University Center Dining Sustainability & Climate Action Plan Composed and Presented By PACES 2014

Overview This presentation illustrates the findings from the assessment the PACES (Program for the Assessment and Certification for the Environment and Sustainability) Program completed and includes recommendations for future action.

Transportation Areas of Leadership 57% of employees bike, walk, or carpool 57.15% are informed about the TAP

Transportation 43% take a single occupancy vehicle to work Increase participation in TAP’s Carpooling Program 57 hours of complimentary parking per quarter At least one person will not have to purchase a permit The permit holder will also save $225 on their parking permit Matching services available which can accommodate diverse schedules Picture from Creative Commons

Energy Areas of Leadership 85.7% of staff turn off equipment when they leave their desk Mini-refrigerators have nice seals on them Ambient lighting is taken advantage of Those who have tasks lamps use it often Energy Conservation Signage are on some lights

Standards for lighting vary dependent on the task being performed. Energy Areas of Improvement Request to have a more detailed energy audit to ensure spaces are being lit with the proper amount of light Consider De-lamping and promoting task lamps, especially where there is natural lighting 85.7% of employees don’t have a task lamp Task lamps are energy efficient because they focus light where it is needed most Standards for lighting vary dependent on the task being performed. http://iac.missouri.edu/webtool/TaskDocuments/lighting/lighting_level.html

Energy Areas of Improvement 71.4% of employees never unplug even some devices when not in use – this is called “Phantom Energy” The rest unplug devices “Not often”

Energy Areas of Improvement PACES can provide signage to put around light switches and appliances to remind staff to power off and/or unplug lights and electronic appliances when not in use

Energy Areas of Improvement Defrost mini-fridges that are used if ice has ¼ inch This helps maintain operating efficiency because the excess ice prevent heat from transferring out of the refrigerator space, increasing the energy needed to push out the heat This then translates to increased energy cost

Energy Areas of Improvement Computers settings are outdated/not set up by IT department Set your computer to use energy saving features Stand-by mode when not at the computer Low brightness level on computer Avoid screen “savers”

Energy and Atmosphere A little less than half of employees raised concerns about the temperature in the UCen building. Concerns were also raised about the temperature/air circulation in the office space at Buchanan Temperature comfort has a significant impact on employee productivity and satisfaction. Improperly working heating and cooling systems are also often energy hogs.

Energy and Atmosphere Areas of Improvement Ask for energy efficient designs in the new UCen renovation (should the spring lock-in pass) Request an energy audit of the Buchanan space to determine what changes can be made. PACES can perform this. Regularly communicate temperature needs to UCen Operations and/or Facilities (for Buchanan) If the building is not performing adequately, use Energy Star rated fans and heaters.

Material and Resources Areas of Leadership 75% used mugs & 50% use towels and rags Some use Tupperware and reusable water bottles Toxic-free expo markers are used 100% of purchases are completed electronically Paper is 100% Post Consumer Waste A monthly inventory is taken before ordering in order to everything at once Although units and offices are separated, they have central ordering and are able to tap into other facilities

Materials and Resources Areas of Improvement Inform all employees about sustainable purchasing guidelines of the department and campus (42% of employees do not seek recycled content or Energy Star products when requesting departmental purchases) Alkaline batteries are much harder and costly to recycle. Consider replacing these with rechargeable batteries. 57% of employees are not aware of the challenges with alkaline batteries

Materials and Resources Areas of Improvement Some staff uses disposable cups daily Increase amount of reusable cups, mugs, and eating ware Picture from creative commons

Solid Waste Management Areas of Leadership Much of the equipment is centralized Most rooms have at least one recycling bin Most know: who to contact (Central Stores) about recycling broken furniture, to empty the blue bins, and where to recycle e-waste Printers have option to print double-sided

Solid Waste Management Areas of Improvement Printer is not set up to automatically print double-sided Printers -Centralize

Solid Waste Management Areas of Improvement Recycling Infrastructure Not all designated recycle bins have signage Some rooms are missing trash bins Reduction All application process is done with paper instead of electronically Reduce the amount of excess printers and mini-refrigerators Awareness There is confusion on who to contact about fluorescent light bulbs; on what is recyclable

Water Areas of Leadership 100% of staff know who to call about dripping sink faucet and do so when needed

Water Areas of Improvement Increase awareness about the importance of Hydration Stations Image from UCSB Plastic Solutions

Indoor Environmental Quality and Human Health Areas of Leadership Most of the office spaces have been ergonomically analyzed Most staff get cleaning products from the central kitchen or do not use any

Indoor Environmental Quality and Human Health Areas of Improvement Often found in paints, cleaning supplies, pesticides, office equipment (ex copiers and printers), VOC (volatile organic compounds) are highly toxic organic chemical gases that can cause a variety of issues from eye and nose irrigation to cancer. Lysol wipes are used; VOC level: 1,200 ppm Safe levels of VOC for humans: 500 ppb To request "green" all-purpose cleaning chemicals, at no cost, please contact your UCen Operational Staff. Instead of bleach, use Suprox-D, Oxivir Tb, Oxivir Five 16, and Quat-64

Indoor Environmental Quality and Human Health Areas of Improvement Sometimes people eat at the table in the room where the main printer is Often petroleum-based, printer inks and toners contain VOCs which can be carcinogenic Therefore, it is important to wear gloves when changing these parts out and to keep printers away from eating areas and work spaces

Indoor Environmental Quality and Human Health Areas of Improvement Most building occupants have meals at their desk increasing chances of food particles and waste at the workspace, luring pests, and eventually requiring the use of poisons to exterminate pests Put a compost bin in your main break room (Free from PACES) Integrated Pest Management relies on environmentally conscience and effective practices focusing on prevention and control for monitoring and identifying pests

Indoor Environmental Quality and Human Health Areas of Improvement There is no program to encourage stretching exercises for promoting occupational health and safety Studies show physiological benefits that help prevent injuries in the office space Contact Julie McAbee (ext. 3283) Julie.McAbee@buss.ucsb.edu

Communication and Training Areas of Leadership 100% of staff believe it is “very” to “somewhat” important to address environmental impact and to take an active role 57% have received environmental education Training videos discuss safety precautions with recycling, composting, using the various bins, etc.

Communication and Training Areas of Improvement 42% did not remember receiving environmental training through the department Expand sustainability section in employee orientation/ safety trainings

Overall…

PACES Scorecard PACES uses the PACES Scorecard as a point system to keep track of the department’s practices and to gauge the overall environmentalism of the whole department. 5 sections: Energy and Atmosphere Communication and Training Indoor Environmental Quality Food Systems Material and Resources Transportation and water Bronze 25%, Silver 50%, Gold 75% University Center Dining earned 42/82 (51.2%)

University Center Dining is Congratulations! The department of University Center Dining is SILVER Certified

Next Steps…

PACES Assessment Checklist

Thank you For questions, comments, or inquires, please contact: Brittany Tse PACES Green Campus Coordinator brittany_tse@umail.ucsb.edu