Boulder Web site.
"This is an important milestone for CU-Boulder," said Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano. "The creation of this plan makes real our commitment to carbon neutrality and marks the next important step in our progress toward sustainability. I am challenging our campus to re-double our efforts, to expand our creativity and to innovate on a larger scale to help us reach the goals outlined in the conceptual plan. Working together, I know we can reach these goals."
The American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment was established to provide the higher education community a framework and support for implementing carbon emission reductions on campuses across the nation. Signatories are required to complete an emissions inventory, estimate a target date and interim milestones for becoming carbon neutral, take immediate steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, integrate sustainability into the curriculum and make the inventory, action plan and progress reports publicly available.
In addition to undertaking the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, CU-Boulder also embraced Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter's executive orders in April 2007 that include a 20 percent per square foot energy conservation goal by 2012, a 20 percent greenhouse gas reduction goal by 2020, and an 80 percent greenhouse gas reduction goal by 2050.
Exceeding both the governor's charge and the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, Bruno formed Sustainability Action Teams in June of this year to monitor and advise in the areas of data collection, energy and water, and materials and recycling.
Efforts by students and the administration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions began well before CU-Boulder became a signatory to the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment. In 1991, students voted to fund a student bus pass allowing students to ride fare-free on all Regional Transportation District bus routes and in 2000 students voted to fund wind energy production.
In 2001, CU-Boulder formalized its energy conservation program and has since cut energy consumption 2 to 5 percent each year. In 2004, the annual Buff Energy Star Awards were created to award campus building proctors for implementing energy conservation measures in their buildings.
Since 2005, major construction on campus has met Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, standards of a silver rating or better. LEED gold ratings were earned for the Wolf Law Building, ATLAS Center, Koelbel Business Building and Arnett Hall. A silver rating was earned for renovations to the University Memorial Center.
In 2008, zero-waste programs took effect in the CU Athletics Department and CU Dining Services, and continue to expand. CU-Boulder also joined the Colorado Carbon Fund, putting a projected $90,000 in student dollars over two years into new energy efficiency and renewable energy projects for statewide emission reduction.
To view the Conceptual Plan for Carbon Neutrality visit / or . CU-Boulder encourages feedback from interested parties to help inform periodic updates and revisions of the plan. Comments on the plan may be e-mailed to carbonneutralplan@colorado.edu.