Dalhousie recognized as a top performer in the 2022 Sustainable Campus Index

Dalhousie has tied for third place in the area of Coordination and Planning in this year’s Sustainable Campus Index. The university’s score for Procurement practices earned Dal a fifth-place standing.

Published annually by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities in 17 impact areas, as measured by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).   

Coordinating full marks
 

The rating area of Coordination and Planning looks at how effectively institutions organize, implement and publicize sustainability initiatives. Dalhousie received full marks across the section, which includes Sustainability Coordination, Sustainability Planning, Inclusive and Participatory Governance, and Reporting Assurance.  

At the core of the university’s planning success is the Office of Sustainability, which works with campus and community partners to ensure sustainability concepts and criteria are incorporated or considered across university operations. The office also pulls together the university’s submission to STARS. 

The President’s Advisory Council on Sustainability (PACS) is also key to sustainability coordination by providing a forum for students, faculty, administration, and alumni to provide advice on campus sustainability programs and policies. Anyone interested in joining PACS can email rethink@dal.ca for more information. 

Gold in 2021

Dalhousie earned the university’s third consecutive STARS gold rating in 2021, which is valid for three years. Information from the 2021 submission was used to calculate Dalhousie’s placement in this year’s Sustainable Campus Index.  

Read more: Focus on sustainability research helps Dalhousie clinch third STARS gold rating

Coordinated through AASHE, STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance in four categories: Academics, Engagement, Operations, and Planning & Administration.