Engaging Staff and Faculty through Green Office Certification Programs Bowen Close - Pomona College Kira Stoll - UC Berkeley

Why Do a Green Office/Dept Certification Program? 1Pro-Actively Engage Employees in Campus Sustainability 2Identify and Recognize Change Agents in the Organization 3Connect Students and Staff in Common Efforts 4Expand Visibility of Sustainability Offices 5Opportunity to Educate and Train 6Reduce Environmental Impacts 7Institutionalize Sustainability & Build Community

UC Berkeley green department certification green department certification is a new program offered at UC Berkeley to identity and recognize departments on campus that have taken extra steps to lower their environmental footprint. The program identifies certain conditions and actions – some optional and some required – that departments can take to become certified. Department is used generically to mean any department, office, unit, institute, or other administrative unit of or more members. Members can be faculty, staff, and/or students. Points Required for Certification Blue Certified – Pre-requisites plus 10 out of 30 points Gold Certified – Pre-requisites plus 15 out of 30 points Green Certified – Pre-requisites plus 20 out of 30 points

UC Berkeley green department categories Prerequisites (5) Energy & Climate (3 points) Built Environment (3 points) Waste (8 points) Transportation (1 point) Purchasing (3 points) Food & Dining (3 points) Innovation (10 points)

UC Berkeley green department design Underlying Issue: Large and Highly decentralized campus Design Element: Voluntary participation and tiers of certification intended to tap into intra-campus competitive nature

UC Berkeley green department design Underlying Issue: Departments ask different questions and have different sustainability priorities Design Element: Point systems allows a modular approach to appeal to a broad range of departments

UC Berkeley green department design Underlying Issue: How to find new sustainability champions Design Element: Certification can function like informal training and reach large numbers of staff and students.

UC Berkeley green department design Underlying Issue: Departments bring their own creativity and existing programs to the certification process. Design Element: Certification gives innovation points. Graduate Division Wiki

UC Berkeley green department design Underlying Issue: Departments have declining budgets Design Element: Certification can be no cost Personal Workspace Audit Building Cal Program in conjunction with the Office of Sustainability

UC Berkeley green department progress Total Certified Departments: 9 Total Staff/Employees: ~ 2900

Process 1Indicate interest to Sustainability Office 2Completion of office audit 3Distribution of green kit 4Fill out calculator 5Sustainability Office review 6Receive certification 7Celebrate!

Step 2: Office Audit Basic office info: Name of Office: Office Contact Person: Contacts Address: Contacts Phone Number: Number of People in Office: How many sinks? How many recycling bins? How many light switches? Indicate on a FLOOR PLAN which rooms are included. Appliance Audit: How many appliances are there in the office? Copiers: Fax machines: Computers: Printers: Shredders: Refrigerators: Copy Machines: Toaster Oven: Microwave: Water filtration systems:

Step 3: Green Kit

Step 4: Calculator Energy Waste Printing Kitchen Transportation Purchasing Participation Innovation

Step 4: Calculator

Step 5: SIO Review Answer questions Confirm pledged actions Assist with providing resources

Step 6: Receive certification Web logo Poster for office Publication in newsletters Signage for doors/windows 1-year follow-up

Progress Seven offices certified Two in progress Two more interested Three students trained as liaisons

Lessons Learned The process Enforcement Student involvement The program Pilot and calibration Frequent updating, including prerequisites Provide new incentives and materials for motivation Variations in scope, size

More Information Pomona College UC Berkeley