Implementation Profile for Lafayette College
Submitted on November 26, 2008; last updated on July 13, 2009
Institution Information
| Basic Carnegie Classification | Bac/A&S: Baccalaureate Colleges Arts & Sciences |
| Control | Private not-for-profit |
| Location | Easton, PA |
| Community Setting | Urban fringe of mid-size city |
| USDOE Climate Zone | 5 |
| Current President or Chancellor's Name | Daniel Weiss |
| Current President or Chancellor's Title | President |
| Main Web Site | http://www.lafayette.edu/ |
| Sustainability Web Site | No information provided |
Implementation Structure
| Implementation Liaison's Name | George Xiques |
| Implementation Liaison's Title | Assist. Director & Campus Sustainability Manager |
| Implementation Liaison's Department | Department of Facilities Planning & Construction |
| Format of Structure | Committee |
| Number of Individuals in Structure | 10 |
| Stakeholder Groups Represented | Faculty, Students, Staff |
| Description | From a small group overseeing new "recycling initiatives" on campus, a committee was formed and gradually given a budget and reporting structure to help initiate actions that both improved existing sustainable initiatives as well as championing the implementation of new ones. |
Tangible Actions
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1. Establish a policy that all new campus construction will be built to at least the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver standard or equivalent. No: The College has adopted a policy that states that all new construction AND renovation projects will be considered for LEED-Silver. |
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2. Adopt an energy-efficient appliance purchasing policy requiring purchase of ENERGY STAR certified products in all areas for which such ratings exist. Yes: The College has adoppted a policy that encourages the purchasing of products with the "Energy Star" rating. |
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3. Establish a policy of offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions generated by air travel paid for by our institution. Yes: We are in the process of developing our climate action plan. |
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4. Encourage use of and provide access to public transportation for all faculty, staff, students and visitors at our institution. Yes: The College currently provides a shuttle service for students (free of charge) to encourage the use of mass transit. We also provide information regarding commercial bus services within 1 block of the campus to all of our students and staff via our website. |
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5. Within one year of signing this document, begin purchasing or producing at least 15% of our institution's electricity consumption from renewable sources. Yes: We will gradually be able to do this through our power provider. Currently, the power supplier's portfolio provides only 3% of their power from "renewables." In 2010 the supplier plans to provide between 8% and 10% (along with rate hikes). This figure is expected to improve after the 2010 roll-out. The college is also pursuing studies regarding the use of both photovoltaics and biomass to further enhance its own (campus-generated) portion of the overall power portfolio. |
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6. Establish a policy or a committee that supports climate and sustainability shareholder proposals at companies where our institution's endowment is invested. No: The College's senior staff is currently investigating the possibilities available in this regard. |
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7. Participate in the Waste Minimization component of the national RecycleMania competition, and adopt 3 or more associated measures to reduce waste. Yes: We are enrolled in the 2009 competition cycle. |