UNT Sustainability

The Office of Sustainability has recently completed the 2011 Transportation Survey, which provides extensive insight to students, facility, and staff commuting at UNT.  Administered by UNT’s Survey Research Center, the survey was open from the months of September through October during the Fall 2011 semester.  A total of 3,321 individuals responded to the survey, accounting for 6% of the total student population and 30% of the faculty/staff population.

In December 2011, the University of Indonesia conducted its second annual GreenMetric World University Ranking.  Begun in 2010, the web-based self reporting tool assesses the sustainability of universities on five broad measurement categories to include: Setting & Infrastructure, Energy & Climate Change, Waste, Water, and Transportation.  Points are allocated based upon participant responses and allow for a comprehensive comparison amongst universities in developed and developing countries.  Out of 178 participating institutions, UNT ranked 35^th, well within the top 20%.

Launched in the Spring 2011 and managed by the Office of Sustainability, the We Mean Green Office Certification Program, (WMG OCP) is a comprehensive assessment program that seeks to affect positive behavior change, realize cost savings, and reduce the university’s carbon emissions by calculating office energy consumption, transportation habits, product use, and waste streams.

The University of North Texas has recently completed its second Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory assessing university emissions for fiscal year 2009. The biennial GHG is used to assess carbon emissions resulting from campus operations and identify areas to target carbon & waste reduction strategies.  The Inventory revealed that UNT decreased its overall emissions by 8.7% from the previous GHG Inventory for FY2007.