BYU Sustainability efforts received a gold rating in an assessment earlier this year and is developing plans to increase sustainability on campus.
The rating from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System “encompasses long-term sustainability goals for already high-achieving institutions, as well as entry points of recognition for institutions that are taking first steps toward sustainability,” according to the website.
The assessment is used by colleges and universities worldwide. This is the first time BYU has assessed itself and been rated, according to the Sustainability Office.
Institutions receive a score for each area of sustainability. They look at overarching areas such as academics, operations and campus engagement, with more specific categories within each section.
The scores are then compiled into a composite score out of 100 and given a rating: 25 points for bronze, 45 points for silver, 65 points for gold and 85 points for platinum.
BYU received a 65.14—a gold rating and the second highest tier.
The report was released to the public after much deliberation. Breman Leak, head of sustainability at BYU, said having a public assessment was a good idea.
“We don’t want to brag, but in saying nothing, we inadvertently are communicating to our students that it’s not important,” Chip Oscarson, associate dean of undergraduate education and former sustainability committee member, said.
BYU campus is a classroom and we should be having conversations about how to be better stewards of the earth, Oscarson said.
Opening the topic of sustainability and environmental stewardship helps everyone be more aware and conscious of their actions, he added.
Because the report is available online, anyone can look at the specific things BYU is doing to become more sustainable. One can select a specific area of interest, see what BYU’s score is and the various courses of action being taken, Oscarson said.
“It is a deliberate attempt for us to look at ourselves and say, 'Where are we succeeding in our stewardship? Where could we be doing better?'” Oscarson said.
BYU has been developing more sustainable practices over the last few decades, including an effective recycling program and a switch from coal to natural gas starting in 2016 and finishing in 2019.
Recent efforts also include getting rid of the trays at food courts to reduce food waste and encourage students to only take what they will eat. Lightbulbs across campus have also been switched to be more energy efficient.
These efforts by BYU and more can be found within the STARS report.
BYU campus is different from many other campuses because there are people using the facilities seven days a week, Leak said. Even on Sundays, church is being held in many of the buildings.
“That’s a unique challenge for BYU—how do you stay energy efficient when you’re always on?” Leak said. “For our operations teams, it is 24/7, and they do a great job. They have a great team looking at energy efficiency.”
BYU released its sustainability plan, based in part on the STARS assessment. Actions and key performance indicators will be added to the plan in coming weeks and months. Campus community members who wish to provide suggestions may email sustainability@byu.edu.
“At BYU, sustainability is important to us and an integral part of our faith," President C. Shane Reese wrote in the executive cover letter of the STARS report. "Our campus community members show love for Jesus Christ and follow prophetic counsel through their service and leadership to 'care for the earth ... and one another.'”