Sustainability Action Plan Jill McSorley August 2016 Executive Summary According to the university President, Dr. John J. DeGioia, “Environmental sustainability is one of the defining challenges of our time. At Georgetown we are committed to engaging in research, teaching and operational practices that address this challenge and help us minimize our impact on the environment” (Georgetown University). Despite unique challenges in the Qatari environment, Georgetown University in Qatar can be committed to environmental sustainability. This Sustainability Action Plan was written as a guide to help GUQ continue to lead Education City in environmental sustainability. There is currently no financial incentive for GUQ to reduce electricity use, water use or volume of waste. This action plan focuses on low-cost and no cost achievable action steps that GUQ can implement to improve environmental sustainability awareness and improve operations. Engagement and Education To promote sustainability awareness to the faculty and staff, the plan proposes to establish a green office program. The FIT department would host two field trips each year, and the QF HSSE department will hold a water taste test in the atrium. To engage students, GUQ will introduce sustainability into the Student Leadership Certificate Program and integrate the concept into Student Club Leader Training. Protection of Natural Resources In an effort to protect natural resources, the plan proposes a number of initiatives including: central printing, weekly tire pressure checks, improved recycling and waste stream, plug timers, door maintenance, optimized irrigation, and using reusable plates. The FIT department needs accurate data to recognize problems and successes. It must commit to regular, accurate data collection and reporting through a sustainability scorecard. Leverage Main Campus and Qatar Foundation Main Campus and Qatar Foundation have resources available that GUQ can access to improve its sustainability. Main Campus now has an Office of Sustainability with two full time people who are eager to engage GUQ on a regular basis, share best practices and help. It also hosts a monthly sustainability working group. Qatar Foundation has an HSSE team with an Environmental Specialist assigned to GUQ. Publicize GUQ Achievement GUQ is already engaged in sustainability research and activities, but there is no central entity promoting these achievements. The plan recommends to set up a qatar.sfs.georgetown/edu website that promotes the sustainability efforts and achievements across the campus, in operations, research, and student activities. Responsibilities The Associate Director for Auxiliary Services will lead the Sustainability efforts at GUQ with support from Communications, Student Development, the rest of FIT, and eventually a Green Team. The plan offers a table of timelines and accountable people for each step to ensure that the plan moves forward despite personnel change. 1 Contents Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 1 List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................................ 3 List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Background ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Recommended Initiatives...................................................................................................................... 6 Engagement & Education ................................................................................................................. 6 Protection of Natural Resources .......................................................................................................10 Leverage the Sustainability Resources and Expertise of Main Campus and Qatar Foundation ........17 Publicize Works at GUQ..................................................................................................................18 Fostering Sustainable Behavior........................................................................................................... 19 Vision of Sustainability....................................................................................................................19 Leadership’s role and recommended actions to engage the staff ......................................................20 Communication and Marketing ........................................................................................................20 Organizational structure in support of Sustainability .......................................................................21 Performance Metrics & Reporting ...................................................................................................... 21 Recommendations: Future initiatives .................................................................................................. 22 Roadmap: Steps to Implement the Sustainability Action Plan ............................................................ 24 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 25 Appendices ......................................................................................................................................... 26 Appendix 1: Possible Field Trips .....................................................................................................26 Appendix 2: Items to include on the Sustainability Webpage ..........................................................29 Appendix 3: Printer Energy Use ......................................................................................................31 Appendix 4: Identified Opportunities & Risks .................................................................................32 Appendix 5: Key Stakeholders.........................................................................................................33 Appendix 6: Local Experts for Student Leadership Workshop or Community Classes ...................34 References .......................................................................................................................................... 35 2 List of Abbreviations ADAS – Associate Director for Auxiliary Services CFITO - Chief Facilities and Information Technology Officer CIRS – Center for International and Regional Studies FIT – Facilities and Information Technology Department (Georgetown University in Qatar) GHG- Green House Gas GU- Georgetown University GUQ – Georgetown University in Qatar HELP – Hoya Empowerment and Learning Program MTCO2E- Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent QF – Qatar Foundation QFFM – Qatar Foundation Facilities Management QF HSSE – Qatar Foundation Health Safety Security and Environment. QNRF – Qatar National Research Fund SAP- Sustainability Action Plan SFS- School of Foreign Service (Georgetown University) SOP- Standard Operating Procedure 3 List of Figures Figure 1: Green Office Door Sticker ......................................................................................... 8 Figure 2: Sticky Note ................................................................................................................. 8 Figure 3: Sample Poster 1 .......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 4: Sample Poster 2 .......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 5: 2014 & 2015 GHG Emissions Inventory ................................................................. 10 Figure 6: 2015 GUQ GHG Emissions ..................................................................................... 11 Figure 7: Sample Sustainability Scorecard .............................................................................. 12 Figure 8: New multi-function solution .................................................................................... 13 Figure 9: Current photocopier and printer ............................................................................... 13 Figure 10: Typical desk-top printer ......................................................................................... 13 Figure 11: Plug Timer available at GUQ ................................................................................. 14 Figure 12: Standard Water Cooler at GUQ.............................................................................. 14 Figure 13: Open gap between doors in Segment E, Lower Ground Floor .............................. 14 Figure 14: Large Door gap in the Majlis ................................................................................. 14 Figure 15: Exterior light on at 12:00 noon............................................................................... 15 Figure 16: Tree in Dean's Courtyard ........................................................................................ 15 Figure 17: Lot 2 Waste Yard ................................................................................................... 16 Figure 18: Office Paper Recycling Tray .................................................................................. 16 Figure 19: Georgetown University Sustainability