Tech earns low campus sustainability grade

In a study conducted by the Sustainable Endowments Institute of 100 of the nation's leading colleges and universities, Tech received a "C" grade on overall sustainability of the institute.

The grade was broken down into seven categories: Administration, Climate Change and Energy, Food and Recycling, Green Building, Endowment Transparency, Investment Priorities and Shareholder Engagement. While the report assigns grades for each indicator, the final cumulative sustainability grade distribution is as follows: Four schools earned level "A" grades, 22 earned level "B" grades, 54 earned level "C" grades, and 20 earned level "D" grades.

For the administration indicator, Tech received a "B". According to the report, "Tech has made several public commitments to sustainability, including explicitly stated goals to reduce hydrocarbon emissions, material consumption, water runoff, and the use of natural resources.

The Institute for Sustainable Technology and Development works on both curriculum and campus initiatives to promote sustainability. Green building efforts have produced a LEED Silver-certified building and more are expected."

For the climate change and energy indicator, Tech also received a "B". According to the report, "The Institute's Operations Department has embraced sustainability, applying a multitude of energy conservation efforts, a comprehensive recycling program, and alternative transportation endeavors. Researchers are developing higher-efficiency solar panels, alternative fuels, and an offshore wind farm."

For the food and recycling indicator, Tech received a "B". According to the report, "The Institute composts yard waste and has an award-winning recycling program, which includes a regional recycling day, during which over 74 tons of used equipment were collected in 2005; an annual student move-in/move-out collection and re-use program; and the publication of 'The Green Purchasing Guide.' Georgia Tech encourages its food service provider to purchase products locally."

For the green building indicator, Tech received a "B". According to the report, "The Institute relies on the principles of sustainability in its campus strategic plan and its campus and landscape master plans. The new management building is LEED Silver-certified, a new construction project is seeking LEED Silver certification, and 10 other buildings were designed following LEED standards."

The goal of the Tech Master Plan is to have the entire campus composed of sustainable, green buildings as well as eco-friendly growth.

For the endowment transparency indicator, the report gave Tech an "F". According to the report, " The Institute has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record."

For the investment priorities, the report gave Tech a "C". According to the report, " The Institute prioritizes investing to maximize profit and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds."

In the last category, shareholder engagement, Tech scored an "F". The reason for this grade, according to the report, is that "the Institute has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy."

The data in the report was compiled by independent studies as well as through a campus sustainability policy survey.

The Cambridge-based research institute announced that the report's highest cumulative sustainability grade of "A-", was received by Harvard University, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, and Williams College.

The study indicates that some leading schools are taking proactive steps on both campus and endowment sustainability initiatives. Other schools are shown to have a less consistent commitment.