Sustainable Procurement at DePaul University

Many organizations, including America’s most influential universities, recognize that it is their responsibility to implement initiatives which reduce their carbon footprint. What they may not recognize, however, is that they can significantly influence the carbon footprint of their vendors through sustainable procurement practices. Campuses are careful to have recycling programs, install water control systems and use low-watt compact fluorescent light bulbs for lighting in dormitories, classrooms and offices whenever possible. One practice, however, requires no retrofitting of buildings or significant upfront cost. It simply requires consciously vetting, selecting and monitoring the sustainable practices of vendors when procuring products that universities must purchase anyway. Learn more about DePaul's procurement initiatives here.

DePaul received a paltry D+ grade on the 2009 College Sustainability Report Card, which independently evaluates campus and endowment sustainability activities. Although far below acceptability, DePaul’s D+ rating was an improvement over the previous year and the University continues to make advancements in its practices. One such improvement is in the University’s green purchasing procurement policy. According to The Sustainable Endowments Institute in Cambridge Massachusetts, “green purchasing” has become a priority at many schools across the U.S. with 61 percent of schools implementing some form of a green purchasing policy. Of the schools with sustainable procurement policy programs, about half limit their green purchasing to a single initiative (e.g., buying Energy Star appliances). Far fewer have adopted more robust policies involving multiple types of purchasing areas and vendor practices. DePaul, however, takes sustainable procurement quite seriously.

In order to be good stewards of the environment, DePaul must have a holistic view of the procurement process. For DePaul, the process begins with the Request for Proposal (RFP). The university makes it quite clear when distributing RFPs that it prefers vendors that are diverse, sustainable and socially responsible. Vendors are held accountable for their practices and must evaluate their competitiveness as many other universities also adopt this practice. In addition to social responsibility inquiries, potential vendors must explain practices such as:

1. Describe any programs your organization has implemented to provide goods/services in an environmentally sustainable way. Describe both in terms of the actual products sold to the University as well as practices in place at corporate and other locations.

2. Describe any re-use and recycling programs that your organization offers.

3. Describe your packaging and shipping options and how those impact sustainability efforts.

4. List any key environmental organizations you belong or any certifications your organization carries (e.g. EPEAT, LEED, Cradle to Cradle, Green Seal, Energy Star, etc.). Include the date of the last certification and its expiration.

5. Please provide links to websites that highlight your company’s commitment to sustainability (corporate statement on sustainability, press releases on specific initiatives, etc).

DePaul’s procurement department requires that all potential vendors reflect on their company’s sustainable policies and markets several vendors, including Staples and CDW-G, who have eco-friendly and sustainable products available. According to Cheryl Procter-Rogers’, Vice President, Public Relations and Communications, response to the 2010 Sierra Club “Cool School” questionnaire, the university purchases only paper with at least 30% post consumer recycled content and is endorsed by The Rainforest Alliance, the Sustainable Forest Initiative and the Forest Stewardship Council. Review DePaul’s core RFP requirements here.

While it is impossible to monitor the daily sustainable practices of 100 percent of its vendors, DePaul is committed to improving its sustainable procurement practices. Requiring vendors to be introspective in the RFP process is a significant step toward emphasizing the importance of how the university values sustainable practices.

posted by: Sondra Elder
photo courtesy of Procura+

DePaul LEEDs The Way

In a city like Chicago, with a bustling urban center and an endless grid of downtown neighborhoods, a focus on the sustainable best practices in the built environment is of the utmost importance to our quality of life. The built environment is a very broad term, and may be used to describe the smallest hot dog stand, or the entire city and its infrastructure. However you look at it, our man-made surroundings are all a part of the built environment, and affect our lives on a daily bases. Sustainable best practices have become an intense focus in the design, construction, and management of the built environment….the most visible and popular being green buildings.

Green buildings are popping up all over the world, with the objective of shifting best practices to higher performance, lower environmental impact, and regenerative design. Universities have become a hotspot for green buildings, and DePaul is no exception. University facilities are an integral part of Chicago’s built environment. They not only impact the immediate environment, but also foster learning that will affect our future environment, and set an example for other communities and universities. The new Andrew J. McGowan Science Building is on the cutting edge of the university’s efforts to integrate sustainable best practices into the built environment. Just this fall it earned a LEED Gold rating.

