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Sustainability

Miami University receives STARS Gold rating for sustainability achievements

“Achieving a STARS Gold is a unified effort. Thank you to everyone at Miami who contributed," Sustainability Director Adam Sizemore, said

by Susan Meikle, University Communications and Marketing • Published •
Sustainability

Miami University receives STARS Gold rating for sustainability achievements

by Susan Meikle, University Communications and Marketing • Published •
stars gold logo

Miami University has achieved its second STARS Gold rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. 

Miami’s STARS report is publicly available on the STARS website. The STARS report and rating is valid for three years.

Miami achieved its first Gold rating in 2019.

Participants report achievements in nearly 100 categories in five overall areas: academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation and leadership.

“This marks Miami’s fourth submission to STARS, with previous submissions in 2013, 2016, and 2019. Each report details our historical accomplishments and pathways to advance sustainability at Miami,” Adam Sizemore, Miami University’s director of sustainability, said.

“Achieving a STARS Gold is a unified effort. Thank you to everyone at Miami who contributed.”

Recent Sustainability highlights include 

Carbon footprint reduction:

  • 52% reduction in energy-based carbon emissions per gross square foot (Oxford campus, from 2008 -2019. Note: 2019 was the most recent fiscal year with a fully operating campus).
  • 39% reduction in energy use overall (Oxford campus, 2008-2019).

Signing the PCLC and committing to carbon neutrality:

  • On Sept. 22, 2020, Miami University President Gregory Crawford signed Second Nature’s Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitment (PCLC) Climate Commitment. Miami is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality as soon as possible. Major steps for the Climate Action Task Force are:
  • September 2023: Complete a Campus-Community Resilience Assessment.
  • September 2024: Complete a comprehensive Climate Action Plan and set a target for achieving carbon neutrality.

Online course, 'Sustainability at Miami"

  • An online student sustainability education module was developed in partnership with Miami Regionals’ E-Campus, the Office of Sustainability, and University Communications and Marketing. It was launched in spring 2022 and is available on Canvas.

A commitment to transparency

  • The office of sustainability reports data on several external platforms (including STARS); and a carbon footprint dashboard was developed in fall 2021 and is available on the sustainability website. 

32 LEED Gold- or Silver-Certified buildings

About STARS

With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance.

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” AASHE executive director Meghan Fay Zahniser said. “Miami has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Gold rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

Unlike other rating or ranking systems, this program is open to all institutions of higher education, and the criteria that determine a STARS rating are transparent and accessible to anyone. Because STARS is a program based on credits earned, it allows for both internal comparisons as well as comparisons with similar institutions.

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