LEED Gold is the second highest rating in LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED is the international standard rating system for green buildings, administered by the United States Green Building Council, or USGBC. The system is designed to improve performance over all aspects of the built environment. It includes categories that cover indoor environmental quality, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, sustainable site selection, design innovation, and materials and resources. DePaul was able to achieve Gold Certification by creatively incorporating elements from those categories into the design of the new science building. In an interview by DePaul Magazine, Vice President of Facility Operations Robert Janis said that a laboratory building will use 5-10 times more energy than an office building of comparable size. See the article New Science Building Garners a LEED Gold, Mayor's Praise.

This high amount of energy use makes the focus of sustainable best practices much more important. According to the article from DePaul Magazine, the university was able to incorporate sustainable elements such as :

• Thermal mass walls that improve insulation• High efficiency natural gas boilers and water heaters
• Efficient lighting
• Vegetated green roof
• High albedo roof surfaces to defer solar thermal gain
• Storm water management plan to eliminate runoff• Regional building materials with recycled content
• Building materials with low VOC’s, or Volatile Organic Compounds

The vegetated green roof includes all native plant species and an experimental greenhouse. It will become an outdoor lab that will further extend the educational opportunities available to the students at DePaul.

With the construction and operation of this new sustainable building on campus, DePaul is not only immediately contributing to the sustainability of our physical environment, it is providing an example for all Chicagoans, and providing educational opportunities for younger generations who will bear the task of continuing sustainability best practices.

Check out the video about the new McGowan Science Building

Photo Credit: DePaul Magazine

Kurt England, LEED AP

DePaul Can LEED In New Ways

DePaul’s new LEED Gold science building is a huge step forward in sustainability best practices on campus. Chicago is one of the most well known cities for LEED certified buildings; sometimes called the “Green Roofs City,” and DePaul is absolutely making its mark there with its sustainability efforts. There is another side to green buildings, however, and that is the reuse of existing buildings. Recycling is a very standard method of practicing sustainability, and thus the recycling of old buildings is a big part of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The USGBC offers a LEED rating system for existing building. This rating system is designed for renovations of existing buildings, with the goal of maximizing operating efficiency and minimizing environmental impacts. It involves recycling, cleaning, and maintenance programs. It also involves interior, exterior, and systems upgrades. DePaul’s existing built environment makes the university a perfect candidate to apply this rating system, much like many other universities are doing.

Universities are beginning to use this LEED approach to certify their existing buildings, without starting over at new construction. The University of Louisville’s Duthie Center for Engineering is a prime example. The recently renovated facility earned a LEED Gold rating from the USGBC. The renovation project was able to reuse 95 percent of the original structure from 1947. 77 percent of materials that were not reused were recycled, 27 percent of new materials were recycled content, and 31 percent of new materials were produced regionally. The project also featured personal controls for lighting and air, and energy and water saving systems.

See more in the article Duthie Center for Engineering earns gold for energy design In U of L Today.

Texas Christian University-TCU is also a fine example of universities who are committed to sustainable best practices. Their recent renovation of Sherley Hall Dormitory has also earned a LEED Gold certification. They were able to reuse over 98 percent of the original structure. Water usage was reduced by 37 percent, and energy usage was reduced by 40-55 percent in exterior and interior lighting. These percentages go a long way in a college residence hall. The project also featured an Indoor Air Quality Management Plan during construction to minimize indoor air pollution upon inhabitation; also very important in a residence hall. Students in the dorm will have access to recycling rooms on every floor…and students produce a lot of garbage.

TCU is very committed to sustainable best practices on campus. The University is convinced that LEED are very effective in improving the health of inhabitants, and saving money and resources in the long run; and they are not stopping with Sherley Hall. TCU has also earned LEED Gold Certification for Scharbauer Hall, which hosts student classes. Here both the students and the faculty benefit from a healthier classroom and working environment. This was a new project, however, and not a renovation, but strongly exhibits TCU’s commitment to the entire built environment on campus. This is the direction in which DePaul should be traveling. The University already has an amazing start with the new LEED Gold science building. Now a beneficial focus will be LEED renovation. Read more about TCU’s renovation

Photo Credit 1: U of L Today

Photo Credit 2: TCU Magazine

Kurt England, LEED AP